[heylin]

Hmmmm been looking for some Dawson Sights for my Glock 34 and found a place in USA that does international shipping

(im from New Zealand by the way).

Apprently (according to shop owner), its illegal to ship sights internationally.

Is he correct ? One would think it was classed as an accessory like grips, mag wells etc, not to mention all the factory glock sights for sale on eBay that offer international shipping.

Can anyone suggest a different route for me to try ?

 

[Tubby45]

It is a gun part and in this country the export of such is under strict control of the US State Department under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The exporter of the gun part must be registered as a manufacturer with the US State Department ($2,250/yr even if only one is made and whether they export or not) and receive permission to export the part to your country. All firearms, ammunition, ammunition components, firearm parts, and optics are defined as "defensive articles" thus subject to the ITAR.

 

[Tubby45]

International Traffic in Arms Regulations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States Munitions List - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[heylin]

Hmmmmm I thought the rule was any order under $100US didnt require an export licence ? and besides this a pistol sight is not required for the gun to function (as opposed to barrel, trigger, frames etc).

Even so ive purchased in the last 12 months the following items from US with no problem

- Houge, Pearce and Pachmyer Grips
- Mag Well
- Trigger connector and spring kit
- Tungsten Guide Rod

So ITAR\Munitions List definition of optics also include adjustabe pistol sights ? I thought the purpose was to prevent things like night vision, tactical scopes (red dots etc) being sent without export consent.

Warrented the dawson do have fiber optic front sight but they are still just plain jane pistol sights.

Might have to contact my importer and get some added to next shipment.

 

[Tubby45]

ITAR includes all that since all those are gun parts thus restricted. My company is a licensed manufacturer and must be compliant with ITAR. I am unaware of any $100 rule. If I ship one box of ammunition that's worth $15, I have to get US State Department approval to export it. Therefore I don't export anything. It's not worth the expense or extra crap I have to deal with.

The ITAR was done during the cold war to keep tabs on military grade weapons makers. The wording however made it such that all manufacturers, even those that supply only domestic civilian and law enforcement (non-military) customers must be registered. It aimed to control the big guys but the little guys like my company got dragged into it all.

 

[Colin]

and it's killing US export business at a tiem when China is increasing the amount and quality of it firearm business. The State department intends to throw the baby, the bath, the water and whole nursery out at the same time. Brownells still tries to keep things going but it must be a real pain for them. I am planning to source stuff from other than the US as it's not worth the pain. By the way I don't blame the small businesses for not exporting, they have to do what they can to survive. I think the State sees it as a cash grab, but also as a way to strangle the firearms industry in the US.

 

[automatic slim]

Funny how the State Dept. is so concerned about what leaves the country, but allows anything from China with toxic levels of lead. How many news stories have there been recently about contaminated food from foreign countries. They even now want to change the law to allow legal immigration of those with deadly contagious diseases like AIDS, I guess so they can die on our soil.

 

[heylin]

Yes it does seem rather crazy.

 

[Hopyard]

Are you guys sure it is the State Dept. that controls this. I thought export licenses were issues by the Commerce Department.

 

[Tubby45]

Yes it is the US State Department. This is first hand knowledge. My company, being a firearm and ammunition manufacturer must (and is) registered with the State Department under ITAR. It has nothing to do with the Commerce Department. It is not a license, it is a registration. Commerce Department only has jurisdiction over domestic commerce. The State Department is the foreign commerce agency. All foreign policy and commerce is done through the State Department.

Thank Ford for signing it and then Carter for raising the registration from $500/yr to $1750/yr and finally Bush raising it up to the current $2250/yr. The burden it has on small businesses like ammunition manufacturers and bullet casters is more than enough to prevent new businesses from opening and causing many small businesses to close.

 

[heylin]

My package left the USA today, no way my import permit from police will be filled out in time, be interesting to see if it slips through customs here at my end.

Over here firearm accessories can be exported \ imported without permit

Accessory = anything that is not required to fire the gun ie (Grips, sights, magwells, optics, holsters)

Parts = (trigger connectors, frames, barrels, springs etc)

Ive managed to locate a seller who ships internationally, same one I got my other parts from, does this mean they would have an export permit so are allowed to ship sights out of the USA ?

 

[Ram Rod]

Now who would have thought that sights would be considered gun parts? They don't affect the function of the gun in any way. Interesting....but not surprising. Red tape is everywhere.

 

[Colin]

I helped my friend sell landrover parts around the world. If we shipped a screw to the US it would have a different duty if it was a brake part or a steering part, even if it was the same screw! Importing and exporting from the US has always been a hassle, but now it's near impossible.

 

[heylin]

Y==USA sounds like red tape capital of the world, we have import duties here but its a clear list of items on our customs website, as opossed to the bloated website of the US Commerce and State deaprtment (cant find anything on that site).

For personal use most things here dont require an import permit, and there is no duty either.

Even for retailers it relatively easy to apply for a permit to get a container of goods over and pay duty tax + GST (12.5%).

 

[Colin]

I can import 5,000 rds into Canada, but Homeland security will arrest me and seize my vehicle.

 

[heylin]

Well my items left New Zealand customs today and is on a courier to me. Obviously a trigger connector, trigger spring kit and recoil rod didnt rasie any eye brows with customs.

I'll definately be talking to my local law enforcement about our customs department, imagine if I had ordered a caliber conversion kit for my G19, I would have a completely different firearm calibre off the police books. The mind boggles.

On another note USPS International Priority has to be the best mail service in the world, 5 days from website order to delivery USA to New Zealand.

Im very impressed.