Importing a shotgun from the USA

[chesterse]

There seem to be some models/variants of shotguns which are available in the USA but not to be had in the UK.

Does anyone have any experience and or know the procedure for importing shotguns?

What are the costs?

It looks like there would be a saving on purchase price - they pay approx. the same in dollars as we pay in pounds.

But there would be carriage costs and stuff like import duty/vat etc.

There is also the question of any warrenty!

 

[Westward]

they pay approx. the same in dollars as we pay in pounds.

Which guns are these? I've looked at Beretta and CG prices and there really isn't much difference. By the time sales tax is added, US punters pay about the same street prices we do.

A few years back Nigel Litt was shipping quite a lot of guns, particularly Perazzis, out to America, and I think a couple of dealers are still doing it.

 

[chesterse]

Which guns are these? I've looked at Beretta and CG prices and there really isn't much difference. By the time sales tax is added, US punters pay about the same street prices we do.

A few years back Nigel Litt was shipping quite a lot of guns, particularly Perazzis, out to America, and I think a couple of dealers are still doing it.

In particular Beretta's semi auto trap guns ie with montecarlo stock and raised rib.

 

[Bob_P]

I've done quite a lot of research on this, and spoken to a number of people who have done. Not all of them strictly legal....

A good Krieghoff in the US is approx dollars for pounds, which is why I spent a lot of time looking.You can only legally export from the US by using a registered firearms dealer licensed to export,and there are not many of them. They can charge several hundred dollars for completing the paperwork and handling the gun, plus the papers can take a long time to process.. Once you add the cost of shipping internally in the US to the licensed dealer, then shipping to the UK, then VAT, then import duty (4% I think), then customs and shippers handling etc....it all becomes a bit marginal. My conclusion was that it's not really worth the cost or the hassle, In addition, some UK distributors will not recognise grey imports, and will not support any warranty.

I do know people who have successfuly imported under the radar, but there is a risk of falling foul of the authorities, and only works if you go out there.

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Nothing illegal on here with UK shooters one hopes !!

 

[gundog]

Just a quick note: You would be subject to 10% import tax plus 20% VAT + UK duty based on your receipt from the USA.If it's a yankee manufactured arm, it will also be out of proof, which is not a particular problem until you need to sell it. So off to the proof house as well. Any European manufactured arm, would be in proof and OK. No problem with UK customs as long as you've got your shotgun certificate with you. It's a pain in the old whatsits and not worth the hassle.

 

[hnachaj]

One forgets the insurance cost for shipping fine arms! Montreal-Toronto for a DT10L was $150. Across the pond, it is over $500! Do the math! And, no US manufactured or spec firearm (that includes Brownings) is proofed! Thre might be some good deals on used sporting guns but not on others.

The Lone Canadian

Henry

 

[TobyM]

All in all it sounds like a world of pain and not worth the stress.

 

[Bob_P]

That was my conclusion too Tobi

 

[Hamster]

Why no official importers for American guns? They have some really nice clay guns over there. I've also always found it odd that Beretta wouldn't sell the Trap stocked semi auto's over here!!

 

[Bob_P]

I tried (and failed) to set up an import & distributorship for Kolar guns. Spoke to them at length, spoke to the proof house, shipping agents and gunsmiths to give support.. Cutting a long story short, they didn't need to sell more guns, they could barely cope with demand in the US and didn't see Europe as an important market at the time.

 

[Hawkeye]

Just a quick note: You would be subject to 10% import tax plus 20% VAT + UK duty based on your receipt from the USA.If it's a yankee manufactured arm, it will also be out of proof, which is not a particular problem until you need to sell it. So off to the proof house as well. Any European manufactured arm, would be in proof and OK. No problem with UK customs as long as you've got your shotgun certificate with you. It's a pain in the old whatsits and not worth the hassle.

Would import tax and VAT apply to a used shotgun?

 

[Hamster]

I tried (and failed) to set up an import & distributorship for Kolar guns. Spoke to them at length, spoke to the proof house, shipping agents and gunsmiths to give support.. Cutting a long story short, they didn't need to sell more guns, they could barely cope with demand in the US and didn't see Europe as an important market at the time.

Same old same old really, Ferrari can apparently sell every single car they make in California alone!

 

[Bob_P]

Bryan - yes you still need to pay VAT and import duty, even on a used gun.

 

[Welsh Fowler]

I'd looked into this subject, admittedly not in any great detail, as I'd noticed that AYAs were selling for the same price in USD in the USA as they were for Pounds Sterling in the UK.

 

[gundog]

Sadly it does appear that anything that comes into the UK from the states has a dollar sign swapped to a pound sign. The major importer of USA manufactured arms is Edgars, but even then they only seem play seriously with Remington. On saying that though, they are a very nice bunch of guys to deal with should your Remmy throw a chunk of breech into the long grass. Don't ask, it's a long and sorry story.

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Sadly it does appear that anything that comes into the UK from the states has a dollar sign swapped to a pound sign. The major importer of USA manufactured arms is Edgars, but even then they only seem play seriously with Remington. On saying that though, they are a very nice bunch of guys to deal with should your Remmy throw a chunk of breech into the long grass. Don't ask, it's a long and sorry story.

Not to mention nice women as well........Becks has just become an ambassador working for them.