Legal to Import Brass?

[bowfin]

I have a chance to buy a large quantity (for me, anyway) of brass from Sweden for a hard to find caliber. However, the seller says he will not be responsible for the legality of the transaction.

Does anybody know if it is legal to import cartridge cases from another country?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sunray]

Don't know about the legality, but I'd bet the duty would be high. Try asking your Commerce Dept. It's not an ATF thing.
What cartridge? There aren't many cartridges or loaded ammo you can't get, Stateside, any more.

 

[bowfin]

.41 Action Express

 

[PTK]

I had to buy brass from Australia and from Norway. No issues buying either and having them imported, though that was three years ago now.

 

[kingpin008]

As long as it's not primed, it's just metal. Perfectly legal to import.

 

[Oyeboten]

Yes...technically, it can be honestly stated as being 'Scrap Metal', or 'Srap Brass' for any Commerce purposes, far as I know...so long as the empty Shells are inert...and, 'live' primers or 'live' rounds are not what is being purchased.

 

[everallm]

No powder, no primer, not a "strategic material", have it declared as used brass turnings on the customs form.

 

[bowfin]

Thanks a lot, guys.

I would like to get enough to get a 9mm Action Express project going.

 

[mp510]

Technically, even if unprimed, it would be considered ammunition under the Gun Control Act definition and would require an approved Form 6 to import into the US. It isn't too difficult to obtain a Form 6 as an individual for personal use ammo- just something that you need to do in advance.

 

[kingpin008]

Technically, even if unprimed, it would be considered ammunition under the Gun Control Act definition and would require an approved Form 6 to import into the US. It isn't too difficult to obtain a Form 6 as an individual for personal use ammo- just something that you need to do in advance.

Cite please?

 

[zxcvbob]

There's a recent international treaty on small arms trade that probably means you need permission from the State Dept.

 

[mp510]

Cite please?

Read the following letter to me from the ATF Firearms Technology Branch. The item in question is in effect an un-primed cartridge case in function (something that the Firearms Technology Branch agreed with me on). I can tell you that the Import Branch at ATF has also conquered with me that the chamber inserts Hammond Game Getter kits, which function in a similar manner (nail gun blank to propel a lead ball) are considered cartridge cases, thus considered ammunition under the GCA thus requiring a Form 6 to import (I know people import those without, but this is the LEGAL forum).

Statuatory Reference 18USC921(a)(17) and 27CFR478.11

 

[Sunray]

"....41 Action Express..." I'm extremely happy I had the sense and money to buy 500 pieces when I bought the barrel for my Inglis BHP, long ago. Can't find reasonably priced cast .410" bullets, up here, though. Jacketed bullets are too expensive. The .41 doesn't like bullets heavier than 210's. Not that you care. snicker.
"...9mm Action Express..." Midway is currently clearing out Quality Cartridge .41 AE brass at $47.68 per 50. Next business day shipping. It'll make your import issue go away. Buy as much as you can afford.
Quality wants $57.97 per 50. Quality is the only maker. Nobody else makes it. IMI said, last year or the year before, they'd do an ammo run, if somebody ordered a million rounds.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=121359
mp510, friggin' moron can't spell either. "cooper". Geezuz! Richard Vasquez should fire his typist.

 

[Old Guy]

Once fired .38SPL

Back in the mid 90s I visited a friend in the FBI Academy, Quantico, I loaded for my classes, I lived in Ontario Canada then.

Bill said I could take as much as I wanted in the way pf once fired .38 SPL cases. "They are over there in a bin" A dumpster! a couple of ton, I had extra hold up stuff on my Caprice (Springs/Shocks) I got a big shovel, and filled up sacks! and Sacks.

I still had not used them all by Dec 2003! So I had not gone through them all once!

"A bottle of scotch, and some empty fired cartridge cases" at the Peace Bridge, in a terrible rain storm. The Young guy said "Welcome home!"

No idea what the law was then, but nothing was for resale.

Thank you Fed's.

 

[mlaustin]

I'm surprised that the ATF cares about it. If you're willing to bend the law, have it declared as "Scrap Brass Metal" or "Brass turnings" as suggested above and customs will probably just stamp it on through. There's nothing explosive, so it's really more of a paperwork error.

Normally the penalty for illegally importing stuff is just that it's returned to the sender. That's it. When people try to import marijuana seeds, no one goes to the address listed on the package when it's intercepted, they just destroy it and get on with life. Seems like it might be worth a try to import it as scrap metal and if it gets denied then get an ATF form 6.

 

[GRIZ22]

have it declared as used brass turnings on the customs form

"Scrap Brass Metal" or "Brass turnings" as suggested above and customs will probably just stamp it on through.

I wouldn't try to deceive Customs. If it's declared "scrap brass" or something like that and they open it for inspection it will probably be seized.

Normally the penalty for illegally importing stuff is just that it's returned to the sender.

More likely seized and destroyed. However your name may come up as a violator everytime Customs runs across it.