United cargo stops handling all firearms and ammunition:

https://liveandletsfly.com/united-cargo-firearms/

Steve,

Are there any other options?

FedEx but they have a bunch of restrictions, I am checking out the situation now and as soon as I know more I will update this post.

My stuff ships Fed-Ex. Id assume SKB's does as well.

Just this morning received notification my July shipment is scheduled to fly Thursday Fed-Ex. This would be the shortest turn around time since I started importing. But fingers crossed.

No, I usually ship United Cargo due to the large number of vendors I deal with and my occasional importation of ammo. Fedex will not move ammo internationally and they limit the number of vendors per shipment.

American Cargo is still moving guns and ammo internationally with a limited of 25kg of ammo per hold, two per flight.

I'm not sure how this will change my overhead but we will see.
Steve

FedEx is what Holts used to ship my last “antique” gun. I wanted that gun added to a regular shipment but it was not. So I figured what the heck. That was my mistake. If under $7-800 FedEx would have allowed the gun to be picked up at their airport facilities. But mine was over that amount. And any shipment of scale will be as well. Had to use a Broker which increased my cost and took an entire day to complete. Ended up costing just about the same as having SKB import it but with a lot more hassle.

Are there other options for shippers? I think AA might just be a temporary problem of their revising their regulations but rest assured that if they come back the paperwork will increase and so will their fees for those evil guns. Antiques might slip through but I doubt it. Getting harder to buy guns all the time. Long gone are the days I could get an antique gun shipped to my home for $55.00.

Steve:

Have not imported anything from England for a long time, but back when I did I was using BA.

Recently from Spain Turkish Air
Italy, Italia

John Boyd
Quality ARms Inc
Houston, TX

I used United when I was in the game. They were almost the only option from the continent back then.

Best,
Ted

The only time I imported a gun from the UK, they were still sending them using Data Post. Pretty darned cheap. I understand that it's now much more expensive. I expect the best thing is to work with a dealer who's importing a bunch of guns at the same time.

Not being familar with importing guns this question might be a bit foolish but I will ask anyway. If these carriers are going to stop carrying guns and since it appears half or more of our firearms and ammunition come from out of the country does this mean they are basically shutting down sporting guns built in Turkey, Italy, Spain & countries like that?

WBLDon

There are carriers still moving guns internationally. My exporter tells me we will be using American Airlines going forward for most shipments with Fedex as an option for some shipments. Guns and ammo will continue to be imported but more flaming hoops are being added to an already overly complex and burdensome process. This just adds to complexity of things but it is surmountable.

used shotgun imports from england should be made more difficult, until the dangerous practice of bringing out of proof guns to our shores is better controlled..

Total first world problem, ed.....

Best,
Ted

_________________________________________________________
You should really be trying to help people who live in Detroit get out, which,
Is a kind of third world within the first world.

It is illegal under UK law to export an out-of-proof gun to anywhere and UK auction houses or dealers will not export an out-of-proof gun.

Learn of what you speak before you speak.

fly, they are finding their way here...believe it or not...

How many classic American side by sides have you sold that were in proof?

How many arrived out of proof versus those butchered after they arrived here? I suspect the latter for virtually all of them.

Spoken by the Torchmaster himself. How's that go about a black pot and a kettle?

If any of the guns edd sells have the chamber lengthened then technically out of proof .or over bored or honed barrels think about that edd

What a ignorant thing to say. But from you I’m not surprised.

No dealer or auction house is going to sell a gun they know is out of proof for a few hundred dollars. Now there are proof exempt guns, I have a couple, which are out of proof and deemed legal for a historical example but not to shoot. Both came with a proof exemption letter. But any general statement that hoards of out of proof guns are coming into the US is a load of crap.

Is this an example? This is a Reilly SN "stock, action, fore-arm"...but is pictured with an "out of proof"barrel? Is the barrel available to accompany the purchase?
https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.c...++6038+&refno=++162331&saletype=

Argo,
See last line of Holt's description.

Holts absolutely will not release that gun without cutting the barrels as required by law. From their view I would think it was a matter of risk of getting caught for what to them is peanuts.

lets define out of proof as being unsafe to fire with modern american made ammo...

most recent example i saw was a churchill box lock with only .060 of metal in front of the chambers...

Sorry but CIP defines proof not you Ed. Get a clue, you have no idea about the subject which you pontificate on.

Wow Ed, now you want to change “out of proof” to what you say it is. Why am I not surprised by the man who claimed a torched gun was restored.

Ed, you’re a weapons grade retard.

Communist.

well, maybe some of youse guys would shoot a 12 gauge gun with less than .090 in front of the chambers, but not me...

and to me, the phrase "out of proof" means unsafe to shoot...

Communistic weapons grade retard.

Bloody harsh.


_____________________________
This junk French submarine thing is too funny. Good to see Macron get his ears smacked back. Ted, you’re still ugly.

I think the best idea is if edd submits all his guns to a proofhouse before selling

I’m good with that, Larry.

Best,
Ted

__________________________________________________________________
Have the old lady snap a photo of you, on the Cub, Chesterfield hanging off your lip,
wearing good shoes and facing Windsor. Pretty sure you win the ugly trophy.

This guy doesn’t have a face after the dreaded 360 degree whirlybird tank slapper and he still looks better than you.




____________________________
Dress for the slide, not the ride.

Did you slide on your face?

Best,
Ted

__________________________________________________________
A guy with a Cub, talking tank slappers. You need a shrink.

When your arms don’t work like they used to before.




