need advice on importing a gun from CH
my grandfather in switzerland has two firearms from circa 1940's that he wants to give to me. how do i get them into the united states? who can i go to to find the correct procedures? Is it the ATF or would an average gun dealer know how? any advice would be much appreciated..
roger
roger
0
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ATF has a form/process for importing firearms - the url for the form/instructions are here http://www.atf.treas.gov/forms/pdfs/f53303a.pdf
You'll need to find a dealer on this end to work with for this to take place. Ask your grandfather to look into what the requirements are on his end.0 -
Likely will not be cheap. New England Arms will do it for $225 per firearm. www.newenglandarms.com
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand0 -
It's unlikely your application will be approved if they are not considered "sporting arms".
Neal0 -
Here are some folks that can help you with the importation procedures.... http://www.simpsonltd.com/import_services.htm 0 -
The import/export aspect of the firearms business is one of the least understood. Any licensed gun dealer may make an occasional importation of a firearm for a non licensee or for himself (those imported for himself cannot be for resale). So far so good. What we need to know now is something more about the friearms you want to import. Are they rifles, shotguns or handguns? Are they surplus military firearms, by that I mean were they ever standard issue weapons for any armed forces? A hunting rifle owned by a soldier is not a military fiream, His Schmit Rubin Straight pull is. Only licensed importers may import military surplus arms and Curio & Relic classifications make no differnce. I doubt that the BATF would approve an import of any surplus military arm for a direct transfer to an individual, even if a licensed importer was filing the papers.
It goes without saying that you will not be able to import any National Firearms Weapons or assualt rifles. Any handgun which you wish to import must have earned enough points to qualify- you can't bring in anything the "big boys" can't, like a PPK or Baby Browning.
Switzerland has very strict laws about EXPORTING firearms, imports are easy in that country. There have been many weapons of Swiss origin turning up in embarasing places and the boys in Bern are taking a hard line. You may have trouble on that end.
If the guns qualify for importation and the Swiss will let them go you are about to start a great adventure. I've done this twice, once for me and once for a customer and it is a BIG hassel. No dealer in his right mind will import a firearm for anyone free. You need a full description of the firearms including full manufactures name, model number, and CORRECT serial number. You need an ATF form 6. It will tell you line by line what you need to do. Get all of your ducks in a row here. The ATF will want to know who'll be shipping the guns so Grandpa is going to have to line someone up over there. When completed you mail the form to the ATF and forget about it...it will take months for it to come back (four months for my two imports). If it is approved the form will be signed and stamped with a date. You've got six months to move the guns or its back to square one. Form 6 has three copies, if approved one of these copies must accompany FORM 6a, this is the actual release form for the guns when they reach US Customs. If everything is kosher the agent will sign the guns off and charge you whatever duty is due. You and your dealer now have 60 days to have your guns import stamped. Oh yes, anything imported, even grandpa's guns are going to have to be stamped in an approved manner- check with the BATF for the latest requirements as to location and print sizes as I understand they've changed in the past two years. Once the guns are import stamped and varified the US CUstoms will send your copy of FORM 6 and the FORM 6a back to the import branch at the BATF. If ALL of the paperwork is not together and back with the BATF within 6 months you are in a heap of trouble. If you need more time you can store the guns and a bonded warehouse, but that is NOT CHEAP! If nothing is finalized grandpa's guns either go back to Switzerland (you'll need a Swiss import permit)or must be forfited. How does the import idea sound now? It can be done and licensed importers know the ropes and can streamline the procedure...but you'll pay through the nose; hedog says $225 per gun and that would sound about right. I'd never do it again and my two imports were routine. The web sites mentioned will give you additional imformation on specifics. My post will give you a general idea of whats involved. GOOD LUCK!
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!"
Mark T. Christian0 -
Thankyou mark for your detailed explanation even though it was not the one that i was hoping for.. i doubt i will attempt it seeing as it is this difficult. i do appreciate your time in writing though and everyone else who took the time to answer the question.
quote:
The import/export aspect of the firearms business is one of the least understood. Any licensed gun dealer may make an occasional importation of a firearm for a non licensee or for himself (those imported for himself cannot be for resale). So far so good. What we need to know now is something more about the friearms you want to import. Are they rifles, shotguns or handguns? Are they surplus military firearms, by that I mean were they ever standard issue weapons for any armed forces? A hunting rifle owned by a soldier is not a military fiream, His Schmit Rubin Straight pull is. Only licensed importers may import military surplus arms and Curio & Relic classifications make no differnce. I doubt that the BATF would approve an import of any surplus military arm for a direct transfer to an individual, even if a licensed importer was filing the papers.
