FYI 1900 clips

[don beasley]

Gentlemen, the facts:
1. I was assured by the single Canadian expert who deals with the export of firearms, a member of LF, and local worthies that there is no problem mailing a luger magazine to the US as long as it does not hold more than 10 rds.

2. Because of the amount of money involved, I felt obligated to protect the buyer. i telephoned US Customs in Blaine, Washington, and described the magazines. The agent said that i should check with BATF and the State Dept. From addresses on the internet, I sent emails to both agencies. No reply to date.

3. I telephoned the enquiry # for BATF in Washington DC, and, after passing up three echelons, was told that a Form 6 is necessary, even though their posted FAQs indicated that a magazine is not a firearm.

4. Being a retired public servant, and smelling a mindless BATF bureaucrat in Washington DC, I telephoned a BATF Inspector in Seattle, Washington. He said that that there is nothing in the Regulations that he could see that required a Form 6. however, he indicated that because of the amount of money involved, $800US, BATF might be interested. We agreed that to protect the buyer from mindless bureaucrats who might hold up any parcel mentioning gun parts, it would be safer to file a Form 6.
The simple solution was to get a Form 6 and ship by Canada Post with adequate insurance.

5. Meanwhile, I was told to ship UPS. Two points here: I am not a business, so I cannot get insurance; second, because the magazine is old,UPS deemed it irreplaceable. I explained that it is not irreplaceable.

i could have shipped the magazines by mail with insurance. What protection would the purchaser have if US Customs seized the magazines? None

In conclusion, the 2 magazines are still available at $400US each.

if a prospective purchaser trusts the US Customs Service, I can mail with insurance.
The safer alternative is to file a Form 6 and mail with insurance.
UPS is not an option because I am not a business and cannot get insurance.