Shipping firearms (shotgun's and rifles) from UK to US

gixer1

Well-Known Member
I am looking on information on how you go about shipping firearms to the US from the UK if you were moving there for a few years? obviously moderators are a no no but is it a case of walking into the local gun shop and getting them to sort it out for you?

Regards,

Gixer
 
You can have a moderator in certain states / places. You need to buy a "tax stamp" which covers it.
Not 100% sure of the legislation obviously but can be done.

It might be easier to buy a shotgun/rifle to use over there, they sell them in alot of places and would probally be alot easier than shipping yours over, then having to go through all the paper work of bringing them back.

Could pick up a cheap/second hand firearm, then sell it when moving back home
 
You can have a moderator in certain states / places. You need to buy a "tax stamp" which covers it.
Not 100% sure of the legislation obviously but can be done.

It might be easier to buy a shotgun/rifle to use over there, they sell them in alot of places and would probally be alot easier than shipping yours over, then having to go through all the paper work of bringing them back.

Could pick up a cheap/second hand firearm, then sell it when moving back home
How does that stand with not being a US citizen? I'm pretty sure it can be done if you're classed as a "resident alien", so what will your status be?
 
Gixer

Can be a tricky business from memory, depending on type of guns to be imported, best to contact the ATF (Alcohol Tabacco & Firearms) stateside in the area you are staying, i think that your status whilst in the USA has lots to do with type of permit issued, lots of hoops to jump through and tons of ppwk filled out well in advance. It was cheaper to buy over there and sell prior to leaving, it may help to also apply for a visitors hunting permit prior to arriving and have referee's in place. Maybe a good idea to pm Muir on here he may have some ideas.

atb
 
Gixer 1,
You need to be a resident for 3 months before you can own or buy firearms in the states according to federal regs = higher than state law.
If you get a hunting permit on the internet before you go (use a state with low non resident fees) you can bring firesticks with you on the flight over there (this really ups the baggage allowance as you will need an extra case, done that and it works, try proving to the check in clerk that a Colt .45 is unloaded while standing in the Gatwick main check in hall area with 300 odd economy types watching you do it, that make you pucker a little) hunting is a good reason normally but if your going there to work I am not sure of the gate customs persons interpretation of the law as they usually have no idea of ATF rules.
I used to take older shotguns and flog them there usually for twice what I had paid here for them to help cover my trip but that was in the mid 90s.
Martin
 
Hi,

I am shortly moving to the States from the UK (Green Card through American wife). Looking into shipping firearms at the moment. From what i understand process is that they need to go through registered dealers (FFL's). So the process would be to leave firearms with UK RFD, move to the US, find FFL and request that they raise relevant import forms (Form 8 for import), RFD ships firearms that are then imported via FFL. You could take possession (with relevant ID, checks etc.) from the FFL.

Have the contact details of a couple of good RFD's that can help with the process if you need.

Otherwise if you find out any other information, let me know!

Cheers,
Joe
 
as already said,
you need to be resident for a set time before owning or buying but you will need an ffl the otherside to import but if it is the same as importing in the uk you will need an export licence from my experience this is done in two ways either use an rfd who will get the reqiured export licence or do it yourself if you contact this chap he deals with the import into this country but i am sure he will put you on to the right department, for me the import of a firearm has gone smoothly you fill in a licence form with all the details it is sent in a few days and the both import and export paperwork stays with the firearms till it reaches its destination ,atb wayne

enquiries.ilb@bis.gsi.gov.uk
Roy smiles
 
I have spoken to my local RFD and he is happy to ship them for me, should be around £250 for 4 rifles and 3 shotguns, I will just need to sort out the licence on the other side when I get there, the state I will be in does not allow moderators.

thanks for the input so far!

Regards,
Gixer
 
I have spoken to my local RFD and he is happy to ship them for me, should be around £250 for 4 rifles and 3 shotguns, I will just need to sort out the licence on the other side when I get there, the state I will be in does not allow moderators.

thanks for the input so far!

Regards,
Gixer

That's a great price! Best i have had for under 20kgs is nearer to £400. Firearms need to go by air so £250 for shipping and arranging export licences is a great deal!

Just a heads up a lot of FFL in the US that I have spoken to appear unable to complete import forms. I am planning on figuring it out when i get there. Also, i believe there will some other cost to cover in the US (3-4% import duty, customer's clearance cost, courier costs to FFL, FFL admin cost). But the bulk of the cost would be the shipping itself.
 
That's a great price! Best i have had for under 20kgs is nearer to £400. Firearms need to go by air so £250 for shipping and arranging export licences is a great deal!

Just a heads up a lot of FFL in the US that I have spoken to appear unable to complete import forms. I am planning on figuring it out when i get there. Also, i believe there will some other cost to cover in the US (3-4% import duty, customer's clearance cost, courier costs to FFL, FFL admin cost). But the bulk of the cost would be the shipping itself.

Joe, I have e-mailed the ATF so will let you know what they come back and say - they are usually pretty helpful. - although obviously the regs will be different for different states...

Regards,

Gixer
 
Joe how did you manage at the end ? I’m in a similar situation
Message sent. But ultimately for a new resident you have a short window that you can do your own personal importation. So no need to go through an FFL. The forms are pretty straightforward.
Since doing it originally I have since imported a few more guns purchased through Holts. For this I needed to go through an FFL, but again was easier enough, just more expensive then first time around!!
 
Personally do as did when in Paris. Find a reputable company that has a presence in the UK and in your destination country. In my case that was Holland & Holland. Talk with said firm and if they are reputable it will be...as Holland's was for me...a one stop job. I took the guns to Northolt and left them there and a few days later took the Metro from my apartment in the 17me Arrondissement to Avenue Victor Hugo collected the guns and got a taxi back. Cost was a very reasonable £100 for a shotgun and a rifle. Today although no longer in France Holland's have a presence in Dallas, TX.
 
Joe how did you manage at the end ? I’m in a similar situation

Hey @maxtheflyinghorse I moved from the UK to USA in 2016. For me I would say that the key thing to establish is whether or not it is worth keeping the guns you have for cost of replacing them once here. I had a grand total of 3 firearms, a 308, a 22 and an FAC air rifle. They were all used guns with a fairly low monetary value. For me, at the time, it wasn't worth attempting to keep and import them. Especially the FAC air rifle, as they were not even legal for hunting anything in Pennsylvania back then. I would check out the hunting laws of the state you'll be moving to, you might find you cannot even use an ordinary centrefire, you may be better off selling anyway. Also moderators are "Class 3 NFA items" here, which puts them in the same legal category as "machine guns" and short barreled rifles. You can own them, but you need a tax stamp first - I don't even know if you can get the stamp before you're a citizen.

I made a bad mistake not keeping my old CZ 452 though, a significantly better 22 than anything I could get for similar money this side of the pond, especially at the moment as the prices on a lot of guns have spiked.

Feel free to PM me.
 
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