"ManOwar," when importing a gun from abroad into the United States, I employ the following practices, which can be abbreviated as follows: (a) I only import what is statutorily an antique firearm here, and I perform the qualifying research and make all necessary inquiries to ensure that particular legal classification is documented fact; (b) as most of my purchases are from various U.K. auction houses, I only use the professional services of an indigenous, appropriately licensed and knowledgeable agent to place my bid (usual agent cost is 10% of the winning bid amount) at time of auction and to take eventual custody of the piece if my bid is successful, who will double as a facilitator for the exportation of a piece purchased at auction for an additional fee, and provide me an independent condition report prior to the auction date (e.g. Vintage Guns, U.K.highly recommended and outstanding; or Heritage Guns, U.K., etc.), in addition to the same sort of report and detailed photographic views requested from the auction house; (c) use only that foreign agent who also has a domestic FFL-holding connection or business association in the United States, which obviates the time-consuming and obnoxious need for me to hire a local customs agent and personally travel to the nearest international airport having a U.S. Customs office, or the remotest need otherwise to have anything whatever to do with the federal authorities; (d) the foregoing practices, with obvious adjustments, will work when dealing with brick-and-mortar firearms dealers abroad that offer export services and have that all important participating domestic connection or association (e.g. the aforementioned Peter Dyson company in England); and (e) once the antique firearms is arrived here and moved through and received from U.S. customs by the anticipating FFL-holder, to whom you will gladly pay the expected fees and rates, the "antique firearm" can then be transshipped by a domestic carrier (and insured), again at your cost, anywhere to anyone in the United States directly. I will not address the various costs and expenses beyond what were already mentioned, as other correspondents have graciously added amply to that knowledge base.
Presumably, those firearms earlier addressed as impressed upon importation with the U.S. importers stamp, in accordance with U.S. law, are modern pieces or "firearms," because federal agencies (and many state authorities) do not regulate antique firearms. This makes the import of the curio & relic firearm and modern firearm, i.e. the regulated firearm per se, a very different and much more difficult task altogether because of their strictly defined classifications and the imposition of certain statutory requirements. The importation of an antique firearm is normally completed within some number of weeks, assuming you have made the right choices and selection of assisting experts, where the norm attending the importation of a firearm is several months to completion.
In the interest of providing helpful information to the correspondents for the many forums on this site, let me clarify a point of confusion that I remark has arisen here and elsewhere on this website regarding the correct cut-off date for determining whether a gun is an unregulated "antique firearm," as that class is defined in the United States Code, or whether the gun in question falls instead under some other firearm classification that is regulated.
The relevant federal statute creates three firearm classifications: (a) "antique firearm," (b) "curio & relic," and (c) "modern." The first classification mentioned is wholly unregulated, while the latter two are indeed regulated and do require the participation of licensed dealers or collectors. The correct statutory cut-off date for a piece classified as an "antique firearm" is 1 January 1899. This correct date would be more commonly expressed, "pre-1899."
In the pertinent federal statute, "antique firearm," as that term is defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(16), means
"A. any firearm (including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898 (emphasis added); or
B. any replica of any firearm described in subparagraph (A) if such replica
i. is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition, or
uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade; or
ii. any muzzle loading rifle, muzzle loading shotgun, or muzzle loading pistol, which is designed to use black powder, or a black powder substitute, and which cannot use fixed ammunition. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term antique firearm shall not include any weapon which incorporates a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm which is converted into a muzzle loading weapon, or
C. any muzzle loading weapon, which can be readily converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breechblock, or any combination thereof."
Please reference the remainder of the above statute on-line, if you have an interest in the other classifications, which I will not address here.
Without considering the sometimes confusing language within the parenthesis, which was itself added for clarification purposes, the statute's lede paragraph reads: "Any firearm manufactured in or before 1898." Do not confuse or conflate the black powder and muzzle loading or black powder replicas aspects of the above statute with the lede paragraph; they are but further refinements of the issue of muzzle loaders or replicas as antique firearms or not. In no manner do those aspects alter the basic legal point that any firearm "manufactured in or before 1898" (meaning: before and up to 1 January 1899) is an "antique," period.
If classified as an "antique firearm," which again means it is wholly unregulated by the federal government, the gun can be shipped via your or the dealer's/seller's choice of carrier anywhere to anyone in the United States. Some anti-gun states, however, have laws that cumber such transactions, although if you live in such a restrictive state, you will likely already know of the problem and know how to deal or have in the past dealt with the encumbrance. As well, in my experience, international shipments are best left to licensed firearms dealers and import/export experts that are experienced and have long dealt with firearm shipments. Personally, for the purpose of purchase (I do not sell my guns.) or refurbishment/repair, I have shipped from and received at home or office antique firearms, both domestically and internationally, via chosen carrier many dozens of times without interference from our federal or local government agencies. I am,
With my regards,
Edwardian
His Time Viewed from a Distance:
