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Importing a rifle into Australia

B

beliar

Private
Minuteman
Aug 15, 2009
5
0
36
Victoria, Australia
Hey all,

I've been hunting for a Tikka T3, and far every dealer on this half of the country seems to be out of stock until January-February of next year.

Given the current exchange rate and how cheap they are over there, I am now looking at importing one from the USA.

I was wondering if any aussies here know the procedure for importing firearms here and if anyone could point me in the direction of any dealers in the US willing to ship overseas?

Cheers, Michael
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

I don't think dealers here can ship overseas as rifles fall under "articles of war", you would have to get your dealer there to import one from a distributor here. It's still gonna be a PITA.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Don't know about importing into Au, but for the US part you'll have to find an exporter who is willing to do the export. They need to get an exportpermit from the US State ep.
It isn't difficult to export a non-military rifle, it just takes time and money.
It isn't worth it for a cheap rifle as it gets too expensive.
Most exporters seems to charge from around 15% in fees with a minimum of approx $150 and up. In addition there is a $250 fee to the US Sate dept.

On top of all that comes the shipping costs
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bwanajcj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't think dealers here can ship overseas as rifles fall under "articles of war", you would have to get your dealer there to import one from a distributor here. It's still gonna be a PITA. </div></div>

OVER-REACTION ALERT!!!!

We're talking about a Tikka rifle, not an auto firearm, crate of hand grenades, APC, fast-attack jet, aircraft carrier.......

All you need is a shipper in Aus to handle the import side and to work with a US FFL who is prepared to help in obtaining the necessary Export License. You may have to supply appropriate local (Aus) proof of authority to purchase/own and import, US Dept of State end-user statements etc. but if you have your act together...ths sis no sweat, just time consuming paper chase stuff.

Go to/call/mail your local gunshop and ask them if they can recommend a shipper. Most shops or dealers who buy/sell interenationally will know the right guys!

Even though this is from Queensland, you may find this link helpful:

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/acquire/acquirOseasImport.htm
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BasraBoy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
All you need is a shipper in Aus to handle the import side and to work with a US FFL who is prepared to help in obtaining the necessary Export License. You may have to supply appropriate local (Aus) proof of authority to purchase/own and import, US Dept of State end-user statements etc. but if you have your act together...ths sis no sweat, just time consuming paper chase stuff.

</div></div>

Agree its not that difficult, but the problem is the cost. It isn't really worth it for a "normal" rifle...
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

I hear what you are saying - I'm going through it with my GAP so it is worth it. Maybe for a stock Tikka it could be too expensive - that is the OP's decision to make.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

We export regularly. The burocracy side of it is fairly straight forward.

The International couriers that will transport firearms tend to be some what on the incompetent side though. Not that they loose anything or damage anything, they just seem to drag thier heels for a good while trying to search for cheap freight space to either meet thier quoted cost, or to make a buck more out of it.

regards Pete
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Dude, importing from the US is a HUGE PITA. Pick almost anywhere else. Italy is easy but Switzerland is closer to Tikka home base and have decent prices - check www.lagardere.ch. Also check Tikka website for Finnish dealers, exporting from there is easy too. Many European dealers can just post the thing to you after you send them your import paperwork.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

I'm looking at getting a Super Varmint. They go for about $1800 here at best. I saw one site advertising them for $800-$1000.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

So, if one was to import from some location in Europe, can anyone recommend decently priced stores that deal in english?

Would it be relatively easy to order them from Finland? or is it better to go to some other EU country? do some have slightly more lax export laws?

cheers
Bond
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Hi, saw this thread. Its not that difficult to import rifles and i am speaking from experience. The latest one arrived last week.

If you are interested please PM me, i have the whole supply chain worked out and in place.

I will say this though, its not worth it for the Tikka.

You are looking at roughly $2000 minimum in fees to get it here and get it cleared so unless it is a custom rifle or something with a huge price difference like a Sako TRG, its not worth it. You will end up paying more.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chubby</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
You are looking at roughly $2000 minimum in fees to get it here and get it cleared so unless it is a custom rifle or something with a huge price difference like a Sako TRG, its not worth it. You will end up paying more.</div></div>

$2000? That seems quite steep.

One exporter i've looked at so far charges 15% of the rifles cost. The rifle is about $1000 cheaper over there, even with the $250 fee for the state dept and the import tax taken into account, it would seem to still be a few hundered dollars cheaper to get it from over there.

The one thing i'm unsure about is the shipping cost.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Monkeyman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dude, importing from the US is a HUGE PITA. Pick almost anywhere else. Italy is easy but Switzerland is closer to Tikka home base and have decent prices - check www.lagardere.ch. Also check Tikka website for Finnish dealers, exporting from there is easy too. Many European dealers can just post the thing to you after you send them your import paperwork.</div></div>

I can't seem to find many European dealers online, and the ones I do find work out more expensive than they are here! If anyone could recommend some dealers they know of, it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Have you guys thought of a group purchase ? might not be forth it for 1 Tikka, but for a couple or 3 ??

for instance, It costs me 450€ shipping + 40€ export fees to send 1 rifle to your part of the world, it costs me the same amount if i can get 10 rifles in the same box.

that makes it a whole hell of a lot less money per rifle.

