Importation costs from USA

[Mike357]

Lyons currently has a Mossberg JM930 on order from a retailer in the UK. As expected, there have been extensive delays in trying to get them delivered to the UK. The UK price is £850 which for a Sect 1 competition ready gun is quite good.

I suggested to hi that he try a personal import using a large company that specialises in firearms import/export. The JM930 retails for about $550 in the US. The extract below is the response he got and will give folks a good idea how much it will cost to import a firearm from the US to the UK.

We would be happy to discuss an export with you. Who (if anyone) are you currently working with?

The fee to prepare the documents and conduct the export is $250 plus 15% of the transaction value. The minimum fee for an export transaction is $750. The $250 export license fee paid to the U.S. State Department is additional. We typically only export items that we sell.

The export of shotguns involves the U.S. Commerce Department. License applications to the U.S. Commerce Department typically require 6 – 8 weeks for approval from the time of submission. The same fees as noted above would apply.

We cannot provide an estimate on how long the export process will take, as every transaction is different. It can take several weeks (or longer) to secure the required paperwork to complete the export application. The US State Department has 60-days to respond to an export application. In many cases, exports are approved within 7 – 10 business days from submission of a complete export license application packet. In rare cases, the export application may take much longer to be approved or denied.

Our shipping terms are DAT – Sea-Tac International Airport. We are a TSA known shipper, and are able to ship freight collect via passenger aircraft to international customers. Freight costs are paid upon delivery. Shipping costs will vary depending upon size, weight, and value of the parcels being delivered, and there is no way to accurately estimate the shipping costs without this information. Nevertheless, it typically costs a minimum of $300 to ship a single rifle, depending upon delivery location. Shipping costs can be much greater as parcels get larger and heavier, but result in a lower cost per firearm. A recent shipment of 22 firearms totaled $1,900, resulting in a lower cost basis per unit. We are able to ship ammunition, but the cost is prohibitive for most clients.

[saddler]

Er...OK

How about looking East instead?

A few European dealers have the Mossy 930 on the shelf, & it'd not be an import, it'd be a transfer

[Mike357]

If its the JM930 model then please do tell more!

[saddler]

Alljagd

Triebel

..plus I have a slack handfull of business cards from German & Swedish RFDs

Stick to EC dealers - gun is on an internal EEC transfer then

OR

Bulk up the USA order, the documentation costs the same for one gun or 100

[Polchraine]

I do wish that there was an easier way to export from the US.

For example:

UK resident with appropriate FAC or SGC visits a US dealer and agrees the purchase.

On day of departure, dealer and purchaser meet at airport and in presence of airline staff and security staff the firearm is handed over (on paper) to the customer but is actually given to the airline/security staff who check it is unloaded and check it in as baggage.

On arrival in UK it is presented at customs.



Yes there might be a $100 charge at the airport and the dealer might charge a small fee ... but it could/would work, rather that the impossible situation we currently have.

[Chuck]

it's still early doors yet but we may soon be able to send stuff like camping and survival kit from the States to the UK, prices in US dollars and at US prices too.

My colleagues are looking at a range of stuff including high intensity flash lights (VERY powerful) knives, axes and other survival/filed kit. Not sure about gun stuff due to a myriad of rules. Will keep you posted.