SpudFiles

In 2007 I visited the West Coast and some of you may remember I brought a crap load of spudgun parts and whatnot back through customs. This time i'm going to Boston, NY and D.C. I'll be bringing a few bits and pieces back but what I really want to bring back is some nice airsoft guns or maybe an air rifle.

In NZ legally I can own an air rifle because I am 18 but I understand there are some restrictions in NY city, NY state and D.C.

So I have two questions:

1: Can I buy an air rifle/gun in Boston, NY or D.C?
2: Can I bring these back through customs (flying out of D.C and transfer at L.A)?

Cheers.

Is it really so hard for you to get those things where you are from? Sorry what I do know about that part of the country is that they are very scared of anything that moves a projectile. They give up a lot so they can feel safe, can't even buy good fireworks there.

Most likely I would check in the less populated areas of new york. What kind of airgun/bb gun do you want? Unless you are spending a few hundred dollars on a nice one they aren't that impressive.

Sorry I don't know about the customs thing. If you can't, mail it to yourself the day you leave.

Is it really so hard for you to get those things where you are from?

Na just pretty expensive.

Thanks for the reply anyway.

You picked a couple of the worst places in the country. Your best bet will be to go down into Virginia from DC and purchase your heart out....then have it all shipped to NZ. Mass. is not at all gun friendly...Northern and Central NY is somewhat easier...NYC will be a problem.

It's not necessarily that you won't be able to check some of it on the airplane....it's just going to be a major hassle, maybe impossible at those particular airports.

If I may ask, why are you visiting those particular cities. I can understand NYC and DC from a total tourist perspective....Boston is completely skippable. Understand though the vast majority of Americans don't live in any of these environments. The particular American experience there is pretty skewed....same if you were to drop into Las Vegas for your first trip here.

Otherwise, have a great trip.

Hmm maybe I pick up a nice full metal BB air pistol and post it home...not sure how much they run for over there but a nice airsoft Luger is about $350USD here (full metal, gas blowback).

Can always pick up a cheap Gamo for about $200NZD or so here I guess.

MrCrowley wrote:Can I bring these back through customs (flying out of D.C and transfer at L.A)

That's probably more of a question for the NZ government. You could probably find an e-mail address and ask about the legal implications (and possibly, the complications).

Bear in mind, if you're carrying it as luggage, there's no import/export. If you post it to yourself, you shouldn't be too surprised if the Govt. bolt on a hefty import tax. At least, that's the way it would be if shipping something into the UK that way (and yes, even if you're posting it to yourself...).
Not sure about NZ, but I'd at least check first, otherwise your "cheap" purchases might suddenly have a hefty extra cost whacked on top.

starman wrote:If I may ask, why are you visiting those particular cities. I can understand NYC and DC from a total tourist perspective....Boston is completely skippable.

What exactly is wrong with shipping up to Boston?

That's probably more of a question for the NZ government.

Think I should be good then, but will send emails regardless.

If I may ask, why are you visiting those particular cities. I can understand NYC and DC from a total tourist perspective....Boston is completely skippable. Understand though the vast majority of Americans don't live in any of these environments. The particular American experience there is pretty skewed....same if you were to drop into Las Vegas for your first trip here.

Ask my parents. I wanted to go to Europe to see some friends, but hey, free trip to America. I'm not so keen on Boston either, no offence to any residents there, but I'm just not as interested in it as D.C or NYC and it doesn't have anything really that stands out for me.

Went to Las Vegas on my first trip
But I know what you mean. We did see Californian life, as we did a lot of driving and stopped at several big towns (and small ones in the middle of deserts, which I wish we never stopped at). But I don't see me travelling anywhere else in America except for where I've already been and where I'm about to go unless it was for work.

To be honest it would be hard to get the full American experience. It's not like NZ where you can visit one big city and one small town, or Australia where you can visit one big city and the outback. With America, you'd have to do a lot of travelling I would imagine.

Again, no offence to those who don't live in the cities i've visited or will visit, i'm just more of a Europe kind of guy. I like the culture and lifestyle, plus I studied German for 3 years and have a bunch of friends there.

If you ship things home as a gift, (check the box on the customs paper work) it will greatly reduce tarrif tax if not elimminate it all together. Hey as your leaving Boston yell out booooo red sox, then run for your lives, heheheee...

jrrdw wrote:If you ship things home as a gift, it will greatly reduce tarrif tax if not eliminate it all together.

Reduce (usually on a lesser rate or higher boundary), but I wouldn't count on it being zero on anything of that value.

Of course, you could just be less than truthful about the value of the parcel, but that could get you into an interesting kind of trouble.

Any kind of receipt, whether authentic or otherwise, is 'proof' of price. If you 'bought it at a yardsale', a handwritten receipt would work along with a ridiculously low price....

Just sayin'....



You need to come visit the Smokie Mountains. We'll show you a good time.

If you are worried about customs, you could try flying out of BWI in Maryland, but that could be a bigger cost/hassle than just shipping it to yourself. Either way, it may be easier to purchase one in Maryland. I live in a slightly rural part of Maryland, but most of the time when I buy stuff like that they don't even ask for I.D.

Yeah unfortunately we have no times for detours. We're only there for about 14 days in total and we already have everything planned for each day (yeah, i'm in one of those familys. Great, huh? ).

potatoflinger wrote:If you are worried about customs, you could try flying out of BWI in Maryland, but that could be a bigger cost/hassle than just shipping it to yourself. Either way, it may be easier to purchase one in Maryland. I live in a slightly rural part of Maryland, but most of the time when I buy stuff like that they don't even ask for I.D.

We should get together and slide down to Chase where the Amtrak goes through and put up a sign saying " HEY MRC, YOU JUST PASSED US BY!". Wouldn't that be funny.

All though a trespass charge would kinda suck, Amtrak is always busting kids on dirt bikes for riding a long the rail ways, there's no real places to ride in those area's, Chase, Middle River, Essex, Golden Ring...

It is illegal to posses or use an airsoft gun or air rifle in philadelphia, dc, new york city and all of its boroughs, and baltimore also. You could go driving out on the eastern shore of virginia near me or the delmarva penninsula and buy loads of cheap bb guns. If you want high quality airsoft guns, then go to airsoft atlanta or nashville airsoft.

Mr.Sandman wrote:It is illegal to posses or use an airsoft gun or air rifle in philadelphia, dc, new york city and all of its boroughs, and baltimore also. You could go driving out on the eastern shore of virginia near me or the delmarva penninsula and buy loads of cheap bb guns. If you want high quality airsoft guns, then go to airsoft atlanta or nashville airsoft.

So I wont be able to bring one back through the airport in D.C?