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Bringing an airsoft or bb gun home from the states

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  • 13-09-2014 6:17pm
    #1
    SlipperyPeople
    Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭


    Hi guys,

    Just wondering if there's any trouble bringing home an airsoft or bb gun in checked in baggage from the US.

    Currently in Texas and would love to bring one home as a present for the oul fella.


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    #2
    Lemming
    Registered Users Posts: 14,148 ✭✭✭✭Lemming


    hungoverbunny wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Just wondering if there's any trouble bringing home an airsoft or bb gun in checked in baggage from the US.

    Currently in Texas and would love to bring one home as a present for the oul fella.

    An airsoft gun is not a bb gun. A bb gun is actually a firearm named after the gauge (of which there are three different types) of shot it fires, namely "bb".

    If you are wanting to bring back an airsoft gun - ie. NOT a bb gun - it needs to be firing under 1 joule to satisfy Irish law. In practical terms that means firing a .2g bb at under 328 feet per second. Then you need to notify the airline and it will need to be in a secure case; your suitcase with an itty bitty padlock on the zips does not count. You'll also have to pay for extra baggage - typically "sports baggage" charges, assuming that the airline will indeed take it (most do, but you need to check the smalll print). Irish customs may or may not want to hold the gun for testing depending on the day unless you know your legal stuff and you may end up not seeing it for months on end if that situation arises.

    Unless it's some rare, once-in-a-lifetime offer or something incredibly specific that you cannot find anywhere else (highly unlikely), and for all the above effort dealing with airlines, airport security, customs and the like (some of whom will not have a clue what they're doing with airsoft guns by the way ... ), you can walk into a shop in Ireland and buy one.

    If you are absolutely dead set on buying one in Texas, you'd be better off having it downgraded to satisfy the 1j limit and then have it posted by the retailer. And even then you'll still run into Irish customs.


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    #3
    Faolchu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Faolchu


    if its not a rare one off AEG then maybe speak to your local retailer and see can theyimport it for you. at leats that way its going to be under the 1J limit.


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