Can anyone tell me if it's legal to give a rifle as a gift to your PH in Zim.

yes it is legal ,

he will need to know the serial numbers so that he can get the licencing done ahead of time ,he will need to apply to the central firearms registry in zimbabwe for a permit that will take a few weeks ... when you come into the country you will need to fill in a temporary import permit , then at the end of the hunt he will be able to accompany you to thye airport , pay the duties to customs and as long as he has had it licenced by then , take the new baby home !!! you are very generous and he is a lucky man ....

It cannot be done - legally, anyway.

Any US citizen wishing to donate or sell a rifle to a foreign national must obtain a permanent export permit authorizing exportation of the rifle from the USA.

The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) Bureau of Political-Military Affairs of the U.S. State Department, in accordance with 22 U.S.C. 2778-2780 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Parts 120-130) controls the export of sporting rifles, which are classified as "defense articles" under ITAR.

A license from the DDTC is necessary for a US citizen to export a sporting rifle. An exemption under Section 123.17 applies to the temporary export by a US citizen of up to three hunting-type firearms and up to 1,000 rounds of ammunition for the personal, exclusive use of the exporting citizen (usually in connection with a hunting trip abroad), and not for re-export or other transfer of ownership.

Any and all firearms temporarily exported pursuant to the 123.17 exemption must be repatriated upon the return to the USA of the citizen who exported them.

Having said all of that, as of and after April 17, 2002, the DDTC's policy is to deny any and all applications for the permanent export any defense article, including sporting rifles, to Zimbabwe.

On July 23, 2002, the DDTC clarified its policy by announcing that US hunters going to Zimbabwe were still eligible for the Section 123.17 exemption for the temporary export of firearms for their personal and exclusive use while hunting.

BTW, the United Kingdom has the same policy, but without the temporary-export-for-a-hunting-trip-exemption, which is why it is impossible to leave or transit London with firearms when one's destination is Zimbabwe.

Thanks for the information guys - BOTH of you! Good information on both ends.

It's piqued my curiousity though... would it be possible to do this in RSA - not for the Zim hunter but a SA citizen, assuming the proper licensing can be accomplished there.

I wonder what the DDTC does if a hunter's rifle is stolen while over seas? Do they go looking for it?

or if the airline loses your luggage.

Several years ago I went thru the complete permission sequence to obtain the one time export permit for a couple of rifles to PH's in Zimbabwe. At that time they would issue a private citizen a 'one time permit' to privately export 2 firearms. I sent the 2 firearms to the 2 PH's and they got to Zimbabwe but one PH obtained his permit immediately and the other one didn't get his immediately. The result was one PH got his rifle the other's was sold by customs and therefore lost. Had one built by Sabi to replace it but it took over a year and a half to get the necssary export permits from So. Africa to export it to Zim. I don't know what I would do to send one to a person in ZIm now but think 'legally' it's almost impossible.

I think it will be much eaeier, cheaper and faster to export it to East Texas. Just say the word and I will send you my FFL's ship address... Sorry I couldn't resist.

ann - they probably sent an IRS agent after it

The main question to ask yourself is:
How badly do you want the person to get the gift?
If you want them to have it badly enough...

Brian

The advice above about export permits is spot on, and to export a .22LR requires exactly the same paper work as an F16. If you are up to it, go for it.

Playing fast and lose with the laws on the exportation of firearms is a fine way to get a free, all expense paid trip to one of Uncle Sam's finest prisons. They are serious about this stuff.

If the person comes to the US, you can give them the rifle and the rules change. Kudude

quote:

Originally posted by oupa:
Thanks for the information guys - BOTH of you! Good information on both ends.

It's piqued my curiousity though... would it be possible to do this in RSA - not for the Zim hunter but a SA citizen, assuming the proper licensing can be accomplished there.

Exporting from the USA to RSA is fine, assuming that the permitting on the RSA end can be had (and I don't know about that).

Thanks!