The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Can I ask my mate in the states to bid on, win and then post a wooden rifle stock to me without ending ending up in prison?

Some concrete opinions required!

It's not a problem , Boyds used to post stocke to me providing they were under $100 dollars , they now have a dealer here in the UK who handles their sales ans adds a significant mark up. So no problem for any sporting stocks at all.

safetyfirst wrote:Can I ask my mate in the states to bid on, win and then post a wooden rifle stock to me without ending ending up in prison?

Some concrete opinions required!

He can win at whatever price you dictate, and then as he pays for it, he can then sell it second hand to you for whatever he wishes or even gift it to you (at under £39). Just be aware of the 20% VAT, potentially duty and handling charge you will be liable for on import to the UK.

Have a read of https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... post-users It tell you what to expaect and also how to legitmately avoid charges if you are able to.

A wooden stock is highly unlikely to be on the ITAR list and if the item isn't over $100 it shouldn't be a problem being posted out.
I had a red dot sight sent to me, the stated value was $100 (it was worth more)

The under $100 exemption only applies if the person sending it has an export licence. It just means they don't need to declare it using the more complicated ITAR export system, but they still need to register it on the AES

No matter which way people try and get around it, you can't ship stuff from the US without an export licence, regardless of value.

Ah. Critical point. Thanks.

So no random mate in the states can post stuff.

Yeah it's a pain... he can send it, but if it got stopped, you'd both lose it and he could face a fine.

Just to add to this because I got totally lost a few years ago and read into it, and for anyone wondering, ITAR is based against the USML (United States Munitions List) and basically anything on it is ITAR. The <$100 exemption applies to most parts except for complete firearms or a 'pressure bearing part' such as a barrel, chamber or receiver. To ship it/export you still have to be a DDTC Registered Exporter and file the part on the AES that I mentioned above. Foreigners are specifically excluded.

I've removed some of the lines below to condense it but in short, if it goes boom or is attached to something that goes boom and isn't a sporting shotgun, air rifle, antique or a modern muzzle loader, it is ITAR. Regardless of whether it is a pressure-bearing part or not.

ITAR items are:

Category I—Firearms, Close Assault Weapons and Combat Shotguns

*(a) Nonautomatic and semi-automatic firearms to caliber .50 inclusive (12.7 mm).

*(b) Fully automatic firearms to .50 caliber inclusive (12.7 mm).

*(c) Firearms or other weapons (e.g. insurgency-counterinsurgency, close assault weapons systems) having a special military application regardless of caliber.

*(d) Combat shotguns. This includes any shotgun with a barrel length less than 18 inches.

*(e) Silencers, mufflers, sound and flash suppressors for the articles in (a) through (d) of this category and their specifically designed, modified or adapted components and parts.

(f) Riflescopes manufactured to military specifications (See category XII(c) for controls on night sighting devices.)

*(g) Barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames) or complete breech mechanisms for the articles in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this category.

(h) Components, parts, accessories and attachments for the articles in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this category.

Note: This coverage by the U.S. Munitions List in paragraphs (a) through (i) of this category excludes any non-combat shotgun with a barrel length of 18 inches or longer, BB, pellet, and muzzle loading (black powder) firearms. This category does not cover riflescopes and sighting devices that are not manufactured to military specifications. It also excludes accessories and attachments (e.g., belts, slings, after market rubber grips, cleaning kits) for firearms that do not enhance the usefulness, effectiveness, or capabilities of the firearm, components and parts. The Department of Commerce regulates the export of such items. See the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR parts 730-799). In addition, license exemptions for the items in this category are available in various parts of this subchapter (e.g., §§123.17, 123.18 and 125.4).