My wife and I have traveled in Europe pretty extensively, and I will retire soon. After I retire, I would like to travel more extensively in Europe and hunt when the opportunity and season permits. I would most probably be driving after arriving in Europe from the USA by air. What problems will I have moving from country to country within the EU, and in those countries adjoining it? Kudude

Hi Kudude

In Europe we have one socalled "Gunpassport" which we get from the local police station,with this document we can move with guns inside European union countries.Offcourse we must follow local laws and rules in each country,but with this passport we can border.
U are US citizen,so Im not sure how the case works with you.
I suggest that you call the emassy of that country U are bording first,and clear from there what is the prosedure,to move in and inside Europe.

Rgds Elias

As long thers no gunsplitters in the air..thers hope. (Ex Sako fan)

Kudude,
once that you will be in EU you can move from a nation to another without problems, infact there are no customs inside the community. If you will travel from Italy to France or Austria, you will not have any check at the border. Remember that Switzerland is not part of the European Community, and for this reason there is the custom and documents controls.

As already wrote in other topics, I'm not sure about the possibility to bring in EU a gun, during a continental travel with international travels, to use it on hunting occasions.

There is not a community law on guns, any Nation has its own law. More simple if you choose a hunt and organize a travel, a EU Safaris.

Do not bring any of the so-called "military" calibers if your travels will take you through France. These include the 30-06, the 308 Winchester, the .223 Remington, the 303 British, the 8X57JS, the 6.5mm Swedish and any other caliber that was or is used by military or police forces. Also do not bring any pump action shotguns or any semi-automatic centerfire firearms.

Kudude,

Greetings from a displaced Cracker (Tampa) living in Germany!

It's not as easy as it may appear regardless of what you may have heard.

Weapons ownership and registration within the EU (Norway & Switzerland are NOT EU members) is based on residency and additionally in most countries a specific need is required to be demonstrated to own the type of firearm required to engage in a specific activity. An example would be that you have to be a member of a shooting club to own firearms suitable for olympic types of sport shooting (paper target or clay pigeons) and possess a hunting license for hunting firearms. Without establishing a permanent residence you will be excluded from gun ownership in virtually all EU countries. Without this you cannot apply for and receive an EU Firearms Pass which is still further restricted by firearms type, rifle, shotgun, handgun & air rifles and specific country laws. An example would be handguns on a German weapons certificate while legally owned in Germany remain prohibited from taking into the UK. There are country specific laws such as Belgium, Spain & France that have restictions on owning military calibers, i.e., no .223, .308, .30/06, 7x57's that do not exist in other countries.

For those within & outside the EU, there are temporary permits, for competitive shooting which is still limited by offical certification, resticted to certain sponsored events and then only for a temporary period requiring an inviation of the sponsoring organization within the country hosting the event. This is also true of hunting but requires exactly the same again, issued for a specific country, not valid in another, requires a written invitation or contract, specific locations and dates with a local sponsor.

Within the EU there is no such thing as Public Hunting. All hunting is leased or hunting rights owned by property owners. There are however opportunities to purchase hunting days for many game types in various countries, like pheasant shooting in Denmark & the UK, stalking in the Scotish highlands, Wild Boar shooting in France & Belgium, etc. there's plenty of this type of pay-for-sport within the EU and outfitters who can for a charge provide the proper tools to accomplish the job at hand, ie. a rental rifle or shotgun. Net, not at all what we are used to in the US.

While this is probably not exactly what you would like or expected to hear it is a fact of life in the European Union. If anyone else would like to tell you otherwise.....I'd listen REAL careful.

Cheers,

Gerry

Kudude.

I fully endorse Gerry's comments. The easiest and least stressful option will be to arrange your hunting on a 'pay to play' basis and use a rental firearm provided by the local outfitter/guide.

Whilst I love my own hunting tools, sacrifices sometimes need to be made!

As a Foreign National, attempting to transit numerous EU countries with a personal firearm is likely to result in madness, hairloss and premature tendancies towards playing Chess!

Keep it simple and enjoy your holiday!

Rgds Ian

My friends,

Thank you all for your responses. It looks like I have two choices: arrange hunts with a borrowed firearm and travel afterward, or a "permanent" residence in Europe! Oh, what a horrible fate! All that wine; all that wonderful food. Retirement is only 10 months away. Thank you again, very sincerely, Kudude.

If you are just visiting, I have not found it that difficult. I have brought guns into Holland, Switzerland, Scotland, and England. Didn't think it was that big of a deal.

Kudude,
I have a very friendly proposal, if you choose to hunt in Italy, you buy all the guns you that you need, I charge them and a little amount of cartridges on my license, and I'll lovely (very lovely ) take care of them, making tham have a good training and a lot of exercise.