Importing Antique without the Letter ??

Pre-1898

Pre-1898

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East of Ottawa
I have imported several Antique handgun so far with the CFR Antique status letter all the time without any problems. Now I sometime find nice guns on The US side, some of them are on auctions, for some I do know at 100% that they qualify as Antique, but it take several days to get the letter from CFC, and some seller are already reluctant to ship to Canada, so when I tell them I have to wait for a letter (sometime two weeks) they simply choose to NOT sell to me. That is Frustrating ! sometime I just feel to say The hell with CFC ( I can get the letter later) and just move forward with the purchase.

Have any of you guys imported an Antique revolver without the letter ?
 
I imported a Webley Mk1 without the letter. Included a printout of the FRT entry stating it's an antique and a copy of the legislation pertaining to antiques though. No problems.
 
I find it just speeds up things. or sometimes waiting 18 + days in Customs, with the letter there out in 3 to 5 days
Guns that are both made pre 1898 and post 1898 you better have something to back up its Antique.

*I had my Frist Two Antique S&W Seizures way back!!!!!:rolleyes: (which i WON , Tho only after a 4 month Battle none of you want to go thru)
I used FRT #s to Import the frist Two S&W that Customs seized.
They told me they dont use FRT Discs.
They may now tho.
But them S&W i imported are not listed as Antique on the FRT Disc as they are made Pre and Post 1898 so show up as Not Antique even tho 52000 are antique, go figger!
A gun like a Webley MKI will show up as Antique tho so that helps.

Ive never imported a gun without a Letter since and Know of Several guns that have been Siezed by Customs from others.

Remember the Joe salter NOT shipping to Canada Anymore!
That was because some guy imported a Remington DB derringer and no letter to say it was Antique so Customs seized it.
$1500 Later to a lawyer the guy got his gun. But Salter was so pissed off about it he wouldnt ship up here at all.
But thanks to Dez i think it was him NOW salter will ship up here as long as you have that RCMP CFC letter.
So its a risk. you win some you loose some. So far i got all my guns tho ;):D.
 
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I think you will find that a lot of antique on the FRT disc do not have notes indicating that they are antiques in the eyes of the law. For those you need a letter from the ID section of the CFC

cheers mooncoon
 
dingus said:
I find it just speeds up things. or sometimes waiting 18 + days in Customs, with the letter there out in 3 to 5 days
Guns that are both made pre 1898 and post 1898 you better have something to back up its Antique.

*I had my Frist Two Antique S&W Seizures way back!!!!!:rolleyes: (which i WON , Tho only after a 4 month Battle none of you want to go thru)
I used FRT #s to Import the frist Two S&W that Customs seized.
They told me they dont use FRT Discs.
They may now tho.
But them S&W i imported are not listed as Antique on the FRT Disc as they are made Pre and Post 1898 so show up as Not Antique even tho 52000 are antique, go figger!
A gun like a Webley MKI will show up as Antique tho so that helps.

Ive never imported a gun without a Letter since and Know of Several guns that have been Siezed by Customs from others.

Remember the Joe salter NOT shipping to Canada Anymore!
That was because some guy imported a Remington DB derringer and no letter to say it was Antique so Customs seized it.
$1500 Later to a lawyer the guy got his gun. But Salter was so pissed off about it he wouldnt ship up here at all.
But thanks to Dez i think it was him NOW salter will ship up here as long as you have that RCMP CFC letter.
So its a risk. you win some you loose some. So far i got all my guns tho ;):D.
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I think you are wrong Dingus ! ;) I am the one who had a talk with Joe about that very UNPOPULAR policy , and made him change his position:D. I had a Nickel 1892 on order and at first he did not want to ship here until I convinced him to do it upon reception of the RCMP letter.

Wish not to take anyone else's credit, but I did fought that one for all of us.;)
 
Oh Ok it was #### not Dez LOL
Good for you then.
I riped Joes helper a new one when they frist started the policy awhile ago after i hit the buy it on a gun (one of his rare lower priced guns rare as in it was lower priced not a rare gun)

Anyway i went back and forth with his helper and thats how i got the info on why the Policy was started.
i was quite rude as i was pissed right off.
all is well now tho.

Theres a Webley MKI on salters just listed at a mear $ 2900
 
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I always tell the exporter that it is my risk If it gets seized he still gets paid Dixie Gun Works has always used this policy you pay upfront if it gets seized or lost or sent back it is all at your expense . It would be very nice if we could get a form for the importation of antiques . If the pistol is on the FRT disk then its usually no problem but the fire arms person at the border is not usually a collector or firearms expert they are just trained on the computer so when a firearm comes in that is hard to find on the disks or that they can't recognize they may contact the CFC or just send it back so it is much safer to spend the time get the paper work contact a verifier see if he will help .He can at least look it up on the FRT or contact the CFC for a letter on your behalf I have done both to help genuine collectors out when I have the time. When the RCMP took over they did away with alot of the verifiers to keep your # you had to be affiliated with a gun club or own a firearms business were the only civilians left to help people.
 
I guess It can just bring un-necessary assles to risk doing it without the letter. Its just too bad that we cant have access to the letter faster. Sometime just for that matter, we loose deals on auctions.
 
I imported one without the paperwork and thought that was the way. Now I have changed my mind as my Colt has been sitting in customs since Apr.6th.
It was mailed in the US Apr1st and I have bids on three more in the US. so I am now trying to get the paperwork done by the CFC. No luck today though,after being on hold for 54mins. I got a recording telling me to leave a message and they would try and get back to me in a day.
 
The best way is via eMail they can even email you the letter when ready. that way all you have to do is forward the email with the letter attached to the seller. It is much faster. still have to wait until the letter is ready, but you save the mailing process.
 
Thanks ####. Unfortunately some of the guns I bid on are on the Kulls site and its like a silent auction where you have to wait untill the day of the auction to find out if you won, then you cant even change your bid. I think i
will stick to the sites I can just buy the item. That way I can get the paperwork done ahead of time.
 
Killer Kanuck said:
I imported a Webley Mk1 without the letter. Included a printout of the FRT entry stating it's an antique and a copy of the legislation pertaining to antiques though. No problems.
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I have done the same many times and it works well. The tough ones are the ones that go by date of manufacture where you have to prove through serial #
 
#### I sent an E-mail to the CFC and got an e-mail back from a lady called Brenda who just said to call and ask for a tech. Tried again today and got the same recording aking me to leave a message and they would get back to me. Its bothersome but it might be a good sign of the amount of people buying guns. More people on our side.
 
jetrefueller said:
#### I sent an E-mail to the CFC and got an e-mail back from a lady called Brenda who just said to call and ask for a tech. Tried again today and got the same recording aking me to leave a message and they would get back to me. Its bothersome but it might be a good sign of the amount of people buying guns. More people on our side.
Click to expand...

Hi Jetrefueller, Please check your inbox, PM sent.

regards

#### Sargent
 
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