Importing gun from USA?

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front sight

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Hi everyone,

I am wondering what the laws are for buying a gun in the USA and then bringing it back across the border by car into Canada. I would be interested in doing this with a non-restricted semi-auto shotgun, assuming there are no troubles in doing so.

Checking online on the customs website it says only a PAL is required to import the gun, and that the gun has to be declared at the border.

Just wondering if there is any other paperwork/fees that need to be prepared before getting to the border. I'm hoping someone can speak from experience on this one.

Thanks.
 
You cannot do it!

You cannot legally purchase a gun in the US, or at least you cannot take possession of it.

You need to have a licensed importer/exporter do it for you.

Irunguns, or Prophet River both offer such services, with Irunguns being a lot cheaper from what I have heard.

It is also possible to have Buffalo Gun Centre export the gun for you, and you pick it up here in the falls at the border. You can contact them for details.
 
Ok I see the issue. Actually possessing the gun while in USA. Thanks again for the quick response. Too bad us Canadians get gouged on everything, it looked like an easy way to save a couple hundred on the purchase.--I guess not.

mlehtovaara said:
You cannot do it!

You cannot legally purchase a gun in the US, or at least you cannot take possession of it.

You need to have a licensed importer/exporter do it for you.

Irunguns, or Prophet River both offer such services, with Irunguns being a lot cheaper from what I have heard.

It is also possible to have Buffalo Gun Centre export the gun for you, and you pick it up here in the falls at the border. You can contact them for details.
Click to expand...
 
front sight said:
Ok I see the issue. Actually possessing the gun while in USA. Thanks again for the quick response. Too bad us Canadians get gouged on everything, it looked like an easy way to save a couple hundred on the purchase.--I guess not.
Click to expand...

On top of the possession in the states bit, you also have to take the export into account. Canada will let you import it but the US will not make it very easy to export.

Unfortunately, with the way exports work in the US it is not a quick easy way to save some money (they don't let regular people export without the paperwork). If you are looking at saving several hundred/thousands of dollars than exporting it through irunguns would probably be worth it. They charge 200 for the first export (150 for the second and 100 for the third and any other ones done in one export) and then calculating shipping costs within the US and Canada I would figure about another 50-75$ then taxes on the importation imposed by the Canadian government. There are deals to be had and they don't charge the export fee if you buy from their site, but if you are looking to buy at random stores in the states to save money you have to take the export fees into account.
 
"...Too bad us Canadians get gouged on everything..." Read some basic economics. Think supply and demand. Our market is one tenth the size of the U.S. market and it costs more to do business here. Starting with pay roll.
"...they don't let regular people export without the paperwork..." They won't let anybody export without paperwork and an exporter's licence. They absolutely won't let a non-citizen export or submit their array of paperwork.
"...easy way to save a couple hundred..." Only works with flintlock long guns. More than a couple hundred too. A $300US flinter runs twice that here. No permits to export or import, but you will get dinged for taxes.
 
I spoke to a customs officer face to face at a border crossing about this a few months ago. He told me that if I had a PAL and I was importing a non-restricted firearm, then all I would have to do is pay tax and if it was manufactured outside N.A., duty as well.
If you feel it is worth the small risk of being a non-US citizen in possession of a firearm caught by US LEO before you can get across the border, go right ahead. A private sale would be the safest bet.
However, this would be breaking US law and I do not recommend it. (C.Y.A.)

On a side note, I heard some information (which I would classify as misinformation) a few weeks back that Canada customs would report any importation of ammunition or firearms from the US back to US officials and the importer would be in serious trouble if they ever went back to the US. I call BS on this. Anyone heard this or can confirm/refute the claim?
 
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