Importing Airsoft

Rew

Anyone imported an airsoft gun in their luggage from the US (or else where). I travel between to the US, China and Germany a fair bit but I can imagine when they x-ray your bags the an airsoft gun would turn a few heads!

In Frankfurt you x-ray your bags before you go to the checkin desk for example.

o1s1n

I've heard of people declaring them going through customs and being perfectly fine. I'm sure if correct measures were taken it would be alright.

Wouldn't fancy trying it myself though.

Rew

o1s1n wrote:

I've heard of people declaring them going through customs and being perfectly fine. I'm sure if correct measures were taken it would be alright.

Wouldn't fancy trying it myself though.

Well if you get as far as customs then your grand because you have been through all the security.

Iv brought alot of bulky electronics back and my bags are alwas opend and searched buy the TSA in the US and by the Brits security in Heathrow, at least the TSA have the decency to leave a note in your bag to say they have done it the Brits dont.

Its not illeagle but im not sure that I fancy it either!!

MaxForce

I brought my cheapo LPEG from Salou last year. I kept in my case so it didnt go through the xray machine at security. Had no problem but that was back in May. Not sure about trans Atlantic though.

EDIT: Do they xray your bags going into the airport over there or how do they work it?

o1s1n

MaxForce wrote:

I brought my cheapo LPEG from Salou last year. I kept in my case so it didnt go through the xray machine at security. Had no problem but that was back in May. Not sure about trans Atlantic though.

EDIT: Do they xray your bags going into the airport over there or how do they work it?

Bringing a cheap springer back in your bag from Salou really couldn't compare to bringing back say, an AEG. Imagine the faces on the xray team as it wen't by! Somehow I dont think it would get through without hassle. Even if it is legal.

If you declared it on the other hand It would be different. Although, I do remember reading a story on a forum (May have been ASI? I can't remember) Where an airsoft player declared his equipment yet was still met by the Police force as he arrived at his destination.

I really don't know to be honest. Perfectly legal yet I could see it leading to a pretty big misunderstanding if anything went wrong.

Rew

MaxForce wrote:

EDIT: Do they xray your bags going into the airport over there or how do they work it?

Frankfurt x-ray hold luggage before the check-in desk. In the US I think all hold luggage gets x-rayed beind the sceans.

I had a bag with 2 big square electronic items and when I got home I had a note in my bag from them explaining that it had been opend and searched.

I brought a rifle case back through Washington and I had to have it specially screened (and swabbed for explosives). I stood over that search and they put the same note in to the case. Flight came through Heathrow then on to Dub and when I got home the note was gone so the Brits opened it as well I'd say.

In saying all that they must be familiar with airsoft and people bring them back.

Colin Mac

I brought back a replica grenade and an airsoft pistol a few years bag from the Canaries in my main baggage. I could be wrong but I don't believe main baggage gets x-rayed, I think they only use sniffer dogs for drugs and explosives.

Rew

Trans-Atlantic is very differant from the Canaries and as I said, in Fankfurt all hold luggage is x-rayed before you can even check in. Frankfurt and Heathrow are the tighest iv seen, I got searched about 4 times in frnakfurt and had all my bags x-rayed multiple times. Heathrow I wen through a full body x-ray.

I dont shoot the week before I travel so that I dont set off any alrams :P

whupass

full body x-ray? woooooow dude, sci-fi!!!

Evolute

All luggage is scanned in every country before it is put on a plane or else you could put a bomb in it and then not get on the plane although being greeted by police at your destination would be a pain because most of irelands police force sont even know they are legal.

Rew

whupass wrote:

full body x-ray? woooooow dude, sci-fi!!!

Very like Total Recall, dosnt leave alot to the imagination:

o1s1n

Rew wrote:

Very like Total Recall, dosnt leave alot to the imagination:

Jesus!!

CrazyRabbit

o1s1n wrote:

Jesus!!

