Exporting Airsoft

[Dark-Razor]

EDIT: To clarify, since my post below was confusing (sorry about that!), I'd like to ship guns from Canada to Europe and I'd like to know how to legally get airsoft guns through Canadian customs on the way out.

For the little backstory, I'm considering moving to Europe some time in the future but if I do move there I would really want to keep my gear (what can I say, my loyal guns mean a lot to me!).

I'm looking for advice about exporting airsoft guns and parts out of Canada. I did some research online (including reading the FAQs here) but there's information I could not find anywhere, hopefully someone might know the answers. I know after the matter of exporting the guns would come the matter of importing them in the next country, but for now I'm just focusing on the export issue.

Mainly, I'd like to know if there are significant differences between what can/can't be imported and what can/can't be exported. Most of the information I found only addresses importation of airsoft. Note that I'm only talking about a couple of guns here, 2 or 3 at most. This is not like I'm trying to start a business of selling airsoft guns from Canada abroad.

For instance, can I just ship an airsoft gun out of the country or are there some requirements to fulfill?

I'm under the impression that exporting airsoft guns might be possible provided that the person exporting the guns has a firearm export permit. However, the information I could find indicates that only a business can acquire such a permit. Are there any shipping companies in Canada that would be able to legally ship airsoft guns out of the country?

I'm also wondering about spare airsoft gun parts: can these be exported easily or are there requirements for these as well?
I found a FAQ that lists parts that are prohibited to import ( http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=40318 ) but I'm wondering if export of these items is prohibited as well.

Lastly, if anyone has had to export airsoft guns and parts and could share their experience, or if anyone could provide advice how I could get my guns out of Canada without too much hassle, this would be very appreciated.

[Hectic]

getting them out of canada isnt going to be a problem, what you need to know os the import laws for where you want to take them.
an example would be, if you wer going to to to the US to play a game there the first thing you would have to to is put blaze orange "tips" on your guns, i think the need to be a minimum of 1inch of orange, most folks would just put an orange flash hider on their rifles, also i think it has to be "permanent" s some loctite or glue would be needed so the us border guys cant just unscrew it by hand.
im not too sure what the laws are in europe, and agin they will be different from say poland to russia.

[Hectic]

this is from a forum 2 years ago, they are taking about Ireland.

"You can import outside of the EU. But you MUST have the people shipping reduce the FPS to 328 and the 1 Joule limit, otherwise the guys at customs will destroy it"

[Dark-Razor]

Thanks for the responses. I'm thinking of moving to Switzerland, where importing airsoft guns is easy - I would just need to apply for a kind of temporary license that lets you bring up to 3 guns in the country at once. It costs around 70 bucks and is easy to acquire (very little prerequisites to meet).

I'm more concerned about what I'd need to do to get the guns past Canadian customs on the way out.

[Hectic]

United Kingdom*There are currently certain restrictions on the possession of airsoft replicas, which came in with the introduction of the ASBA (Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003) Amendments, which prohibit the possession of any firearms replica in a public place without good cause (to be concealed in a hard gun case or sealed container only not to be left in view of public at any time) . The prohibition of self-contained gas cartridge weapons similar to that made by Brocock can arguably apply to Moscarts and BB-Shower grenade systems, however a formal case precedent has yet to be set. There were initial concerns among the airsoft community that the Violent Crime Reduction Bill (passed an Act in November 2006, but not yet commenced) would in future prevent airsoft skirmishers from buying realistic imitation firearms. However, on the 20th of September 2006 the Association of British Airsofters (ABA) received a letter from Tony McNulty saying that he has "decided to provide a defence for airsoft skirmishing in relation to the ban on the sale etc. of realistic firearms". There has been confirmation airsoft will receive an exemption. This letter has been scanned and reproduced on the ABA website [2]. Note that membership of the ABA may be required in order to view the letter.Since then, the Bill has received Royal Assent, and while now Statute Law in the UK, is still a matter of some (at times heated) discussion in the UK Airsofting community - not least of which the question as to how the Act, and Specific Defence, will work, the process of which is still being decided upon at the Home Office, at the time of this edit (5th December 2006).The Defence will be based on whether or not a person is a Skirmisher. One of the measures put in place by retailers to aid in identifying Skirmishers is a database of skirmishers registered in a central database. A person must be a regular skirmisher (i.e. skirmish 3 or more times in no less than two months) in order to be registered, and the airsoft site they register/skirmish at must hold public Public Liability Insurance. Once a skirmisher is registered they receive a membership card and must produce this before buying or trading airsoft weapons from these retailers, though not a legal requirement (As long as you can prove that you are an airsoft skirmisher you may purchase Realistic Imitation Firearms or RIFs. (Airsoft guns deemed to be realistic.) It is expected that HM Customs & Excise will also have access to the database to verify the identity of importers.The VCRA (Violent Crime Reduction Act) came into effect as of the 1st October 2006, thus meaning that RIF (Realistic Imitation Firearms) can only be purchased by registered members of an airsoft skirmish site (accessories and ammunition are not covered by the VCRA). Only those people over the age of 18 can purchase Replica Imitation Firearms. IF (Imitation Firearms), however, are still legal and may be purchased by anyone 18 or over, regardless of membership status. These usually take the form of "Two-Tone" guns - normal Airsoft guns, that have been painted in bright colours in order to mark them out clearly as Imitation Firearms and not Realistic Imitation Firearms.

