Thread: Buying Firearms while visiting the US

Looks like I will be visiting the United States shortly.

California, Nevada and Hawaii ......... keeping Mum happy mostly

Anyone know if I can purchase firearms on my travels and send them home without too much hassle or cost?

I'd like another Browning Buckmark and maybe a S&W Revolver or two.

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by P38

Looks like I will be visiting the United States shortly.

California, Nevada and Hawaii ......... keeping Mum happy mostly

Anyone know if I can purchase firearms on my travels and send them home without too much hassle or cost?


I'd like another Browning Buckmark and maybe a S&W Revolver or two.

Cheers
Pete

Talk to Dave Tipple, he apparently knows all about it

Actual lol.

Short answer - don't.

Long answer - don't even think about it. I'm currently in US and the security at airports/scanning/random is the worse I've ever seen in a few years. LA had me go thru 3 times, despite no wearing of any belt and nothing in my pockets AND watch taken off. It's beyond delusional atm.

No where in his post did he say he was going to try and get them through the airport as carry on. That would be fucking stupid!

If you see something you like there is nothing preventing you from purchasing them and getting them sent to an FFL and getting them to arrange the export paperwork. Yes, it will cost but it will still be a cheaper than organising it from here, especially if you are able to purchase them at the right price.

Only the OP will be able to decide if its worth it to him.

Yeah

Not even contemplating bringing anything back with me.

Was thinking of buying and shipping home, depending on Savings Vs Hassel

Cheers
Pete

Maybe have a talk to your local firearms officer and find out if you can get an open permit for guns while travelling or if you need one for each rifle?

From experience . . . But not intended to be any definitive guide . . . . and keep in mind that any US airline personnel or other person you may encounter could interpret the actual laws and regulations differently.

I can purchase firearms in the US because I am resident and do not know how a visitor to the US would do the same as there are State and Federal laws that regulate the sale and purchase of firearms.

There is no problem bringing firearms back to NZ as checked baggage but you need a firearms case that can be locked. After you have checked in for your NZ flight, you take the rifle case to TSA to be x-rayed and then pad lock it and keep the key with you. Even with a connecting flight, the rifle arrives in NZ and you claim it at the baggage claim.

Not sure what happens from there for NZ citizens or NZ residents with a valid NZ Firearms License because I don't have one and come into NZ as a Visitor.

As for the firearms case, you can get a short Plano case for about $30 and take the action off the stock which enables you to put a full size rifle in an inexpensive case. I prepaid my Air NZ baggage fee so it cost me $50 for the rifle case. I can fit three full size rifles (Sako / Tikka 22" barrels) in a Plano / Pelican (or similar) double rifle case. If bringing scopes back I will put them in my carry-on bag with other valuables.

You can also bring ammunition in your checked baggage - separate from the rifle case. Make sure you DECLARE the ammunition when checking in. There is a weight limit - check with your airline - and usually the person who checks you in for the flight just asks "what have you got" and "is the ammunition in its original packaging"

+1, I've purchased firearms in the UK (lived there for a couple of years) and brought them back via a stop off in Korea. No problems at all, just declare them and all is fine.

The purchasing side of things I'm not sure about though if you're just there on holiday? I don't know what the US firearms laws are in this regard?

I did a lot of research into this a few years ago and I doubt that it has relaxed any. Non-residents cannot possess firearms on American soil. That makes it difficult at the airport and customs lines. Non-residents cannot legally purchase as a rule, although state regulation varies.. Turn up as a non-resident in possession of a firearm, even with an export permit and you are still breaking the law by being in possession of it.

You can apply for for an export permit, for that you have to know who you are purchasing from and what you are purchasing. It takes 4-8 weeks to arrange assuming you got the paperwork correct. Any FFL holder can export provided they have the paperwork and I believe technically you could have a firearm delivered to the airport/customs counter by the FFL holder. That is a logistical improbability and unlikely to be agreed to by most... they are all paranoid over there and won't extend themselves..

The whole exercise is impractical....

There are export brokers and some dealers/private people will forward to those who can arrange the export of something that you may be interested in... unless you are over there for an extended period and can form relationships with people, your'e chances of doing it any other way are unlikely...