Guns through customs?

[€gg]

In the English Sun(YES I know) there was an article about a kid having his action man's 4inch palstic assault rifle taken off him by customs at Kenedy airport. Their excuse was anything even remotely resembling a gun or weapon had to be confiscated.

I'm going to ask my Uncle, when he comes over from Princetown, to bring with him a marker from the US to save on shipping.
Is this wise? Will he be incarserated in customs or is it cool to bring paintballing stuff?

And loads of Pro's travel with them, so what the hell do you tell em eh? "It's a hairdryer officer, honest"

 

[Smally85]

Be careful...

... about the gun being only Semi, cos anything more than that is illegal over here, by that I mean Full-auto, burst etc. If customs catch you bringing one of them in you could end up with no marker.

 

[Hotpoint]

There is no problem whatsoever in transporting Paintball Markers through Customs

Just make sure to declare at the Airport Check-In your Luggage contains Paintball equipment. They will likely want to open your suitcase and check, but after that they may add a security tag and that's about it

If transporting Cylinders make sure they are empty and the valves are open

Only one other piece of advice. Dissasemble the marker as much as possible and have a Paintball magazine in the case so you can explain what paintball is to some airport official who's never heard of it (happened to me)

 

[John Molloy]

Yer beat me to it Hotpoint yer bumb

As Hotpoint says you should have no problem. I recently brought a marker through O'hare airport in Chicago where I played a bit of p-ball with Tyger (nice chap too) I didn't have any trouble in either direction. (Alien did but then he's Welsh ) Just make sure you declare it at both ends.

 

[crazypbkid]

and make sure not to carry on any piece of your marer my friend put his boom stick in his carry on bag (what a dumb ass) and the security gaurd said it could be used as a weapon.

 

[KillerOnion]

Whatever you do, DON'T SEND IT THROUGH THE MAIL! I REPEAT, DO NOT SEND IT THROUGH THE MAIL!!!! I made that mistake once and it was the most expensive, ridiculous ordeal I've ever had to put up with over my own property and no one should have to put up with the crap that they gave me and would no doubt do to you as well.

 

[pat]

A Paintball Marker is classed as a Class 1 Fire Arm in Jersey

 

[Liz]

The news item that started this thread off was in lots of papers not just the Sun, so it probably did happen.
The problem was that they were transporting the Action Man figure in their hand luggage rather than in the baggage in the hold. Even now, in theory you can't carry matches, anything sharp or even a set of nail clippers in hand luggage, it all has to go in the hold. Only exceptions are critical medical supplies & I gather there's sometimes a problem with them.

 

[Robbo]

Whenever I travel abroad, I always carry a copy of PGI with me, tell your uncle to carry a magazine, preferably PGI with him just in case because one picture paints a thousand words and cuts across many a misunderstanding.
It saves so much trouble believe me !!!
Robbo
PS you don't really have to dcelare at both ends as was previously suggested because when you go thru customs, if they don't grab you, then there is no need to but certainly do not ever carry it in hand luggage and always decalre it at the departing airport.

 

[Alien]

Heres a few more tips for you......

Dont bring the original packaging with the marker, make it look like you have already used it (it avoids customs slaping import duty on it if he does get caught)

Dont lock the suitcase, as you will be escorted off the plane and asked to open it, even if you declared it at the check in

And dont bother with a air or co2 cylinder as it wont be legal over here for some obscure reason (i know about dot and hse, still dont make sense )

Good luck and enjoy it once you've got it

Alien