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Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:00 pm
by Dark Skies
During one of my trips to the States I became aware of a specialist who takes brand new Italian BP revolvers and reworks them to be very slick, easily accept conical bullets, and restamps the barrel from .44 to .45 and then refinishes frame and the bluing to a very high standard. The reason he restamps the barrel is because in America they like to hunt with such things and often-times local legislation requires a minimum calibre of .45 for hunting. And, as most peeps are aware, Italian .44 revolvers project a ball of .451 upwards so, as my Italian girlfriend was fond of saying, "it's not a lie, just making the truth sound better."
My question is if I were to bring one back home with me in my checked luggage, obviously observing all the legal requirements / paperwork and import rules / duties ... would this come unstuck legally as I have a .45 slot and really quite fancy one of these reworked revolvers?
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:05 pm
by BamBam
An interesting one as BP revolvers don't require a FFL in the states, classed as curio and relic IIRC.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 5:35 pm
by Alpha1
If you brought it into the UK would it not have to be proofed. In essence you are importing a firearm into the Uk.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:46 pm
by Dark Skies
Alpha1 wrote:If you brought it into the UK would it not have to be proofed. In essence you are importing a firearm into the Uk.
Britain accepts the proof standards of all C.I.P member countries, of which Italy is. It would only become a problem if I intended to sell it on later.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:56 pm
by Andy632
I have a friend who personally imported a Le-mat BP pistol. no issues either side of the pond.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:14 pm
by Dark Skies
Andy632 wrote:I have a friend who personally imported a Le-mat BP pistol. no issues either side of the pond.
I'd be very interested to know what paperwork notifications he required to make that happen.
I'm pretty squared away on the UK side. And getting the revolver shipped to my address in the States isn't an issue. It's the bit at the airport that I have trouble getting firm info on. Notify the airline 72 hours in advance. Secure case with TSA lock and placed as checked baggage. But what paperwork and notification is required? If any?
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 7:21 am
by Mattnall
Alpha1 wrote:If you brought it into the UK would it not have to be proofed. In essence you are importing a firearm into the Uk.
No, only if you wish to transfer it on at a later time.
You do need to inform the proof house though.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 5:18 pm
by Andy632
Dark Skies wrote:Andy632 wrote:I have a friend who personally imported a Le-mat BP pistol. no issues either side of the pond.
I'd be very interested to know what paperwork notifications he required to make that happen.
I'm pretty squared away on the UK side. And getting the revolver shipped to my address in the States isn't an issue. It's the bit at the airport that I have trouble getting firm info on. Notify the airline 72 hours in advance. Secure case with TSA lock and placed as checked baggage. But what paperwork and notification is required? If any?
I'll check with him. AFAIK all he did was inform the airline, put it in an approved transit case, enter it on his FAC, inform Customs when he arrived in the UK & inform plod within 7 days of him being back in blighty.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 5:20 pm
by Andy632
Mattnall wrote:Alpha1 wrote:If you brought it into the UK would it not have to be proofed. In essence you are importing a firearm into the Uk.
No, only if you wish to transfer it on at a later time.
You do need to inform the proof house though.
Where did that come from?? Never heard of it before.
Re: Legality of restamping barrel calibre?
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 5:49 pm
by Dark Skies
Andy632 wrote:Mattnall wrote:Alpha1 wrote:If you brought it into the UK would it not have to be proofed. In essence you are importing a firearm into the Uk.
No, only if you wish to transfer it on at a later time.
You do need to inform the proof house though.
Where did that come from?? Never heard of it before.
I've never heard of it before either. As far as I'm aware it's fine to import and use a firearm for your own use if it has a recognized C.I.P country proof mark. It's only required to have a British proofing if you intend to sell the firearm on (or give / lend perhaps as well). Not an issue for me. I virtually never sell guns - unless they're absolute pants or overwhelmingly boring.