Active military, time to go to Europe. Which is more gun friendly?

[Mags]

PCS orders don't restrict anything. The shipper may, but the orders do not. BTW TMO will ship them but I cannot poessess them when I get there, until I get a Belgian permit. I heard this can take 3-4 months if approved and that I have to go through the Belgian state dept. I do not have access to an arms room to store the weapons until my permit is approved.

So I can:

Store weapons stateside (no relatives, would have to use a somewhat unreliable friend or pay$$$ for storage)

Store weapons stateside and then have weapons shipped to me on my dime after permit clears.

Apply for permit now and hope I am approved in time for my household goods shipment.

I like the last option best, I also wonder about haveing the weapons shipped back to the U.S. Would I then be importing?

 

[nalioth]

I like the last option best, I also wonder about haveing the weapons shipped back to the U.S. Would I then be importing?

I believe customs has some forms that you fill out with your weapon info when you leave the country, so that you can bring them back in.

Of course, coming back with some new fruit of FN Herstal's orchard will make you an importer

 

[Ron James]

Wasn't there a post about two weeks ago on this very subject and country?? A military member was told Belgium was a gun friendly place and he could take his firearms, so he packed them in his house hold goods. The question he asked in his post was, Help, he was in error and how in the world can he ship his guns back home. I'm not an expert on any one subject, however after 27 years in the military I do know, going overseas, if your travel orders do not reflect the fact that you are authorized to take firearms, then you are going to wind up on the wrong side of the stick, period. If you still take them you are importing illegal firearms into a foreign country and they will have no since of humor and the fact you are U S military will not help you. However, you do what ever you want.

 

[Mags]

Unlike the military member mentioned in the previous posts. I actually want to get my ducks in a row before I leave. Like actually getting a Belgian gun permit as required by Belgian law. I have emailed both department of states to see what I need to do in regards to the permit to keep and fire guns in Belgium.

Once I get a permit or something from the dept of states, then I will need to see what Customs wants from in regards to getting them over there. Hopefully they can just go with my household goods shipment.

if your travel orders do not reflect the fact that you are authorized to take firearms, then you are going to wind up on the wrong side of the stick, period.

Once again travel orders do not mention privately owned firearms.

If you still take them you are importing illegal firearms into a foreign country and they will have no since of humor and the fact you are U S military will not help you.

Where in this thread has it looked like I am trying to do anything illegal. I guess by your logic my going through the dept of state and customs will get me 10 years.

Did you just see the thread title and want to add your 2 cents without reading through it? One important post is #26. I absolutely love the "you better not do that you will be in trouble crowd" when you are asking advice on how to do it the right way.

This thread is becoming more of a PITA then actually helping me gather information on the subject. I need more law and regulations and less opinions.

 

[Ron James]

Mags, you asked for legal advise on a gun forum? However, one more time and then your own your own. PCS orders, as a rule, there are exceptions, do not tell you what you can or can not take to your new duty station. They simjply state that you will leave one place and go to another. You are going over seas, your PCS orders do not instruct you that you can't take you pet dog with you, nor do they instruct you that you can't take your squeeze. The absent of that information on your PCS orders does not otherwise signifie approval. You are supposed to receive a briefing from your personnel officer on what , when and where. If you are in a situation where you do not have access to such an animal, then a visit or even a phone call to the closest military base 's legal officer can help you. Partner, I can't tell you what to do, but just a smidgen of common sense should tell you that your branch of service is your mother and father and controls what you do. Please check with the legal office. Vaya con Dios

 

[Mags]

Actually my PCS orders tell me that I can take my wife and son. Maybe things have just changed since you have been in. The whole point of this post has very little to do with the military, I can handle that part. I'm a big boy and have been in 10 years and have the appropriate rank for my TIS.

What I need to know is: how the heck do I get a Belgian firearms permit?

That is what the young airman you are refering to forgot to do before bringing his guns with him. The base there is a host nation base and as such has limited USAF storage areas so the arms room is not an option.

I am talking with my sponsor over there but they are clueless and my local legal office is anti-gun. The gaining unit does not have a legal office due to it being a GSU.

Once I get a Belgian firearms permit then I can proceed with customs and household goods.

 

[Mags]

Update: Just got off the phone with Customs and I can carry 3 firearms and 1k rounds with me on the plane or ship my whole collection either by applying for an export license or using an exporter.

Now I just need to get a Belgian gun permit and I should be good to go.