I have an interesting situation that I need some help with. My eccentric uncle accepted a classic shotgun and case as payment for a debt in Monte Carlo ten years ago. The gun has been held for him by a friend and is now in Scotland. My uncle who is now elderly has given me this gun if I can arrange to get it. His friend in Scotland would be cooperative and helpful with shipping if it can be done. My uncle has no papers on this gun. Does anyone know if I can get the gun legally shipped to the US and if so how?
Sorry about the double post, I didn't think the site had accepted the first one.
dukhntr is it pre 1898 and can it be proven? If so it can be shipped to you without paperwork. If not you will have to have someone import it. You will have to choose an exporter before you fill out the paperwork. A BATF form 6 will have to be filled out and sent in. 4 to 8 weeks later it will come back hopefully approved. You will have to find an exporter on the other end to export it. Shipping isn't cheap. Its way less expensive to ship 10 guns than 1. Find someone who is either exporting a shipment already or is importing one and have them include it. It will cost you much less. I have contacts on the other side of the pond for exporting. I haven't decided if I am going to renew my import permit yet.
You need to get a form ATF 6 or 6A and then find an importer. I am told you can do this on your own but when I looked at the form on the ATF website I didn't know how to fill in half the stuff.
The easy way is to contact an importer who will do the paperwork for you on firm is:Leroys Big Valley Gun Works
200 1st Avenue North
Glasgow, Montana USA 59230
Telephone: 406-228-4867
Contact Denise Tiffany
It takes forever, but it happens eventually.
ANY dealer with a Class I FFL can "Occasionally" import any sporting type shotgun. I brought 2 doubles in from Great Britian a few years back and the paperwork(ATF 6) was easy to complete. However you need someone at the British end to prepare the export paperwork permit. My purchase was from a dealer and they took care of that. Start to finish was around 6 months.
Jim
I doubt that the lack of "papers of ownership" will be a problem. It is no problem to find an exporter or importer, only what it costs. Agree that you should find a freight consolidation to save bucks. Get in touch with Dig Hadoke as one option. If provable pre-1898, you don't need anything for import, but you still have to deal with UK export.
http://www.vintageguns.co.uk/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
another option is to contact John Foster Gunmakers, over in the UK. Mrs.Foster handles the export business.
Another good contact is John Farugia at Cheshire Gunroom, Stockport. try
http://www.cheshiregunroom.comBest Regards, George
Probably best done through a U.K. Dealer. The sender will need to get forms from the Department of Trade and Industry. All they are bothered about is to which country is it going i.e. one with which we have trade imbargos and whether it is a national treasure. Shouldn't cause a problem.. Lagopus.....
The only problem I can think of is if there's "no paperwork" does that mean that it's not on anyone's shotgun permit? If so, there might be some questions.....
DLH
If the gun is not held on a Shotgun Certificate here in Britain it does pose a slight problem. It needs to be back on a certificate before you can proceed further. Get your relative to take it to a good Firearms Dealer who can accept it in. Provide a plausible reason for not being accounted for and he can enter it on his books and notify the local Police that it now exists. Guns turn up all the time like this having been found in attics when people die and that sort of thing. Despite all this gun registration in Britain there will be more that are not on the data base than are. There is not usually a problem by adopting this method. DO NOT take it to the Police first as this WILL complicate things as they do not have the means to accept it other than as a surrendered item which will probably result in its ultimate destruction. I have helped with quite a few guns that have come my way having been found when people pass away and I have managed to get them back quite legally on certificate through my local Gunsmith. Lagopus.....
I have personally imported 4 shotguns over the years for personal use. On one occasion, I had Neil Anderson in Aberdeen, Scottland export a gun from his business to British Sporting Arms (Charles Schnabel). Upon arrival at BSA, the gun was shipped to my FFL holder.
The last time I imported from the UK, I carried back a 1886 H&H Rook rifle that was converted to .410. I put the gun on my British Shotgun Certificate and carried it to the airport. As this was an antique (Pre 1898), I asked H&H in London for an affidavit stating the year of manufacture with the serial number. On my arrival in the US, I showed customs the affidavit from H&H and they let me carry it in. No tax as it was an antique. Although I had the Bill of Sale, it was not required... easy peasey.
I have also used an importer in my state of residence to process the importation paperwork for two late model shotguns. I received the import permit in about 6 weeks. Again, both of these guns were on my British Shotgun Certificate. I took both the airport and checked them in. The airline looked at the Shotgun Certificate but were not interested in the US importation permit. Customs checked and logged the serial numbers, make and model. On arrival in the US, I picked up the baggage and went to customs to show the importation permit and pay duty. From there it was out the door...
I hope this helps.
.... addtionally, Neil can be found at:
http://www.hammeranddamascus.co.uk/With the gun in Scottland, I would let Neil do the export to Charlie at BSA