Importing RIFs ?

Hi Guys

This is mainly directed at us unfortunates in the gun unfriendly UK .


This has been discussed before - and I did research first - but nothing recent and I believe things have moved on a bit since 2008

Huw in Norway suggested I could import an APS rifle myself as they are unavailable in UK .

I am wondering if anyone on here has tried this ?

Apparantly in the airsoft community this is still quite common practice .

Dealers overseas I have used before like UN COMPANY send complete RIFs to UK .

The dealer will attach the persons UKARA number to the parcel for UK customs ( ? ) to check and provided all is pukka - it continues on its way .

The person is airsoft compliant to own RIFs with proof to show - so no laws are broken .

My re enactment membership number should entitle me the same clearance .

So has anyone given it a go recently , as regards importing a metal RIF ?

C

phobus wrote:

Hi Guys

This is mainly directed at us unfortunates in the gun unfriendly UK .


This has been discussed before - and I did research first - but nothing recent and I believe things have moved on a bit since 2008

Huw in Norway suggested I could import an APS rifle myself as they are unavailable in UK .

I am wondering if anyone on here has tried this ?

Apparantly in the airsoft community this is still quite common practice .

Dealers overseas I have used before like UN COMPANY send complete RIFs to UK .

The dealer will attach the persons UKARA number to the parcel for UK customs ( ? ) to check and provided all is pukka - it continues on its way .

The person is airsoft compliant to own RIFs with proof to show - so no laws are broken .

My re enactment membership number should entitle me the same clearance .

So has anyone given it a go recently , as regards importing a metal RIF ?

C

Just noticed this thread, though I did post on the GBB part of the forum re C02 Airguns (not Airsoft). I've had no probs importing from Germany where the gun laws are similarly tight. No VCRA compliance required with those either. Just an age declaration to the vendor and I've never had parcels opened and inspected by HMRC as yet. Have a look at Mozziblue's YouTube video re importing Airguns from Europe. Very informative.

Regarding Airsoft guns and the VCRA - I reckon I would feel a little uneasy about importing something with a re-enactment defence, given that many uk Airsoft vendors won't entertain collectors of such without UKARA. HMRC might take a similar view with anything VCRA wise, who knows - though of course, when you consider this alongside a full metal, steel bb firing Airgun being imported it's just plain crackers...

Thanks mate

Good stuff .

Must admit I have had very little trouble buying airsofts in UK since I got my compliances through .

Just post the pictures of my card / covering letter and away we go .

Only dealer I had problems with is Redwolf who have a reputation of being royal pains in the brown eye .

Never tried Wolf but could imagine similar from them . Airsofters are an incredibly anal bunch - with their stupid plastic sewing machines .....

Zero in are very good I find and I buy a lot off their forum too . Just got a Walther WA 2000 sniper by Ares at very good price always wanted one - will post a few pics on here when I get a bit of time - just need a Leupold MK4 M3 to put on it now ( clone only ) I.m not selling the car to buy a riflescope lol .

Carl.

phobus wrote:

Thanks mate

Good stuff .

Must admit I have had very little trouble buying airsofts in UK since I got my compliances through .

Just post the pictures of my card / covering letter and away we go .

Only dealer I had problems with is Redwolf who have a reputation of being royal pains in the brown eye .

Never tried Wolf but could imagine similar from them . Airsofters are an incredibly anal bunch - with their stupid plastic sewing machines .....

Zero in are very good I find and I buy a lot off their forum too . Just got a Walther WA 2000 sniper by Ares at very good price always wanted one - will post a few pics on here when I get a bit of time - just need a Leupold MK4 M3 to put on it now (  clone only  ) I.m not selling the car to buy a riflescope lol .

Carl.

I'm just about to sell the last 'sewing machine' gun that I have - an SRC MP40. It was the first gun I bought a few years back after getting back into collecting and I did a top notch weathering job on it. Lovely replica, just let down by the fact it's electric. Time to let it go now though and concentrate on the GBB/C02/blank collecting. I'm about to get a We gbb m4 from Zero One. Forget Wolf, they are a waste of space. Airsoftzone are pretty good too. ;-) 😸

Yeah

The WE Gbbs are getting better and better - never had a bad one .

Just got the all new Makarov with Silencer that they do - its really good very solid and weighty with proper blowback . Its just like the Baikal one but with blowback !

The WE PDW is also very very good .

Tiny little thing compared with the M4 but so solid and well made .

Companies like WE have got the GBB thing covered now so we need to see some proper shell ejectors now .

Skirmishers hate them but anyone who likes realistic guns is going to love gas shell ejectors .

C.

To be fair I did want the KWA LM4, but it's out of stock everywhere as far as I can see. That said, KWA are no better than WE and many say the WE is the one to go for in the mid price range (but that's a Skirmishers point of view and not mine). Inokatsu's and the like are over priced and overrated imo.

Never held or seen an Inokatsu but I guess they must be pretty exceptional ?

A bit like the quality of the modelgun Tanio Koba M4A1 I guess ?

Its nice kit but all that money for plastic ?

Modelgun abs ALWAYS fails sooner or later and all that hammer that internal parts take ?

Thats why I bought a metal Marushin xm177e2 when I wanted an M4 type . OK its still prone to failure in time but perhaps less so than most abs guns

C.

So what about Modelguns then?? Surely peeps on this Forum know if it's acceptable practice to import them as an individual. From Japan even??

We are all fully aware of the VCRA no doubt about that, the rules are laid out for all to see, modelguns or airsoft or wooden carved black gun... a RIF is a RIF.
Importing is fine as long as all is above board and the VCRA is complied with.. in theory..

The problem comes in the wording or "grey" areas... basically interpretation of the VCRA..
I was told by the home Office that at the end of the day a jury/judge decides. With a lack of test cases (and I do not want to be the first!!) its down to the individual to fight their case.

HOWEVER
Customs have the right to do as they see fit, pass/destroy etc...you can appeal, but not a good idea.
Airlines have the right to refuse to carry anything they choose not to.
The government agency's can record, investigate, as they see fit, rightly so.

I have been "scrutinised" by government agencys, I have had items siezed (though released on appeal/protest), and at times have had to jump through more hoops than I ever though possible.
On the other side:
I have met, talked to some really nice, and friendly customs/gov people as well .

You have to make your own decision.....no definative answer.
Every forum will give you a different answer.......

One thing that has always baffled me. C02 steel bb or pellet firers, where they replicate real steel counterparts cannot be construed as RIF's as they shoot over 1.36 joule and are covered by Firearms Regs. This must be the case considering every Airgun/firearms dealer who sells them doesn't market them under the VCRA rules. Some are even selling Airsofts as such..(I won't elaborate further)