Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

[Hunter.mei]

Hi guys seen a thread discussed this but no luck with forum search.
So anybody have successfully bring a rif back to uk?
Thanks!

[Beef]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

yup i did, bought back 2 aks and an m16 in my suitcase, mind you this was just after the VCRA ban came into affect. i knew nothing about it at the time, got pulled of the plane by HK armed police. Embarrassing to say the least.

However if you get stopped by customs in the UK and dont have ukara or while they ascertain whether its real or not you can expect to spend a few hours locked up, in which case let me know when you are flying back so I can be at work to see you locked up and see what goodies you bought back.

[Hunter.mei]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

Hmm that's good to know!
Im gonna try call the airports see if I can avoid the lock ups by telling them before I travel.
Did u travel by direct flight or transfer flight? I need to transfer in Amsterdam do you know is airsoft legal there??
Cheers.

By the way you work in airport beef?

[RedHawk]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

As far as i can remember, airsoft is illegal in the Netherlands.

That is, if it's an RIF (in terms of if it is a replica of a real rifle and 1:1 scale)

[Beef]

I work near an airport, hmrc don't have cells at heathrow anymore. Anyway airsoft is illegal in the netherlands that's why dutch players store all there rifs in belgiam. As for phoning ahead that's fine for the airlines but best bet would be to declare itm although if ur ukara reg it should be fine. Just bare in mind u may still be arrested while they figure out whether its real or not, most people don't know what airsoft is or what ukara is. Same goes for customs officers.

[pacey]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

I travel a lot with my kit and guns, the most important people to inform are the Airline. If they don't want to carry it, then its game over. After that inform the customs at each airport you intend to travel through you will be brining them. Travelling through a restricted zone is should not be a problem if you contact them well before, depending on their law as the item in transit they will let it pass, or they may require you to get a temporary permit to transport.

Failing the above, Hong Kong Speed post are bloody good at getting stuff home. Don't be surprised if the shops in HK don't offer much help, their Engrish is pretty poor.

[Beef]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

Failing the above, Hong Kong Speed post are bloody good at getting stuff home. Don't be surprised if the shops in HK don't offer much help, their Engrish is pretty poor.

Yet some of them can be damn right rude, whilst others go out of their way to help, i was at a takaway in HK and the guy taking the order could not speak a word of English, so he rang up a friend of his who could and put me on the phone to him and took my order that way.

[Hunter.mei]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

thanks for the help guys! Will give the airline a call make sure I can carry the guns, fingers crossed.
Will update any info I get from them later.
Hope the HK people can speak some mandarin or English at least!

[Deadmeat]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

Can seriously have rif's in your luggage? I thought I had to post any new rif's purchased from HK back home to avoid any trouble!! Can anyone else add their experiences to this thread....

[cracking day]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

It can be done but some airlines require 4 weeks notice and serial numbers that don't exist on RIFS, if you are thinking of buying out there, get them to send it via post and load your bag up with small things.

If you just want to use it here while on holiday, Im sure a site owner would let you post it to him and then back again when finished or even just lend you a gat.

[cracking day]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

BTW, I've just had 2 days in HK, if you don't like Magpul, its no longer the mecca it used to be!

I was going to do a report on all the shops, where they are and how to find them.

[Deadmeat]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

Good job I'm a Magpul nut! I was just going to head straight out to Kwong Wa Street (Chinese: 廣華街)... right? I think I'll stick to my original plan of buying my gear, doing some test firing, then to ask them to post it back to me... really don't like the idea of being raided at the airport by armed police!

[pacey]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

Oh yeah the most important bit of information that will save you a lot of trouble, don't bother going till late afternoon as nearly all the shops don't open until 4/5pm.

[Hunter.mei]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

just send a email to KLM to confirm if I can bring RIF with me. But now I'm thinking taking the gearbox with my luggage and post the bodies back here.
Anybody know if I will be captured by having two gear boxes in my suitcase??

Really need to see a HK Airsoft shopping guide!!

If we mention a retail shop in HK does zeroone allow this?

[Fizzy]

Re: Bring a rif with me travel from HK to UK?

If we mention a retail shop in HK does zeroone allow this?

Nope

BTW, I've just had 2 days in HK, if you don't like Magpul, its no longer the mecca it used to be!

I was going to do a report on all the shops, where they are and how to find them.

Well, apart from not being able to name them that would be good, heading out to HK mid January