doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Holt's Shpping Charges

I finally got an answer to my question about shipping charges from Holts (before bidding). Hard to pin them down but for 3 guns weighing 30 lbs total they quoted about GBP450-500 which is now $1K. I buy guns from Italy and can get a dozen guns airfreighted over here for USD500. So someone in the chain is really gouging foreign bidders big time.

I hear there are only two brokers who can now export guns from the UK.

And a real problem with shipping..nobody wants to handle guns it seems.

So bottom line, unless you go over there and bring the stuff back with you (another can of worms), bid low!@

There are more than 2 exporters in the UK. I use three. But air freight is not cheap. The mail isn't bad.

Doublegunhq,
You paint the picture far blacker than it is. But don't let me put you off banging in those low bids!

Actually there are many dealers in the UK who have the correct import/export paperwork. I guess it's in the interests of a few to keep quiet about all the others who can do the job.

'The Cheshire Gun Room' can & do export.
They are export agents for William Evans & are (or used to be) also agents for Holts. They sent a gun to Alaska for me which cost about £180 - the thing is an extra couple of guns would not have added a great deal to the cost. I expect if you ask holts to arrange shipping they just ask one of their agents & add a percentage (a large one).

http://www.cheshiregunroom.com/



Regards
Russell

ParcelForce was until recently was the shipper for many of the UK shops that exported guns to individual customers in the US. I purchased several antique guns(in England this means pre-1897) from R.Bamford, Pantiles Vinage Gun Shop, and others. They were delivered to my door and as I remeber the shipping was $200 US or less.

ParcelForce stopped shipping guns recently while I was in the middle of purchasing an old Rigby sidelock. In this case John Foster was doing the shipping and their only option was air freight. This cost closer to $500. The only bright side was that the gun was shipped to my local airport and clearing it through customs went smoothly.

The bottom line is that, with the dollar so weak against the pound and shipping so expensive the UK, there are few bargains.

John

The main thing is that it now costs us as much to send 1kg as 28kg.

So, it is best to club together and buy a few guns, arrange for them to be sent to a local gun shop - then he can send on to you within the USA or you can each go and collect from him. Split the cost.

I used Chris Potter Country Sports and the costs we not that bad.
bill

We certainly are getting gouged. Years back I sent a gun to the Birmingham proof house on my own, it was an antique so it went UPS. Cost me about $45. But the proof house didn't have an export license and refused to get one (although it was no cost to them) so I had to pay around $400 to have an exporter get it back to me.

I just ran a UPS estimate for shipping an 8kg package 120x20x20cm from London to NY, insured for £1000.

$76 for 6 days, $91 for 3 days.

Tack on a $50 handling fee if you want but if they already have an export license (again, when I inquired to the British government I was told there is no charge, just paperwork) I think we're getting royally screwed.

Freight charges are high because there are very few agents
who handle firearms and insurance. It is the hangling charges that make up the major portion of the bill. I recently sent 10 kg of books to Greece, sea mail 6 months was AUS $193 , air mail A$213. I also sent a gun to the UK, actual airfreight was only under $AUS 200, but insurance and hanlding chargers took it up to just under AUS $1000.

Any volunteers to handle shipments for me? As a dealer, I buy guns by the half dozen. But as a dealer, I am in this to earn a living, not to make the shipper's day. In other words, I can't pay high bid, plus buyer's premium, plus three or four hundred dollars per gun for shipping, plus customs duty...by the time the gun shows up here, there's no margin left!

Bottom line gentlemen is that Parcel Force no longer handles guns. It is Air Frieght only. I know, I used to bring guns in and it was very inexpensive (relative) by Parcel Force. I just had my 8 Bore sent by John Foster and it had to go Air Freight. He had no choice as to how to ship. There are only two airlines that will handle guns right now. He is working on another but it wasnt finalized when mine was shipped. The price went from 100 UKP to 200+ UKP for the gun. This was due to not being able to go Parcel Force.

I am no longer buying anything there. The dollar is in the crapper and there is little marginleft.