The Accurate Reloading Forums
Importing an action from the U.S.
14 May 2010, 12:07
FlatshooterImporting 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 GruffGenerally speaking, the action IS the rifle so it would take the same paperwork as for a complete rifle.
Von Gruff.
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
FlatshooterGadge 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
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=23117 May 2010, 08:21
FlatshooterCheers 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.
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
Shotgun31I thank God I live in South Dakota, USA.
Shotgun
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
FlatshooterCheers 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?
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=0Here's one where the gunsmith made the trigger blade:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=0#Post15008920 May 2010, 05:58
FlatshooterCheers 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.
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
FlatshooterIm 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.
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 underquote:
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.