Reloading in Europe - Shipping APO

question 1 yes
question 2 yes
question 3 no
Go to post office and they will print out regs for you.
If you have Rod and Gun club on base you might be able to get power and primers there.

This company is one of our larger dealers in Italy. Try them for reloading components
http://www.armeriafracassi.it/

Hello, every country in the EU has somewhat different regulations for acquiring and shipping of gunpowder and explosives. Best and quickest way is to find some local gun-shop and ask about the regulations. But if I remember correctly, shipping smokeless powder in Italy is forbidden. On top of that, you must be a licensed gun owner to purchase powder, or cartridges.

P.S. I have one question: you want to reload - that's great, but how are you going to ship (or purchase) firearms to Italy, being that you are not an Italian citizen?

I would check if the PX on base could order some of the components you're looking for.

A US base in any country is US territory.

Mizar said:

Hello, every country in the EU has somewhat different regulations for acquiring and shipping of gunpowder and explosives. Best and quickest way is to find some local gun-shop and ask about the regulations. But if I remember correctly, shipping smokeless powder in Italy is forbidden. On top of that, you must be a licensed gun owner to purchase powder, or cartridges.

P.S. I have one question: you want to reload - that's great, but how are you going to ship (or purchase) firearms to Italy, being that you are not an Italian citizen?

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Now, blackdogsfarms You are hitting 25-year-old memories. I would get hold of Ramstine they would know of any Rod and Gun clubs anywhere in Europ.

Now, blackdogfarms, I don't know if it would really be worth it.

The regs might have changed (Hell they have cell phones now) but in 1975 I was stationed in Germany and ALL guns and ammo had to be stored at the base armory. Please check all regs before you decide.

blackdogfarms said:

I will start reading the regs. Basically what I do all day at work anyway is read and interpret regs‍ Thanks for the insight and I will let you know what I find out. If nothing else maybe I can case prep for a few years

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Did you check with the PX like I suggested above?

While I know it's not the same as shooting your guns at lease you can shoot what's in the armory. The ammo is free too lol.

blackdogfarms, if you want to buy powder and primers in an Italian gun shop, first you will need to obtain a firearms license. I doubt that you can get one, because you are not either an Italian citizen, or EU resident. For foreigners the procedure is more tough and demanding. And second - even if you obtain such license, there is still the problem what you will do with that ammo once you must leave Italy. You must either use it in the country, or apply for Italian Export license and US Import one for you to be able to ship that ammo. And that is something not so easy to do and it's somewhat expensive.
My advise - take a break from reloading and instead make friends with some Italian shooters and join them for visits on gun ranges.

blackdogfarms said:

I have not checked the PX yet. I am a civilian and not military though so even though I can use the PX I have not seen powder yet. I will check on Friday when I get back to work. Taking tomorrow off to go tour some WWI trenches in Cortina.

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What I said above was, see if the PX can order what you need. Like said above the base is not under Italian law and if the powder and primers are brought in by our Navy ships or by military air transport you bypass all the problems of the Italian limitations, legally.

Good luck getting what you need.

OP, sometimes, in overseas locations US .gov personnel are authorized to shop in the PX/BX. So you may want to check on that.

there wont be powder or reloading equipment at any overseas px.

Klint Beastwood said:

there wont be powder or reloading equipment at any overseas px.

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Again, that's not what I said. I said he might be able to order what he needs, might... I never suggested they would have it in stock.

I collect ammo, and was in a conversation with another collector that used to travel a lot for business. He said that if you had just one 9mm loaded cartridge in Italy on you and got caught , it was a 10 year jail time. That was years ago, and I don't think it has changed. Dorothy you are not in Kansas anymore. We are spoiled in the USA.

I am stationed in Germany near Ramstein. My affiliation with the military here is as a .civ.mil.

It depends on the SOFA with Italy. There are two people from my organization that are in Vincenza. He hunted at Ft Drum and if I remember correctly he looked into hunting in Italy but I don't know if he got anywhere with it.

Here in Germany the SOFA allows us the opportunitty to obtain personal firearms and import them AFTER we have passed the test for a hunting license or a sports shooter license. Sports shooting license requires an additional 12 months of 'training' on what you intend to "sport shoot" before you can get a weapons registration card. With a hunting license I can buy any amount of long guns I can legally store. I am allowed two pistols. The hunting course was 15-20 hours a week for four months. Then I had to get a safe that met requirments. Then I had to buy a rifle in order to get my weapons card. As strict as they sound I can walk into a store and take a rifle home without a background check. The hunting license is my permit to purchase. I have two weeks to register it. Pistols require a permission to purchase stamp by caliber. Then I can get one.

I reload here and I took a two day class in order to get a powder license (pulverschein). I had to have a hunting license to take that class.

I even have an awesome range 2-3 miles from my house I can shoot at all day for 5 Euros.

As difficult as this all sounds it wasn't that bad. It was a little costly like starting over. There was timing on paperwork, steps to follow, etc. But the biggest PIA I came across was all the little things. I didnt think I would have the opportunitty to shoot or hunt so I left it in the US. For example I had a Dewey cleaning rod for .30 back in Colorado. After I got here and got set up I wished I had it...Went looking and found them for about 100 euros. Want a sling for a rifle? Decent ones start at 40-50 Euros. I didnt like the prices so I get on Amazon and have shipped what I can...More and more they wont ship. My point is if you have a Caldwell rest you like? Bring it. Like all that reloading gear? Bring it. Do you have cleaining kit you like? Bring it. My point is that If you think there is an opportunitty then bring everything you think you might need so you dont have to buy it again.

All the Rod & Gun clubs have been replaced by "MWR Outdoor Recreation" The website in italy is https://italy.armymwr.com/programs/outdoor-recreation . I would get in contact with them for the straight answer. Outdoor Rec here in Germany has classes for hunting licenses and sports shooting in Baumholder, Kaiserslautern, and Grafenwoehr.

If you want to look at an English Website that sells to hunters and shooters check out Akah. https://www.akah.eu/ . Want to look at ebay for guns? www.egun.de is where you go. Type in "M1A" "Garand" "Luger" "M4 Carbine". Yep I can buy those also. No magazine restrictions unless Im hunting.

If you have any questions PM Me.

Edit: I forgot to mention to get customs to stamp off on brass, bullets, and any animals trophies before you leave. Legally you are required to fill out paperwork to reimport them.

There was a THR member called Nordeste,from Spain who shoots and reloads. Don't know if he is still here or not. May be able to assist some about Europe.

Leftytsgc

@ ElPasoCounty

You seem very knowledgeable, so I'm hoping you may be able to answer a question for me. I'm going to be traveling to Sembach Kaserne not far from you, next month to do some work for the .mil. I'm only going to be there for 2 weeks. I reload back here in the states, and I've long wished that I could acquire some RWS 5620 Berdan primers, to use for reloading GP11 (7.5x55mm Swiss) back here in the states. Obviously I'm not going to be completing any 4 month class during my brief visit. Are primers as tightly controlled as gunpowder? Would it be possible for me to purchase a case of primers while I'm over there? Or no chance?