importing a rifle into the UK
Discussion
Having see the thread about the chap who got five years in chokey for importing a stun gun (classed as a firearm) I thought I would check on this...
I bought a deactivated WWII rifle in Nottingham in the 90's. Soviet Mosin Nagant, if you are interested.
It was deactivated in the 'old' way so the action and trigger still work, but the barrel has been cut and welded, the firing pin removed and the face of the breech block machined at an angle.
I took it with me when I moved abroad a few years ago.
I have a UK deactivation certificate somewhere.
Query - if I bring it back to the UK will I get in bother, or as it was legal in the UK before is it still OK to re-import it?
Ta.
I bought a deactivated WWII rifle in Nottingham in the 90's. Soviet Mosin Nagant, if you are interested.
It was deactivated in the 'old' way so the action and trigger still work, but the barrel has been cut and welded, the firing pin removed and the face of the breech block machined at an angle.
I took it with me when I moved abroad a few years ago.
I have a UK deactivation certificate somewhere.
Query - if I bring it back to the UK will I get in bother, or as it was legal in the UK before is it still OK to re-import it?
Ta.
Not sure how you intend getting it back to the UK but I would suggest that trying to take any kind of firearm with you onto a commercial flight is going to cause you hassle.
This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
To be honest, you'd be better of leaving it there and trying to find another one here. Cross boarder movements of deactivated firearms have to comply with the above mentioned Euro Rules on deactivation. Local rules aren't good enough.
If you really want to have a go though, here's the link. Annex 1 (there should be an E at the end, I know. But that's the sort of stuff we have to put up with)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri...
If you really want to have a go though, here's the link. Annex 1 (there should be an E at the end, I know. But that's the sort of stuff we have to put up with)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri...
TVR1 said:
To be honest, you'd be better of leaving it there and trying to find another one here. Cross boarder movements of deactivated firearms have to comply with the above mentioned Euro Rules on deactivation. Local rules aren't good enough.
If you really want to have a go though, here's the link. Annex 1 (there should be an E at the end, I know. But that's the sort of stuff we have to put up with)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri...
2. This Regulation shall not apply to firearms deactivated prior to the date of its application, unless those firearms are transferred to another Member State or placed on the market.If you really want to have a go though, here's the link. Annex 1 (there should be an E at the end, I know. But that's the sort of stuff we have to put up with)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri...
Badly drafted? Poor English? I reckon a smart legal professional could argue that the word another in conjunction with Member State leaves some wriggle room. Its use implies that the originating country is also a Member State of the EU (i.e. from one to another one: which I think is the way a UK national court would interpret it). If they meant it to apply across the board (i.e. from anywhere in the world to any Member State) why not say so explicitly? The OP isn't placing it on the market so that's irrelevant as far as this thread is concerned.
Just my 2p.
I would check with your local firearms enquiry officer - they are generally very helpful, and will advise of any potential issues. I got a lot of good advice when I was considering putting my (non-deactivated) Martini-Henry 577/450 on my ticket.
That advice will cover the UK end. I would imagine that a properly and visibly deactivated weapon will cause no issue anywhere. Chuck it in the container, and if the UK side gets interested, you are covered from the POV of UK law by the advice you have been given. If the thing is legal where you are now, it will be just as legal sitting in a container.
That advice will cover the UK end. I would imagine that a properly and visibly deactivated weapon will cause no issue anywhere. Chuck it in the container, and if the UK side gets interested, you are covered from the POV of UK law by the advice you have been given. If the thing is legal where you are now, it will be just as legal sitting in a container.
cmaguire said:
Why would you not just run this past the firearms officer in the area where you wish to take the gun rather than run it past a bunch of random individuals on here? After all you want fact rather than opinion (or idiocy), which is mostly what you get on here.
Because in with all the idiocy there is quite often some good information - you will find that no matter how obscure the subject matter, it is quite likely that there is a PHer who is clued up on it.
Red Devil said:
Not sure how you intend getting it back to the UK but I would suggest that trying to take any kind of firearm with you onto a commercial flight is going to cause you hassle.
This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
The policing and crime bill has not gone through parliament yet, see link:This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
UK law has not changed and his deact is still perfectly legal, even more so as it's got a UK certificate. Personally I would not contact the firearms dept as they won't have a clue, plus it's not a firearm.
Ayahuasca said:
Because in with all the idiocy there is quite often some good information - you will find that no matter how obscure the subject matter, it is quite likely that there is a PHer who is clued up on it.
Especially if they are a firearms officer in the licensing division. But if you call your local constabulary firearms department, if they don't specifically know the answer they will be obliged to find out for you rather than give you an opinion.You'll end up calling them anyway.
Dan_The_Man said:
Red Devil said:
Not sure how you intend getting it back to the UK but I would suggest that trying to take any kind of firearm with you onto a commercial flight is going to cause you hassle.
This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
The policing and crime bill has not gone through parliament yet, see link:This suggests a deactivation certificate alone is not enough - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-controls-on-off...
Check it out, because arguing the toss with an unsmiling Border Agency officer is an exercise in futility.
The bit about the EU deactivation certificate could be an additional headache. Have a look at these.
https://ukshootingnews.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/go...
The UK legislation referred in the above link is this.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/polici...
UK law has not changed and his deact is still perfectly legal, even more so as it's got a UK certificate.
It never ceases to amaze me though why so many posters on PH find it necessary to re-invent the wheel... Dan_The_Man said:
Personally I would not contact the firearms dept as they won't have a clue, plus it's not a firearm.
Others have a different PoV about said contact. You may be right. Only one way for the OP to find out. My opinion (as a registered firearms dealer) is that the gun will be legal for you to have here in the UK. There have been some issues this year by way of an EU directive in April which is designed to tackle the varying degrees of deactivation and therefore reactivation of firearms in different EU countries. These have effected the sale of certain guns by individuals and dealers here in the UK but do not effect ownership here in the UK as our 'standard' has always been greater than elsewhere in the EU anyway. The issue is getting it here and the hassles if you declare it when travelling by air or if it is 'found' in a container coming in particularly if you are not present. The time, ability to move through different countries and potential cost of moving it I think will have much more bearing on your decision than any other factor.
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