I am conversing with the owner/member of that C/93 as to what needs to be done to import one into the US; it seems there is some federal law that a replica modelgun must have the muzzle painted red...Doing that to a plastic modelgun in such a way as to be able to remove the paint without marring the finish of a rather expensive model is a problem...
Customs is also an unknown...Can they impound it??? Does it need to have import duty paid??? What would the duty be based on??? Receipt of sale or insured value???
I think it's a given that the dummy cartridges would need to be shipped separately; even though they are dummies, having them with the model is asking for trouble...
How to transfer funds??? Use whose currency converter to determine exchange rate???
Questions...
Edit -
OK!!! A vender/modelgun forum member willing to ship overseas has been found; PayPal transfer has been completed; and the CAW C/93 is on the way!!!
We are shipping it in three parcels; top [cannon] assembly; lower [grip frame]; and dummy cartridges. We agreed that shipping it complete and with metallic cartridges [they are brass] was tempting fate.
The sender is also painting the muzzle red to comply with whatever that weird US law is...
The three are coming by air, shipper is
EMS, whom I have never heard of, which begs the question: How does it get delivered here in US???
Edit2 -
This is exciting! I love tracking incoming shipments! I'll update this as it changes!
Oooohhh...It's on US soil!!!
Edit3 -
First parcel arrived today [22 Mar]! Gripframe assembly + magazine!
Here's what I'm finding -
- Grips are wood, excellent checkering, with steel panels inlet into wood (to add weight?)
- Magazine is steel with pinned wood bottom
- Magazine has twin coil springs exactly like real C/93
- Trigger screw, mag/safety spring, ejector (?), grips screws, trianglular panels at rear, loop at rear, and shelf under rear of frame are all steel. Rest is (I assume) plastic/ABS.
I tried Tokarev 7.62 cartridges [real Fiocchi] in magazine; they fit and stack OK!
Quality is outstanding! Feels heavy (due to steel inserts I imagine).
Mailer/modelgun forum member packed it up carefully; parcel appeared unopened; no duty. Delivered by USPS Express Mail (separate from regular mail delivery).
From 20 Mar in Japan to 23 Mar my front door is fantastic!!!
Time/date difference between Japan & USA is confusing.
I downloaded & bought Gerard Henrotin's EBook on the Borchardt. I now know how to get it apart & back together. However, my printer does not print the whole page [width] from the EBook; does anyone know how to correct this??? I can't copy the pages (there's some block on this) and shrink them...
Edit4 - Second parcel is en route! It's in the US!!!
