[WestCoastBaller]

Okay, so I have found an opportunity to buy a Tiburius T8.1 marker with some upgrades and lots of extra shiny's. the only thing is, the seller has doubt of shipping it here from the US. I don't blame him, I'm kinda weary myself.

has anyone ordered a marker from the US before? I want good and bad experiences and maybe some tips and things to look for.

Thanks

[camoking]

Okay, so I have found an opportunity to buy a Tiburius T8.1 marker with some upgrades and lots of extra shiny's. the only thing is, the seller has doubt of shipping it here from the US. I don't blame him, I'm kinda weary myself.

has anyone ordered a marker from the US before? I want good and bad experiences and maybe some tips and things to look for.

Thanks

Make sure that it is sent via the United States Postal Service, if it is sent by a courrier comapny like FedEx or UPS you will have to pay brokerage fees

Have the sender fill out the customs declaration as "Used Sporting Goods" not "Paintball Gun"

Have the sender declare the value or selling price at 75$ or less to avoid having to pay duty

T8's are legal in Canada but not all customs inspectors know this, I had mine confiscated by customs at the airport in the end I called Tiberius's head office in Indiana they were extremely helpful and called their customs broker who in turn put in a call to a big wig at Canada Customs in Ottawa, who then called the Victoria Airport Customs office and told them that the T8 is not classified as a replica and to release it to me

This post has been edited by camoking: 26 April 2010 - 09:39 PM

[WestCoastBaller]

when you had it taken at customs did they open the package and inspect the contents? or did you have the box marked as paintball gun?

[camoking]

when you had it taken at customs did they open the package and inspect the contents? or did you have the box marked as paintball gun?

I bought my T8 on a trip to Florida, the T8 was in my suitcase in the plastic gun case that it came with,the airline misplaced my luggage and it didn't arrive with me in Victoria, so I had to sign a consent form giving Canada Customs permission to search my luggage when it arrived, so the next morning when it showed up I got a call from them and they told me that they found my T8 and that it was a replica firearm and it was not admissible into Canada

This post has been edited by camoking: 26 April 2010 - 09:54 PM

[WestCoastBaller]

Ah, okay so it wasn't in its own box but in your luggage. most unfortunate. glad you managed to get it straightened out

[camoking]

In the end I got it back, and the customs agent seemed pretty pissed that I had put up such a fuss and that someone from their head office in Ottawa had called them.


More to the story is, I have a friend who works for CATSA (Airport Security) they share a break room with Canada Customs, she was working the day this all went down, she overheard two customs agents arguing in the break room about who was going to take home the paintball pistol they had confiscated.

[ShadoWalker]

Technically you still have to pay brokerage fees if you get it shipped via the standard postal service but the it's about a 25.00 difference in the brokerage fees and if there aren't duties assessed on it I believe US Postal / Canada Post doesn't charge the brokerage fee where as duty or not FedEx, UPS etc charge around a $35.00 brokerage fee on top of any duties owing just for handling the package regardless of whether duties are applicable.

Labelling is important, make sure they don't use the word "gun" in any way shape or form, it's "sporting goods" or "paintball gear" not "Paintball Gun". The majority of my markers have been cross border affairs (used markers via Ebay and M.Carter Brown) and other than the one that got marked with the word "gun" which took significantly longer to clear than any of the others I've had no real problems to date (at least not at the customs level). However, I make a point of NOT buying anything that looks even remotely like a firearm which may or may not affect the time involved in clearing my markers through customs.

[camoking]

SW brings up a very good point, markers like T8's, some Tippmanns, MilSigs, etc etc basically anything tha is sort of milsim gets scrutinized a lot more the say a speedball style marker like a Timmy, Ion, Marq, Ego etc etc

[camoking]

BTW WestCoastBaller how good a deal are you getting? There are a few people down here in the Vic are that I know of who are trying to unload T8's might be able to find a good deal closer to home

[Fifthplanecomin]

UPS hit me with over $80 in brokerage fees for what was claimed as a $200 item from the shipper.
UPS Next Day Air includes Brokerage Fees

Having anything sent by UPS Ground = they don't even spit on thier fists before they make you thier puppet.
FedEx does basically the same but it's a midgets fist and he does spit on it first before he hits your hoop.

Have him ship it USPS as a 'Gift' to you is really the best option when it's a personal sale.

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 27 April 2010 - 12:23 AM

[Fatty]

I concur. I had no trouble getting my A5 across via USPS.

[bccrawlerz]

Zero issues getting my A5 and gear thru customs either.... Also helped that the company marked it as a Toy Set and checked off the gift box as well... And make sure USPS over anything else is used for shipping!

[WestCoastBaller]

BTW WestCoastBaller how good a deal are you getting? There are a few people down here in the Vic are that I know of who are trying to unload T8's might be able to find a good deal closer to home

the T8.1 is the one in this BST thread:

http://www.a5og.net/paintball-buy-sell-tra...-gear-sale.html

[Cheap-o]

Pneumatic marking equipment

Ship usps

Tape the fack out of the package so they deem it too hard to open