Bringing guns from America

[Watermelon]

I'm going back to America for the summer, and will probably buy a gun while I'm over there. Does anyone know what stuff I'll have to do in order to bring it back to the uk (in terms of papers and such), or if its even a possibility to bring it back as luggage

[RedHawk]

Re: Bringing guns from America

If you are bringing it back in your suitcase, contact the airline before hand (several weeks before) saying you are taking an Airsoft gun in your luggage and ask if they allow this as some do not.

Bearing in mind that in the US the only type of two tone you'll find is clear bodied, you will most likely be bringing back a RIF. Upon arrival in the UK you must declare it at customs - if it is a RIF you may need to show a defence as bringing it back from the US in your luggage is importation. With that said, it's entirely possible you get a numpty who has no clue about BB guns and either seizes it or just lets you through without requiring a defence.

However you maybe one of the "lucky" ones as I've had a friend who arrived at Manchester Airport with a JG Beta Spetsnaz in his luggage at 5am and there were no customs workers there at all to process it. After calling HMRC he was told to just go through nothing to declare by them (yes he did have a valid defence so all was legal) and went home.

[Watermelon]

Re: Bringing guns from America

Alright thanks much appreciated

[jssmitty96]

Re: Bringing guns from America

ive brought many home, ive never even declared them to customs or the airline as it's not needed just check they allow replica's first and the rifle is fully legal in the uk put it in your suitcase ( TSA in the USA WILL INSPECT YOUR CASE) and leave a card to say so when you arrive in the uk from the usa you get your bag off the belt and you 'go through a customs search so it's as simple as walking out as normal if at anypoint anyone ask's you about the replica obviously explain your defence ect job done.

source: done this a good 5+ times with no issues from the TSA us border agency/ customs or uk custom's just make sure you check with the airline beforehand and follow there guidelines on how it is packed

[SunSpectre]

Re: Bringing guns from America

If you are bringing it back in your suitcase, contact the airline before hand (several weeks before) saying you are taking an Airsoft gun in your luggage and ask if they allow this as some do not.

Bearing in mind that in the US the only type of two tone you'll find is clear bodied, you will most likely be bringing back a RIF. Upon arrival in the UK you must declare it at customs - if it is a RIF you may need to show a defence as bringing it back from the US in your luggage is importation. With that said, it's entirely possible you get a numpty who has no clue about BB guns and either seizes it or just lets you through without requiring a defence.

However you maybe one of the "lucky" ones as I've had a friend who arrived at Manchester Airport with a JG Beta Spetsnaz in his luggage at 5am and there were no customs workers there at all to process it. After calling HMRC he was told to just go through nothing to declare by them (yes he did have a valid defence so all was legal) and went home.

I've enquired about this too and Redhawk is completely right. Most american treat airsoft guns the same as real guns so require it to be in a locked solid case or bag which posses a fairly significant challenge to get into if trying without the key and ofc they want them unloaded, mags battery and bbs stored separately but still locked away. Hope this helps

[jssmitty96]

Re: Bringing guns from America

forgot to mention the ammo and mag's HAVE to be stored separate inc those little free bag's of bb's

[RedHawk]

Re: Bringing guns from America

ive brought many home, ive never even declared them to customs

You must declare RIFs and IFs at customs and make them satisfied that you meat the criteria for importation. If it's an IF then most likely they'll ask for how much it cost - more than £390 and you'll be charged. If it's a RIF then the same applies but you must provide said defence set out by the home office. To not declare a RIF is illegal and can be seen as tax evasion. It doesn't matter if the gun was purchased inside the EU and thus not viable for tax, it is still importation. Taken from HMRC's website:

Declaring goods to customs

You must make a declaration to customs when entering the UK from non-EU countries if:
you exceed your allowances
the goods are for commercial use - see link below for information on merchandise in baggage
you have 10,000 euros or more (or its equivalent) in cash
you think you may have banned or restricted goods

Found here and can also be found on the EU section here under declaring goods:

You must declare to customs any goods from EU countries if you think they may be banned or restricted goods.

To do this you should use the red channel or the red-point phone.

To further this, RIF's are on the list of banned goods. Therefore not declaring it at customs is illegal regardless of if you can import it as it is classed as smuggling. If I'm not mistaken, that's what you just admitted to.

Even if you already owned the RIF and took it abroad for an event, you must declare it on your way back when going through customs. Simple as really.

