Georgia Boy

Hello,

I'm in the process of emigrating to the USA. I'm a keen shotgun and rifle shooter. I'm wondering how difficult or easy it is to take these with me when I emigrate. They are sporting shotguns and sporting bolt action rifles and as they are legal to possess in the UK will be no issue with USA gun laws. As they are personal possessions I don't need an export licence to ship them out of the UK but my question is what is involved in entering the USA on an immigrant visa with them.

Has anyone done this and have some advice to pass on?

The other option would be to sell them in the U.K. and buy again in the USA, but I'd rather avoid the financial loss I would incur on this route.

scrubbedexpat099

Are you flying into the State you will be residing in and assuming so which State?

To keep things complicated every State has its own rules and flying into DIA should not be an issue but elsewhere do not know. Some ammo seems to be getting hard to find.

tom169

Are you sure you'll incur a loss by selling and purchasing again in the USA? Generally firearms are far more expensive in the UK. Unless there was some big sentimental attachment that's the path I'd take.

civilservant

You clearly have no idea here. While they may not be illegal, you cannot just waltz in with them like the ATF won't care.

Anyway. You cannot import firearms yourself, it must go through a dealer with a Federal Firearms License - basically because you still have to have your ATF NIC check to clear you to own a firearm. Best to contact one in your local area you will be moving too and see if they have experience with importing - they will charge a fee no doubt. They will have to be shipped of course.

I agree with Tom above, better to sell and repurchase.

If you care to look, there's a whole 104 page handbook here that the ATF produce that will tell you the rules and regulations:

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/gu...s-war/download

Georgia Boy

Thanks for your response​​​​​. I'd be moving to Georgia, if that helps. I wouldn't be complicating the issue any further by trying to bring in any ammo, or powder or primers.

Georgia Boy

Thanks. That's what I might end up doing. Hardware is cheaper in the US especially if sticking to American brands and American made hardware. I have a couple of rifles that I'd hate to see go, but may have to face up to that.

civilservant

Oh and to note, the only way you can carry a long gun in GA legally without a Georgia Weapons Carry License is to do so openly. You cannot conceal it in any way (such as putting a towel or something else over it while in a vehicle) You can conceal them if they are completely unloaded.

The GWCL is simple to get, and GA is a 'shall issue' state, but it usually takes 6 weeks or so for the FBI check to come back.

I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with GA weapons law before you arrive

Georgia Boy

Yes I realise I just can't turn up with them at my point of entry and that I'd have to have them sent from the UK by an RFD to an FFL while I'm (hopefully) cleared through my ATF NIC check. A further complication is I use moderators (supressors) on my rifles (very common in the UK not so much in the US) so would need to pay the $200 tax stamp (Georgia) on each of these if I were to bring them over, again assuming these would be approved by ATF.

Thanks for the ATF documentation by the way.

tom169

I was going to mention the suppressors issue. Relatively trivial to legally acquire in the UK, but that tax stamp here will take a long time.

scrubbedexpat099

It can be done, I know somebody who did it to Colorado.

Not familiar with Georgia, do you know a FFL?

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/import-...fense-articles The official source to get them into the country, might take a few months.

civilservant

I don't think you can legally import suppressors. I believe they can only be supplied to dealers as samples, and as such an individual cannot buy them.

Georgia Boy

Thanks for the advice. Is the GWCL the same as a Concealed Carry Permit or are they different things. I would want to carry my shotguns / rifles in a covered and secure way (we have to by law here in the U.K. that's what I am used to) so I would want to apply for a GWCL.

Yep familiarising my self with the GA gun laws is one of the things on my long and getting longer things to check out.

Georgia Boy

Thanks, good to know. The supressors might be being sold before I leave as they sound like just too much hassle.

Georgia Boy

Thanks, yep the supressors look like to much hassle and I doubt they'll be making the trip.

scrubbedexpat099

Just noticed your user name duh, bit of a give away.

US is weird about suppressors you need a special Federal license, can be done but not cheap, my recollection is that the UK encourages them for obvious reasons.