Jesus. I believed I was living in a socialist bureaucratic country. In France or Germany, no customs officer ever take the least notice of my rifles, ammo or paperwork. Good luck!

"In an attempt to satisfy SAPS apparent requirement for export licence..."

I'm not familiar with the UK's laws, but is it possible we have some confusion here between an export license for COMMERCIAL purposes as opposed to a private citizen taking a rifle out of his home country and into the RSA?

Maybe some of the experienced UK posters can chime in and help out here?

-Bob F.

In an attempt to satisfy SAPS apparent requirement for export licence I have contacted UK Customs, who have been not hugely helpful. Advised to contact Dept of Trade export licence dept. I have been told (by registered post, no less) that a .416 Rigby requires export licencing as a result of it being deemed to be dual use (military/civilian). Result is orgy of form filling. I have had to certify that it is not nuclear capable (really - you wouldn't make this up) and can't be used to encrypt or decrypt codes or ciphers. Application for licence is only electronic and is submitted on a CD. Can only do it online if you have a password; of course, one can only obtain password once licence is to hand. And we pay for all this...
It has such a third world feel to it that UK may need to be renamed Blairistan!
Regards
Robert

I contacted HM C&E about the same matter and its seems that as private citizens don't require an export license to take a firearm out of the country on a temporary bases, they are not geared up to deal with this sort of request. In Roberts case it looks as people have directed into the commercial arena which is used for everything from 12ftlb air rifles to MBT's.

The Customs person I spoke to based at Manchester was actually very helpful and once I had explained the issue, he suggested that I write the appropriate letter to satisfy the SAPS and they would stamp it as I booked in at the airport.

Thinking on, I think it would be wise to word such a letter so that it is obviouse the firearm is only leaving the country on a temporary bases and perhaps rather than call it an "export form" word it that HM C&S are happy for the rifle to be taken to RSA for the period XXXX starting from date YYYY.

Regards,

Pete

When I moved to Alberta from The Netherlands I had to go through a similar ordeal. My two centerfire rifles required an export permit, my shotgun and rimfire did not. I've kinda blocked from my memory the frustration of those days, but I recall calling, mailing and facing a dozen or so of organisations, agencies, etc to figure this out, very few of which were aware of the real rules. I finally got the centrefires shipped to a gun dealer in BC, who then had to go through the ringamarole to *import* the guns for me.

The other two guns I just took with me on the plane...no problems in Amsterdam, except for some panicky customs officers when the word GUNS was mentioned. Then in Alberta, I should have been granted a temporary gun license, much as visiting hunters get, but the officer in question figured out this not to be possible. I could see myself handing over the guns and kiss them goodbye, until I showed him a print-out of an e-mail from the Firearms Centre stating that my license had been issued and sent to my address in Canada. That sufficed...I could take the guns with me, never even opened the gun cases...

Rules...and those that have to work with them....a constant source of "pleasure".

Good luck with your endeavours.

Frans

A few years ago I ordered an air rifle from the UK.

It apparently had enough energy to require an export license!?

I think I had the same form as our friend Robert did, and I kid you not, there was a mention there that I was NOT allowed to convert that air rifle to become a vehicle to launch nuclear missiles, and I was to certify that it does NOT fall in the dual use category; the second being a vehicle for munition of war!

Don't you just love those politicians!

Bureaucracy will do those things that keep it employed and cause it to grow.

I would like to have one of those nuclear capable .416 Rigby's, especially one with an integral cryptographic capability. Wow!

jim