European Firearms Passes

kiwijbob

I'm thinking of bringing my shotgun to Spain and Croatia in the
future and I'm trying to get my head around European
Firearms Passes, all I can get that is relevant from the
DOJ site is below. Is there a list of countries where the
European Firearms Pass is acceptable on it's own? I understand
in the Uk you need more, also what form does the application take?

also do the different airlines have current policies with regards to
carrying firearms?

European Firearms Passes

European Firearms Passes are obtained by individuals from the
Member State in which they are normally resident in (A person
normally resident in Ireland would obtain a European Firearms Pass
from the Superintendent of the district in which their firearm
certificate has been granted from).

kiwijbob

that's ryanair out then

Guns, firearms and weapons (including replica items),
paints, Christmas crackers, items with internal combustion
engines such as chainsaws, model aircraft, lawnmowers, etc.,
may not be carried in any baggage (whether checked or unchecked)

Be very careful if you are changing flights...

One of our guys got caught out by that.

kiwijbob

aerlingus seems ok then
(sorry if I'm duplicating posts, my search fiunction
dosn't seem to be working, search for European
Firearms Passes came up blank)

*Sports guns are carried only under the following conditions:

* Sport Guns are to be dismantled.
* Sports Guns when dismantled are carried only as checked baggage.
* Sport Guns, ammunition and cartridges must be packed separately from other baggage.
* Sport Guns, ammunition and cartridges must be available for inspection by security.
* Ammunition is limited to 5kg per passenger and must be packed in containers of Wood, metal, or fireboard with the contents protected against any movement.
* Subject to an extra charge for flights within Europe.

CJhaughey

I know that SAS airways allows firearms, but they have the strangest regulations, you have to open the case that the gun is in at the counter and show the check-in girl the gun, and cross check the serial # with the license.
A trifle offputting in a busy airport but I guess thems the ones that makes the rules.
The Hardcase will also have to go through the oversize baggage dept as well.
My advice is to get a Pelicase 1750 or something similarly robust as the baggage handlers will try and smash anything that looks like that.
Seriously! take as much care as you can packing the gun.

vcsggl

My experience is that most of the European airlines will permit guns to be carried as checked baggage but they almost all insist on a locked, metal - aluminium - carrying case i.e. the hard plastic cases that are perhaps the most common are not acceptable. Ammunition seems to be of far more concern than the gun and I think it's easier to buy ammunition in the country of destination. Once you have the EuroPass and a local certificate this presents no problem. The European Firearms Pass should be issued automatically on request by the relevant authority in the home country. In my case - travelling from UK to Ireland with either a shotgun or an air rifle, - I had to show the Pass to the Garda before they would issue the certificate i.e. you almost always need a certificate issued in the country of destination in addition to the EuroPass - you need the EuroPass to get the certificate so plan things well ahead. Interestingly with my air rifle the Garda asked that I put it on my Europass even though in the UK it is not necessary to have a licence for it and therefore technically it could not feature on a EuroPass- my local police were very obliging and put the rifle on the Europass and that made the Garda very happy!

My experience with the ferry companies as opposed to the airlines is that they are enormously variable. Norfolk lines - Liverpool Dublin/Belfast will only permit guns to be carried in the locked boot of a car i.e. you cannot carry a gun in a 4x4, estate car, pick-up truck etc. Stena and Irish Ferries seem more relaxed. With Irish Ferries - Holyhead - Dublin City - I have never been asked for the Europass or the UK or Irish Certificate. I've always informed the company in advance and at the checkin desk they've asked if I'm carrying the gun and said "OK then - go ahead" ! Interestingly the Garda have never questioned me at the port and neither have the UK police when returning.

I think the critical thing is to check with the particular airline, ferry operator well ahead and confirm at the time of booking rather than risk being turned back at the check in desk!

George

les45

With SAS they insist that the firearm is disassembled and in a "approved case"

mallards

Whats the story then if I live in the North and work in the South and want to bring my Gun with me from time to time to pop a few clays at the facilities near work. Does the firearms cert and euro pass last a year, 2 years?? Can I get it open that long? Do I have to have permission from one place to shoot down here but can shoot at other places as I wish or will they all have to be mentioned with specific dates I will be shooting etc????


Mallards.

