international air travel with airsoft gear
 

Hello everyone!

It's my first post here. I did try to find the answer to my question real hard, yet the results brought no clear answer... There is a topic on airsoft guns on airplanes, but it's all about flights within Canada itself, as far as I was able to understand.

Well, the thing is, I'm Polish, my wife is Canadian, we live in Poland but intend to be moving back and forth (Poland and Canada, of course) from time to time. We both play airsoft, and... well, here's where we have a problem.

Some people within the Polish airsoft community said they made a journey to Canada and back safely, with their AEGs in their cargo luggage. Other people, however (mostly Canadians), mention their guns being confiscated and destroyed.

it seems totally absurd - AEGs and airsoft itself are perfectly legal in Poland and in Canada, heck, it's even perfectly legal with the freakin' airline we use! The troublesome link in the chain seems to be the Canadian customs...

So, here comes the question...

Would I, a Polish citizen, have trouble bringing two airsoft rifles into Canada, and then back to Poland? It's not like I'd be importing it, I'm not even Canadian and it's my property, legal on both ends of the journey.

I really have no idea who to ask. Can anyone point me to what office/agency/service should I ask? Maybe I can get things cleared or at least explained prior to bringing them at all? Any information about who to ask would be appreciated, as I don't really know where to look for the Canadian customs office responsible for this particular case...

I'm American and travel back and fourth between boarders several times a week. If I were to personally transport airsoft anything across the boarder into Canada, it would be seized and my car would be torn apart. It doesn't matter if I own it personally, etc. etc.

I'm not even Canadian and it's my property

Doesn't matter - when you're in Canada...it's their property ;-)

In country transportation of airsoft on aircraft is generally a different matter.

I doubt it. The goverment would cover their ass for this in the case where you were to sell/give your weapons to a residing citizen. If you don't have a license to import the weapon then bringing in into the country by any means is prohibited. Assuming our system does it's job right they should be confinscated.

My suggestion.

Buy/rent some guns in Canada and keep them here. While you have your own back in poland. There isn't a problem in owning too many airsoft guns, and you also cover your ass from confiscation.

I remember hearing how some British guy brought them over on his flight (fully declared and all) though I would recommend doing this only once since there is still a chance they will be seized.

Bringing them back and forth will increase your chances; you might as well buy one here and leave it in Canada.

No. Airsoft guns will get seized. The gear, in regular luggage cases, will be fine. It's nothing but nylon. Just don't bring any gas. That would be against airline policies.


It's up to the customs officer of the day and his mood. Yes, totally serious.

Contact Canadian Customs

But I think your best bet would be to get another airsoft gun when you get to Canada and leave it here. Airsoft may be legal and everything but Customs doesn't see it that way, all they see is a firearm that looks real and they will seize it.

im nwe to this whole shabang lol, but i was able to bring a few pistols and what not (in their packaging mind you) from the U.S in a suitcase...

Were you using a plane, or were you just admitting to us that you smuggled airsoft guns over the boarder in a suitcase?

Here is the trick...

Replicas are prohibited devices.. you need a license to import or export them.
Import means come from another country with them, export means leave Canada with them.
Mostly the issue crops up on the import end... but they could be seized in either direction.

While in Canada replica firearms are the **only** prohibited device that can be owned and transported without a license by people over 18. But again.. only people licensed to trade in them can import or export them.

Anything that looks like a firearm but is not a firearm in the eyes of the law could be deemed a replica.

Fact is you can travel easier with real firearms than with replicas as long as they are legaly owned and registered.

The same thing goes with real ammunition, except it's a problem with the BATF - Canadian customs is fine with it.

That just totally sucks :(

Sure, I guess we'll just get another pair of AEGs for use in Canada... It just feels bad because one is a highly customized AKM with real-steel parts (some 50% of its weight... okay, so I wouldn't risk taking this one with me anyway), the other one was built from the ground-up, an all-metal Diemaco C7A1, engraved trademarks and all... only recently completed (converted from what you see on the photos below) Oh well, building is half the fun, maybe one day we'll do it again :)

I just wanted to ask about one more thing - uniforms. Is it okay to take our BDUs on such a trip? That's 2 sets, CADPAT and Polish wz.93 "panther" camo, both with helmets, the polish set also comes with a camo bullet-proof vest (no ballistic inserts, though, it's just the fabric - thus reduced to a mere tactical vest). obviously, you guys know the CADPAT :D, heh heh... my wz.93 "panther" outfit looks like this:
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/6506/dsc00515jh.th.jpg http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8517/dsc00583gv.th.jpg
Would the customs have any problems with our uniforms?? is it safe to take them with us?

Nylon will get through, no problem. :)

the helmets too, I hope? :)

how did they even know there was airsoft in your car? unless when they asked what r u doing up in Canada? and ur like playing airsoft with my own gun. then that's a different story.
And i don't suppose they have any X-ray or heat sensor that can sense ur airsoft when its packed neatly inside ur trunk or elsewhere :hammer:

Like most people are saying in the other thread that you started.

Your a ******* idiot. Use your brain a bit more dude.

:? I still don't know how they know u have airsoft in ur car. while i'm just talking bout' going through the border once and not doing it several times a week. they don't pop my trunk when i'm coming back from the states.

this works
 

I had the same trouble back and forward to scotland....all you do is open a paper company just to registar it as a thatrical supply company...and you move the guns as props (ie, supply to movies and plays and theatre etc) also depends where in canada you fly into....quebec...no worries....toronto...prepare to bend over and drop them frilliy pinkies. might be worth contacting an airsoft dealer in the town your going to and see if you can ship them to him ready for collection upon your arrival....i know many companies that supply guns in canada bring them under the pretense of stage props :tup:

Hey, now that's a good idea... I know internationalarmysurplus.com in Montreal (and that's exactly where we'll go anyway). I think I'll ask them about it :)

And you said that there are "no worries" if it's in Quebec, which it in fact is... were you referring to the guns, or the helmets (which I was asking about in the previous post?) I'm getting lost :D

you could just ship it to a friend or relative over in Poland or Canada, then pick it up. Or you could ship it to that surplus store you mentioned.

One of those, or if they don't work, your best bet would be to buy a new loadout of guns for in Canada.



Good luck






JT.

Experience
 

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