It has been about 15 years ago, but I crossed into Canada and they open my hard gun case and asked what type of gun I was transporting.The look you give the border agent when you pull up and he asks you what kind of ammunition your bow shoots....lol
Almost made you want to bolt for somewhere else, eh!It has been about 15 years ago, but I crossed into Canada and they open my hard gun case and asked what type of gun I was transporting.
I responded "bolt action rifle".
The gal immediately shot back "that gun is not a bolt action, there is no bolt".
In my nice voice, "the bolt is the metal part with knob handle that is laying beside the rife in the case, I removed it from the rifle as a courtesy".
I was a visitor in to their country, so I remained very polite. They may have sent me home if I shared what was brewing in my head.
Yes they will. Passing into Waterton Ntl Park, the border agent found the clip and a little ammo from Dad's 22 plinker, so ransacked truck, camper, and personal belongings. No firearm was found, but he detained my wife for having the little canister of mace in her purse (for self defense when leaving work in darkness). He was an enthusiastic newbie on the job, so called his supervisor to assist in interrogating my wife. The supervisor said the mace is a personal defense weapon and illegal, so she could be further detained, questioned, and fined ... or relinquish the "personal weapon". She gladly gave up the little inexpensive mace, relieved to be on our way to begin a backpacking trek. Ironically, we both had large containers of bear spray, which were bazookas in relationship to a little bit of mace!
Think about it. That's a police station essentially. I suspect in many jurisdictions down there the cops would be uneasy about someone walking into the place with a gun if not requested to do so. The border agent now has to explain to his/her boss that they didn't tell you to bring the gun in. He/she should have told you to leave it in the car so they can check it there ... while you are standing safely out of the way. They always tell me to leave the guns in my car if checking my paperwork against the gun serial numbers (very rare but it has happened). Did the agent make the mistake or was it you not following instructions (albeit only trying to be helpful)?
True. The previous time I did not bring inside the guns and the agent was upset as he said he needed to check the serial numbers on the paperwork with the actual serial number on the guns. The latest time was the opposite, he did not want to see the guns. Both at Beaver Creek.
Ya never know. I can understand them checking the dog crate thoroughly. I'm sure many drug mules have tried smuggling dope hidden inside a kennel pad beneath a nasty pit bull. My guns have always been inspected out at the vehicle (though only inspected a couple of times coming into Canada - they usually just ask what they are and if they're unloaded). Invariably the agents always apologize for the delay and inconvenience. I always tell them the same thing: "No problem. If it helps win the war against drugs and gun smuggling, I'd gladly strip naked every time I cross borders." And I mean it. The gun smuggling from US, particularly handguns, is making life tough for us legitimate gun owners.
That is strange. You didn't have to fill out a temporary import/possession permit?
At that point they had already looked over our firearm paperwork.
