Buying From USA

Bleak Ridge is a family-run business, selling country clothing and workwear
paul at barony said:
It's not our fault the US lawmakers are paranoid. A weaver rail for my BRNO was classed as military.... but I still got it in the end.
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The problem is the US Munitions List that is used to designate products as defence or defence-related. For example, on riflescopes the definition is:

"Riflescopes manufactured to military specifications"

There's no list of the makes, models, designations, reticles, etc that together comprised "military specifications", so its open to much interpretation. This is why many of the online retailers will no loger export rifle scopes outside of the US. The penalties can be severe, not just in terms of an immediate fine but also in terms of suspension of export licences.

Personally, now I only buy from the States if I am going there in person.

willie_gunn
 
My deer cart I bought from Cabelas recently came via UPS - for some reason I only got charged for VAT and not their usual £11 handling fee too...:???: No idea if this is a change in policy but I'm not complaining!

I buy stuff from the states wherever possible, because UK retailers are usually comparatively rubbish - on price and customer service.
 
I do try to support the local shops but they are not making it easy. Am now looking for a new local shop after the debacle over the Remington ammunition and the rude atatitude of the owner. I hear there is a relatively new one a bit south of me so i will find the address and go take a look and see what they have. Need a source of Powder and bullets (componant bullets) when needed.

However stuff like dies well they come from the US my next scope might as well once I get the finances straight enough in the new year. Some bits like the two Pat 1907 slings came via a friend in the US as well I couldn't find one here.
 
Seriously the bad guys don't need to order stuff from the USA.... they just pick them up from for free.

'The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons — almost 4% of the semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since the end of 2003'

'Congressional auditors revealed on Thursday that the Taliban or al-Qaida in Afghanistan may be in possession of thousands of U.S. weapons, including “rifles, pistols, machine guns, grenade launchers, shotguns” and mortars, because of security failures. About “2,410 highly prized night vision devices” are also missing'

Is there ebay in Afghanistan and do they ship to the UK?? :roll:
 
jamross65 said:
Can anyone on here tell me what the deal is when buying kit from the States, or in particular from Cabela's regarding prices being affected by import duty and vat etc?

I seem to recall a couple of posts recently that appeared to comment on not being hit for certain surcharges but unfortunately I did not pay enough attention to them at the time.

Thanks
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Hi mate,

You'll end up paying 27% on top. More in Jan 2011 as VAT goes up to 20%!

Regards,

Mike
(Jelen Deer Services) Jelen Deer Services
 
I think that for the most part, if you can't find a friend or two from which you can get gifts, it will be tough to get 'stuff' from The States at prices that are competitive with local stores. As a couple of posters said, "Visit and buy, or get friends to send", is likely to be the reality in the end.

I doubt if it will be any consolation, but we are pretty much in the same boat here in Alaska (and the Hawaiians). Companies like UPS and FedEx gouge us something fierce, and our local stores run prices up to the exact value that we would pay if we buy via phone or internet and pay retail plus outrageous UPS or FedEx shipping, even though they buy AND SHIP wholesale. We don't have the VAT and other "extended hands" that you have though, so you have my sympathy there.

Regards,
Paul
 
Can anyone tell me how the hell you get anything delivered from Cabaias I ordered a hunting vest on the 24th OCT with a promise of delivery in 7-10 days 2 months later it has not left them yet and they keep telling me there is a problem with exports ( YOU DONT F**KING SAY ) Does anyone know the E mail Address of Cabala's Managing Director.
 
Can anyone tell me how the hell you get anything delivered from Cabaias
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Call or email them, and tell them to change the shipping address on the order to a US destination. Have your friend at the new destination send the item to you when he receives it.
OR
Cancel the order. Have your friend place a new order using his shipping address. When he receives the item, he can ship to you.
OR
You can take it up with Cabela's "Managing Director" via email once you get his address.

Regards,
Paul
 
gitano said:
I think that for the most part, if you can't find a friend or two from which you can get gifts, it will be tough to get 'stuff' from The States at prices that are competitive with local stores. As a couple of posters said, "Visit and buy, or get friends to send", is likely to be the reality in the end.

I doubt if it will be any consolation, but we are pretty much in the same boat here in Alaska (and the Hawaiians). Companies like UPS and FedEx gouge us something fierce, and our local stores run prices up to the exact value that we would pay if we buy via phone or internet and pay retail plus outrageous UPS or FedEx shipping, even though they buy AND SHIP wholesale. We don't have the VAT and other "extended hands" that you have though, so you have my sympathy there.

Regards,
Paul
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I guess I paid over the odds then. Having said that, I bought a couple of jackets from Cabelas at their sale price, in mid November 2010 and they arrived two weeks later no problems. They worked out at £95 each all duties and carriage paid.

I last bought one of these jackets 5 years ago (no delivery problems then either) and I can honestly say they wear very well, keep me warm, in our winter weather, without resorting to too many bulky layers and are both much cheaper and I think much better than, for instance, the quite-popular-over-here Deerhunter Ram Jacket which actually costs a fair bit more. Though they did still work out at nearly the same nominal price £GB as they were sold in $US.

If only I had a friend in the US who'd post me stuff as gifts.... :roll:
 
When it comes to reloading and gunsmithing tools, MidwayUSA treats Alaskans right. They are among the few retailers that are willing to use the US Postal Service's "Flat Rate" shipping option. Doing so saves A TON of shipping costs. For example: I can buy 22.72 kilos of lead shot, and pay only US$11.85 in shipping with "Flat Rate". The same box shipped via UPS or FedEx would be US$125. Most retailers are too damn lazy to use the USPS.

After the new year, I will be trying to buy a gun or two from "Jolly ol' England". Now there's an adventure not for the faint of heart or short of patience.

Regards,
Paul
 
I deal with cabelas all the time, most clothing you cant match for quality and design features, especially cold weather stuff.
Only buy from the bargin cave section and you will save on products.
 
All very interesting. Thanks to you all for the insight and comments. I may just give it a try as I have seen a couple of real bargains. I may share them providing I get mine first as I am sure I won't be the only XL on this site. :lol:
 
Bear in mind American sizing tends to be different from here so an XL here may just be L there. If you check on the site they will prob have a table.
 
wildgoose1uk said:
Bear in mind American sizing tends to be different from here so an XL here may just be L there. If you check on the site they will prob have a table.
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I did notice that earlier this year when we were over on hols. I should have had the foresight then to pick up new winter gear...
 
Just out of interest I emailed Cabelas and Bass Pro yesterday as I'm heading to the US in 6 weeks to enquire about the feasibility of picking some stuff up. I started by asking about the M77 Hawkeye in .308 and then some .270 and ,308 bullet heads (both of which I have brought back before) but was told that they wouldn't be able to sell me either as I'm not a US citizen and so they can't do a background check? Is this now the case with increased security or was I just dealing with someone who isn't that well informed? I have those items on my FAC which having read around the subject on this and other forums is all that's required.
The rifle is a bit optimistic and will probably cause the most grief but at the prices they currently have them listed is tempting if it's feasible. If I can get hold of it our there and put a couple of rounds through it would I still be charged import duty if it's used?
Regards,
T.
 
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