We have a group of simpletons that populate this site, that can’t/won’t grasp that things change, laws are subject to interpretation, and people who make their living molding the great unwashed masses into compliance will always need examples to demonstrate to their overlords they are a necessary component of the bureaucracy. Asking the wrong people for answers leads to the situation that Rob discovered. I’d suggest you take any hard answer you get here with a grain of salt.
I never tried to move a scope between two different countries. I wouldn’t even know where to look to find out if there were restrictions on doing so. No doubt someone will tell you to just do it, I’d say figure out if you are OK with it being seized, and how comfortable you are with being locked up before you try something like that.
If it were me, I’d look into perhaps shipping it to the same guy who has your range finder and binocs. The shipping company should at least have an idea if it is legal for them to do it. I’ve had good luck on several (not many, but, more than one) international shipments with DHL, but, they were going to South America, not Europe.
I wish I had or could come up with a hard, fast, answer for you. Sorry, I can’t.
Good luck, and absolutely do let us know what happens, and what you discover.
Best,
Ted