Germany
Airsoft guns under 0.5 joule are considered toy guns and can
be freely sold to all persons above 3 years of age. Distributors agreed to raise the limit to least 14 years of age. [This is realized and the limit is thus 14 years]All airsoft guns between 0.5 joule and 7.5 joule must be bolt-action or semiautomatic only and can only be sold to people 18 years or older. These are considered "free" firearms, as a result:Sales of guns of more than 0.5 joule are allowed only in weapon shops.Guns must be marked with the trader's weapon abbreviation and a F-in-a-pentagon mark as well as the airsoft gun caliber (such as 6 mm BB).Target illuminating devices and lasers may not be attached to guns but are legal otherwise. For example: possession of a flashlight is allowed, even shooting with the flashlight in one hand and the gun in the other; but attaching it via mount ring to the rail system of a gun is not. Devices made specifically for the purpose of being attached to a gun (like certain flashlights with integrated foregrip for mil-spec rail) are prohibited.While the possession of airsoft guns is allowed, the actual use in a game is (at least) hotly debated. For sure, most players using guns with more than 0.5 joule muzzle energy leave Germany to play in countries like France, Belgium, Denmark or the Czech Republic.More information can be found at Airsoft FAQ on laws in Germany, which covers more complicated issues like the "Kleiner Waffenschein", issues with the OWiG §118 in Bavaria and a definition of the term "combat shooting".

[Hectic]

Originally Posted by Dark-Razor

Thanks for the responses. I'm thinking of moving to Switzerland, where importing airsoft guns is easy - I would just need to apply for a kind of temporary license that lets you bring up to 3 guns in the country at once. It costs around 70 bucks and is easy to acquire (very little prerequisites to meet).

I'm more concerned about what I'd need to do to get the guns past Canadian customs on the way out.

as far a i know our customs doesnt check anthing on the way out each contrys customs check stuff as it enters, think of when youtae a trip to say mexico, when you leave you just clear security to make sure u dont have a bomb or gun or knife, when you arrive in mexico you "declare" what you have to customs, when u leave its the same, checked for bombs n such in mexico but when u arrive back in canada the wanna know about any food smokes drugs knives and so on that you are importing. So idsay if you know the laws are lax for importong airsoft to where you are moving you either have to pack it in you luggage (not your carry on obviously) or even safer mail it to yourself.

[Dark-Razor]

Thanks for your response, it seems things look better than I expected. I'm not moving any time soon (not until 1 year anyway) but it's good to know what to expect when the time comes. I will of course make sure to do everything by the rules.

[EagleDriver]

Originally Posted by Hectic

an example would be, if you wer going to to to the US to play a game there the first thing you would have to to is put blaze orange "tips" on your guns, i think the need to be a minimum of 1inch of orange, most folks would just put an orange flash hider on their rifles, also i think it has to be "permanent" s some loctite or glue would be needed so the us border guys cant just unscrew it by hand.

Please do not give out incorrect information. There is no requirement here in the US to have an orange tip on a gun that you own or do not intend to sell.

Knowing the exact country that the OP wishes to go to would help to give accurate information about airsoft within that country.

Also note that if you transit or stop in a country while traveling en-route to your European destination, you would also have to abide by that country's laws as well.

There are many of us here on ASC that travel internationally outside of Canada and outside of the USA with airsoft and are glad to help out.