No, Jesus was male. The above x-ray is of a female. I'll sit down with you and explain the difference at the next airsoft game.

o1s1n

CrazyRabbit wrote:

No, Jesus was male. The above x-ray is of a female. I'll sit down with you and explain the difference at the next airsoft game.

Damn, I really thought I had him that time.

MaxForce

o1s1n wrote:

Bringing a cheap springer back in your bag from Salou really couldn't compare to bringing back say, an AEG. Imagine the faces on the xray team as it wen't by! Somehow I dont think it would get through without hassle. Even if it is legal.

If you declared it on the other hand It would be different. Although, I do remember reading a story on a forum (May have been ASI? I can't remember) Where an airsoft player declared his equipment yet was still met by the Police force as he arrived at his destination.

I really don't know to be honest. Perfectly legal yet I could see it leading to a pretty big misunderstanding if anything went wrong.

It wasnt a springer it was an LPEG lower end AEG but still realistic looking enough.

NakedDex

If you let them know you're carrying a replica, not just customs but security too, you can bring one on legally. People are allowed bring whatever they want on-board (within reason obviously) including actual firearms as long as security know about them and they are stowed properly in appropriate casing. If you bring an AEG back in it's box it'll probably go a long way to helping you with a smooth passage when you tell security that you're carrying something that looks like a threatening weapon.

However, I've been made aware of Frankfurt security before so unless you call ahead to the security desk I don't know how you'd let them know pre-xray.

MaxForce

I know this is an old one revisited but has anyone recently tried bringing an AEG or GBB back from Egypt or other holiday destination. I am going on holidays there on Sunday and the selection of Airsoft stuff available over there is supposed to be incredible.

kdouglas

didnt think egypt would be a big place for airsoft stuff, but i'd imagine the usual rules apply, stick it in your suitcase, declare it if necessary etc... carry documentation to state that they are legal in ireland and that the power of them is under 1 joule. not sure on what the law in egypt is about taking them out of the country though...



Edit: Extremely sad, i know, but has to be said: woot, my post count is 1337

whupass

1337?

kdouglas

whupass wrote:

1337?

bah, you kids... ye know nothing of the ways of the h4x0r

linky

liamo333

Whupass youve PM.

kdouglas

wow, i think we've reached new highs (lows?) in off-topic'edness

liamo333

Lol :d

o1s1n

whupass wrote:

1337?

ZOMG STFU NOOB.

kdouglas

ZOMG I AM 1337, I WILLZ PWN Y0U F00lZORZ!

o1s1n

....so importing airsoft then yeah?

kdouglas

yes, indeed....

Actually, semi-on-topic: anyone been to vipershop in downpatrick and "imported" anything back across the border yet?

Shiva

kdouglas wrote:

yes, indeed....

Actually, semi-on-topic: anyone been to vipershop in downpatrick and "imported" anything back across the border yet?

Yes. On Wednesday, but I didnt buy anything with a muzzle velocity from them
I was meeting Gunney Logan from ASI to pay him for an M15, and since I was meeting him in Downpatrick I popped into Vipershop for a looksee.

I bought a couple of bits n pieces of mismatched camo to tide me over until I can get something from Flecktarn or somwhere. I was going to write a quick review / note for here yesterday, but work overtook me

As an aside...I met GL in the car park of the local government offices up there, and it occurred to us both as we were swapping cash for the M15.....imagine trying that a few years ago ?
We'd have had a couple of Landrovers and Lynx's bearing down on us, and be lying facedown with our hands behind our heads within seconds

kdouglas

Shiva wrote:

Yes. On Wednesday, but I didnt buy anything with a muzzle velocity from them
I was meeting Gunney Logan from ASI to pay him for an M15, and since I was meeting him in Downpatrick I popped into Vipershop for a looksee.

