doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Traveling to Turkey

The days are long gone that an Individual can import a gun on their own. I would doubt that if you find a gun in a Turkish shop that they will know how to export it. Same as ffl dealers here, most do not know how to import a gun and almost none know how to export. I did both.

Unless its a very unusual or expensive gun I can not see any benefit.

Also: not sure of the available of Turkish gun shops. Of all the counties that I visited and did business in, its not like here when there are shops on every corner.

Anyway, good luck.

JOhn
Quality Arms

While you're over there, maybe stop in Belgrade and pick up a car...

.

John, every importer starts with their first transaction.
I cannot say whether an individual would find it enjoyable or profitable.
Only that it can be done.

Sometimes people do things just to learn.

Clapper

I did wish him good luck

John

Clapper

Over the years I have help a few out who purchased a gun on a trip and found out later it was more involved and had to hire me

Including suitcase guns

All the best

Everybody has to make their own decisions

John

John,
I was actually called by the local office of the ATF to help a South African national out, after he was given some spectacularly bad advice on getting his grandfather’s shotgun and his Morgan automobile out of Customs, after they seized both. ATF does not have the ability to import, only agents can do that.
Long story short, I got the gun out and to the rightful owner, but, Customs was going to destroy it at the end of the month and that called for expedited paperwork, which, I asked for and received. I don’t know what happened to the car, not my monkeys, not my circus.
I am always amazed at the people who have never imported a thing telling you how easy it is, and how all you have to do is this. Things go wrong that are not in your control (if someone unloads the gun at the wrong airport, Customs seizes it, period. Don’t ask me how I know). I could tell you some stories about knuckleheads at port of Minneapolis Customs, but, will skip that and just say there is nothing in Europe that I am interested in importing here, regardless of price.
It was cool and fun, pre 9/11.

Best,
Ted

If you are contemplating buying a gun while travelling, I'd be sure to have all my ducks in a row with respect to importing it before I left on my trip. If you know where you're going, say, Istanbul, I'd want the name of an English speaking retailer there who can deliver the gun for export or have it ready for pickup, in such a way that you are not paying Turkish VAT or luxury tax (you'll spend the money you save on those to cover the costs of transport and importation) and I'd have made the arrangements with one of the various companies that imports guns into this country and takes care of customs, ATF, and airfreight. I don't know about Turkey, but the path between the UK and USA is pretty well trod when it comes to firearms export/import. And in Europe generally, high end retailers of luxury goods are pretty familiar with the export drill, again, I'm not sure about Turkey. If you're proposing to deal directly with Akus or Huglu, and they are willing to sell directly to a foreigner, I'd be idly curious to know how that works, but everything I've said may be irrelevant. In any event, if it can be done, I'll bet you're looking at a price tag between $1k and $2k. Just a WAG.