Also, when a "defence" is mentioned, it doesn't automatically allow you to import/manufacture/buy an RIF. It simply means that when taken to a court of law charged with said offence you have a valid defence against prosecution. It is entirely possible that when you declare your RIF at customs that you are arrested, however this doesn't happen too often.

It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 36 in respect of any conduct to show that the conduct was for the purpose only of making the imitation firearm in question available for one or more of the purposes specified in subsection.

Section 37

[jssmitty96]

Re: Bringing guns from America

actually if you check with the airlines and real people at custom's on both ends instead of reading online and thinking you know it all, you would know that airsoft item's are classed as toy's as far as they are concerned and aslong as your not carrying it in a loaded state it is fine not to declare. it's not smuggling....it's having a toy in your case....and unfortunatley no matter what you say it's no different from bringing anyother toy home, aslong as you have a defence for the rif, if you dotn hav ea defence nip over to walmart and buy some orange spray

[RedHawk]

Re: Bringing guns from America

actually if you check with the airlines and real people at custom's on both ends instead of reading online and thinking you know it all, you would know that airsoft item's are classed as toy's as far as they are concerned and aslong as your not carrying it in a loaded state it is fine not to declare.

That is absolutely hilarious. Despite your illiterate attempt to explain how you didn't break the law... You did. You can tell me alleged stories of you at an airport all you want, but when it comes to the law and official guidelines then you have actually broken the law. I don't care what airlines do either, they are irrelevant.

Just so you are aware, Real Imitation Firearms (by law as outlined in the VCRA, Section 38) are not toys. They are infact Real Imitation Firearms. This is why you can be arrested for importation of them. Last time I checked, importing toys wasn't illegal.

Your blatant disregard for the law endangers our sport and I find it sad, but mostly pathetic that you think what you have done is not against the law. I seriously hope to never see you giving legal advise to any one regarding the VCRA as you clearly know nothing about it.

[loki7491]

Re: Bringing guns from America

I travel a lot between Europe and the UK and although I use the Ferries as opposed to the airlines, the principal is the same.

Make my booking
Call up customer services and book my guns in with the ferry operator (code 100 with DFDS)
Upon arrival at the ferry port i volunteer myself for inspection (except I have to do it so it is more like voluntold)
They inspect my guns and check with the ferry operator that i have declared them
I clear customs and go to check in
Check in clears me and usually segregates my car in it's own lane.
Board the boat first and surrender my keys once parked up.
Upon docking i check in with customs again.

Rinse and repeat for every journey.

Conditions of carriage:
Guns are to have bolts (or batteries) removed.
Magazines are to be kept seperately.
Guns in suitable lockable cases and kept in the boot of the car, under the parcel shelf out of view.

[lf16]

Re: Bringing guns from America

It might be alot easier to ship it back by post. just include a letter to customs explaining your defence and who to contact at your site to verify.
Most couriers will get it through customs quick and easy if its properly documented and even the most robotic of customs officers can compute the information in it
A supplier in Asia attached a UKARA website logo with my details to the front try that saves them opening it

[biscuitninja]

Redhawk has this spot on.

Unfortunately, despite being told something by 'real people at customs' that wouldn't stand up in a court of law, being as it is a verbal exchange and not, you know, the law. Admitting to taking RIFs through customs without declaring is admitting to breaking the conditions laid out in the VCRA and potentially tax evasion dependent on the cost of the RIFs. Doing so on a public forum is risky and/or dumb, depending on your view. In future, I'd follow the examples set out above and declare everything in full.

[RedHawk]

Re: Bringing guns from America

Unfortunately, despite being told something by 'real people at customs' that wouldn't stand up in a court of law, being as it is a verbal exchange and not, you know, the law.

Exactly that, if you were to be taken to court over this issue then it wouldn't be the guys at customs prosecuting you. It would be the CPS (who would have read the relevant laws such as those I quoted above). I guess that does make me a know-it-all. Ignorance is no excuse to break the law and will not stand up as a defence in court, nor blaming the incorrect information given to you by customs.

[Ells]

Re: Bringing guns from America

airsoft guns are illegal, why would you think that you wouldn't need to declare it ? especially coming back from USA surely you would just do it anyway?

[Longshot]

Re: Bringing guns from America

airsoft guns are illegal

That's a rather sweeping and untrue statement...