Tanaka Glock 17 and U.S. customs - advice needed

So ehobbyasia just restocked a batch of Tanaka G17 and G18C model guns and I really wanna buy a G17 but I know quite a few have been seized before and I don't want to risk it unless I know for sure that it'll make it here. What are the chances that it'll get seized? Anyone from the U.S. order model guns from ehobbyasia before??

I don't recall ordering from there, but they will likely paint the muzzle orange. According to US law, that is all that is needed to make it legal.

Unfortunately, there is little oversight or consequences to an over officious customs agent. I have had many things arrive missing pieces and parts. Never a complete seizure, but plenty of headaches, unfortunately.


I don't believe the SpeedPost carrier they would use has any issues shipping model guns, unlike what I've heard lately about Royal Mail, TNT, etc when trying to source items from Europe.   

You have to tell Ehobby to help removing/covering all the Glock logos before shipping it to you...

That is good advice from Jim. Trademarks could also be an issue.

Thanks for the advice guys. How about the fact that the damn thing looks so real, I think it uses real Glock mags. I mean I think customs agents have seen enough airsoft GBB guns to easily tell them apart by how the magazine looks (and the inner barrel, and recoil spring tension) but a model gun? Damn.

frenchyinFL wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys. How about the fact that the damn thing looks so real, I think it uses real Glock mags. I mean I think customs agents have seen enough airsoft GBB guns to easily tell them apart by how the magazine looks (and the inner barrel, and recoil spring tension) but a model gun? Damn.

Well in fact Tanaka Glocks aren't as real as you expected and they make their magazines (real one won't fit: I tried)...also mechanism is quite different as well (unless US Customs decide to make a fuzz about this)...

Hold on modelgun perfectionist real glock mags do fit, I got a 33 rd g18 mag on my g18 and regular g17 mags do fit they are actually cheaper then buying the replacement mags they sell on ehobbyasia I think it's like 60 or 70 for a spare mag and to buy a real mag is 25 to 30 bucks depending how much your local gun shop charges, I didn't have no issues with getting my g18 through customs all they did was cover the trademarks with glue and paint the barrel tip orange, the barrel is easy just remove barrel from slide after takedown and get some paint remover or acetone and put it on a cloth or small towel then wipe off the orange color should come rite off these are pretty close to a real glock I have 2 real Glocks a 27 and a 21 and the internal are actually Identical only diffrence is the rails that slides the top receiver together are a lil diffrent and the fact that the whole top slide is plastic, but everything like triggerbar connector are all there like a real glock, modelgun perfectionist maby you used wrong mags and not actual glock mags because real glock mags do fit try again

OK new member no worries I'll try again Tks!

OK moment of truth...easy to tell which one is real by the base plate...




Result: the real mag (2nd Gen) can fit 90% into the G18 (with a bit of force) / 70% into G17 2nd Gen / 50% into G17 3rd Gen...which means there are tolerances so maybe genuine/aftermarket Glock mags can somehow fit into the Tanakas but won't be a very good option  ...