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Should I import this gun?

spurgemastur
Lee Enfield .303 No. 4 MkII - postwar Fazakerly production. Condition is "Fair to good" according to a guy who's seen it. Let's assume that means it's 80-90% which gives it a 2006 Blue book value of $450 - $500.

Cost to make it leave South Africa: Appx $150, and about 3 hours of my time. Cost to make it clear customs and come to me: Appx $275.

So it looks like with some time and hassle I can just about break even on it by bringing it here. It's almost worthless in South Africa.

Is it cool enough to warrant the hassle? My cash flow is tight right now so claiming to break even is a bit of a misdirection: money still flows out of my pocket in exchange for a rifle, just as if I'd purchased it.
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • leeblackman
    Ouch, it would probably be alot cheaper just to part it and smuggle the barreled action... Stupid beaurocrats, and my poor public school edication, I can't even spell...
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  • He Dog
    It would not be worth the trouble to me.
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  • spurgemastur
    quote:Originally posted by leeblackman
    Ouch, it would probably be alot cheaper just to part it and smuggle the barreled action...


    LOL. That might come with the bonus prize: many years of free room and board. Sounds like a better deal than what I first figured out!
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  • COLT
    ...Blue Book value aside, just check around the C & R forums/auctions, and see what one in comparable condition is worth/selling for. Isn't a Fazakerly an Irish production Enfield?
    The Blue Book is intended to be used only as a "reference"...[;)]

    ani-texas-flag-1.gif
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  • bigtire
    "Fair to Good" is far from 80 to 90%
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  • He Dog
    Agree with Bigtire, I would expect 60-70% from 'fair to good.'
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  • spurgemastur
    Thanks for the input, folks.

    This rifle was left to me in a will and I've never seen it. I'm currently paying a dealer there for storage on it, and would pay him for the export of the gun, too. I don't know what 'fair to good' means in South Africa, but I've developed a relationship with the guy that makes me trust him (even though I've never met him face to face).

    I guess I'll let it go. This means I have to send a signed document to SA allowing my guy to register the rifle on his books and then he'll try to sell it. He thinks he can get about....
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    $12 for it[:(]

    Fire-arms laws in South Africa right now are so crappy that it's difficult to own a gun. That means that everything but the most desirable firearms are worth almost nothing there. Somebody who wanted to go to the hassle of setting up a legitimate import business might do well to import from SA.
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