importing a bullet belt

Nodferatu

Im looking to buy a bullet belt thats on ebay located in england. Their silver plated nickel and the disclaimer from shop says their inert. Wondering if customs will confiscate them or will i have any problem importing them into the country!?I know army surplus stores sell them but theyre generally rusty copper ones. Any help appreciated.

Witcher

If they're imitation..plastic or thin aluminium or something that was never designed to be fired you would be fine.

If it's an actual piece of pre-fired brass that has been drilled it's illegal to possess unless you have a licence for the calibre. Brass is counted as a round of ammunition here.

kowloon

To do it properly you need an authorisation from your district superintendent and the belt would have to be imported by a registered firearms dealer. It's not worth the hassle if you're just buying one thing. There used to be a few shops off Capel St. that sold inert rounds and the likes, not sure if they still do, but technically they were breaking the law.

If the rounds were drill rounds (dummy rounds) they were never designed to be fired and would be okay.

Nodferatu

well im not going to buy a licence to import something.
its genuine M60 308 Caliber, The shell was once used but no longer has any gunpowder, or primer to make it inert. its fully nickel plated, so the tip is plated nickel also. is there any way around this? would a letter from the seller stating this do any good or am i wasting my time. tried googling for surplus stores ireland and any the websites i checked none of them have bullet belts.

kowloon

You don't have to pay for a licence if you get an authorisation, which is free. You would be looking for an authorisation under section 6 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990(I think, for me it covers the guns and the inert ammo). I doubt people actually bother to do it for inert rounds alone, but you would be breaking the law just getting them posted to you.

Nodferatu

kowloon wrote: »

You don't have to pay for a licence if you get an authorisation, which is free. You would be looking for an authorisation under section 6 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990(I think, for me it covers the guns and the inert ammo). I doubt people actually bother to do it for inert rounds alone, but you would be breaking the law just getting them posted to you.

If i was to find someone whom has a gun licence to 'import' this, using an garda letter of approval (if i got one) and any other customs import forms i need. would it still be illegal to import such large rounds. can anyone with a gun licence import any particular sized calibre with the right form? are items generally siezed at the uk side of customs or irish customs!?!to be honest if its this much hassle i think i'll just forget it!

kowloon

Nodferatu wrote: »

If i was to find someone whom has a gun licence to 'import' this, using an garda letter of approval (if i got one) and any other customs import forms i need. would it still be illegal to import such large rounds. can anyone with a gun licence import any particular sized calibre with the right form? to be honest if its this much hassle i think ill forget it.

A person with a licence for a .308 could buy them and legally import them, usually through a dealer, but you couldn't take them off their hands as you don't have Gardai permission to hold them.

It's a silly situation but I seem to remember someone being taken to court for collecting inert ammo although it was thrown out in the end.