500-366fps, but what about pistol?

[ravan318]

So yeah can pistols be imported? I brought one back to HK, so I'm checkin' to make sure. What's an average pistol FPS?

(Checking to know if I'll be leaving the gun there or able to bring it back)
and I have a TM P226 for the record

[Drake]

Simplified airsoft importation flowchart:


Does the gun meet the legal importation requirements?
| | |
| | -> "Yes" --> it can be imported;
| |
| -> "No" --> it cannot be imported;
|
-> "WTF are the requirements!?" --> save yourself some grief, don't do it.

[BioRage]

Originally Posted by Drake

Simplified airsoft importation flowchart:


Does the gun meet the legal importation requirements?
| | |
| | -> "Yes" --> it can be imported;
| |
| -> "No" --> it cannot be imported;
|
-> "WTF are the requirements!?" --> save yourself some grief, don't do it.

x 999999999

EDIT: @OP : How are you age verified and don't know?

[Ricochet]

It's all the same for import. Stock TM pistols don't shoot over 366 FPS.

[ravan318]

Originally Posted by BioRage

x 999999999

EDIT: @OP : How are you age verified and don't know?

Oh I'm just double-checking. Ever since the laws have been mended that allows us to bring in AEGs with ease, it's almost too easy to forget that most of us have pistols and those don't actually benefit from the new law. However it's either you don't ask and presume and hope you're not wrong, or ask once and know for a fact forever, and I decided the latter is probably beneficial also for anyone coming this way to find out the same information as me, if ever, in the future. At the same time of course I'm also proposing that this is implying to be wary of bringing your pistols out of the country and thinking you can bring it back just because you can do that with AEG successfully without issues.

Originally Posted by Ricochet

It's all the same for import. Stock TM pistols don't shoot over 366 FPS.

Thanks! And I wonder if it's even possible to upgrade the pistols at all(which I believe can't)

[ccyg8774]

Originally Posted by ravan318

Thanks! And I wonder if it's even possible to upgrade the pistols at all(which I believe can't)

WE has "Canadian Version" GBB pistols which have a long tightbore inner barrel from the factory. They are rated by the manufacture to be above 366 FPS and importable. I think this type of WE GBB pistols are being sold by T****** Airsoft and Airsoft D****.
(Based on my chrono they only reached 360-ish with the long inner barrel.)

Some airsoft pistols with CO2 magazine as stock magazine are also rated for high FPS by the manufacture. There are also Canada based venders selling airsoft pistols imported this way.

If you get a oversea vender to put a long inner barrel or a CO2 magazine on the pistol you ordered, and ask them to chrono it, print you a chrono report, and ship it to Canada, such FPS rating is provided by the vender. Would CBSA trust it as much as manufacture rating? If they don't, your gun will be send to RCMP for chrono, I heard it is a long and painful process.

[BioRage]

Just get a longer inner barrel - any material will do, as long as it does 366+.

TBH, they just check out the box if it says "Canada Legal 366+" usually CBSA is whatever about it.

My GHK 105 from AirSplat was in customs for 20 minutes, and released after that.

[OmahaOutdoors]

Originally Posted by Drake

Simplified airsoft importation flowchart:


Does the gun meet the legal importation requirements?
| | |
| | -> "Yes" --> it can be imported;
| |
| -> "No" --> it cannot be imported;
|
-> "WTF are the requirements!?" --> save yourself some grief, don't do it.

Oh man... This gave me a good laugh. Thanks for the great advice

[Drake]

Originally Posted by OmahaOutdoors

Oh man... This gave me a good laugh. Thanks for the great advice

While humorous its actually pretty accurate: the parameters for making a gun legally importable are very well defined at this point.

[Skeletor]

The lower point is well defined, the 366 fps bit. However, I've found the upper limit of 500 fps or 5 joules still causes trouble.

For instance, while browsing Evike I noticed they have a new Mosin Nagant M44 CO2 rifle that fires something like 570 fps. However, Evike goes simply by the 500 fps rule so it's not listed as "Canada Legal" on their site and you can't even advance through the ordering process.

I got in touch with their customer service department and they insisted the limit was 500 fps until I linked/quoted the actual memorandum that states 500 fps or 5 joules of energy part.

They then conceded a little, and said they'd have their policy people look into it. But then they went on to say that they've had Canadian customers order 500+ fps guns and had them seized by CBSA.

They also said that I could order the gun through them if I wanted, but I'd have to wire them money directly rather than purchasing through the site.

[Drake]

That's not so much a lack of definition as it is Evike being misinformed. Several US retailers quote 500 fps as the upper limit, but it is not so.

The legal specs for it to be considered a firearm are 500 FPS AND 5.7 joules. Why both? A 300 fps paintball marker is in the 12-14 joule range. For airsoft, 5.7 joules is up in the 800 fps range and not usually something we need to take into consideration.

It should also be noted Evike sells non-airoft airguns (i.e., pellet guns). A standard .177 cal pellet weighs 8.4 grains (~0.55 g): quick math shows us at 499 fps it's already over 6 joules so anything above 500 FPS is automatically over the limit by a hefty margin. Maybe that's where the confusion lies (Evike tried shipping >500 fps airguns over).

But again, this is a lack of understanding of the regulations, not a lack of clarity.

[FOX_111]

500fps AND 5.7j.

[Drake]

yes, 5.7j sorry

thanks Fox