Imports

Anglo American Sporting Agency can help you import a sporting gun or rifle that you bought, inherited or otherwise acquired overseas for your own personal use—a process that has become increasingly complex. We handle many imports annually; in addition to a Federal Firearms License, we hold an import license granted by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and a continuous bond with the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.

Our base fee is $265 per import, plus freight, insurance, duty, entry and terminal charges and any storage costs, all of which typically add $300 to $600, depending on the value of the gun and other considerations. For multiple guns per import, please inquire. In order for us to complete the paperwork, you must supply the following information:

  • a description of the firearm, including model (if known), gauge or caliber, barrel length, overall length, serial number and value.
  • the manufacturer and address, if known
  • the country of origin
  • the shipper, address and contact information
  • your name, address, telephone number and email address, if any.
Once we file the import application, the legal process generally takes at least eight weeks—sometimes longer as, in most cases, the country of origin also requires a copy of the import license.

After a permit is approved by BATF, we contact the shipping agent or overseas dealer to begin the transit to this country by an authorized international firearms shipper. This process by itself can take several more weeks.

When an imported firearm arrives in the US, regardless of its age or history the law treats it as a new purchase. Once your gun has cleared Customs at LAX and is delivered to us, we must stamp our importer’s mark (“Tate Gnmkr, Ione, CA”) on the barrel flats and the water table. This is required by law and is done as discreetly as possible. Then we ship it to the Federal Firearms License holder (a licensed gun dealer) you designate. As the owner, you will be required to pass a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check by this dealer. You will be required to produce US Government-approved photo identification such as a driver’s license or passport.

Note: Your dealer will charge a fee for receiving your gun from us and submitting your NICS check. Resident aliens must fill out an additional form (BATF #5330.20) before the NICS check can be performed by the dealer. Some states, such as California require a waiting period before taking possession of a gun; check with your receiving dealer.

If you would like Anglo American to import a gun for you, please provide the information requested above, then fax it to us at 949-644-9558 or email it to us. We will contact you shortly. We require a credit card number as a deposit to begin the process. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Exports
We can also export privately owned shotguns or rifles overseas for repair. Since 9/11, this too has become a much more complicated process; please contact us directly for information on such exports.