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Rifle Scopes Going to Germany... are Zeiss/Hensoldt scopes cheaper for US citizen to purchase

Rateoftwist

Gentle Ben
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Minuteman
Aug 22, 2017
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Apex NC
Any advice... going to visit family in the Netherlands and going to Germany when Covid is done... is it cheaper to buy German optics in Germany than here in the US. I am not military but a federal employee... any advice? Thank you in advance.
 
fill your bags with goodies and wear the cloths on your back you can always pick up clothing and soap ah who needs soap and tooth paste you can chew bark it works for dogs for a while at least this way you will have more space to bring home good stuff , and have a good time with the family and a safe uneventful flight . you can do magic in 365 day if you really want it bad enough work that family like the slaves they are , lol I remember stripping copper power lines to make a lunch and dinner an easy enough job for the kids at least till the old man brought home 4 trucks load of the crap , aluminum can stomping was almost a past time good luck .
 
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Lo
fill your bags with goodies and wear the cloths on your back you can always pick up clothing and soap ah who needs soap and tooth paste you can chew bark it works for dogs for a while at least this way you will have more space to bring home good stuff , and have a good time with the family and a safe uneventful flight .
lol... yeah gives me a year to save up!
 
One could assume because it is a domestic good it may be cheaper. Many European countries have a vat tax on goods over a certain price range. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS and at the airport their will be an area you can present your receipt and get that money back. I did this in England. I would research if Germany applies this tax before going.
 
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Or perhaps not - ex-wife sent me to buy some china in Denmark at Royal Copenhagen and I shat myself on hearing the price of a coffee set. Come to find out little old ladies sold them on ebay for 10 cents on the dollar. Live and learn! :LOL:
 
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You might want to get clarification on whether you need an import license to bring it in the country. I do not know if a license is required but if it is and the customs agent realizes you have having paperwork showing that a license is not needed would be prudent.
You might want o put it in checked baggage on the way home. I had a very hard time getting a riflescope in my carry on through security, yes that does not make sense but when they have control over you getting on the flight or not the logic behind it is not the biggest issue. After talking with two managers "we" determined that no the scope was not a firearm part but an accessory as such it could go on the flight.
 
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I had a friend in the Army that sent me a few scopes that were way cheaper than buying them here. If you're worried about customs, just put them in the mail and mark the box "magizines" or something.
 
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Bottom line (if you are working with a dealer) is yes, they'll be cheaper because you are not paying the United States import tariff/taxes. Check to make sure your currency exchange rate for a retail sale doesn't nullify any discounting.
 
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You might want to get clarification on whether you need an import license to bring it in the country. I do not know if a license is required but if it is and the customs agent realizes you have having paperwork showing that a license is not needed would be prudent.
You might want o put it in checked baggage on the way home. I had a very hard time getting a riflescope in my carry on through security, yes that does not make sense but when they have control over you getting on the flight or not the logic behind it is not the biggest issue. After talking with two managers "we" determined that no the scope was not a firearm part but an accessory as such it could go on the flight.
Ty for advice... yeah prefer no hassles
 
If you like beer I suggest you go to Köln (Cologne) not that far away from Holland, the best brewery (in my option) Früh Kölsch is next to the cathedral with others in walking distance. They have really great food too.
 
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+1 on checked baggage for the scope. I tried bringing a scope in my carry on. I told the tsa dude it was there so no suprises. 2 tsa dudes and a supervisor later we figured out scopes are accessories.
 
Wetzlar is a short drive from Frankfurt.

No need to meander around different cities for good beer & food.

Germany is pretty consistent as far as your appetite goes.
 
Any advice... going to visit family in the Netherlands and going to Germany when Covid is done... is it cheaper to buy German optics in Germany than here in the US. I am not military but a federal employee... any advice? Thank you in advance.
 
If you are near Wurzburg, check out Waffen-Frankonia. Big hunting and gun store. Prices in the Euro Union are not cheap anymore, but you may luck out. If you can, avoid paying the VAT. Ask the clerk in the store and they should be able to tell you the process. You also may have to pay customs if you hand carry "it" homed. They can ship and what you put on the package is your choice. They may still have an online catalog.
 
Hello, I currently live in Germany. Find the scope you want Stateside, then find the same scope from a German store. Compare the price. Germany has 19%VAT included in everything, but you can get around that by saying you are taking it Stateside, the store can tell you how to fill out the paperwork. Most of the time I just buy stuff from the States, it is usually cheaper.