Importing firearms??

[MeagerMouse]

Is there such a thing as private importation? What are the laws regarding imporation?

Let me propose a scenario: A friend is in Europe (a US citizen), there are a few SIG pistols that are based on the P226 but unavailable here in the US. What is the process for said friend (or myself if I were to visit Europe) to purchase the pistol, bring to the US and then transfer via Private Party to a California citizen?

I have no idea how the import laws work and am curious if this is even possible.

Cheers,
MeagerMouse

[MeagerMouse]

Is there such a thing as private importation? What are the laws regarding imporation?

Let me propose a scenario: A friend is in Europe (a US citizen), there are a few SIG pistols that are based on the P226 but unavailable here in the US. What is the process for said friend (or myself if I were to visit Europe) to purchase the pistol, bring to the US and then transfer via Private Party to a California citizen?

I have no idea how the import laws work and am curious if this is even possible.

Cheers,
MeagerMouse

[Pthfndr]

Contact the BATF. They will tell you all you need to know. It can be done if the firearm in question is legal to import. Just takes time and, surprisingly, not a whole lot of extra money.

[MeagerMouse]

Thanks Pthfndr,
I called BATFE and they pointed me to the ATF Form 6. I'll have to do some more research and now find an FFL who will perform the importation part.... Oh the joys....

[bwiese]

MeagerMouse,

The importation issues of your SIGs into the USA are not where your problems exist. The Fed laws are tractable.

CA is the hard nut to crack. You'll have way way more problems getting these 'unsafe guns' into California -- so much so that they will make this a fruitless effort.

The P226 variants you speak of are not certified for sale in California: guns in question have to be exactly same as certified models.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> If your friend IS NOT a CA resident, he can't execute a PPT to you: PPTs are only for cases where both parties are CA residents.

The gun(s) would have to go thru yet another FFL dealer besides the importer FFL, this time in CA, and since it's like any other CA handgun sale, the guns would have to be on the CA "approved List" of those that have been drop tested/certified. (In-state "unsafe" guns can be transferred PPT.)

The gun(s) in question you want will certainly not have the CA safety tests done, so it's a no-go.

<LI> If your friend IS a CA resident, he can't get the gun imported into CA to him - he's then just in the same boat as you are!! [/list]

After importation into USA, the only way around these CA limits is either for your friend to "move" to CA & get a Calif D/L, etc. after acquiring guns --- or you 'move' to his state, get guns from him and "move" back to CA.

However these shenanigans, if not accompanied by reasonable other activities (taxes, etc.)
could be regarded as sham transactions in eyes of law if questions about guns' origins ever came up.

[Now, if Sig starts making single-action revolvers, you could import those since they're exempt from CA drop safety testing.]

Sorry to ruin your day

Bill Wiese
San Jose