It goes without saying that you will not be able to import any National Firearms Weapons or assualt rifles. Any handgun which you wish to import must have earned enough points to qualify- you can't bring in anything the "big boys" can't, like a PPK or Baby Browning.
Switzerland has very strict laws about EXPORTING firearms, imports are easy in that country. There have been many weapons of Swiss origin turning up in embarasing places and the boys in Bern are taking a hard line. You may have trouble on that end.
If the guns qualify for importation and the Swiss will let them go you are about to start a great adventure. I've done this twice, once for me and once for a customer and it is a BIG hassel. No dealer in his right mind will import a firearm for anyone free. You need a full description of the firearms including full manufactures name, model number, and CORRECT serial number. You need an ATF form 6. It will tell you line by line what you need to do. Get all of your ducks in a row here. The ATF will want to know who'll be shipping the guns so Grandpa is going to have to line someone up over there. When completed you mail the form to the ATF and forget about it...it will take months for it to come back (four months for my two imports). If it is approved the form will be signed and stamped with a date. You've got six months to move the guns or its back to square one. Form 6 has three copies, if approved one of these copies must accompany FORM 6a, this is the actual release form for the guns when they reach US Customs. If everything is kosher the agent will sign the guns off and charge you whatever duty is due. You and your dealer now have 60 days to have your guns import stamped. Oh yes, anything imported, even grandpa's guns are going to have to be stamped in an approved manner- check with the BATF for the latest requirements as to location and print sizes as I understand they've changed in the past two years. Once the guns are import stamped and varified the US CUstoms will send your copy of FORM 6 and the FORM 6a back to the import branch at the BATF. If ALL of the paperwork is not together and back with the BATF within 6 months you are in a heap of trouble. If you need more time you can store the guns and a bonded warehouse, but that is NOT CHEAP! If nothing is finalized grandpa's guns either go back to Switzerland (you'll need a Swiss import permit)or must be forfited. How does the import idea sound now? It can be done and licensed importers know the ropes and can streamline the procedure...but you'll pay through the nose; hedog says $225 per gun and that would sound about right. I'd never do it again and my two imports were routine. The web sites mentioned will give you additional imformation on specifics. My post will give you a general idea of whats involved. GOOD LUCK!
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!"
Mark T. Christian0 -
mark christian: would it make a differance if he went and got the guns and personally brought them back?
The only reason I ask is that I know a few persons that have gone to Italy or Germany and brought back shotguns.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."0 -
Alpine, you don't mention if your friends were active military stationed overseas or were living in Germany/Italy, purchased the firearms for their own use in either country and were returning home with the shotguns as part of their personal goods. There are a couple of exceptions: Active military uses a FORM 6 part II- a sort of simplified form 6. Military personel can't bring back anything banned, but the processing of FORM 6 part II is pactically automatic. The guns are duty free when they reach the USA and are not requiered to be import stamped. The guns must have been purchased from a legitimate dealer who can provide a receipt and, in the case of Germany, Form AE 215-6A which is a type of VAT tax document. I have bought a few firearms from veterans who've purchased them overseas and brought them back home so I've seen these forms and documents.
If your friends were working overseas and had a recidence there there are a few exceptions available if these were privatly purchased firearms which are being returned to the USA. There are also certain types of sporting shotguns which are exempt from some of the import/export procedures. This is all way too complex now and only the BATF, the Commerce Dept. (for certain shotguns) or an actual importer can provide these details in any depth.
I am not fully familar with every aspect of importing by a long shot!
I was just relaying my experiences. It sounds to me as though speedy is not going to fit into any special catagory, he just wants Grandpa's guns and there is no quick and easy way to get them. Remember, he has not purchased these guns, so the guns are not actualy his until they are landed at the port of entry and clear US Customs. Military personel have already owned their firearms abroad and now are bringing them back when there tour is up as personal belongings. speedy would need to do the whole FORM 6 process, unless he's holding back some info.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!"
Mark T. Christian0 -
Fed-Ex it.... Screw the government...
If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.
The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !0 -
You never said what the firearms were....I wouldn't throw in the towel too soon. These may be worth the effort to import...just looking at Simpsons Luger listings, Siss Lugers are going for $2000-$9000...check it out... http://www.simpsonltd.com/swiss_lugers.htm 0 -
Now, now Lee....what kind of cadet are you?
By the way...didn't you recently offer "advice" on the assembly of a Class III Sten kit?0
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