New Zealand trip, bring a rifle?

[ewlyon]

Hey all, I am heading to New Zealand in a couple of months and i figured it would be a travesty if i were to go and not hunt at some point. So as part of the planning for a possible hunting trip I am trying to figure out what would be the best way to bring a gun over.
New Zealand has a visitors firearm license that i can apply for so I can legally own and purchase firearms while i am there, and the university i will be studying at has a storage area. The big question is how do I bring a rifle from the US to NZ and bring it back at the end of the trip.
Do i have to go through the export and import procedures through an FFL if it is a rifle owned by a US citizen and is only temporarily leaving the country?
Are there special procedures for checking firearms on international flights?
Would it just be easy to buy a rifle as a souvenir in NZ and import it when I come back?
Any info on the relevant regulations or on hunting in NZ is appreciated.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I'm in for the responses, I'd like to know how this works as well. Might be studying abroad next year.

- TNG

 

[razorback2003]

You would take the rifle out of the country through a process with Customs. Customs has a form that you would fill out and I believe ATF does too. People do it all the time to hunt in Canada.

 

[RJTravel]

There are sporting goods stores in virtually every town. If you are heading to the south island it is very likely you will find yourself in Christchurch - a good size city. If I were you I would simply call one of the outfitters there and ask. Probably easier to buy and resell. I'm envious, the land of Aotearoa and the Maori people are fascinating - my favorite place in this world. If you like a real wilderness experience your gonna like tramping in the remote S. Island.

 

[krameranzac]

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/firearms/importing.html

Here is the link to the NZ Police site on importing firearms. Most visitors to NZ are surprised how easy it is. I would recommend signing up on the FishnHunt website forum for some real good information and no doubt some hunting contacts. Www.fishnhunt.co.nz

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Buy a souvenir while you are over there. As I recall, it was about $2-300 to ship a gun back to the USA. I'm not sure what it would cost to ship one to NZ, but sporting guns down there are relatively inexpensive.

You can check out prices here: http://www.trademe.co.nz
(You have to love that NZ ebay has gun sales!)

There was a wonderful gun store in Christchurch I visited by Fendalton. Beautiful old shotguns and .303 conversions, oozing character, were going for a few hundred bucks. Nothing says NZ hunting than an sporterized SMLE. It also had some new stuff (Chinese M-14s for $800 USD, and a couple M240s - sold to Peter Jackson).

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Make darn sure you register all firearms with DHS CBP prior to leaving with it on a DHS form 4455. This form will serve as your entry with DHS/CBP when you return. Call your nearst CBP office to make an appointment. Make several photo copies for yourself as CBP does not keep copies.