Bringing back Ammo from the US

saleensteve

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So I hear different things and want to know if anyone has experience in this.

I have heard that the canadian border lets you bring ammunition into canada from the US up to a certain amount before they either charge you duty or require an import permit.

I have also heard that the US will not allow you to export ammo without an export permit which makes it a 'smuggling' run to the canadian border with any purchased ammo.

Is this true?
Has anyone brought ammo across?
 
People report bringing ammunition across all the time.
Occasionally it might even be done legally.
Yes, you can bring in up to 5000 rounds for your personal use.
Yes an export permit is needed to export ammunition from the US.
You cannot get an export licence. US businesses can become licenced exporters, and then they can get an export permit for a shipment of ammunition.
As a non-resident alien, it is an offence for you to acquire ammunition in the US, unless you have obtained legal authority to do so - possession of a valid US hunting licence, etc.
Can you go to the US, do a bit of crossborder shopping, and bring ammunition back?
Sure.
Can you do it legally?
No.
If you get caught, what could happen?
Could range from an unpleasant experience to prosecution, fine, imprisonment, loss of your car, permanent ban from entering the US. The ammunition would be confiscated, of course.
 
I heard this..............

I heard this from a very good source.............if you buy ammo or any firearm related parts and go to border, when stopped on U.S. side they will ask you if you have any of the above items, if the reply is NO, they will ask it again, if same reply they will let you go on to Canadian side where you are stopped again and asked if you have anything to declare,if you say yes and it happens to be firearms items (ie: guns, ammo,parts so on) they will send you back to the U.S. side of border to deal with it...............afer that, well not sure....................
 
I don't see how they would send you back if you're a canadian citizen, I think you are across the border by the time you get to the Canadian booth right? So they would technically be extraditing you back to the US, and I don;t think that;s up to the border guard. Plus you can allways refuse get analy probed but you're legal and in Canada so you're ass might hurt a bit but at least it ain't bubba in Buffalo Pen ass probing you.
 
or you get flagged and every time you cross the boarder its up in the air as to whether or not your going to be permitted entry or not...

You won't get flagged, you will be simply be permanently banned. If you are caught you would be a FELON in the US.

I know one person who was banned for a year because they said he MIGHT be working illegally in the US. He had his toolchest in the back of his truck......
 
I heard this from a very good source.............if you buy ammo or any firearm related parts and go to border, when stopped on U.S. side they will ask you if you have any of the above items, if the reply is NO, they will ask it again, if same reply they will let you go on to Canadian side where you are stopped again and asked if you have anything to declare,if you say yes and it happens to be firearms items (ie: guns, ammo,parts so on) they will send you back to the U.S. side of border to deal with it...............afer that, well not sure....................

So far as I know you do not go through any US customs before getting to the Canadian Customs booth.
 
So I hear different things and want to know if anyone has experience in this.

I have heard that the canadian border lets you bring ammunition into canada from the US up to a certain amount before they either charge you duty or require an import permit.

I have also heard that the US will not allow you to export ammo without an export permit which makes it a 'smuggling' run to the canadian border with any purchased ammo.

Is this true?
Has anyone brought ammo across?

CBSA routinely asks "if you have ammo." You can:

1. Lie, not declare it, and hope you don't get caught. (illegal, and will fetch you hefty fines and possible imprisonment)

2. Tell them you have it. They will turn you around back to the U.S. to get your paperwork to import. (yes, they are tattling on their own citizens as per ITAR and State Department pressure) If your ammo is on the approved list, and after handing over $$$ to do the paperwork, (I think it's $250.00) your good to go. If it's not on the approved list, you have to keep the ammo in the U.S.

Bottomline, based on the prices here, your time, effort, and risk, even if you max out on ammo, it's not economical. When the dollar was 65¢ U.S., sure. Today at par, no.
 
I don't see how they would send you back if you're a canadian citizen, I think you are across the border by the time you get to the Canadian booth right? So they would technically be extraditing you back to the US, and I don;t think that;s up to the border guard. Plus you can allways refuse get analy probed but you're legal and in Canada so you're ass might hurt a bit but at least it ain't bubba in Buffalo Pen ass probing you.

You are at a Federal Inspection Point. (ie. the border) While you are in Canada, you are not permitted re-entry until cleared by the CBSA. So you can for sure spend the rest of your life sitting in a customer service chair with your ammo in your hand and not complete your journey home.
 
So far as I know you do not go through any US customs before getting to the Canadian Customs booth.

I guess you do not cross the border very often. I live close to the border and go over often during the summer. Two week-ends ago, at a main border crossing, the Americans were stopping every single car right before they hit the Canadian border.

I will admit it does not happen often, but if you get caught with items you should not have in the U.S, on the day they decide to check cars going back to Canada, you are screwed.
 
well, it's simple as this, after you pay your toll, on the other side, you may see some orange pilons. Standing there is the US DHS and INS, waving people through on American turf, but pointing at cars to come thru. Guess what they are looking for? and yes they use dogs, i have seen it. I don't take any chances. suite yourself.
 
I guess you do not cross the border very often. I live close to the border and go over often during the summer. Two week-ends ago, at a main border crossing, the Americans were stopping every single car right before they hit the Canadian border.

I will admit it does not happen often, but if you get caught with items you should not have in the U.S, on the day they decide to check cars going back to Canada, you are screwed.

Actually, I was over there a month ago. I'm going down Seattle again tomorrow. My wife has family there, so we are down quite often. What happened to you never happened to us.
 
well, it's simple as this, after you pay your toll, on the other side, you may see some orange pilons. Standing there is the US DHS and INS, waving people through on American turf, but pointing at cars to come thru. Guess what they are looking for? and yes they use dogs, i have seen it. I don't take any chances. suite yourself.

The dogs are looking for drugs. Ammunition smuggling is not their concern.

If you do have undeclared ammunition, do NOT stop at duty free. And keep your damn receipts, if you are over then pay the little bit of tax people.
Saying "I dunno, 300 dollars worth of items, err maybe 350, I dunno" Is just asking them to pull you to the side and making you pay for whatever items they feel like making you pay for.
 
The dogs are looking for drugs. Ammunition smuggling is not their concern.

If you do have undeclared ammunition, do NOT stop at duty free. And keep your damn receipts, if you are over then pay the little bit of tax people.
Saying "I dunno, 300 dollars worth of items, err maybe 350, I dunno" Is just asking them to pull you to the side and making you pay for whatever items they feel like making you pay for.

And just ignore the fact that you are committing a crime on the US side. If you get away with it, who cares?
 
TIRIAQ AND OTHERS;
I really admire your patience in trying to explain the perils of "cross border ammo & component" shopping.

It would appear that either people do not understand or don't think they will ever get caught.... Statements like "I have done it for years and never been stopped" good for them....
But thats a little like saying " I did this and that, din't die from it" sooner or later the end will come....

John
 
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