From: andrew, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I really must object to the calling practise of importing
goods as "smuggling", this is clearly wrong and implies
that I am breaking the law by deliberately trying to evade
duty. This is not the case and I can prove it.
I buy a lot of my shooting kit from overseas because I
cannot get it in this country. I went to a great deal of
trouble to try to buy a rifle through the official importer
via my dealer only to get blocked by the importer! Instead
I had to import the rifle privately. I didn't save any
money or time, but I got the rifle, which was a standard
catalogue item!
When I wanted parts for my Ruger Old Army I went to
Brownells and got them inside of a week, I've known people
to be still waiting TWO YEARS after placing an order with
Viking Arms for a simple spring.
I get teed off with the practise of retailers and importers
telling me they have something ready for immediate delivery
when they (and I) know that there is not a single one in
the country. I also get fed up with dealers who do not know
what they are talking about and try to sell me stuff that is
plainly unsuitable and then give me the run around when I
point it out.
I buy most of my reloading gear from Sinclair International;
not because it is cheaper but because I know that I will get
what I ordered and it will arrive within a week.
And then we have the items that are not imported because
there is a very limited market here, like bullet casting
and swaging equipment. I went to NEI for my 72 gr. .22 mould
because there is no distributor in this country and this is
in addition having to deal with people who refer to bullets
as "heads".
BTW, I do pay duty and VAT on everything I import and
although it does sometimes work out cheaper to buy direct
the main reason I do it is so that I can actually get what
I want - when I want it.
I do support my local gun shops and so far this year I have
put around L800 in cash over the counter for reloading
components alone, but it is an up hill struggle sometimes. A
few years ago my local dealer actually went on the local T.V.
news saying that there ought to be restrictions on the sale
of reloading equipment and components; why should I put
money over this man's counter?
--
Totally agree with everything you say, I think RFDs are
living in cloud cuckoo land if they expect FAC holders
to buy from them out of sympathy. Basic economic theory
tells you that people are going to go to the place where
they can get the best deal and get the fastest delivery.
Frankly one of the reasons I buy from overseas is simply
because they seem helpful and genuinely interested in
their customers, a lot of dealers (I'd say about 20%)
here have no idea how to talk to customers.
I've actually heard from more than one RFD that all guns
should be required to have UK proofmarks on them to
stop grey imports. What planet are these people living
on? Protectionism is dead, dead, dead.
The reason RFDs are in trouble is the same reason we are
in trouble - the legislation.
I've always thought the best idea would be for someone
to set up a mail order business on the Isle of Man or
possibly in Jersey, as the police aren't quite such
a PITA there plus the business climate is more favourable
(lower taxes etc.) There used to be quite a few arms
dealers based on the Isle of Man but the thing a few
years ago with the arms dealing in Rwanda (what was
the name of the firm, Mil something?) made the IoM
Govt. very sensitive about it.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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