Border crossing with weapon.. information is confusing (inspection, cost)

[stiffnecked]

You can also ship your firearms to yourself as airfreight on Alaska Airlines. I've been doing that for years.

[warptman]

Anything you ship on Alaska Air, don't mark it fragile, those items get tossed farther and harder than any other item!

[browncoatflan]

We're leaving the arsenal with my man's dad in CO, and he'll ship them to us once we have an address. Guess we'll leave the Mossberg with him too, and take something that has less than 5-round capacity.




Thanks for the advice folks.. my dumb ass would have called up to the border we intend to cross a few times to talk to different people.. would likely get an 'it's on the OK list, go ahead & bring it' and then when we get there they dick us.

Also, I read that they don't let you go back into the U.S. with it if they decide not to let you take it- on the CA firearm site it said that they just confiscate them. That's just retarded.. if they won't let people take them over they're at the stinking border- they don't have to let them in!



Shan

[warptman]

Where are you crossing at? We crossed on Highway 97 last week, 30 second crossing, no weapons. Didn't even show our passports. When you get to the Port Alcan crossing in Alaska, as for a stamp if you have the old fashioned passports, it's of a bear!

[rotorhead]

You're probably going to have to switch out to the the regular 5-rounder magazine tube (if you can find one). Yes, I know that this entails switching barrels as well, but that's easy with the Mossbergs. Better yet, just buy another el-cheapo used/discount plain-vanilla Model 500 that you'll use just for the trip, and make sure than when you show up at the border station you've got a regular wooden fixed stock and a long, sporting/hunting type barrel. The less it looks like some sort of "tactical" shotgun, the less trouble you're likely to encounter. Keep the spare 18" cylinder bore barrel back in the trunk of the car and switch it out later (well away from the border station) for the rest of the trip. A spare barrel is not a firearm and doesn't have to be declared or mentioned, BTW. Ditch the pistol-grip-only "stock" if it came with the package as well, the Canadians seem to have heartburn with those too and they're of limited utility in the real world.

I've travelled with my plain-vanilla old Model 500 pump through The Peoples Socialist Republic of Canada several times with no problems, at least on the Canadian side. You DO have to make sure that you've filled out the paperwork on both the Canadian AND the US side, by the way. The US paperwork is just a little slip of paper that basically says that you're taking the gun out of the US, but if you show up back at the US border they can get pissy about letting you back in if you don't have it. Yes, it's ridiculous, but then so is the vast majority of firearms laws both in the US and Canada, in addition to the whole border crossing issue itself. Worst case scenerio, if thing go totally wrong you're out maybe $200 if it gets confiscated and you can always use another shotgun anyway for your beater "fishing skiff gun" that's going to get carried around in the brush and knocked around when you go camping.

If you're feeling bent out of shape by the whole process, welcome to the club! If it's any consolation, keep in mind that the US doesn't allow the Canadians to carry their guns through our country at all, unless it's for a specific hunting trip or competition or something like that.

[browncoatflan]

Originally Posted by warptman

Where are you crossing at? We crossed on Highway 97 last week, <snip>

Looks like Coutts if we go through MT, or West Lynne if we decide to just head NW from WI though MN. (getting excited again! 15 days to go!)



THANKS rotor, that is super-helpful. Kind of what we were planning after reading through this thread/other threads/Border-crossing websites. Significant_Male_Other huffed & puffed a bit when I said we should bring a beater shotty with us instead because it would likely make it past inspection and we wouldn't pout too much if they took it. He wants his pretty gun.. the baby.

We just need something in case a b'ar decides to go poking through our stuff when we're camping and takes acception to our presence.. or if s/he decides to taste the cat or the kid.... or if Zombies Attack!


Shan

[rotorhead]

Yeah, it's one of those "is the glass half empty or half full?" kind of things. What you need to do is emphasize the fact that this means that he's got a perfectly valid excuse to buy another gun. THAT line of reasoning ought to bring him around.

[gdkodiak]

I too am travelling from Colorado through Canada to Alaska and have spoken extensively with - both telephonically and in writing - with RCMP and Canadian Border Services and armed with copies of emails, literature, etc., I hope and expect to have minimal difficulty.

I also have a Mossberg 590, but it is has the 5 shot magazine. I have been informed that it is acceptable. If it had a larger capacity, it would not have been legal.

What I have learned is that any shotgun, pump, single shot, over and under, side-by-side and semi automatic are acceptable, if there is no magazine capacity beyond 5 rounds, has a barrel that is not shorter than 18.5 inches and does not have a folding stock.

The same applies to all bolt action and some semi-automatic centerfire rifles. There are significant restrictions on military or assault rifles and pistols.

I am transporting a Ruger 10/22 and that presented an issue that I wanted to be clear about and was not addressed in the available literature. As most of you know, you can buy magaiznes for the 10/22 that have a capacity ranging from 5 to 50. In fact the factory magazines that came with mine had a capacity of ten. My question was what if I have no magazines to transport with the rifle - I shipped mine with my household goods? The answer was that the rifle was acceptable as long as the magazine(s) with me (if carrying any) had a capacity of 5 or less, then it was acceptable.

Be sure to declare the firearms on CAFC Form 909 and the continuation sheet, CAFC 910, sign in the presence of the Border Services Officer, and pay the $25.00 fee. You can have multiple firearms and the $25.00 fee is for all firearms listed on the declaration - not for each firearm. Border Services will conduct a background check on you while you wait. If you have had a DWI or have any type criminal record, then expect a problem.

For the benefit of everyone, I will report on my experiences after I make the trip.

[blueflames50]

gdkodiak....did you happen to ask about the fact that the CAFC 909 only goes up to 7 weapons to list?? Is 7 the limit?? or is there a way to bring more across?? Hubby has lot more than that and really would like to transport them with us. thanks

[browncoatflan]

Not worried about background check, both of us have (him) or have had (moi) upper eschelon clearances, and we've never had more than a parking ticket.


He's being all butt hurt now about the Moss, even though I showed him the websites and you folks' posts about the 5-round capacity (should really be all we require anyhow). He'll change his tune once we're in Colorado Springs on the 17th and he gets to go gun shopping with his dad.


Man I love being able to come here and ask stupid questions when Google fails me

Shan