The problem with the Tikka's is that there is a very small profit margin on them (as with most lower priced factory rifles) and for a 150€ profit its not worth the hassle of investing the time in exporting.
Id be willing to look into this to help you guys out,
drop me an email.
Pete
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Its not what the exporter charges for the permit that gets you. By the way when was the last time you checked that price? The fees for exporter registration went up recently and that of course has been passed on.

Break down is this:

Export agent charges between $450 and $500USD for permits
Freight, and we just got one in was $771USD

That is already $1221USD minimum.

When it gets here you dont just pick it up. A freight company needs to get it cleared and registered and sorted and that fee is around $400AUD.

Then you need to pay GST so on a Tikka at say even $1000 thats another $100AUD.

Then you need to pay the dealer to physically go and collect the rifle from customs. That is another $150AUD.

The dealer will then charge you $10 to $15AUD to transfer the rifle in their books then back out to you.

Therefor you are looking at $1221USD at even say $0.90 exchange rate gives you $1,337AUD. Then add the other fees totaling $665 and you have yourself a grand total of:

$2002!

If you think i am wrong, try it yourself and let us know what it all costs you.

Keep in mind, the more expensive the rifle the greater the GST so your fees will go up.

When i got my two rifles in i was charged $100USD for the export permit. My mates one, which arrived last Wednesday cost him $450 for the permit. We have asked other and they charge $500USD.

The first freight quote came in at $1200USD so we told them to keep looking and found one for $771. Granted there were some Drag Bags included so say maybe $650USD at best.

What people forget is the clearance costs and admin fees here.

Its not cheap and unless you bring in a stack and benefit from economies of scale or bring in a custom or high end rifle its not worth it.

Like i say though, don't take my word for it, go ahead and try with the Tikka, i am curious to see what it will cost you.

Good luck with it all and keep us posted.

Pete, i dont know how it works in Germany with the export permit situation and whether or not you require one I only speak for the US as i have had personal experience but you will still be up for $400 minimum in clearance plus $165 in dealer costs so that is still $565 minimum in admin fees.

When you add the $490 Euro to get it out of Germany that comes to roughly another $845AUD in fees. So that is a minimum of $1410AUD in fees alone. As soon as the amount tips over $1000AUD you get a GST of 10% so add another $100 and you are at $1510AUD.

How much is a Tikka in Germany?

You can get the T3 Lite here for around $1100 so you are already behind the 8 ball.

Now if you are talking about a TRG, then we should talk
wink.gif
That could seriously be worth it and i would be interested in going down that route if the price for the TRG is very competitive.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

if the price was competitive enough, is there enough hide members in Australia to warrant a group buy? if the import fees are cheaper in bulk wouldn't it be worth setting something up?

just thinking out loud..
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Importing a run of the mill rifle from the US, like a Tikka is a waste of money. It will be more expensive than buying it here in Oz.

If it were a secondhand full custom rifle, or maybe something like a TRG then yes it is worth it.

I imported a Coopers Montana 20VT... $1300US for the rifle. By time it got here..... $2400AUS.. and the dollar was good. There is a few associated costs that you will miss. To clear the rifle from Customs it needs to be picked up by a registered dealer. A dealer is not going to make the trip for nothing.... there is another cost.

Even importing just a rifle action, they are close to double the US price by time they get here.. and thats with very little postage cost.

Ultimately I believe you are wasting your money. I say watch the Aussie website selling usedguns and wait for one to pop up. Tikkas are on there a fair bit, if you need one that bad. 5 on there now actually.

I do not own a single factory rifle, but rather have them built here by a smith. I can have a full custom rifle built cheaper than the cost of a Sako TRG.... and built the way I want!

So to sum up.... it wont be cheap to import the Tikka!

Goodluck!

Cheers

 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

If there is a bulk buy then yes it could be well worth it. Just depends on the quantity and the clearance fees.

If people are interested lets try get it going.

I am happy to arrange it without making any money for myself. My freight forwarder is on leave though for three weeks. When she returns i will ask her what the clearance fees would be for multiple rifles.

It will all boil down to the selected rifles and cost difference between here and Aus and how many rifles Pete (if that is the way people go) can fit into each box at that stated $490Euro.

If you go US then one export permit is all that is needed so you will save there. Again the unknown is the clearance fees and the freight costs.

I need to look into it also but with the paperwork for the rifles, they may all need to be addressed to the one person here or else they may be treated as individual purchases and cleared as such thus no benefit for buying in bulk on this end.

Anyone interested....................... ? Keep in mind they dont need to be the same rifle or make just come to the same export agent abroad (Europe or US)
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ackley Improved</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Importing a run of the mill rifle from the US, like a Tikka is a waste of money. It will be more expensive than buying it here in Oz.

If it were a secondhand full custom rifle, or maybe something like a TRG then yes it is worth it.

