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Importing an action from the U.S.

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14 May 2010, 12:07
Flatshooter
Importing an action from the U.S.
Ive decided to go ahead with my 9.3x62 project, but after looking around locally for a decent M98 action i got a bit pissed off at the prices people were asking.
Anyone know what the deal is with importing an action from the US to AU?
Do i need special customs clearence and purchase permit etc? or is that only needed for a barrel? Which reminds me....i gotta get onto Lothar Walther also :-)

cHEERS
14 May 2010, 23:58
Von Gruff
Generally speaking, the action IS the rifle so it would take the same paperwork as for a complete rifle.

Von Gruff.


Von Gruff.

http://www.vongruffknives.com/

Gen 12: 1-3

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12


15 May 2010, 10:55
Gadge
Yep, the same paperwork as importing a complete rifle. Which is do-able at the Oz end, as it's free of charge. B709a import permit, DoD import permit, purchase order/end user cert.

The real stumbling block is the US export license requirement. Not worthwhile for an M98 - costs over US$250 per shipment in fees alone, then there's the exporting dealer's charges.

Have patience; there are cheap M98 donor rifles that come up occasionally. A couple of Colombian .30-06's came up on usedguns recently for around 300-350.

Or the Zastava's that Beretta Aust. are getting in might be worth a look when they get here - look like being about $540 for a synth stock 9.3 x 62, or a bit over 600 for wood. As against just under 400 for a bare action....
15 May 2010, 13:42
Flatshooter
Gadge if your saying $600 for a complete Zastava with woodwork and new barrel, then im wasting my money really. I did want to build it myself though.
So the Zastava's are a commercial M98 action?
Have they got the stripper clip cut out on the LHS of the receiver?

Cheers
15 May 2010, 14:18
Gadge
Horsley Park GS has quoted 620 for the 9.3x62 in wood. Don't think they'll last too long once they come in though - a lot of blokes are putting down deposits sight unseen.

These actions don't have the thumb cutout, or stripper clip hump/notches. I believe Beretta Aus is bringing in the monte carlo style stocks on these.

The info on the long action model that's coming in is at:
http://www.zastava-arms.rs/cms/index.php?id=231
17 May 2010, 08:21
Flatshooter
Cheers Gadge,
i actually have a couple of ZKK actions at home that i may still decide to convert using a Lothar Walther pre chambered barrel. Otherwise the Zastava looks like a lot of gun for the money. wish it was the classic stock though not the monte.
17 May 2010, 17:04
Gadge
There's a cheap Interarms Mk 10 [older Zastava made 98 action] with a .243 Win Shilen barrel on it, in the Classifieds over at www.australianhunting.net today. Can't see it lasting though, at $395!

BTW, you have to sign up to see posts there. Quite a few blokes post wanted ads for actions there, and it's surprising what's about at times.

Also, pre-chambered barrels are invariably threaded as well, to suit the action. Only available for the more common actions, as a rule. And fitting them up requires a good lathe setup, and a set of headspace gauges, anyway.
18 May 2010, 06:52
Shotgun31
I thank God I live in South Dakota, USA.
Shotgun
19 May 2010, 02:22
RonE
Aside from the hoops you might have to jump through, the postage is expensive. It cost me over $40 US to ship a barrel to Australia.


Don't ask me what happened, when I left Viet Nam, we were winning.
19 May 2010, 15:25
Flatshooter
Cheers guys, i decided to use one of my BRNO ZKK actions. Now i need to find a replacement for that ugly set trigger. Any ideas?
20 May 2010, 05:11
Gadge
They did come from the factory with a spare standard trigger blade, but most of these have long since been lost. A good gunsmith like Bob de Vries at Kudu Services in Melbourne could probably make one though.

There are quite a few ZKK fans over at NitroExpress.com

See the last post in this thread for pics of the standard trigger blade:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com...Number=151480&page=0
Here's one where the gunsmith made the trigger blade:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=0#Post150089
20 May 2010, 05:58
Flatshooter
Cheers Doug,
I actually tried to register on Nitro Xpress but couldnt, i even sent the moderator an email but still no response....maybe some good folk here can PM the moderator ;-)

Ive owned 7 Zkk's of various config, but i never had one new, so i wouldnt know about the spare trigger. Its not that i hate the set unit. in fact i use it all the time, even hunting, i like it...but its so damn ugly...thats all.
BTW im looking at getting headspace gauges in 9.3x62 and checking with factory ammo as well and doing it myself. For a case of beer i get access to a decent lathe...so its all good.
I did a few military conversions into sporters a while back and used a selection of factory rounds to set headspace and all good.
20 May 2010, 08:33
Gadge
quote:
Originally posted by Flatshooter:
Cheers Doug,
I actually tried to register on Nitro Xpress but couldnt, i even sent the moderator an email but still no response....maybe some good folk here can PM the moderator ;-)

If this was recently, the site owner[John H] who is NitroX here, has been away for a month or so. He's back now, so it might be worth a retry. Or PM him here. See also the Announcements section on the site, regarding problems with joining up.

Dunno how you'll go with a prefit barrel for those actions. Lothar Walther don't seem to list them on their website.

Pac-Nor in the US does, and Rebel Gun Works in Brisbane are advertising that they're stocking Pac-Nor. Might be quite a wait for a special order one, though. There's quite a bit of delay and expense involved in getting barrels out of the States, these days. Not worth it for one-offs now.

What area are you located in? We may be able to point you to a good gunsmith nearby.
20 May 2010, 15:28
Flatshooter
Im in Sydney Doug,
Im emailing Lothar Walther cause i know they did a pre chambered barrel for a CZ for a mate of mine over in the US.
Ill keep you posted.
22 May 2010, 13:06
Gadge
Goodo, just be aware that Lothar Walther US is a separate operation to LW Germany, and manufacture barrels in the US in their own right.

Might be worth having a chat to the gunsmith [Tony Small] who built that .404 Jeff in the second NitroExpress link. He has a liking for ZKK's, it seems, and really knows his stuff. The mob over at AHN [www.australianhunting.net] give him a very good rep, and have posted some very impressive pics of his work. He's up near Armidale - PM if you'd like contact details.

Another option would be TSE [makers of MAB barrels] in Brisbane. They make 9.3 barrels in 1:12 twist, and can chamber & fit [and profile]. Good rep there, too.
30 May 2010, 21:13
Bob from down under
quote:
Originally posted by Flatshooter:
Cheers guys, i decided to use one of my BRNO ZKK actions. Now i need to find a replacement for that ugly set trigger. Any ideas?

PM me I was looking at one in the shed yesterday.
I was wondering whether to throw it out.
It is still in its little blue cloth bag.


Regards,
Bob.