Gerri

mallards wrote:

Whats the story then if I live in the North and work in the South and want to bring my Gun with me from time to time to pop a few clays at the facilities near work. Does the firearms cert and euro pass last a year, 2 years?? Can I get it open that long? Do I have to have permission from one place to shoot down here but can shoot at other places as I wish or will they all have to be mentioned with specific dates I will be shooting etc????


Mallards.

Simple! Ask the Gardai in the area you wish to shoot, better to get correct information from the people in charge of issuing licenses than possible misinformation from posters here. It is pretty straightforward but important to get info from the correct source (Gardai or PSNI).

thelurcher

Gerri - I bet the local Gardai won't have a clue about firearms fullstop let alone the Euro pass.
Always better to ask here first to help point them in the right direction :rolleyes:
Otherwise their first reaction will be along the lines of 'it can't be done'.

CJhaughey

I am afraid that that is the state of shooting sports in this country
WE have to get information from other shooters rather than from the people charged with administering the sport here...
Gerri, out of interest do you travel cross-border with your guns?
If so what procedure do you use?

les45

Mallard , to shoot in the South you apply to the local Station in the area you intend to shoot , ie if you are shooting F.Class in MNSI you apply in Tullamore , you send a copy of your PSNI FAC and the orginal Euro pass with the necessary fee and completed application form. Tullamore Station normally take 2 to 3 weeks for turnaround . Same applies in NI only major differance is that you need a sponsor .

Bananaman

Gerri - you is essence need a ROI license aswell - you need to apply to the station local to the range you intend to use (or land you intend ot hunt on) - pay the standard fee - remember they will be up in July and will need to be renewed - and get a license for a year for ROI.

mallards

Thanks Les45, Do you know how long it lasts. Would it permit me to shoot as and when I please down here for a year? Or is the permit just for say a certain date I apply for?

Thanks,

Mallards.

Gerri

CJhaughey wrote:

I am afraid that that is the state of shooting sports in this country
WE have to get information from other shooters rather than from the people charged with administering the sport here...
Gerri, out of interest do you travel cross-border with your guns?
If so what procedure do you use?

Easy, just got a PSNI firearms cert.Procedure I use is to put the firearms secured in my motor then drive to wherever I am going in Northern Ireland. Incidentally, no matter how we feel on an individual basis about the Gardai and whether or not information is sought from posters on boards.ie, at the end of the day nobody on boards has the authority to issue Firearms Certs ( unless they are a member of the Gardai or PSNI) so anyone seeking a European Pass or Firearms Cert is going to have to deal with Gardai or PSNI, so why not go there first and save time. Unless, of course, you happen to know a Garda or PSNI member who is prepared to accept that a civilian knows more about his job than he does.

Clare gunner

RE approved cases.The Pelibox type cases are now acceptable.But only those.They can be triple locked as well.
BTW if you are checking in and are travelling with firearms and you do get somone who wants to check details at check in.You can insist that this is done out of public view due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
I find it handier to ring ahead to the airport police and inform them of the details of the flight,etc and ask for a contact to meet me before I check in to inspect the gun,etc.It usually speeds things up dramatically.

My Best/Worst airlines to travel with firearms,from personal experiance,and close colleuges relatives.

Note,this is variable as well as to which intellectually ok/challenged ground/security personel you are dealing with.
Worst

Ryanair.
They will positvely ,absolutely NOT transport firearms !!!period!Thats head office policy,but then at the airports you get a "Vicky Pollard" answer [Yes,but no but yes,but maybe,but no] Best avoided.

Gulf Air
Disaster as an airline,disaster with firearms.Do a totally Anal attitude on security and make you feel like dirt.My cousin had the misfortune travelling Fra/SA with them,and had his rifle damaged in transit in a aluminium strong box.Gulf air accepted no responsibility on the matter. Not the only one there is usually a catalouge of complaints against Gulf in the shooting mags from around the world.Would rather walk.

Best
American Airlines. The NRA's flagship airline.And can well be understood,they make damn sure hunters,gunowners are well looked after on security checks etc.Unfortuneatly limited routes in the EU zone.

Lufthansa.
Again no big deal done with Germanic throughness and effiency.

cantona

Aer Lingus, KLM, and SAS - No problems.

China-Air - Very professional, all paperwork pre-filled-in and customer service agent to walk your firearm to plane

All above should be notified at booking(especially China-Air) or in advance of travel.