Hi everyone,
Is it possible to legally import reloading gear from the USA, or will I have the FBI knocking on my door?
Any advise would be great.
Thanks.
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Hi everyone,
Is it possible to legally import reloading gear from the USA, or will I have the FBI knocking on my door?
Any advise would be great.
Thanks.
Have done so with no issues on small things like dies, tools. biggest problem is that most stuff is over the tax threshold in NZ and when I worked out the cost it was cheaper to buy locally.
What are you planning?
Yes
Check out these guys
Lee Reloading Supplies & Equipment | Titan Reloading | Lee Distributor
http://www.factorysales.com/
I have imported quite a bit of reloading gear from both over the years with no worries
Cheers
Pete
yep don't think you can get brass and projectiles (could be wrong) but gear is fine I have brought in dies and bullet molds fine
At this time I need everything except scales. Wife purchased a hornady beam scale for my Christmas prezzie, my first bit of kit.
What are you reloading for?Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwiazonic
With the exception of my 1975 vintage press and my AnD scales, I have purchased all my dies, various tools, Chargemaster, some specific brass and lots of projectiles from the States. More recently have also purchased dies from Australia. But, it pays to price locally first as a small saving going off shore is not worth the hassle.
Over the years a fluctuating (lower) exchange rate has also made it not viable.
The stuff I have got in the past was generally not available in NZ at that time. The brass definitely not available in NZ and the projectiles massively cheaper than NZ prices.
Ebay has some good bits as well. Unfortunately though some sellers will not ship to NZ. A mate recently picked up an Ohaus 10-10 scales in excellent condition for a real good price. Cheaper than less good condition ones that had sold on TM at around the same time.
Julian at Workshop Innovation would rate as the best source locally. Top guy.
Jason trading as ozark1 on Tardme is also excellent.
What no-one has mentioned is the bigger practicality issue, namely that many US online retailers don't accept foreign credit cards. The fraud issue is too big for them to ignore. That's why I leave funds with a mate in the US and bring back projectiles each time I'm over there. As Zimmer said, waaay cheaper.
The other issue is freight costs. They have wiped out surface as an option so you're looking at air everything, and it isn't really cheap. My gunsmith mate can get tooling very cheap over there but the freight often works out twice the cost of the goods.
Titan are great to deal with. They ship first class mail, and it's fast and relatively cheap. Basically only have Lee though, although nothing wrong with most Lee stuff if you understand how it works. It's a bit like savage of the reloading world - not pretty but pretty bloody effective (with a few flops along the way, but a lot of companies are guilty of that one).
Thanks for the info everyone.
I'm going to be reloading for my Tikka 7mm-08 Rem bushpig, and my Hardy/Kiwi Composite Tikka in 7mm Rem Mag which is currently being built.
I'll definitely look local before ordering from overseas.
I've been looking into purchasing a Hornady iron press kit, but they are $1270 NZD locally, but in the USA they are $490 USD on sale!!
It would be interesting to see how much it would cost after paying shipping, duty and Grab Snatch & Take (GST).
Maybe I should just buy a $260 Lee kit from reloaders?
Get a Lee cast classic (workshop innovations prob your best bet). And add bits from there. In saying that, you'll get a long way with the kit too. I had a Lee kit, but pretty much replaced everything now.
Think of the kit as a pathway drug...
Find what you want locally (if you can) and in US.
Price your stuff from US, add freight and if over NZ$400 GST. Compare prices.
You may find once shipping and GST is added you're not saving much.
Support our local distributors/dealers where you can - if you don't we won't have any.
The Bricks and Mortar versus overseas has already been thrashed to death in so many previous threads so I won't rant on this occassion why it is that I don't always buy from BnM. :P
Seriously if the costs are almost equal you still won't support your local business?Quote:
Originally Posted by zimmer
Sigh....I was determined not to end up reopening old thread themes. Please read my original post where I recommend 2 good locals (admittedly not true B and M sellers) and also I stated “But, it pays to price locally first as a small saving going off shore is not worth the hassle”.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyclops
Not if they're dicks with terrible customer service, no, I won't. If they look after me, that's a different matter (e.g. I will happily pay a few bucks more at gunworks or even shooters supplies). No business gets my custom as of right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyclops
Of course we wouldn't @CyclopsQuote:
Originally Posted by Cyclops
I'd love to buy local every time I purchase something.
Trouble is local guys don't seem to stock what "I Want" and/or are not interested in what "I Want".
As a result I have landed online stuff from the US and China for a fraction of what local prices would have been and the goods generally arrive quicker too.
