Overseas shipping question

[dstegjas]

Is there a problem shipping a rifle stock to Australia ? I replaced a stock on my Remington 700 and thought I would sell it. I assumed everything went fine until I received a letter stating that it had been ceased by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. After looking the letter over it appears that out of the 5 possible reasons it could have been ceased, I hit them all. Now here is the kicker. The so called fines for these violations are at least $250. Or I can forfeit the stock and they will destroy it.


The real kicker here is that I sent it through the U.S.P.S. with full disclosure as to the contents. If they had no problem shipping it, what going on with Customs ? So my question is this. Has anyone else had this problem or am I just lucky.


Jim

[1armoured]

There are restrictions on exporting certain rifle parts, and reloading accessories, and which need export permits by US authorities,
besides the obvious, there is restriction even on magazines(clips) and certain scopes,
and some countries blacklisted as well.


I have had small parts and some accessories sent to me from the US, to New Zealand,
and a stock sent from Numrich without problems, via USPS, and declared as 1 Stock (nothing 'gun mentioned on the box)
but I think there is a value limit of $100, which is the value declared (and is actually what I paid for it plus handling etc.)


Don't know about Australia, but we have no restriction on most parts and accessories Imports here into NZ.


cheers,
SS

[quickdtoo]

The ITAR put the cabosh on exporting firearms parts over $100(except barrels, receivers, cylinders) without an export permit, it applies to firearms components also as they're listed on the munitions list,  read part 121 & 123. 

Tim

http://pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar_official.html

§ 123.17 Exports of Firearms and Ammunition
(a) Except as provided in § 126.1 of this subchapter, Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit the export without a license of components and parts for Category I(a) firearms, except barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames) or complete breech mechanisms when the total value does not exceed $100 wholesale in any transaction.

[trotterlg]

When ever you ship something to another country you need to be a basic on the forms as you can.  A reamer is a "machine tool", an extractor is a "machine part" Bullets are "industrial samples", you get the idea I think.  Never ever use the word gun or rifle or pistol, firearm etc.  Just don't lie.  Larry

[Cabin4]

a UPS or FedEx can help you with this. If you disclose what you are shipping to them, they are required to let you know if it has any restrictions on both export from USA and import in the country of destination. My guess would be, the stock is not restricted on the export from the US but I'm not sure about the import to AU. I recently purchased a wood stock from a company in Canada and had no issues on either end.
 
Import and export laws are very complicated and as the other poster said, some items require a specific license.

[Cabin4]

BTW: if you have an ebay account, you can ask them about it. If ebay allows you to list the stock and allows AU residents to bid on it, it likely has no restrictions. They usually wont allow the transaction as they don;t want to be held responsible for facilitating out of compliance transactions.

[quickdtoo]

My guess would be, the stock is not restricted on the export from the US but I'm not sure about the import to AU. I recently purchased a wood stock from a company in Canada and had no issues on either end.
 
Import and export laws are very complicated and as the other poster said, some items require a specific license.

If that were true, then US Customs wouldn't have seized the shipment, the ITAR requires an export license for any total transaction valued over $100, the regs are there for the reading,  if anyone thinks they know more than US Customs, have at it. 

Tim

I assumed everything went fine until I received a letter stating that it had been ceased by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

[Cabin4]

My guess would be, the stock is not restricted on the export from the US but I'm not sure about the import to AU. I recently purchased a wood stock from a company in Canada and had no issues on either end.
 
Import and export laws are very complicated and as the other poster said, some items require a specific license.

If that were true, then US Customs wouldn't have seized the shipment, the ITAR requires an export license for any total transaction valued over $100, the regs are there for the reading,  if anyone thinks they know more than US Customs, have at it. 

Tim

I assumed everything went fine until I received a letter stating that it had been ceased by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

I'm well aware of US and global import/export process. Who said I paid more than $100 for the stock? I paid $82 for the butt stock of Win 94. And the point of the post is not what value needs a declaration, its what is restricted or not restricted product and if a permit or special license may be required for export or import at destination country. When is comes to restircted products, value has nothing to do with import or export. Even is its value is $1, you still are required to get the required permits/license or special declarations.

[quickdtoo]

The ITAR states total transaction value, that would include shipping costs too I would think.

Tim

§ 123.17 Exports of Firearms and Ammunition
(a) Except as provided in § 126.1 of this subchapter, Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit the export without a license of components and parts for Category I(a) firearms, except barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames) or complete breech mechanisms when the total value does not exceed $100 wholesale in any transaction.