__________________________
Dang, Ted. Learn how to ride. Nice shoes. (:19) lol

That would only be true if we had national proof laws, as the CIP countries do. We leave proof in the hands of the gunmakers rather than the government.

Larry. In edds world he should proof his guns I understand the proof rules here

proof, smoof...i do not sell 12 ga guns with less than .090 in front of the chambers.

That is great news ed. I checked the 1st 5 listings here
https://www.gunsinternational.com/edsgunshow-.cfm
and there is no mention of MWT or end-of-chamber wall thickness.
Do you personally do the measurements? What wall thickness gauge do you use?
In addition to the > .090" end of chamber minimum, what are your other minimal thicknesses for gun that you sell?
Do you have different criteria based on barrel steel, or for small gauge guns?
Could you please share the end of chamber WT of that 20g L.C. Smith you have listed?

drew, are these serious questions or more baiting?

Simple questions ed.
Would it not be good marketing to document wall thicknesses on your listings, since you apparently have the numbers?

they may be simple questions, but answers can be sometimes complicated...

generally speaking, i find almost all non english made guns to have safe barrels...particularly if there is no evidence of rework...english made guns are another story...because, i have seen and have heard about so many with thin barrel walls, i suspect them all...

i try to avoid selling english made guns...if i do have to take one in, i do measure for wall thicknesses, every few inches or so...if i have questions, i consult with others...

oh, and you did not answer my question...

OK ed. Just trying to understand
So "i do not sell 12 ga guns with less than .090 in front of the chambers" only refers to "english made guns", and you do not measure the barrels of U.S. makers unless there is evidence of "rework"?

If you do get a chance, I would like to know the end of chamber WT of the 20g Smith for my records and thanks.

Although I don't regard Ed as a "dealer I would like to deal with", he is the only poster besides myself that expresses doubt about used English guns because of the bad behavior of English gunsmiths. Way to go, Ed. Tell it like it is.

Better shoes:



Best,
Ted

_______________________________________________________
Tank slapper. In your dreams.

Ummm, anybody who has bought and sold more than a handful of English guns knows this well. It is not a secret.

The same can be said for American guns though. You should have seen the high grade, small bore LeFever I had in a while back that was restored by a "Master Gunsmith", that gun had more epoxy than wood in the stock but it sure was pretty from a distance.

Learn the subject which you seek to purchase, buy one with low mileage and consult a professional before you finalize the deal. It is not nearly as complicated as you make it seem. A client recently snapped up an amazing Purdey self opener built in the early 30's. He saw the condition, knew exactly what he was looking at, had it sent to me for inspection and left my shop a very happy man.

Years ago I bought a 20 gauge DS LeFever as a project gun. Metal and barrels were “factory” but stock was a bit of a dogs breakfast. When I measured the barrels I almost threw up. .010” in multiple places. Every look at .010 ? I did it is almost nothing. Seller was laughing at me I am sure. Fate had it a set of 20 gauge Lefever barrels came up on EBay about a month later. Easy purchase and fix. Youngest son loves this gun for released quail.

As to dogs from our British brothers. Most end up on the sealed bid Holts auctions. But in every litter of dogs you can find a few keepers. To date my list includes Pape, Smith, W Richards, Lang, Boswell and a few others. Values are where you find them and I’ve never found any with Ed.

drew, just to clarify, i dont sell any 12ga guns with barrel walls immediately in front of chambers that are less than .090...regardless of where they were made...and rework generally refers to guns that indicate the possibility of major barrel alterations...dont remember the last time i saw a non english made 12 bore gun, that did not meet the .090 standard... .100 is quite common for upland game guns......

what minimum barrel wall thicknesses in front of chambers do you generally consider safe, for all gauges...

so, does anyone have any suggestions as to how we can keep unsafe english made guns from finding their way to our shores...

I nominate you as the British double gun sheriff. Now go out and buy you a badge and have had it...

That is absolutely NOT what Ed said... Not at all. Please show us where Ed said he does not measure barrels of U.S. makers unless there is evidence of rework???

So why do you persist in attempting to twist the words of people you do not like?

And why would you expect Ed to provide you with measurements of his 20 gauge Smith, for your records, when your obvious intent here is to discredit him? He would be better off putting you on IGNORE, or asking why you are so concerned with his guns, when you have admitted to us that your one and only Damascus barreled shotgun has thin pitted barrels. You and a lot of people here seem to have the continued right and freedom to question Ed's integrity, but move heaven and earth to prevent anyone questioning yours. I am hoping that I am not censored when I say you have fooled a lot of folks, and I would trust Ed over you any day. Also, it would appear that he has moved past using "gunsmiths" like old Ed Lander to do questionable embellishments, and is simply buying and selling guns like thousands of other dealers. And he is presumably paying Dave when he sells guns here. People do change, and a real Christian minister wouldn't rehash past sins.

Nothing has changed on my end. I am not saying that stones should never be cast... when there is just cause. So now we shall see if the truth gets censored, and "moderation" is selective.

I'll note that I bought a Saint-Etienne made gun from Ed three-four years ago with eyes wide-open. I am totally happy with the gun and as I told Ed before buying it -- it was for Daugher-in-law ...family....if there were safety problems..well..you know...

Surprise surprise..the barrels had been honed and out of proof and not a mention in the advert or subsequent communication. I had them evaluated...still good to go. And I am happy with the buy.

But I deal with a lot of government sharpsters and Ed''s honey-tongue voice is right out of "The Sting."