Travelling to UK with rifle bolt

[Reflexnz]

Hello all,

I am travelling to the UK in July and need to bring a bolt from a bolt action rifle with me for replacement, i know the laws here in NZ allow me to just put it in my checked bag as its not a licensed part, the same with the US but i am struggling with my google fu in finding out where the uk stands, do i need to get a visitors firearm permit to possess the bolt during my stay, we are travelling with a 1 year old so i want to keep cavity searches and deportations to the bare minimum if i can.

I appreciate any help or guidance on where to find the info

Cheers

Mike

 

[Moorlander]

Bolts are a controlled part so you`ll need to bring your license , which ever county the UK airport is in contact the Police/Firearms department there , they`ll advise if its not on their website.

[AJW7088]

Hello,

I think you may find that this would be far easier to accomplish by utilising a UK based registered firearms dealer to import your bolt and then export the replacement.

The visitor’s permit scheme is really aligned to cater for someone who wishes to bring a firearm here and use it, for example in competition. The system relies on a UK based sponsor to make an application to the relevant police force here (our police forces cover discrete geographic areas rather than being a federal force). That sponsor will then send on your permit. The system is not really designed to cater for someone wishing to bring in one rifle bolt and then leave with another one (even if the bolts are indistinguishable from each other). The system is attractive as the permit acts as an import/export authority.

If you can locate an experienced sponsor in UK then it would worth getting them to approach the police force for the area you will visit and at least ask, but the police may say that these are not the purposes for which the permit scheme was put in place.

Just to confirm Moorlander’s point above, a rifle bolt is classified as a firearm in it’s own right. The controls that would apply to the complete firearm apply to the bolt if it is on it’s own, for example secure storage.

I hope that helps,

Adrian