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Post by err111 on Oct 21, 2008 0:26:04 GMT 1
I am after a barrel for a Mk1 Bren which has to be supplied in Deac form for it to be supplied to us in Australia.The barrel needs to have a full steel rod inserted and welded both ends and also cross drilled and welded to allow us to import it.I am trying assemble a Deac for display and cant find anything in Oz for sale at this time.Hope someone can help a fellow Pom
Thanks Tony
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Post by 303mal on Oct 22, 2008 23:18:31 GMT 1
Hi Tony, I'm in Oz too and have been on the bren hunt for ages myself and must say haven't had a great deal of luck here. One thing though is you might want to check with customs about importing a barrel as when I asked them they said they don't care if it's been deactivated or what they still treat all firearm parts as live and in working condition even if welded solid. And as a result a deact Bren barrel will be treated as a working one and these are a banned import as they are for an automatic weapon! A crazy way to look at it but they'll bite you on the butt real hard if you cross them. It is for this reason that we can't import deact firearms like the Bren e.t.c. from overseas. Even if they are deactivated to a higher standard then what is needed here upon importation they treat them as working ( Stuff knows why it's drizen me crazy trying to get my head around it ) so hence banned. Even a sectioned Bren is not allowed would you believe! That's why there is so few here and what guns or parts that are here are worth a fortune. Anyways the above is not gospel but has been from my personal experience dealing with them over the years. I know where to get one barrel that is for sale here but the asking price is $2000.00 and no that's not a typing mistake! Hope this has been of some help. All the best mate. Mal.  |
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Post by err111 on Oct 23, 2008 14:28:35 GMT 1
Hi Mal
Yes your right.I am afraid Customs cant make there mind up as we had got an approval from Australian Federal Police to import a complete Bren Deactivated.We had first approached Customs and asked the Question,Can we bring it in on a collectors licence with the correct paperwork and was told we had to contact Australian Federal Police to get Approval.We received a letter stating the conditions which the deac needs to be in as far as what parts are to be welded up and how.The letter stated that if this complied to the correct Deac regs then they would allow it.So letter organised and approval granted with a B709A,I contacted Customs again and informed that we had approval from the AFP and I would go ahead and pay for it and organise the freight.Low and behold Customs then told me we still couldnt have it and they wouldnt allow it anyway even with the approval.I had imported a good quality replica and had them change there minds when it arrived and ending up getting seized.I have just managed to get it released after going through the Attorney Generals Office and them looking into it and making the decision to release it.Its awfully hard when you do the right thing and get all the correct permits and ask all the right people Upfront before ordering and paying for the goods and someone here decides to change there mind and I am expected to loose the monies paid for items which I CAN purchase here in Australia at highly inflated prices.Example the replica we bought in from the USA is available here to purchase at $1395 plus postage.We purchased the same item overseas at a total cost of $385 landed and it gets seized by Customs when we have already told them its available here to purchase on the net and in some shops,but they were not interested.Thankfully the guy we were dealing with at Canberra was in total agreement with some of the prices being asked on goods within Oz and he himself would buy overseas regularly.As a Licensed collector I cant see the difference.I am allowed to buy and own a Bren Deac in Australia as long as its purchased here and deactivated to current late spec.Which is the same current spec offered from the UK under there latest deactivation regs.So I have to pay $8000-15000 locally while we could land one from the UK for less than a $1000 inc freight.I have spoken to the AFP and the chap there insisted that I make an appeal against Customs not allowing it in the country.As he has told me that the AFP hands out the relative permits subject to the rules what Customs have supplied them with and abide by.So I will do the exercise and see what they have to say in the end.
Tony
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Post by 303mal on Oct 30, 2008 23:59:00 GMT 1
Hi Tony, ;D Yep that all sounds about normal for here. I've has similar very frustrating ( to be polite ) experiences like that with customs myself. I've been told by them at one time that a deact and sectioned Bren would be OK and then later that it wouldn't and it would be treated as a working firearm upon importation. How on earth a deact and sectioned Bren could be considered to be a working firearm defies all logic in my opinion! I even asked about importing a replica solid aluminum receiver but again the locals here defied all attempts at any logic. After being told by the boys in blue that replicas are OK and customs even stating that replicas and parts there-off can be imported ( it's on their freaking web site stating that fact ) upon my final submission to request to import they changed their minds and stated that a replica receiver is obviously a receiver for a working firearm and would therefore be a banned import. This is a receiver that is made from a solid lump of Aluminum and has no possible way in any form of being turned into anything but a replica. But no it's for a working gun and therefore banned! I've found the whole situation here frustrating to the extreme as, as you mentioned it is perfectly OK to own them here in most cases without a firearms license as they are deactivated and useless and the boys in blue don't have a problem with them but the people in customs seem to be the exception to the rule. I know they need to do their jobs and there is no doubt allot of tossers trying to do the wrong thing but a little bit of common sense in this matter would help I'm sure. Very frustrating when as you say you could buy an import a deactivated one from the U.K. for $1,000 but out here all that gets you is half a barrel. Guess though we are stuck with it for the time being. Good luck in fighting them I hope you have more luck then I have had in the past. I've pretty much come to the point of giving up on ever owning a deact Bren here as I can't afford the 8 to 10 K asking price. I think the best I'm every going to accomplish is a plastic resin one which I'm sad to say looks like the best I can do here. Even that which is a solid resin lump with no moving parts costs about $1,200. It's a funny place to live at times here in Oz, what ever happened to the lucky country? Anyways enough rambling. Stay in touch mate and all the best. Mal. Best of luck with it all. |
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