Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Questions about Federal gun laws covering all of Australia. Importing / exporting firearms and ammunition. Dealing with Australian Border Force, Customs etc.

Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 12 Jan 2017, 5:36 am

I've been going back and forth between Canada and Aus for the past few years, and while in Canada I bought myself a rather nice Browning BLR in 308. I'd like to bring it back with me, and I'm trying to figure out if doing so will be worthwhile. The rifle cost me $1000 in Canada, and to buy a brand new one here will run me about $1900-2000. And if I sold it in Canada I could probably expect $800 or maybe $900 for it. So for it to be worth bringing it back it will have to cost less than $800. And probably significantly less than that for it to be worth the hassle. I found another thread on here that mentioned a crowd in Vic that imports firearms and they mentioned it costing $1800 to have a rifle imported from Canada. This seems utterly ridiculous and there's no way I'd spend that much. My uncle has imported a few rifles from the US and it hasn't cost near that much.
I know to begin with I need a B709 permit and a PTA. I'm hoping I can bring it back on the plane rather than ship, since I'll be flying back and forth anyway. I know its possible to fly with guns, but I can't find anywhere if its actually possible to permanently import a firearm that way.

I'd be flying into Brisbane, and importing into QLD(since I live there). I imagine if I flew into Brisbane with the rifle in checked baggage and a B709 in hand, customs would take possession of the rifle and do their thing with it, and I would have to get a PTA. Or is it possible to get a PTA for a rifle not yet in the country?
But if/when I got the PTA, would customs release the rifle to me, or only to a dealer? I understand this is the case in some states but I can't find any info on this for QLD. It would nice if I didn't have to involve a dealer.

And if it turned out to be a worthwhile enterprise, I may purchase a second rifle in Canada and do two at once.
Any insight is appreciated. I will contact customs and WLB soon too and see what they say.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Baronvonrort » 12 Jan 2017, 7:58 am

In NSW if you have a PTA and B709 for this gun you can bring it in by plane, declare it to customs they will seize it then you need a licensed firearms dealer to pick it up and register it before he can give it to you.

Best to organise a firearms dealer to pick it up before you come back with it.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by albat » 12 Jan 2017, 8:46 pm

Was thinking of buying one ot those blr's if you are bringing one from canada you just made up my mind about em, what do you shoot out there in canada?
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Gamerancher » 13 Jan 2017, 7:57 am

What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 13 Jan 2017, 4:33 pm

Baronvonrort wrote:Best to organise a firearms dealer to pick it up before you come back with it.


Ok, I'll probably go this route. I imagine if I have it lined up with a dealer I can put them down as the disposer of the rifle on the PTA.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 13 Jan 2017, 4:34 pm

Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


There is an export permit required. Just more paperwork I guess.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 13 Jan 2017, 4:36 pm

albat wrote:Was thinking of buying one ot those blr's if you are bringing one from canada you just made up my mind about em, what do you shoot out there in canada?


Whitetail deer. They are a great rifle, you won't regret it. Even with the premium we have to pay for them in Australia, I think they are still worth it.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Octane » 25 Jan 2017, 10:33 am

Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


Canada has to be the easy side of the transaction compared to all the BS we have here :thumbsdown:
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Title_II » 27 Jan 2017, 4:53 pm

Octane wrote:
Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


Canada has to be the easy side of the transaction compared to all the BS we have here :thumbsdown:


Unfortunately, they are the easier side of the border than the US as well. We don't like selling guns to foreigners. Unless they have a US hunting license from some state or a dispensation from the State Department. Then there is ITAR and I have no idea what is involved in that crap. I just know I have stuff in one of my safes that would put me in jail for 10 years if I simply took it out of the country myself, and none of it even goes "bang!"
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 30 Jan 2017, 6:28 am

Title_II wrote:
Octane wrote:
Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


Canada has to be the easy side of the transaction compared to all the BS we have here :thumbsdown:


Unfortunately, they are the easier side of the border than the US as well. We don't like selling guns to foreigners. Unless they have a US hunting license from some state or a dispensation from the State Department. Then there is ITAR and I have no idea what is involved in that crap. I just know I have stuff in one of my safes that would put me in jail for 10 years if I simply took it out of the country myself, and none of it even goes "bang!"


