Rifle from the USA or UK

boschboy

Member
Hi there

I am looking at purchasing a .308 for a combination of stalking and target shooting. I have a Remington 700 in mind, £1500 in budget without a scope and am not sure if it would benefit me purchasing it in the UK or in the USA when I visit later this year?

What I am asking is if someone who has done it before could advise me on:

a) Whether it is financially viable importing yourself?

b) What the cost is in terms of VAT and import duty?

c) What paperwork will I need?

d) Any other information you might think would help?

Thanks

Vince
 
If you are going to buy a rifle while in the states you will need to fill in a DSP83 form which you can get from the DTI. This form has the intended use of the firearm and that you are the end user.
Vat at usual rate and import duty @3%
You need to get some one to buy it for you as a gift, and there will only be import duty to pay.If however you you put down it is for the control of vermin then I believe it is vat expempt.
Make sure that the Airline will accept it!


Have fun!

griff
 
You will also need an export licence DSP-99 from the US which costs in region of $300 - $400, plus three months minimum waiting for arrangement.


When (if) you get one, you need to arrange shipping and you will pay duty at the UK end, plus a fee to an RFD for putting it on your ticket.


At the moment its a absolute hassle to import a firearm from the states for yourself.

IMHO, I would look at the UK, yep price may be higher, but the percieved saving of a rifle from the states may turn into an expensive nightmare by the time it arrives.



Ive imported rifles and actions before, it aint worth it, unless its a REALLY special action / rifle.........
 
Last edited:
THere are licensed importer/exporters here in the US that will handle things on this end for a fee. When the US dollar was strong agaist the Aussie Dollar I bought a bucket load of rifles from down under. As was stated it depends on what you're buying and if it's worth it to you. I have a 30-06 of JAYB's that I'd like to send him if he ever gets things sorted out on his end!~Muir
 
My pal in South Carolina who died this year gave me his 30.06 springfield 3 years ago as he was getting too frail to use it anymore.
I took it to Atlanta airport and checked it onto the plane in my suitcase and it arrived in germany with no problems.
The USA real world in my experience is that the authorities at the airports have no interest in who or what is physically leaving the US, nobody in the US needs a firearm permission for long guns anyway (NY & Calif may be different).
Buying one in the US will be hard without having a USA ID (drivers license) due to the background checks needed as US Federal law forbids resident aliens (from Mars?) owning firearms until they have been in the USA for minimum of 3 months.
Then the rifle will need proof testing in the UK plus it will be held at the airport of entry until it is officially entered on your UK certificate, so 2 trips to the airport. I have done it in 1999 with a Contender shotgun so I do know how it works.
Cannot be worth all the bother.
Buying one from Europe would be easier I would have thought. On German egun one is going now as a "buy it now" for 990 euros = 825 pounds.
Martin
 
Last edited:
Not wishing to start a whole different debate but £1500 (not including scope) will get you a lot more rifle than a Rem 700 even at UK prices. Just a thought. JC
 
...Then the rifle will need proof testing in the UK...

Not correct.

You can use it until hell freezes over without it being proofed. It only needs proofing if or when you come to sell it.

I speak with direct experience of importing a 30-06 some years back.
 
Vince
If your are going to spend £1500 have a look at the savage rifles they are being shot in competition and are doing very well.
Martin
 
Hi Vince

I have a 7mm-o8 Improved for sale on this forum showing the full spec. It was built for me by Dave Tooley and is a blueprinted Rem 700 action.

I would sell the bare rifle for £1500 if it is of interest to you

Max
 
The whole export thing from US has got a lot tighter in recent months , it also varies from state to state , for example if you have a slot on you ticket for a rifle you do not need an import licence , yet the us forms asks for it try explaining to some one in the us that you don't need one and on the form there is a box to fill in for this purpose. if they are not sure most of the dealers will not do it. the fines are big if they get it wrong .

At the shot show there was a tale going round of one us dealers sending some washers or similar out to an exiting customer, they got picked up and he ended up with a massive fine , one barrel supplier has also been caught out as well.

Unless its is something realy special you can't get in the UK you are best of picking it up here
 
Not correct.

You can use it until hell freezes over without it being proofed. It only needs proofing if or when you come to sell it.

I speak with direct experience of importing a 30-06 some years back.
I forgot to mention that but you are accepting the risk that the gun is OK.
The German proof houses turn down lots of new US guns due to the chambers not being to European specs. Frankonia have a gunsmith stationed in the US and he checks each gun before it comes to germany and rejects enough to warrent him being there.
martin
 
Vince

Firstly, I don't have anything to gain from this thread and I'm not on commission for assisting Max in selling his rifle (I have never even met him!) however, for the money you are suggesting spending I think you would struggle to find a better piece of kit than his rifle for that kind of dosh. From memory I don't think Remington even have a model for sale in this country that costs that much (could be wrong though). I have commented before on this site about the negative attitude towards Remington having owned several including complete custom rebuilds and they lend themselves to 'accurising'. Calum Ferguson at Precision Rifle Services started off building all his custom rifles on blueprinted Remington actions.

