Importing Antiques by myself?

P

Proton1305

Member
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Hey folks,

Obviously it’s hard to get antiques shipped across the border…but what if I buy a firearm and get it shipped to a border town and pick up the antique in the USA myself and then declare the antique when I’m coming back over the border? Do I need a piece of paper from the USA that has a date of manufacture? Is that it?

Thanks
 
OOH BOY! Have you opened a can of worms! Canada Customs can be a horror to navigate. From what I've heard and read, most are very unlearned in firearms law regarding antique status firearms. There was a post on an American site about a gentleman in Winnipeg who had his antique status firearm seized (wrongly) and it cost him mucho dinero in legal fees to get it back. A customs agent may not accept the letter as genuine or applicable or seize the firearm until a verifier determines status. There is a service (Borderview) which imports and exports firearms and does all the legal work for you. I have just used them to export a pistol that is antique status in the US but restricted in Canada due to calibre. If I ever find something I want in a US auction, I may use them again to import the firearm. Their prices aren't brutal but it not be cheap.
 
My story regarding bringing an antique revolver across the border---in 2001.

I went to a Civil War show in Gettysburg back in 2001.
I came back across the 1000 Island Bridge.

It took me 2 hours --and I had to pay duty.
I had to rush around to find a lock for my suitcase--- as it had to be locked in the trunk of my car.

There were students working at customs and until an experienced official came along that knew that the M1860 Colt Army Revolver was an antique---it was a frustrating exercise.

Lots of reference material to describe the antique revolver would have been helpful.---and also a modest invoice for the cost of the antique firearm.

Maybe times have changed since 2001----I have no idea.
This was my only experience.


===================================

I bought a Whitney Navy revolver in the U.S. (From Antigueguns in Missouri )
They shipped by mail no problems.
I paid some customs duty at the post office.

 
Last edited:
LawrenceN said:
OOH BOY! Have you opened a can of worms! Canada Customs can be a horror to navigate. From what I've heard and read, most are very unlearned in firearms law regarding antique status firearms. There was a post on an American site about a gentleman in Winnipeg who had his antique status firearm seized (wrongly) and it cost him mucho dinero in legal fees to get it back. A customs agent may not accept the letter as genuine or applicable or seize the firearm until a verifier determines status. There is a service (Borderview) which imports and exports firearms and does all the legal work for you. I have just used them to export a pistol that is antique status in the US but restricted in Canada due to calibre. If I ever find something I want in a US auction, I may use them again to import the firearm. Their prices aren't brutal but it not be cheap.
Click to expand...

+1 for Borderview, I have used them to import antiques like an 1884 Springfield Trapdoor and modern reproductions like 1874 Remington Rolling Block.

Retreever
 
I've had no problem having several antique rifles shipped up by US Post during the last couple of years. There is really no "paperwork" required and as long as it is clearly and obviously a legal antique in Canada you should have no problem. If it's not clear and obvious then you could definitely run into trouble. An example of clear and obvious: a Snider or Martini with date on lock or body.

milsurpo
 
The old "If it were easy everyone would be doing it." But generally, yes, you can take it in person, but expect to have to prove manufacture date somehow. The RCMP letter is still the most accepted proof especially when the FRT record for the particular model has entries for both antique and not.
 
LawrenceN said:
OOH BOY! Have you opened a can of worms! Canada Customs can be a horror to navigate. From what I've heard and read, most are very unlearned in firearms law regarding antique status firearms. There was a post on an American site about a gentleman in Winnipeg who had his antique status firearm seized (wrongly) and it cost him mucho dinero in legal fees to get it back. A customs agent may not accept the letter as genuine or applicable or seize the firearm until a verifier determines status. There is a service (Borderview) which imports and exports firearms and does all the legal work for you. I have just used them to export a pistol that is antique status in the US but restricted in Canada due to calibre. If I ever find something I want in a US auction, I may use them again to import the firearm. Their prices aren't brutal but it not be cheap.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation to Borderview, their prices seem pretty fair.

tiriaq said:
A printout of the FRT entry would help. Particularly if it is a functional cartridge revolver.
Click to expand...

KotKotofeich said:
The old "If it were easy everyone would be doing it." But generally, yes, you can take it in person, but expect to have to prove manufacture date somehow. The RCMP letter is still the most accepted proof especially when the FRT record for the particular model has entries for both antique and not.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to obtain a FRT record printout without having the antique firearm in-hand? If I could get the printout first then show them the paper when bringing it across it would be fairly straightforward I think.
 
You can ship antiques across the border by mail. Just ask the seller to put an FRT showing it as antique in the box. May take a while now but laws for antiques haven't changed. Not sure I would want to carry it over myself. It is still a gun.
 
Proton1305 said:
Is it possible to obtain a FRT record printout without having the antique firearm in-hand? If I could get the printout first then show them the paper when bringing it across it would be fairly straightforward I think.
Click to expand...

Armalytics.ca hosts a copy of the FRT - you can find your relevant entry and print it. The database is a little stale compared to what verifiers have - your printout will show a date on which it was generated (so a few weeks in the past)
 
Ancestry Guns ships to canada without issue as long as it is indeed an antique. Just be careful buying antiques from the US as they have reproductions for shooting and tend to not use their actual antiques so it may not be in ideal shooting condition.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom