FOund a rifle in Africa I want to buy and bring home to the US. I am a non FFL non dealer. Does anyone have any experience doing this? How long to get approval? Is it always a sure thing as long as the importer passes the usual background check?

Firstly....you do NOT need the services of an importer, only those of a FFL licensee. According to BATF, any FFL licensee may "occasionally" import an "importable" firearm (rifle barrel length + or > 16 inches; overall length + or > 26 inches; pistol overall length = or > 6 inches). Check out BATF's web-site, or e-mail me.

quote:

Originally posted by live4thestalk:
FOund a rifle in Africa I want to buy and bring home to the US. I am a non FFL non dealer. Does anyone have any experience doing this? How long to get approval? Is it always a sure thing as long as the importer passes the usual background check?

If you give me details on where the rifle is, what is is, as well as all other relevant info, I will ask a friend of mine in SA, who is a dealer, if he will take care of everything for you.

Brad

Brad

I will buy it from the Powder Keg, and I will be there in a few days to buy them, then return to the US to do the paperwork, then likely have them shipped to the US.

Thanks for your offer

Conifer, I saw on the ATF site that one submits the application, and in about 3 weeks, it is approved, sent to me, and I can carry them in myself, or pick them up from the air carrier with the import docs. Does this sound correct?

I was going to suggest that you contact Dr Lucas Potgieter, the owner of the Powder Keg to take care of this for you. Seeing that you are buying the gun from him, I am sure he will sort it out.

Brad

Hi Liveforthestalk:
Actually, it is optomistic. BATF "says" a couple of weeks....but you can rely on at least 2 months....and closer to 3 months. Also, I am finding (although I am a retired federal employee, with a realistic perspective of bureaucratic incompetence) that professionalism ain't always forthcoming. The gun is sent to the FFL licensee identified as the broker on your application form. Sometimes, it is held by US Customs for his pickup (but YOU may collect it with a signed authority from him)....but your dealer must then book it in, and out to you....and return a form (accompanying the approved permit to import from the BATF) to the gov't. acknowledging receipt.

I've done this a couple times.

(1) Get a US FFL holder to agree to receive & transfer the rifle or shotgun (cannot be military & cannot be for resale).
(2) Get a Form 6 from the ATF website, fill it out with description & serial number of gun you wish to import, submit to ATF for approval (takes about 5-6 weeks). If the gun to be imported is uncommon or somewhat obscure, get a xerox description of it from Shooters Bible, Gun Trader Guide or other reference and include it with Form 6 to make it easier for ATF personnel who are mostly clerks not gun enthusiasts to know what you wish to import.
(3) Send a copy of approved Form 6 to seller, keep the other for your dealer, the seller will ship the gun to your dealer who will have to clear it through Customs. You will have to pay a duty at US Customs. Your FFL holder will then transfer the gun to you. Your dealer can give you an affidavit authorizing you to act on his behalf (pick it up at Customs).

Sometimes the hang-up with importing a gun can be at the seller's end, in other words his country may not allow him to export it or he may have to go through a bunch of legal/red tape to get export approval.