Regulations/Law for importing scopes into Canada

Forget it.

The US has export and import laws that restrict rifle scopes to and from Canada. It has been that way for a few years now. It is much easier to use an importer in Canada than to try and do the paperwork (which is required before you purchase).

The US is also taking a hard stance on those who try and circumvent the regulations. There are border patrols well before the border set up to catch the odd Canadian returning home. Stores are watched in the US as well.
 
Are you guys sure about this? 'Cause I got a friend who swears he's got most his scopes off E-Bay, from the states. This was a few years ago, so maybe it's something new?
 
Are you guys sure about this? 'Cause I got a friend who swears he's got most his scopes off E-Bay, from the states. This was a few years ago, so maybe it's something new?

Just like I said ... The US has export and import laws that restrict rifle scopes to and from Canada. It has been that way for a few years now.

Click on the link in post 5
 
Sure you can do it and maybe get away with it...but is it worth getting caught and maybe not being allowed to cross the border again? It's a rediculous law ,it makes no sense to ban exporting a legal item to own on both sides of the border but it's the law..the dollars you save might be the most expensive dollars you spend..
 
As a foreigner in the US you are NOT allowed to be in possession of anything firearm related. Fines for sure and possible jail time as well. There are 2 guys from Vancouver serving 5 yrs for buying scopes down there.
 
As a foreigner in the US you are NOT allowed to be in possession of anything firearm related. Fines for sure and possible jail time as well. There are 2 guys from Vancouver serving 5 yrs for buying scopes down there.

Betcha there's more to the story than that. Know how much 10 man years in jail will cost Uncle Sam? A lot!
 
I know of one fellow a few years ago got stopped a couple miles short of the border coming home... he spent about 4 hours with them, had all the firearms parts confiscated, his seats damaged from the search they conducted. It cost him about $800 in all...
 
Definitely not a good idea. Lots of trouble, plus you risk of not getting a scope at all after all.

Many distributor will not honor warranty if they did not sell the scope, which means you will have to send it across the border again for warranty if it breaks.

GST
 
There was some story about Canadian licence plates being noted at US gun shows and those vehicles searched when they re entered Canada....don't know if this was verified or not...but with the computors they have now,even Canadians that have travelled to the US for years are being disallowed in for decades old minor offences( possession of pot in the 60's) ....you know when they ask you' when did you enter the US?'-they already know, because it's on the screen right in front of them,the camera recorded it,they're just seeing if you are telling the truth. My wife ,who is a US citizen, travels to Bellingham every month to look after her challenged sister ,and they have a record of every time she entered and left....Big Brother IS watching...
The fact that it's grossly unfair and unjustified is irrelevant,it's their country and their law...just like US citizens trying to tell the judge it's their 'right' as a US citizen to carry a revolver when they enter Canada and are caught....
 
Last edited:
I'm not even sure what you CAN bring back into Canada now....I allays used to pick up a couple of bricks of 22 ammunition,but I don't risk it now...I was once stopped on the US side ,but that was for checking for pot....I asked the guy' bringing pot to BC?-you've got to be kidding!
 
Last edited:
Betcha there's more to the story than that. Know how much 10 man years in jail will cost Uncle Sam? A lot!

ITAR violations are SERIOUS. You can chose to dismiss the warnings, but if you get caught, expect a metric #####-ton of trouble. To the US DOJ, it's basically weapons smuggling...
 
Nothing compared to being caught with even a box of 22 ammo going into Mexico...its not uncommon for me to have a few 22 shells in my glove box in my truck or my camper left over from a hunting trip...tell ya,I'd be going through my truck with a fine tooth comb if I was heading south to Baja
 
As a foreigner in the US you are NOT allowed to be in possession of anything firearm related. Fines for sure and possible jail time as well. There are 2 guys from Vancouver serving 5 yrs for buying scopes down there.

You may want to elaborate on that statement a bit, it's not quite accurate. There are of course permits available for Canadians to bring their firearms and ammo for hunting/shooting. You can also purchase other things "firearm related", you just have to know which are legal for a foreigner to buy.
 
Optics are not ITAR. They're Department of Commerce EAR, CCL Category 0, ECCN 0A987. They require an export permit still.
 
Try it. I've never had an an issue with border patrol...'cept that one time.
The federal agents who walked up to my truck and camper combo at the Peace arch border crossing seemed pretty intent on finding something in my camper. They weren't really friendly and didn't seem to want to answer any questions about their firearms.
Pretty happy I didn't have anything
 
Back
Top Bottom