[Hectic]

are u sure about that or have u just not been cought transporting without a blaze orange tip?
the us legislation is prety clear on the orange tip thing.
hes not going to the us so it doesnt matter but here it is for your info.
im sure there may be some states that may not require it but bein that it federal law im sure the border will follow it, also in a thread for a us game posted on theese bords the organizers wer clear that we would need orange tips that could be removed for the game but wer needed for transport.
here is the law
15 USC Sec. 5001 is the law 15CDR1150 is the Rule as implemented in the Federal Register*-CITE- 15 USC Sec. 001 01/16/96*-EXPCITE- TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE*CHAPTER 76 - IMITATION FIREARMS*-HEAD-*Sec. 5001. Penalties for entering into commerce of imitation firearms*-STATUTE-*(a) Acts prohibited*It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, enter into commerce, ship, transport, or receive any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm unless such firearm contains, or has affixed to it, a marking approved by the Secretary of Commerce, as provided in subsection (B) of this section.*(B) Distinctive marking or device; exception; waiver; adjustments and changes*(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3), each toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm shall have as an integral part, permanently affixed, a blaze orange plug inserted in the barrel of such toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm. Such plug shall be recessed no more than 6 millimeters from the muzzle end of the barrel of such firearm.*(2) The Secretary of Commerce may provide for an alternate marking or device for any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm not capable of being marked as provided in paragraph (1) and may waive the requirement of any such marking or device for any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm that will only be used in the theatrical, movie or television industry.*(3) The Secretary is authorized to make adjustments and changes in the marking system provided for by this section, after consulting with interested persons.*© ''Look-alike firearm'' defined For purposes of this section, the term ''look-alike firearm'' means any imitation of any original firearm which was manufactured, designed, and produced since 1898, including and limited to toy guns, water guns, replica nonguns, and AIR SOFT guns firing nonmetallic projectiles. Such term does not include any look-alike, nonfiring, collector replica of an antique firearm developed prior to 1898, or traditional B-B, paint-ball, or pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure.*(d) Study and report The Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics is authorized and directed to conduct a study of the criminal misuse of toy, look-alike and imitation firearms, including studying police reports of such incidences and shall report on such incidences relative to marked and unmarked firearms.*

[Hectic]

this part
a) Acts prohibited*It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, enter into commerce, ship, transport, or receive any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm unless such firearm contains, or has affixed to it, a marking approved by the Secretary of Commerce, as provided in subsection (B) of this section.*(B) Distinctive marking or device; exception; waiver; adjustments and changes*(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3), each toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm shall have as an integral part, permanently affixed, a blaze orange plug inserted in the barrel of such toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm. Such plug shall be recessed no more than 6 millimeters from the muzzle end of the barrel of such firearm.*

[EagleDriver]

Hectic, you are quoting a US Department of Commerce regulation. The US Department of Commerce only has jurisdiction over the sale or transportation for sale of an item. No power over ownership or private transportation. This is why you shouldn't just start quoting laws without experience regarding them.

And yes, I am sure about US laws. I live in the US and travel with airsoft to Europe frequently (Berget, etc.) so I am familiar with airsoft laws of several other countries. For example, I have transited Germany with over 0.5J power airsoft guns by receiving a transit permit from the German government.

I have a detailed writeup on the Berget forum about bringing airsoft into Sweden as well.

[Dark-Razor]

Originally Posted by EagleDriver

There are many of us here on ASC that travel internationally outside of Canada and outside of the USA with airsoft and are glad to help out.

To clarify my question is not really "how do I get the guns in Europe" (I have most of the information for that anyway). Rather, I'm looking for information how I can get the guns out of Canada (i.e. get them through Canadian customs with no trouble).

I'm worried Canadian customs could seize them if I just pack them and have them shipped or mailed.

I'm not necessarily looking to have them in my luggage on the plane by the way; since I will be moving I'm more interested in having them shipped by a company (or even sent by mail).
Also, do you know if disassembling them completely could make a difference?

[-=ArchAngel=-]

Originally Posted by Dark-Razor

To clarify my question is not really "how do I get the guns in Europe" (I have most of the information for that anyway). Rather, I'm looking for information how I can get the guns out of Canada (i.e. get them through Canadian customs with no trouble).

I'm worried Canadian customs could seize them if I just pack them and have them shipped or mailed.

I'm not necessarily looking to have them in my luggage on the plane by the way; since I will be moving I'm more interested in having them shipped by a company (or even sent by mail).
Also, do you know if disassembling them completely could make a difference?

not 100% sure, but i dont think Canadian Customs checks exports.

[Matula]

They are not checking if it s in a package. Sometimes they using dogs for drug... But It's at the final destination to check what should be legal or not.

[Hectic]

agreed they wont check what you are bringing out only what you are bringing into canada so your good there l, just need to know what the regulations are for tue country your bringing them into.

Eagle Driver, thanks for clarifying i guess id have to ask then, how would i prove to US customs i wasnt transporting it to the US to sell it?
just show them the info online about the game or would i need some kind of document/permit to transport my airsof across the border from state to state ect.?