AR-15: Import from US?

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Clancy0

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Well, I just joined today after stumbling onto the site, wow! Tons of great information here, huge community!

Anyway, most of my shooting experience has been varmint control on the ranch when I was a kid, some trap shooting, and grouse hunting now that I don't live with the folks. My friend and I also spend a fair amount of time plinking with our .22's.

For the past 3 years I have attended the awesome Kamloops Target Sports Association Annual Gun and Antique show, and each year someone tries to talk me into joining the local club for some "real" target shooting. This year I know they will be successful, so I am already planning on buying my first centerfire rifle.

So enough about me and onto my question: Has anyone had any experience with importing an AR-15 from the US to Canada? The reasons I want to do this are:

1) I want my first rifle to be relatively inexpensive, under $2000.
2) .223 calibre for most flexibility and forgivability: good barrel life, low recoil for novice target shooter, can shoot in the "tactical" class instead of the "open" class, where the real BR guns would dominate me :p
3) Unique (hopefully) looking rifle :)
4) Ability to shoot in service rifle competitions as well.

I have read a few of the posts about Canadian dealers that sell RRA, Bushmaster, Colt, Armalite, and DMPS brands, but none of these seem to meet the accuracy needs of a "target rifle." Some people say that an AR-15 is not really capable of good accuracy, but just as many say it is capable of great accuracy.

After much research (mostly crawling around the web) I think the best deal (good quality within my price range) I could find was from www.fulton-armory.com. They have a match grade AR-15 they call "Accutron." Even with a Jewel trigger and Krieger 26" Stainless steel barrel it would cost me just under my budget, at the current exchange rate. I did find an almost identical rifle on a Canadian site....for $6000. Granted, this includes a $1000ish scope and some other doo-dads, but not four grand worth.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/milcun/targetar.htm

Also, Fulton Armory claims sub-1/2 MOA accuracy with the Krieger barrel, plenty accurate for a newbie!

I read the fact sheet on Canada's laws regarding importing at
http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/info_for-renseignement/factsheets/imports_e.asp
As I understand it, the biggest obstacles are the US laws, and not Canada's. It seems I would need to get an export permit from the states, and in order to get that they would need proof in the form of an International Import Certificate that Canada will indeed legally import a particular firearm, firearm part, or ammunition.

If anyone has done this and knows how it all works, I would greatly appreciate any advice or experiences that you could share.

Thanks in advance!
 
Read the sticky's. Generally speaking though, it's more trouble than it's worth. Accurate AR's can be purchaseds here without all the fuss.
"...Some people say that an AR-15 is not really capable of good accuracy..." Those are people who don't know any better. The U.S. Nationals and Camp Perry matches(out to 1,000 yards) have been dominated by highly modified AR's for years now. You might get one for 2 grand.
 
Thanks for the tip on checking stickies...naturally my eyes avoided "legalese" until forced to look for it :p

With regard to the customized rifles used in competition in the US, buying one of those used would also required me to import from the US, would it not? So far I have not found any Canadian dealers selling a comparable product for a price that was anywhere near the one from fulton-armory....but maybe I just haven't been looking hard enough in Canada.
 
for your first AR don't bother getting a laser beam type rifle. get a 16 inch gun. good to 300m, more than most ranges anyways. the the CQB bug will hit you and you'll forget all about reaching out and touching someone. you'll start looking for a 14 or 11 barrel and all kinds of HSLD type stuff.
 
If your going to the Kamloops Gun show come down to our tables (don't know where because they keep moving us around) and speak to Chris. We carry one of the largest selections of AR15's in Canada and can put together almost anything you want. As for bringing one in from the US...good luck on finding a dealer willing to do the paper work for one gun and once you add up the additional cost for shipping, brokering and forwarding costs the original price will be a long way from what you will pay to land it at your door. Then there is the warranty and dealer support that you will get in Canada and this will be hard to match for a dealer in the US. Anyway good luck and come down and say hi.
 
Questar (link on top of page) imports guns from US and they charge $150 to do it. It took about 7 weeks to get in the gun I purchased in the US.
 
PDent, I will be there, and I will definately look for your table :)

Also, sbe is right, Questar will take care of alot of the hassle for 150 bucks. But the warranty point was one that I had not thought of, and of course I would rather buy here in canada than the US.

In the end I may just get a bolt action in the short term and put off the AR-15 for the future. The fact that they are restricted bums me out a bit.

Thanks again for the info guys :) and cya on Saturday!
 
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