I imported a Coopers Montana 20VT... $1300US for the rifle. By time it got here..... $2400AUS.. and the dollar was good. There is a few associated costs that you will miss. To clear the rifle from Customs it needs to be picked up by a registered dealer. A dealer is not going to make the trip for nothing.... there is another cost.

Even importing just a rifle action, they are close to double the US price by time they get here.. and thats with very little postage cost.

Ultimately I believe you are dreaming, or wasting your money. I say watch the Aussie website selling usedguns and wait for one to pop up. Tikkas are on there a fair bit, if you need one that bad.

I do not own a single factory rifle, but rather have them built here by a smith. I can have a full custom rifle built cheaper than the cost of a Sako TRG.... and built the way I want!

So to sum up.... it wont be cheap to import the Tikka!

Goodluck!

Cheers

</div></div>

Pretty much spot on. Its not as simple or as cheap as people think.

How long ago did you get your rifle here?

Like you i go the custom built route only for import UNLESS Pete has some ripper price on the TRG then maaaaaaaaaaaaybe .......
smile.gif
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

The sensible way to go would be to ship barreled actions, as the firearms shipping is expensive, a box of stocks would be cheaper to ship. Giving us more space in a max size case incuded in the firearms shipping price.
Also less chance of stocks getting dinged by bolts etc.

depends on how many you guys are on about.

regards Pete
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Mikhail,

I have used this company:

E.T.S.S. , LLC
110 S. 7th Street - Unit D
HOTCHKISS, CO 81419

ph 970-872-3770

[email protected]

We have several rifles in Australia. Yes I have heard that the administrative paperwork and bull shit is extreme but it can be done.

Best of luck,

Terry
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Just as a side note, I recently exported a rifle to Africa for one of our Ph's. it can be done yes the paperwork on both sides was a pain in the ass, because you are moving a firearm out of the US to a foreign entity.

A firearm no matter if it is a sporting rifle or a military rifle it is still a firearm and falls under international firearms treatise. Weapons, some gun parts and optical sighting devices fall under the description of "articles of war" I was not overreacting it is a bureaucratic fact that must be dealt with on both sides of the pond.

Like I said you can do it but it's gonna be a pain from the US and finding a private dealer willing to help without charging you a ton of $$ is gonna be even tougher.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

These are the same guys I've used for my GAP - lisense came through a couple of weeks back. They made it painless.

bwanajcj....not surprised you found it a major PITA sending firearms to Africa!
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Terry Cross</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mikhail,

I have used this company:

E.T.S.S. , LLC
110 S. 7th Street - Unit D
HOTCHKISS, CO 81419

ph 970-872-3770

[email protected]

We have several rifles in Australia. Yes I have heard that the administrative paperwork and bull shit is extreme but it can be done.

Best of luck,

Terry </div></div>

Another good exporter we have used.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

All these posts have opened my eyes to a lot of the costs that aren't mentioned on most exporters sites.

So yes, for one run of the mill rifle it would end up roughly costing more than it does here. But if more people were interested, they could share the load of shipping costs and fees, right?

At the moment we have three or four people lined up that are looking to buy.

Perhaps quartering those fees will make the prices more worth ordering overseas?

I have contacted E.T.S.S LLC and am awaiting a reply.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Hi forget it the cost of importing a rifle that is standard and not a specilised rifle is just not worth it. The postage costs are prohibitive ask Danny we imported the rifles this end but their are all sorts of payments that are not included just with the export fee. We import actions all the time from Lawton and have helped with some imports for Danny but most gun dealers wont even help you as the time and effort is not worth it. Also no gunshop will help youi import a rifle they can sell you through their trade network as they will likley loose their agency.

Their are all sorts of agreaments around the world to where a persons dearler network or areas they can buy and sell products if they break these agreaments they get black listed and they cant order any more stock.

Hell it is just a cheep rifle to start with and not worth the hassle.

Look around you will find a rifle here make some calls and look at some websites here and you will come up with the rifle you are after. Even if you find a rifle overseas it can take from a week to 3 months to get an export permit from the US and you have to have the serial number here to get an import permit BEFORE you apply for the export permit from the US.

You can get a rifle from overseas but forget it unless it is sompthing that can not be purchased here.
 
Re: Importing a rifle into Australia

Yes it can be done, i am living proof of that but the point is the cost.

I dont care about the paperwork. I work in an office environment and push paper all day, the point we are trying to make is the cost v benefit.

There is no point paying more for a rifle that you can buy here.

ETSS was recommended to me at the beginning as well and they seem to be really good. Most exporters in the game know there stuff and will get the job done but at the end of the day, they will still charge you a similar price for the permit and the shipping will be pretty much the same.

As Bill said, they helped with mine and my mates and i thank them for that. Most dealers were not interested or gave me nothing but grief so you do need to find a dealer that is willing. Keep in mind, they have to physically leave the store and go down to the airport, clear the rifle, get back to the store and transfer it first in to their possession and then out to you. With ours, we had Geoff from 7am to 1pm. That is more than half the business day gone.
 
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