I best not start either.
Cheers
Pete
I've never had a problem using my Nz credit card to buy reloading gear from Sinclairs International, the freight from the states can be a bit pricey but you don't pay there sales tax. If it's under $400nz you won't get stung for gst or customs charges.
Workshop innovation would be be my pick locally.
I order a bit from track of the wolf (black powder gear)
Have ordered dies etc from brownells not an issue
Depends on the site there are some like midway usa that don't ship outside the usa
After sales service is generally better when you buy from the states. E.g. if you send a Leupold scope back for warrenty work through the NZ agent they charge you $55 per scope and it takes six months cause they like money and are slow. If you send it directly back to Leupold in the states ($20 postage with insurance for two scopes) and it comes back in a few weeks. So for two scopes it's $110 \ six months vs $20 \ four weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7x64
Not all NZ business have bad service, I use the ones you mention but most are terrible in my experiance.
I bought my Hornady Classic kit - first and only one.....so far - from Hunting & Outdoors last year, just a couple of streets away (NZD1100 odd including case length sizer, dies and some other bits).
Original kit quoted/supplied at NZD750 - but had to wait 6-8 weeks before it arrived.
Appreciate that o'seas can appear cheaper, but Customs want their 'pound plus' on purchase price and o'seas freight (don't know what exchange rate they use, but it seems pretty fierce), plus the exchange rate on the original purchase & freight.
Saving was about $100 from o'seas, but local purchase made it easier (no Customs sh#te to worry about), and got local backup if required.
Case in point
https://www.guncity.com/game-reaper-...-system-314183
DNZ Products Game Reaper 1-Piece Scope Base 30mm Integral Rings Savage
Guncity price over $200
Midway price $65 US plus postage
Cabellas took a little bit of effort to get around the std BS with the credit card issue. I had to supply a letter from BNZ which I believe they actually verified on the phone from the USA end. Now 3 years on I see my rcbs full kit on WSI for $50 more than I paid.... There's no way I'd hedge the risk on that sort of margin. Local for sure.
What's this CC BS? I have dealt with maybe a dozen or more American companies over the years and have never experienced any CC issues. Worst that I have had is a lot charge 5% for foreign cards but I usually factor that in along with shipping, potential gst and the 40 odd bucks bio fee b4 going ahead (assuming the saving is worth while) with the transaction. If there is some sort of hassle from them re CCs there are plenty of other good outfits to deal off instead. I am also amazed that it seems some people don't cost out the whole exercise plus seem unaware of the gst/fees threshold and then appear disgruntled when hit. Also reloading gear does not attract duty. It will attract payable gst and the bio fee if the gst exceed $60. The Customs people as much as we may dislike them are just doing their job.
The only incident I am aware off with a CC was a kiwi mate of mine with an American CC tried to order some stuff. They picked up on the fact that the order was originating from NZ but the CC was not NZ. They advised him they suspected him of fraud and blacklisted him.
Ordering out of the states is good if you can get things delivered cheaply. I'm lucky to have a mate bring me over a forster CO-ax and various other bits to make a full set. Equivalent savings was about 30% of what the NZ cost would have been, although it was all brought through AKL airport and customs didn't care about it, so lucky I didn't get stung with GST and duty. so well worth it. However I have a US CC from when I lived there which helps. I think you need to have the ability to buy in the US and then avoid customs when bringing it in, Hopefully some one can bring it in their baggage.
There was no issue with bringing in projectiles or reloading gear. US feds don't care about reloading gear, and neither do NZ so it seems. I have had an issue buying a scope out of the US and had to fill out a form saying NZ is not a terrorist harbouring country, haha
Gunstop Reloading Supplies & Ammunition
never had problems with them
Love the SIGH......zimmer:thumbsup:
Just tried to order stuff from Midway, they said no, outside the US.
Weird 'cause DNZ said yes no problem. Got a mount here for about $150 NZ, couldnt get one here but its comparables were $250
My current RCBS Rockchucker Supreme Press was purchased locally at Collings and Bradey, however, almost everything else 'reloading' was bought, mostly through Sinclair International. No CC issues, and as you say, provided it is under NZD$400 (including freight costs) then there's no GST. I've also found what Pete's experienced, most local guys don't 'stock' what I want, and are not particularly interested, and/or, it's usually cheaper importing it yourself anyway, GST, freight, the lot included. I don't think I've bought any reloading gear from overseas yet, where it's been more expensive than local!Quote:
Originally Posted by outdoorlad