Hey fellas,

I'm planning on buying a G&G FNC airsoft gun, in the States. In about 7-8 months, I'll be moving back to Canada, most likely somewhere in the Ottawa Valley. I've been reading the Laws and Regs about owning importing guns, and they are extremely confusing. The FNC is a replica of the real thing, but it's FPS is 350-470 (Depending on what site you read). It's mostly metal, but also has some polymers in it, as well as the orange flash hider (which I'm told isn't required in Canada). I've read that sometimes Customs will take your gun, but if you can make a valid case, they'll let it through. Also, I've found the exact same gun in a Toronto dealer, identical save the paint, and the sights look abit different.

Heres the U.S gun
LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN

Canadian gun
LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN

As you can see, the price is 2 times more than the U.S gun, and I'd rather not pay that. I'm dyin to buy my own gear, and don't want it bein nabbed by customs. Also, I realize I'm not AVed, and like I said I'm livin in the States, so that might be a bit hard to do, but whatever info you can give, it'd be greatly appreciated. If it helps, I've lived in CFB Pet nearly my whole life .

Cheers, Kieren

There are quite a few FAQ's about this here and on ASC, the national forum for airsoft in Canada.

In short its illegal to import airsoft guns.

There are some methods of importing them but even they are not guaranteed. Some people say you can simply upgrade it to around 475fps and its legal but its not so easy. Even the retailers who import guns using that method still need to fill out a lot of paper work and deal with the RCMP and CBSA. This method has been used by retailers to import guns for many years now but invoiced orders must be preapproved and are randomly inspected to make sure they are above the minimum fps level. There is a warrant still out for the arrest of Canada's previous largest importer for resale because he tried to sneak in a large shipment (a shipping container full if rumours are true) that weren't upgrade properly. He is known to be back in Hong Kong but China does not have an extradition treaty with anyone so unless he tries to come back to Canada he can't be touched.

Also when shipped you generally need a signed letter from the retailer stating that it has been upgraded to the proper fps level. Private shipments may not be so kosher, I don't know.

Some CBSA agents at the border will allow them across when you declare them but they are generally wrong (though in your favour.) There have been arrests of people trying to bring guns over the border in person and not declaring them. Legally if you declare it and the CBSA agent says you cannot bring it in the absolute worst that can happen to you is get refused entry until you return to the US and get rid of the gun.

There are some regulations for military personnel to bring in guns for "training purposes" but its still lots of paper work and loads of regulations to go through. I don't know the details behind it but if you are in the military and want to know more you send a polite PM to Arnold he may be able to tell you more (hes in the Canadian Forces and runs the Petawawa airsoft field.) Its a topic probably best kept to private messages.

You can try mailing it across which does have a certain success rate and it varies depending on method, speed, and carrier. I have shipped two guns from the US to myself successfully listed as "toys" through USPS/CP and some people have success rates as high as 7 out of 7 or higher. Many others have had packages seized and destroyed and you get zero reimbursement for it. If you lie on the customs form when mailing it there is a tiny, infinitesimally small chance of getting criminally charged that some people may mention but there are no known occurrences of this in regards to airsoft guns.

Generally its easier to just pay the Canadian premium for the gun unless its got sentimental value or something. You can bring across any of your gear, mags, BB's, BDU's, batteries, slings, optics, etc. but just not the gun itself.

(01-18-2012 12:13 AM)Hypnotoad Wrote:  Hey fellas,

I'm planning on buying a G&G FNC airsoft gun, in the States. In about 7-8 months, I'll be moving back to Canada, most likely somewhere in the Ottawa Valley. I've been reading the Laws and Regs about owning importing guns, and they are extremely confusing. The FNC is a replica of the real thing, but it's FPS is 350-470 (Depending on what site you read). It's mostly metal, but also has some polymers in it, as well as the orange flash hider (which I'm told isn't required in Canada). I've read that sometimes Customs will take your gun, but if you can make a valid case, they'll let it through. Also, I've found the exact same gun in a Toronto dealer, identical save the paint, and the sights look abit different.

Heres the U.S gun
[LINK REMOVED BY MOD]

Canadian gun
[LINK REMOVED BY MOD]

As you can see, the price is 2 times more than the U.S gun, and I'd rather not pay that. I'm dyin to buy my own gear, and don't want it bein nabbed by customs. Also, I realize I'm not AVed, and like I said I'm livin in the States, so that might be a bit hard to do, but whatever info you can give, it'd be greatly appreciated. If it helps, I've lived in CFB Pet nearly my whole life .

Cheers, Kieren

as lutnit said, its basicly illegal. you might get lucky mailing it, you might get lucky at the boarder and get a guard who will let you through. there is no 100% garunteed way to get a gun in to the country.

what you can bring in are things like vests, pouches, mags, optics, and other stuff like that. except for suppressors and grenades. id sugest getting that stuff down there and buying the gun here, yeah its 2-3x more expensive, but your garunteed to get it.

Ugh, that's really dissapointin. I really don't want to shell out more than twice the price. Do you think it's worth it to mail it?

(01-18-2012 12:38 AM)Durak Wrote:  except for suppressors and grenades.

Oh yeah, I forgot about those. Anything that looks like a suppressor or is labelled as a "suppressor" or "silencer" is totally prohibited. As are fake grenades.

Fake ammo (or "dummy rounds") are officially prohibited from import but are quite often let through. So mags with fake bullets visible are a gamble at best.

Its also important to know there is a difference between what is officially allowed or disallowed and what is generally allowed or disallowed in practice. For example non-prohibited length (>105mm barrel length) metal slide/barrel sets for pistols are perfectly legal to import officially but customs will seize them 9 times out of 10 if they find them. Also shipping the parts of a receiver that do not normally have the serial number on it (so an AR upper, MP5 lower, etc.) is completely legal but again customs will seize it if they find it almost guaranteed.

On top of whats said here, there are a TON of threads on here about this.

Thread locked.

Also please read our forum rules, its against the forum rules to post links to where to buy guns in non-av'd areas.