If I had the spare cash just now and could justify another rifle, I would have bought this when it first came up on the classified's. Personally I just like seeing someone getting value for money and on your budget I would not look beyond this. I appreciate you are looking for a .308 however 7mm and the associated bullet range is not that far away. Don't be put of by the 'ackley improved' chamber. Not trying to teach Granny to suck eggs but in the event you have no experience with this concept, you can still shoot standard factory rounds through it whereby the cases become 'fire-formed' to the new chamber dimensions. Great for reloading as there is virtually no case stretch in the new chambering (I have not had to trim my .243AI cases in over 4 reloads) and the round can be loaded to slightly faster velocities due to the increased case capacity. This is a very simplified perception and worth reading up on.

Good luck with your search.
 
I've seen the 7mm-08 owned by MAX and seen it shoot. For what my opinion is worth - and I'm sticking my neck out here - it's in mint condition rifle and shoots clover leafs. 'Hardly done anything at all as it's one of a few in the safe and the others get used on rainy days.
 
Oh - and what jamross65 says is correct. A further point to his comments is that fireformed Ackley improved cartridges give excellent failsafe extraction as well as improved velocity with less recoil.

To go further down the line on calibre - and completely different. I have a Proctor rifle sitting down in London. 6.5 X57mm. which will remove a bit of tissue from a previous bullet hole at 100 yards.
It cost over £2000 plus other considerations to buy as a bare custom rifle complete with custom scope mounts, and it has a 6X Swarovski scope with pointer reticule sitting on top of the match-grade Shilen barrel.
The action is a 1912 Mexican contract Mauser 98 action made in Belgium at the Mauser factory and the machined solid-state scope mounts are sweated into place. It would take a run-over by a landrover to shift anything.

I'll let it go at the same price - but it IS a differeent calibre and cartridge and I'm not trying to gazump MAX.

He's offering a great deal and based on the same case size.
 
Hello Vince
£1500 will buy you quite a lot of Remington in the UK without the possible USA/UK customs complications.
I have 2 customised Remington 700's, one in 243 and the other 7mm-08 (which was once a 308 - just changed the barrel). They both handle and shoot exceptionally well. 7mm-08 has inherited the accuracy from it's parent 308 and is in my experience more accurate with less recoil and has better ballistics, it is also growing in popularity as a target rifle (in the US).
Anyway regardless of calibre have a look at Riflecraft Ltd. (in Norfolk), they do a semi-customised Remington 700 they call the LSR (Light Sporting Rifle). They are a basic 700 bedded into a Bell & Carson or laminate stock (about £950). Additionally you could have a custom barrel fitted if you wanted. Remington's now come with their new adjustable X-Mark Pro triggers which are as good as Timney or RifleBasix so no need to spend anymore on custom triggers.
All in all the LSR will give you a rifle of superb accuracy and soundness. Yesterday I shot two 2 shot groups of 1/4" with my 7mm-08 - it's now ready for the 1st August! P.S. I can't always do that but the rifle can!
 
my opinion only!

its not worth the grief!time and paperwork!

especially if your going to all that trouble for a rem 700!

I only shoot rem 700,s and highly rate them there great value for your money.good strong actions and cheap aftermarket upgrades,just baught a new laminate stock for my rem 700 stainless for only $78

A new 1 in the states is gona cost you around $600
for a blued and around $700 for a ss
I would just buy 1 in the uk!
good luck dan
 
Oh - and what jamross65 says is correct. A further point to his comments is that fireformed Ackley improved cartridges give excellent failsafe extraction as well as improved velocity with less recoil.

To go further down the line on calibre - and completely different. I have a Proctor rifle sitting down in London. 6.5 X57mm. which will remove a bit of tissue from a previous bullet hole at 100 yards.
It cost over £2000 plus other considerations to buy as a bare custom rifle complete with custom scope mounts, and it has a 6X Swarovski scope with pointer reticule sitting on top of the match-grade Shilen barrel.
The action is a 1912 Mexican contract Mauser 98 action made in Belgium at the Mauser factory and the machined solid-state scope mounts are sweated into place. It would take a run-over by a landrover to shift anything.

I'll let it go at the same price - but it IS a differeent calibre and cartridge and I'm not trying to gazump MAX.

He's offering a great deal and based on the same case size.

Hmmm talk about mis-information :rolleyes: Firstly Mauser never had a factory or plant in Belgium. They did licence FN to make Mauser design rifles and actions but they were the Model 1891 I seem to recall. Then of course after WW1 The French an Belgians did quite a good job stripping out the Mauser factories.. Proctor also likes using another Belgian Mauser when he can get them as it has a drop floor plate already. Cannot recall the model # off the top of my head.
 
Yup ! Apologies. Severe memory lapse. I stand reprimanded and I've done some paperwork digging as I'd only sell anything on after thorough correspondence on all paperwork.

The Specs sheet sent to me :- Mauser Patt '98 Mexican Contract (1924) F.N. Belgium Intermediate Length - as someone who has become recently interested has already been informed.

Once again I'm reminded that I swim in waters containing Killer whales ! :oops:
 
Back
Top