doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com importing shotgun shells

I've started the process of setting up to import shotgun shells. Any advice would be welcome.
Nial

Bring money. Understand, clearly, that there exist career individuals in the US Customs Service, and BATF who don't want another round of ammunition or a firearm brought into the US, by anyone. Always bite your tongue in dealings with these parasites, and try to forget that your tax dollars are their bread and butter. They do. Form a working relationship with a custom house broker BEFORE you have a pallet of ammunition that ships to Toronto Canada, or somewhere else, in error. You already have a lawyer, right?
That's all I can think of right now. I wish you good luck. I've been trying to work something out with a Spanish ammunition company, and simply can't get the model to work with existing exchange rates. That's BEFORE transport.
Best,
Ted

Nial, first off good luck to you!! If you do, sure would be nice to get some 2 1/2" in 12, 16 and 20 with various shot sizes and loads.

Again, Good Luck!!

All the best!

Greg

Ask for a CIF price to your location. That means in international business that they have to get them to your place. CIF - means cash,insurance, freight. Watch out for "x-works" That means you do everything from their dock to your place.

bill

Find out what the terms are to "guarantee" your container load or whatever getting near the top of the list to be filled. The market seems to operate on a commodity basis to highest bidder at times.

Let's say you found a way to get Caledonian Shells to manufacture enough ammunition to sell you some, then you need the advice above to "fix" the costs at agreement time and to make certain that when the shipment arrives, you'll be able to take possession.

There seem to be ever changing licensure rules too.

I don't know if it would be helpful to speak with others but there must be a reason so many have gotten out of the business, many have never gotten in, and our shell supply is so limited.

For example, I'd speak with the folks out at Westley Richards in Montana as they have had some fun getting their own-name shells in from time to time.

The owner of Woodcock Hill had spoken about trying to get some British shells as an alternative to RSTs during the hiatus of that product from our supply line.

Charlie at British Sporting Arms in Millbrook has spoken of inquiries from clubs trying to bring over shells. Don't know of anyone actually pulling this off but that may be more like what you want?

Perhaps what Morris Baker had to do to bring in components might be helpful since he is also in Pennsylvania with RST?

It's not as difficult as reported. I have always found that since it is in the best interest of the manufacturer to work out the exportation/importation details, let them do it. We could never come close to their pricing until we contracted for 20 or more 40's a year (ft long containers). That's alot of shells.
You'll be more than likely ordering pallets of shells as a percentage of a group buy that fills a container. I can't imagine a beginner buying a 40 of anything.
If you want to help them, fine. But, really, they have the volume, and volume rules in exim.
Remember that as a perishable, you'll want upper level loading (water is harsh on shotgun shells) which costs a little more.

I have found certain ports to be much faster for through put, and always route to avoid ports with "overzealous" customs personnel.
If you let them do all the work, excluding opening your LC, and they send you boxes of donkey dung, you won't pay. Been there done that.

My first deal I worked with SCORE at a local exim bank. The old duffer walked me through, held my hand, and helped me avoid many pitfalls.

Thanks guys. I had a corporation for awhile some years ago in an unrelated enterprise. I'm wondering if I should form a corp. again or just try it as an individual?
My situation is that I'm retired and searching for something to do. My son lives in London so I always have a place to stay there if I need to arrange shipping from Southampton or Liverpool. I know it's often possible to share space in a container. I expect to be able to pick up at the Port of Newark. I've shipped cars from Newark to both Southampton and Liverpool already and had no problems. If one has the import permit in hand can there still be difficulties in picking up a couple of pallets?
npm

Hey Nial, I can think of easier ways of filling the time! ;-)

Honestly, if you do it, go for it as a hobby, not for the bucks. Not sure if the money is in the US right now for vanity labels, the US economy being what it is, high gas prices, falling property prices, unemployment on the increase, etc. The way the USD is against almost every other currency at present it would take a brave man to start an import business now…… however, it can only get better when anyone (ANYONE!) else gets to occupy the WH … so there is hope.
CIF mentioned above is Cost Insurance Freight, BTW, not "Cash" i.e. price delivered to seaport of destination. Suggest you google “incoterms definitions” and you will get all that is necessary in trade terminology.
If you did not close down your old corp, re-activate it or create a new one. I would most definitely use a limited liability entity, be it LLC or other, as in the event of anything going wrong you do not want to lose the roof over your head (e.g. some nutter uses a 3” in a 2” out-of-proof chamber, has a problem and comes after you………) Downside of a new corp is that you will not yet have a credit rating so you will have to pay cash up front… or Letter of Credit, usually means the same thing. Find a bank that is used to foreign trade, most in the US have little idea of ILCs, etc., and create more work & generate more fees for themselves.

I’m looking at doing something in reverse (to benefit from the crappy USD rate)….. I’m examining the possibility of importing a boat from the US, want something that runs on diesel, not gas, say a 25 footer ocean fishing boat with a 120-150hp diesel and most I see are 5.7 Mercruiser gas guzzlers. The research is fun, though!
Let me know if I can help this side,
Rs
K.

Hey Kerryman, thanks for the advice. If I can help with your boat search let me know. I presume you've been perusing "Soundings"? Is that magazine available there? It's the preeminent mag for finding a boat along the East Coast. I could even take a look at a boat from, say, NYC down to Annapolis and give you some idea of condition. I love hanging around boat yards. What you're looking for though is kind of scarce on this side of the ocean. I hope you notice that I don't call it "the pond". Be in a North Atlantic storm once and that term goes over the side even before your dinner. Gas guzzlers are a dime a dozen here but a small sea boat with a big diesel is more a European thing. Still I'll take a look at the latest "Soundings"
npm