AirsoftStation.com and Canada

[chewy948]

Hey guys so my buddy ordered a gun from this site and he's really excited. He ordered an CYMA Ak 74u with some extra stuff. I told him that his order will most likley get siezed at the boarder. Am I right? There's no possiblility that a full steel AK-74u wll make it over the boarder!? Is there even a slim chance it could. If he doesn't get his gun is there ANYTHING he could do to get his money back?

[Kos-Mos]

Get age verified, all the answers will be there.

As far as you know, it will get seized and no there is no way to get the money back in this case (it's your fault for not knowing the laws, not the store that sold you the stuff).

[pusangani]

"my buddy" hehehe

[Crunchmeister]

Can you tell us WHY it wouldn't make it across the border? No, I didn't think so. And has nothing with it being a steel AK either.

Read... It's your friends.

Depending on factors, your "friend's" gun may or may not make it. And if it gets seized, you're boned. Plain and simple. The money is gone and you have no recourse.

[Grizzly0679]

shame on some of these websites which say "we ship to canada".

Personally, looking up the law did not originally come to mind because the initial thought is: "it's just for a game. why would it matter?"

It was merely through continuous browsing that I eventually came across something which hinted in the direction that I may want to verify the law. Can't remember the exact example, but I do remember being very close to purchasing from the U.S..

It's a play on words "we ship to Canada" because it's true, but that says nothing of whether it'll make it across the border.

edit: oh i remember the example now. The site said, "there's a 5-10% chance your gun will get seized...blah blah blah" and I remember wanting to know why it would get seized which led me obviously to understand the importation laws.

[djKail]

There is a moderate chance it will make it. I know people who have placed 3 - 4 orders for guns and had them shipped across the dreaded border. Everything made it no problem.

The import laws are changing and the CBSA is realizing that these are TOYS. Why you have to be age verified to read about the Canadian import laws is beyond me.

In the future, order from Canada. The new regulations are bringing down prices here.

[ap27]

Originally Posted by djKail

The import laws are changing and the CBSA is realizing that these are TOYS.

I'm not sure 'Toys' is the correct word here. They're labelled as firearms. Uncontrolled firearms, but still firearms. That's how the government/justice system will see them.

The US considers airsoft guns as toys. That's why they have the whole Orange Tip rule. Its also why ATF gets all anal about authentic trademarks on airsoft guns and why several M4 airsoft models are restricted there.

I actually think its better this way, since we don't have to deal with the whole orange tip and trademarks issue.

[pusangani]

I'd take a metal body gun w/ orange tip over a clear body with an evil black steel flash hider any day of the week

[ap27]

^Indeed! What I meant is that over here we can avoid the clearsoft stuff by following the firearm method. And because of the firearm classification we get a bonus of real trades and no orange tip.
Just realized, clearsoft guns would be classified as toys. Even if their velocity puts them in the Replica firearm range, they're not really replicas if they're clear plastic and look different from actual guns.

[Crunchmeister]

Originally Posted by ap27

^Indeed! What I meant is that over here we can avoid the clearsoft stuff by following the firearm method. And because of the firearm classification we get a bonus of real trades and no orange tip.
Just realized, clearsoft guns would be classified as toys. Even if their velocity puts them in the Replica firearm range, they're not really replicas if they're clear plastic and look different from actual guns.

Guns in the US aren't banned because of trademarks per se. Trademarked guns are banned because the majority of then are NOT licensed trademarks and are in violation of trademark laws. As long as the trademarks are legally licensed and the gun has an orange tip, it doesn't matter. Classic Army in the US have always had their trademarks, because they were legally llicensed by Armalite and B&T. Others like WE, JG, etc were not licensed so trademarks are illegal, hence blank receivers.

And the ATF went berzerk over a bunch of WE GBB rifles not because of trades, but because they claim they can be modified to fire live ammunition.

Our laws in Canada have absolutely no relation with trademarks. A 1:1 "replica" M4 shooting under 366 fps will be considered a replica regardless of whether it has trademarks, a blank receiver, or bogus "zombie hunter" trademarks.

[chewy948]

Well my friend told me recently that from his understanding it has already made it over the border. So from what I hear from you guys he is a lucky guy! Although I told him its not even worth the risks. For the amount of money he spent on his gun he could have bought a great gun somewhere in Canada with just a little more dedication.

[Crunchmeister]

I wouldn't hold my breath until the item is in my house. "Over the border" could mean it's in CBSA's hands for inspection.

[ap27]

Whatever your friend ordered, it has to arrive in Canada before the CBSA take a look at it. His tracking info could show it going into Customs and stay there.

Thanks for clearing that up, Crunch. It seems I was mistaken about the ATF and trademarks. I'm aware that trades and tips have nothing to do with our laws, though.
I'm not a fan of the whole licensing thing that US manufacturers have to deal with, primarily because they have to add 'Licensed by ...' and 'Cal. 6mm BB' markings on their guns. All of my airsoft guns see action at games, but I do like collecting/displaying them and not having the correct caliber/trades irks me.

[Crunchmeister]

Our trademark laws are a bit different here. I remember having read some stuff on it years ago, but I don't really remember the specifics.

But I believe here it's only illegal is you try to pass off a fake as something else. So having, say, an Aimpoint replica with full trademarks isn't illegal as long as it's being correctly represented as a replica item. Passing it off and selling it as the real thing is illegal. I could be mistaken on details here though.

But in terms of airsoft, our law states that if something is manufactured to resemble an existing firearm with "precision or near precision" and cannot do severe bodily harm (now shooting under 366 fps), it's considered a replica, which is illegal to transfer, but not illegal to own. So whether Gun X has trademarks or not is irrelevant. It's made to look like an existing firearm, trademarks or not.

And personally, the lack of trademarks doesn't bother me. But "airsoft trades" bother me. I hate KWA's trademarks. I hate all these 6mm and warning markings now silkscreened on receivers, etc. I want my gun to either have authentic trades, or none at all.

[MaciekA]

Originally Posted by Grizzly0679

shame on some of these websites which say "we ship to canada".

Please do not post about things you don't know anything about. Get AV'd.