Airgun import experiences - via personal baggage route

[soumithra.177]

gents thanking you all for informing me that you intend to bring air guns into India, i will alert my boys at the airport customs to meet with you all and please have your id cards and duty at hand.

For air rifle / pistol of .177 calhow much customs duty we have to pay. if the person is non member of any rifle club. or do they ask any thing more.
thank you.

[andy_65_in]

does one have to pay custom duty while importing an airirfle in this mode even if he is a member of a rifle club

[tiwariarrun]

Dear andy_65_in ,

You might have to pay 36% duty on total inv value. Duty exemption is only when you're importing your rifle thru post.

Thanks,
AT

[harsh94]

can one bring .22 air rifle as a part of ones personal baggage? Please guide us in detail.

[Sandy]

Hi, I am from Hyderabad.
I want to get a 0.177 caliber air pistol from US via personal baggage.
I contacted the customs office in Hyderabad. They said that the person who is bringing air soft gun should be a member of some rifle club. Otherwise, it would be confiscated.
In the rules posted by you guys in 2006, you said that the person need not be a member of any rifle club. Did the rules change after all the terrorist attack incidents? Or do the rules change from one airport to other?

[tiwariarrun]

Club membership is a MUST! and don't even think about .22 rifle. Carry duty exemption code copy original invoice with paid receipt + club ID. Otherwise forget it.

[SriramK]

So basically - you sit tight and get the stuff via post and pay exorbitant courier charges, or get it yourself and pay the customs the exorbitant charges, but you need a membership either way?

[Sandy]

Club membership is a MUST! and don't even think about .22 rifle. Carry duty exemption code copy original invoice with paid receipt + club ID. Otherwise forget it.

Ouch! That hurts...
Anyways, thanks man!

One more thing. Can we import a non working replica? I am thinking about a flintlock.

[tiwariarrun]

So basically - you sit tight and get the stuff via post and pay exorbitant courier charges, or get it yourself and pay the customs the exorbitant charges, but you need a membership either way?

Sriram, you need to carry Duty exemption code copy to claim waiver.

[Sandy]

You can import a non-working replica, but to cleat it from customs, you need the police noc stating that it's a replica, and it can't be converted into a real firearm. The noc should have the gun specification attached (a printout from the vendor/company website with pics).

Okay. But what about duty? As it is just a showpiece item, I suspect there shouldn't be any duty as well, right? As long as it's price doesn't exceed 25k...

[nagarifle]

when asking what are customs duties, one should in the first place ask the customs that question. as they can give the best and latest advice.

otherwise its like asking mack the knife how to do a brain surgery.

[Boomshiva]

Club membership is a MUST! and don't even think about .22 rifle. Carry duty exemption code copy original invoice with paid receipt + club ID. Otherwise forget it.

Hi, could you please clarify this, because it's completely contradictory to mundaire's thread, "Which airgun should I buy?". Here's what he has quoted: "
2. For anyone returning from overseas another option exists and that is to import an airgun as part of baggage. This route DOES NOT require one to be the member of a rifle club/ shooting association AND has NO restriction on calibre (so one can import a .22 cal airgun as well). For more details please see the thread Airgun import experiences - via personal baggage route

UPDATE: The government has completely waived off all import duties on airguns imported by members of shooting clubs/ rifle associations."

Since I'm planning to bring a .22 with me from Dubai, I would like some clarity please.

EDIT: Just went to the shops near Crawford Market to check out the Precihole, just in case I have trouble importing an airgun. Heard some disturbing news from all the shopkeepers that Customs are not allowing you to bring in ANY airguns or pellets, and only .177 if you're a registered "target shooter". Is any of this true, or just something they're saying to make my buy their guns instead?

[pratik_mahale]

I have no experience of importing any air rifle thought courier or personal baggage
If mundaire giving you 100% assurance that customs will clear your air rifle (.177 Or .22) after paying duties than you can go ahead & buy it
But personally I feel it not possible all of those who are bringing .22 cal air rifle in India have some kind of settings with the custom officers
May be I am wrong but its your money & your wish
Regarding Imported pellets two month back one of my friend brought 4 Tins of .177 pellets for me from USA without any problem & without any duties

[itsvivekpankaj]

Hello All,

I am Vivek and have faced big time issue with my airgun which is at the moment, confiscated at the IGI New Delhi Airport.

Am not sure where to start, the story is like - When I was in London, a year ago, while returning back I purchased HW 97K and HW40 PCA (both 0.177 cal). Everything was going smooth as I declared my AR to the airlines, till I landed IGI airport.
Custom asked for the papers and my mistake was - I was not having any sports club membership with me during that time. I was given the assurance that once I come back with my membership card, this item will be released without any custom duty. Later, I applied for my rifle club membership, got my card – all papers ready but during this time, I have to relocate to Bangalore. Last week, I visited IGI airport again with all my papers – surprise – the person in charge was on vacation and no one was available to clear the papers. I was told to come next week and since I have to fly back, it was told that If I authorize my friend/family members and send them with all papers, they will release the air gun. I was also told to check with CWC warehouse on the total charges incurred for so many days (which I was not even aware of earlier) When I visited that office, the people there first questioned me about the delay, the other person open some files and start calculating the charges – which comes to around 22K (from the day it was handed to them x daily rate x total weight of the goods, etc, etc) They open the almirah and showed me my air gun (wish I could just snatch and run away)
With all the assurance, and making my mind to pay that extra 22K for my airgun (still worth it), I asked my friend to visit the airport and get the airgun on my behalf.
Another chapter begins - Initially he faced issue with getting the gate-pass. Somehow, he managed to get the gate pass. When he checked with the custom officer there, they said that only one gun can be released as per the rule (neither me, nor my friend was aware about the rule that he was talking about).
I again condolence myself and ready to get at least one gun back. Now they asked us to pay 103% duty charge for the airgun. Well, I asked my friend to show them the DGFC notification for free import of 0.177 cal. Gun (DGFT Notification No-12/2005 dated 04.07.2005). But then those people where not ready to hear anything and they said that that notice with Exim code - 93040000 is for importing air gun via cargo and not for personal baggage  They said that many people like us come every day with these kind of papers and when they tell the rules, everyone has to pay duty charges, be it any shooters or state champion. With many requests and every attempt, my friend was not able to convince these people and have to returned empty handed as they were not ready to listen to anything. They were asking to either pay the import duty + the warehouse charges, or to forget the airgun

Now I am losing the hope of getting my airgun out from these people hand. From this group, I would like to know, is DGFT notification really for cargo and not valid for baggage?
Also, can there be any other supporting document with which I can fight back or if I did any mistake (I know, initially I have to carry the sports membership) afterwards, for which I have to forget about getting my airgun back from custom. Is there any other way of getting this matter escalated and getting it resolved in my favor?
A help here is much appreciated
Thanks in advance!
Vivek

[tiwariarrun]

Also, how could you get the air guns without researching about it. You're at a major fault, my friend.