I bought a couple of bits n pieces of mismatched camo to tide me over until I can get something from Flecktarn or somwhere. I was going to write a quick review / note for here yesterday, but work overtook me

Cool, was thinking of heading up in a week or two and having a look around

Shiva wrote:

As an aside...I met GL in the car park of the local government offices up there, and it occurred to us both as we were swapping cash for the M15.....imagine trying that a few years ago ?
We'd have had a couple of Landrovers and Lynx's bearing down on us, and be lying facedown with our hands behind our heads within seconds

indeed, you would

Shiva

kdouglas wrote:

Cool, was thinking of heading up in a week or two and having a look around

Honestly, unless you call ahead and make sure they have what you want in stock, I wouldn't bother - its a long drive.

True, it was a bit of a novelty walking into a small shop and seeing a few AEG's laid out on shelves and hanging on the wall - some CA M4's and MP5's. There was also a boltie of some description too, and a few cheapy clones.

Its a small place. When you first walk in, theres a couple of mannequins in camo, with assault vests. (Theres a nice little Viper vest for £30 I was going to get, which would have made a nice starter vest - I'm sorry now I didnt get it).

In the center of the main floor, theres a small rack with camo tee shirts and small sized shirts. Theres a display of caps and boots against the right hand wall, and a door leading into a small secondary showroom where the AEG's are laid out. Opposite the boots and caps there's shelving for small items like BB loaders, spare mags etc. Theres also a nice little display of about 6 or 7 scopes of various designs and sizes. Behind the counter, theres a range of upgrade accessories - springs, gears, pistons etc, and what looked like a few springer pistols.

The AEG room off the main sales are is a narrow room, like a short hallway.
There are wooden display shelves on the right hand wall, with the AEG's on display from about 3 feet up. Under the AEG's theres a range of camo gear - mainly British S95 and US M65, and some flecktarn I think, but I'm no expert at recognising the different patterns.

There isn't a huge range of camo - I got an S95 shirt and M65 pants because they didn't have a matching set that would fit me. I should be able to get the M65 shirt or S95 pants from eBay or Flecktarn.co.uk if I need to though, so its no biggie. Prices were ok....30 for the pants, 15 for the shirt - both in excellent condition. I probably could have gotten them slightly cheaper on the 'net, but I'd rather pay an extra couple of quid and be sure something fits, so I didn't mind the extra.

Prices for the AEG's seem a bit hefty, because we're used to looking at the likes of eHobby and Rsov, but I'd say they're comparable to most UK retailers and sites.

Overall impression - Its a nice spot to drop in and have a browse around if you live nearby, but I wouldn't make the trip just to browse. If you go up, don't expect to walk into an Airsoft superstore - they don't carry a huge range, so its best to make sure they have what you're looking for beforehand if you're traveling up from the South with the intention of buying. Having said that....its a new venture, and its nice to have a retail store in Ireland - If its managed properly, it will probably take off, and in the future they'd be able to increase their sales floor space and their range of stock if they wanted to. Finally...they don't take credit or debit cards, so if you're going to buy, make sure you have cash - there's a Texaco garage with an ATM on the corner outside the office park. I didn't ask if they'd take Euros.

kdouglas

cool, that's a nice little review (might be worth sticking in this month's IAA newsletter?) thought they might have a few more AEGs on display and such, but I guess not, might not bother going up just for that, but if i'm up in predator or if the plan goes ahead to go to foxtrot58 then a minor detour wouldnt be too much of a problem (although im not sure how far a drive from predator to downpatrick is)

MaxForce

MaxForce wrote:

I know this is an old one revisited but has anyone recently tried bringing an AEG or GBB back from Egypt or other holiday destination. I am going on holidays there on Sunday and the selection of Airsoft stuff available over there is supposed to be incredible.

Well there were was nothing Airsoft related in Egypt. At least in the place I went to. I was dissapointed to say the least. Security was very tight there. On entry to the Airport on my homeward flight all my baggage was xrayed and my carry on luggage was screened again at passport control. There werent even swords or knives in any on the gift shops.