I have a Canadian friend who bought a rifle in the US and took it back to Canada, it seemed to be a surprisingly easy process. He bought it in Arizona, and he had to buy an Arizona hunting licence before they would let him buy it. Then he strapped on his Harley (in a hard case) and rode back to Canada with it. No problems at the Canadian border, since he had the correct Canadian licence for it, and it was a innocuous looking rifle (a lever action, which are still socially acceptable in Canada). I wonder now though if he didn't unwittingly violate ITAR, since the US government would have no way of knowing it has left the country.
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by happyhunter » 30 Jan 2017, 8:32 am

Jakethefake wrote:
Title_II wrote:
Octane wrote:
Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


Canada has to be the easy side of the transaction compared to all the BS we have here :thumbsdown:


Unfortunately, they are the easier side of the border than the US as well. We don't like selling guns to foreigners. Unless they have a US hunting license from some state or a dispensation from the State Department. Then there is ITAR and I have no idea what is involved in that crap. I just know I have stuff in one of my safes that would put me in jail for 10 years if I simply took it out of the country myself, and none of it even goes "bang!"


I have a Canadian friend who bought a rifle in the US and took it back to Canada, it seemed to be a surprisingly easy process. He bought it in Arizona, and he had to buy an Arizona hunting licence before they would let him buy it. Then he strapped on his Harley (in a hard case) and rode back to Canada with it. No problems at the Canadian border, since he had the correct Canadian licence for it, and it was a innocuous looking rifle (a lever action, which are still socially acceptable in Canada). I wonder now though if he didn't unwittingly violate ITAR, since the US government would have no way of knowing it has left the country.


When I was last in AZ I wanted to buy a Remington 870 and leave it with my Cuz when I went back to Australia, but because I was going to be there less than 90 days I wasn't legally allowed to do so. How did your mate get passed the 90 day period?
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Re: Importing a rifle - bring it in on the plane?

Post by Jakethefake » 30 Jan 2017, 3:04 pm

happyhunter wrote:
Jakethefake wrote:
Title_II wrote:
Octane wrote:
Gamerancher wrote:What about the Canadian authorities? Any export paperwork required?


Canada has to be the easy side of the transaction compared to all the BS we have here :thumbsdown:


Unfortunately, they are the easier side of the border than the US as well. We don't like selling guns to foreigners. Unless they have a US hunting license from some state or a dispensation from the State Department. Then there is ITAR and I have no idea what is involved in that crap. I just know I have stuff in one of my safes that would put me in jail for 10 years if I simply took it out of the country myself, and none of it even goes "bang!"


I have a Canadian friend who bought a rifle in the US and took it back to Canada, it seemed to be a surprisingly easy process. He bought it in Arizona, and he had to buy an Arizona hunting licence before they would let him buy it. Then he strapped on his Harley (in a hard case) and rode back to Canada with it. No problems at the Canadian border, since he had the correct Canadian licence for it, and it was a innocuous looking rifle (a lever action, which are still socially acceptable in Canada). I wonder now though if he didn't unwittingly violate ITAR, since the US government would have no way of knowing it has left the country.


When I was last in AZ I wanted to buy a Remington 870 and leave it with my Cuz when I went back to Australia, but because I was going to be there less than 90 days I wasn't legally allowed to do so. How did your mate get passed the 90 day period?


The US treats Canadians differently than they do other foreigners. I believe Canadians are allowed to enter the US and stay up to 6 months without any kind of visa, where as if we want to stay beyond 90 days we need a visa (eg I have a B2 tourist visa which allows me to stay up to 6 months).
At least, thats my guess as to why they gave you trouble and left my friend alone.
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