Diana 35 import story

[Hunter]

This will shortly earn the title"Longest Post On Imports"...

[shahid]

Don't forget, a couple of other issues were also discussed along with the import issue here.

[penpusher]

This story is not about the import of an air rifle but rather a ham handed attempt at an import of one.Also a perfect example of how to piss off people.

It is also in complete contrast to the experience of other members who have successfully imported air rifles/pistols both in personal baggage and through post.

I hope that those wishing to import air rifles/pistols would be guided by the experience of these members.Also I hope that they do not do something like this themselves as it makes it more difficult for others who wish to import air guns subsequently.

Please go ahead and import air guns as per the govt. notification.It is allowed by the govt. which wishes to see more Indians taking up the sport and hopefully winning medals for th country.Please don't abuse it to make a quick buck.This is what partly lead to the ban on the import of firearms in the first place.

Hopefully in the near future the govt. will allow the import of firearms to law abiding citizens of the country.

penpusher

[shahid]

There was no ham handed approach and no attempt to piss off anybody.

Perhaps the Customs guys did not have full information. No problem with that. Shooting sports is not very popular or well known in India today but reverses will take place.

The thread is merely to relate my personal experience to other IFG members / visitors.

I would be the happiest person if no other Indian citizen faces such problems in the future. Particularly people who do not live in cities which are International travel gateways.

In the end I have done what was demanded by the Customs officials.

If the Diana 35 Rifle is still there ( not disposed already ) I foresee no difficulties in releasing it with the due production of State Rifle Association membership card.

For the benefit of all Abhijeet is trying to get accurate information about the exact import laws prevailing as of date. He will post his findings here for the knowledge of all IFG members.

[penpusher]

Customs officials are given a handbook with all the relevant notifications including the most recent ones.

You landed up here and gave the customs officials a notification covering the import of air guns by members of shooting clubs/associations and then created a ruckus when you were asked to produce membership card of one and failed to do so.Even if you have subsequently become member of a shooting club,it would not cover import of an air gun when you were not.

Throwing your weight around,telling the customs official how to do his work by pointing out the notification he should be aware off and then how it should be interpreted,taking names to overawe him are all a sure shot way of pissing him off.

BTW customs officials get a fairly good idea of who is bringing in a air gun for his own personal use and who is doing this only for profit and their attitude varies accordingly.

penpusher

[shahid]

Very interesting. Can you please enlighten us how the Custom Officials generate such good ideas as to who is importing for personal use and who for generating profits ?

The handbook in the custom officials office had exactly the same text and nothing else other than what was discussed above already in this thread.

I am not argueing on anything. I am not aware of any Air rifle import law besides the piece of paper downloaded from IFG, exactly the same viewed on some websites and the same found in the Custom Tariff guide book.

All other things, if any happened a good two weeks after the rifle was siezed.

[dev]

If you import an air rifle or pistol in the .177 bore that looks even remotely like a target pistol or rifle, the customs guys become nice and warm all over. In fact they want to know whether you are aiming for the next international shooting event. I will still say that if you are humble and polite and have your paper work at hand they are very nice, they want to know whether you know Yashpal Rana and the other famous shooters. Your mileage may vary depending on how you handle things but I only have positive things to say. Anyway I did genuinely try to win two air pistol tourneys and so I had the participation certs.
The fact that I didn't get a position didn't change them into trolls. IMHO if you are genuine so are they, push the wrong buttons and they'll dish out the character building stuff that you need to evolve as a soul.

Dev

[shahid]

Paper work - Which paper work ? Please clarify. It pertains to which documents.

Looks like a target rifle - Does that imply a specific target model air rifle. Of course this looks very different. A Diana 35 is very much a plinking and general shooting rifle, no serious target rifle.

Does a custom guy actually demand production of tournament participation record, certifactes etc. ?

[dev]

The paper is actually what you had about air rifles being allowed in the open general category. Secondly any documents that may help to establish the fact that you are indeed a shooter. If you go strictly according to the law then it talks about members of state rifle associations. The .177 is allowed by post so that budding shooters i.e. ISSF style ones will procure the equipment required for their sport. So that the country benefits from another crack shot. The idea is to encourage the competitive shooting sport not plinking.
Granted that the Diana 35 does not look like a target rifle. But if you had a Co2 or a compressed air rifle in .177 bore maybe things would have been smoother for you. Please note these are just my theories based on what I have seen.
The customs guy in my case first inspected the rifle and then he went to look for any precedent that may be there as he confessed that he wasn't sure about the rules. So he went through some files where he checked the documents that had been presented.
In that file we found a state level shooter's request to import an air pistol, the letter was stamped by a senior person at the NRAI. Then he also found the details of my IZH Baikal 46 M pistol import, duties paid etc.
After which he read the rules about the duties and proceeded. So since we want the air pistol or rifle its up to us to make things easier for them by having as much documentation as possible.


Dev

[shahid]

The paper is actually what you had about air rifles being allowed in the open general category. Secondly any documents that may help to establish the fact that you are indeed a shooter. If you go strictly according to the law then it talks about members of state rifle associations. The .177 is allowed by post so that budding shooters i.e. ISSF style ones will procure the equipment required for their sport. So that the country benefits from another crack shot. The idea is to encourage the competitive shooting sport not plinking.
Granted that the Diana 35 does not look like a target rifle. But if you had a Co2 or a compressed air rifle in .177 bore maybe things would have been smoother for you. Please note these are just my theories based on what I have seen.
The customs guy in my case first inspected the rifle and then he went to look for any precedent that may be there as he confessed that he wasn't sure about the rules. So he went through some files where he checked the documents that had been presented.
In that file we found a state level shooter's request to import an air pistol, the letter was stamped by a senior person at the NRAI. Then he also found the details of my IZH Baikal 46 M pistol import, duties paid etc.
After which he read the rules about the duties and proceeded. So since we want the air pistol or rifle its up to us to make things easier for them by having as much documentation as possible.


Dev

He went through the files - Was that your file ? Are you the person in question here ?

Which was the rifle model being imported ?

[dev]

Yes it was a file with the details of the IZH baikal 46 M that I had imported. The rifle I got last year was the mac1airgun tuned QB 78 IN .177. I plan to get a peep sight for it and try it out for ten meter.

Regards,

Dev

[shahid]

The NRAI letter you had obviously established you as a shooter. Thats perfect, plus your participitation certificates and the very fact that the Air RIfles were of .177 calibre.

By the way how's this Baikal AIr Rifle shoot ? Can you post some pictures of it please ?

[Olly]

Its a sleek recoilless queen... just shot it yesterday...

[Mack The Knife]

Its a sleek recoilless queen...

And how very apt!

(Private joke. Please ignore.)

[dev]

The NRAI letter you had obviously established you as a shooter. Thats perfect, plus your participitation certificates and the very fact that the Air RIfles were of .177 calibre.

By the way how's this Baikal AIr Rifle shoot ? Can you post some pictures of it please ?

Hi Shaid Bhai,

Actually the Baikal was an air pistol and the rifle is a Qb 78 which I plan to try out at ten meter comps. I had posted pics earlier but I will try to find them for you currently it is stripped as I am changing the barrel and bolt back to .177.

And Mack The Knife yes the joke was very valid. Anupam just can't help himself. Blasted darling...once a darling...

Dev