Most firearm parts are controlled for export out of the US under ITAR. Pretty much anything that is actually part of a firearm and not considered an accessory. Slings and bipods, for example are accessories. Screws, pins, sights, stocks, triggers, etc. are all parts.
Now to legally export an ITAR controlled part out of the US, three things must be in place:
1. The manufacturer must be registered with the US Dept of Commerce. Note it might be the US Dept of State but I believe it is US DofC. This is why when you go to vendors in the know like Brownells, you might find a particular part by one manufacturer that is exportable but the identical part by another manufacturer is not exportable.
2. The Exporter must be registered with the US Dept of State. This isn't cheap and is the reason some vendors will not ship anything out of the US. It is also why individuals, whether visitors to the US or US citizens, cannot just legally ship gun parts to us here in Canada.
3. Every shipment needs a license. This is where it gets a little tricky and people tend to misinterpret the rules. This is where the 'exemptions' come into play. If the shipment is less than $100, very little paperwork is needed by the exporter. If the shipment is greater than $100 but less than $500, more paperwork is needed. Brownells, for example gets we Canadians to fill in and return an End Use statement for these shipments. If the shipment is more than $500 OR if the shipment contains any of the prescribed items (e.g. a barrel, frame, etc.) then even more paperwork is needed regardless of the price.
It is this last requirement that has the $500 limit exemption. The other two requirements still apply, no matter the cost of the part. I.E. the manufacturer still needs to be registered (DoC) and the exporter needs to be registered (DoS).
It is analogous to our restricted firearm laws. The owner needs a license AND the firearm needs to be registered. For legal export out of the US the exporter needs to be registered (their terminology) and the shipment needs to be licensed (again, kind of backwards to our terminology).
The ITAR rules are long and convoluted and are written in a fashion that only an autistic accountant could love (no offence to autistic people out there - I don't care if I offend any accountants to tell the truth). The section quoted above is not the only part that applies. The exporter still needs to be registered (or licensed ad we'd like to call it).
As far as I know, the only substantial change to ITAR and its application to firearm exports that has happened in the last couple of years since I last talked to them is the increase from the per shipment license exemption from $100 to 500. There are other parts that still apply.
That all said and done, people ship and bring gun parts out of the US all the time and they don't get caught. I'm expect few, if any, of the eBay and similar sellers are legally exporting but that's their problem, not the receiver here in Canada.
I base the above on my personal research into the matter including past correspondence with the US DoS Directorate of Defence Trade Controls a few years ago. If things have changed, I'd love to see it clarified.
Now to legally export an ITAR controlled part out of the US, three things must be in place:
1. The manufacturer must be registered with the US Dept of Commerce. Note it might be the US Dept of State but I believe it is US DofC. This is why when you go to vendors in the know like Brownells, you might find a particular part by one manufacturer that is exportable but the identical part by another manufacturer is not exportable.
2. The Exporter must be registered with the US Dept of State. This isn't cheap and is the reason some vendors will not ship anything out of the US. It is also why individuals, whether visitors to the US or US citizens, cannot just legally ship gun parts to us here in Canada.
3. Every shipment needs a license. This is where it gets a little tricky and people tend to misinterpret the rules. This is where the 'exemptions' come into play. If the shipment is less than $100, very little paperwork is needed by the exporter. If the shipment is greater than $100 but less than $500, more paperwork is needed. Brownells, for example gets we Canadians to fill in and return an End Use statement for these shipments. If the shipment is more than $500 OR if the shipment contains any of the prescribed items (e.g. a barrel, frame, etc.) then even more paperwork is needed regardless of the price.
It is this last requirement that has the $500 limit exemption. The other two requirements still apply, no matter the cost of the part. I.E. the manufacturer still needs to be registered (DoC) and the exporter needs to be registered (DoS).
It is analogous to our restricted firearm laws. The owner needs a license AND the firearm needs to be registered. For legal export out of the US the exporter needs to be registered (their terminology) and the shipment needs to be licensed (again, kind of backwards to our terminology).
The ITAR rules are long and convoluted and are written in a fashion that only an autistic accountant could love (no offence to autistic people out there - I don't care if I offend any accountants to tell the truth). The section quoted above is not the only part that applies. The exporter still needs to be registered (or licensed ad we'd like to call it).
As far as I know, the only substantial change to ITAR and its application to firearm exports that has happened in the last couple of years since I last talked to them is the increase from the per shipment license exemption from $100 to 500. There are other parts that still apply.
That all said and done, people ship and bring gun parts out of the US all the time and they don't get caught. I'm expect few, if any, of the eBay and similar sellers are legally exporting but that's their problem, not the receiver here in Canada.
I base the above on my personal research into the matter including past correspondence with the US DoS Directorate of Defence Trade Controls a few years ago. If things have changed, I'd love to see it clarified.
