TargetTalk

I may be taking a 3 month assignment in Mexico and would like to know if it is feasable to bring my air pistol? I assume it is not possible to bring cartridge firearms, but please correct me if I am wrong.

Also, I will either be in the San Luis Potosi or Leon area. Are there any opportunities to practice in those areas or will I just be dry firing against the hotel wall?

Thank you in advance,
Steve Turner

By law you are allowed one set of "sporting equipment", and this applies to air guns. Try to have the instructions or a catalogue or something in case you need to 'prove' that it's an air gun. If you can read Spanish, check out the website "Foros en la mira", an online forum of shooters in all parts of Mexico. Hope this helps.

Ask the government maybe? I understand that even one brass casing can land you a lot of jail time. I wouldn't want to have to spend years in a jail there.

Have some cash available for bribes, even if you follow all of the rules to get your air pistol into the country. Sadly, that is the reality of the situation.

i bring two anschutz 8002 to Mexico and i don't have any problem with the customs
i read in somewhere that you can't bring co2 airguns to mexico
in San Luis and in Leon live a lot of people that shoot air pistols

let me try to get some email for you

i just do silhouetts

IN SAN LUIS LIVES JEAN MIHOV, HE'S A SHOOTING COACH AND HE HAS A WEB PAGE www.mihov.net
TRY TO CONTACT HIM

Steve,

I have over 10 years experience working in Mexico, and live in El Paso, commuting back and forth. My advice is very strong, and you should heed everything. For those of you who may be Mexican Citizens, I appologize for anything that you may feel is derogatory, as that is not my intent. Rather, it is to inform from my viewpoint as a (typically uninformed) foreigner in Mexico.

There are shooting clubs that exist in Mexico. They are not as open and advertised as here in the U.S.A. as open ownership (legal) is limited and difficult. The rules, regulations and laws are somewhat convoluted. To be certain, the Mexican view of what a firearm is not the same as ours, and you need to initiate any actions to import and export under the quise of treating the air-pistol as a firearm.

My previous understanding of things causes me to believe that to take any arm into Mexico requires that you have a guide, or a place to hunt, or be a member of a club, or be invited by a club or member, or other "sanctioned" event. Knowing someone is all important. The hunting laws have changed on and off regarding guides so I will make no solid statement in that respect. Also, the added complexity and harshness associated with the drug trafficking wars make everyone very jumpy. There are Federal checkpoints throughout all of the internal road and highway systems and you will be stopped and checked.

Non-citizens get tossed in jail, and as the justice process is not what we are familiar with as well as complicated by your need for State department involvement, it can get ugly.

At this point you should be scared about taking an air-rifle or air pistol into Mexico. Should you decide to, proceed by making all of the legal contacts possible to find out all that you can, do all of the paperwork, and make contacts, and still be ready for being hassled (at a minimum).

If you do not speak Spanish fluently, I would highly recommend that you do not bother, because BIG JUAN, in the CERESO (Prison system) will teach it to you the hard way.

-Ron

is your gun a pcp?

there is no law to prohibit airguns.

I´m the president of a gun club down here, where are you going to be in mexico? maybe I can help.

there´s never been a problem with airguns in mexico.

please mail me with any questions..

clubdetiroqueretaro@hotmail.com

Joe

in every state we have especial auditoriums with legal 10m courts, so that our kids can learn how to shoot airguns olimpic style for the juvenile olimpic meetings.

every kid has acces to this training facilities, they just need to volunteer.

for example in my town we have a facility that is open from 17:00 to 20:00 with electronic scoring systems, they can fit 20 shoters, they even have a training coach, everything paid by the gov. even the targets.

they even have the scuba tanks to fill your guns... for some extra cash.

they have about 20 feinwerkbau ir rifles (cant remember the model but are aluminum stocks) some morini handguns, and many others...

I only shoot firearms, but began shooting there..

hope this helps..

Joe

Hi

If it were me, I'd see about borrowing while you're there. It's not like you'll have powder burns to prove you've been shooting.

I'm a bit on the conservative side when it comes to where I go, and where I shoot. Conservative to the point that I don't bring my firearms to Illinois even though I have a KS CCW and my parents live in Illinois.

later

Mike
Wichita KS

Thank you all for the comments and ideas. All thoughts are apreciated. Please keep them coming.

I am waiting for a major US automaker, currently in bankruptcy, to issue a purchase order for my expenses in Mexico. We shall wait and see what happens.

Best regards,
Steve

Steve,

I have hunted and competed in live pigeon shooting in México and this is my humble advice:

DO NOT attempt to bring any weapon (Air-firearm or fake) into México without a special permit...You will be arrested no matter what and will go thru a lot of trouble for regaining your freedom.

México's laws DO NOT allow temporary importation OF ANY KIND OF GUNS unless you are going to hunt or compete, and for this you need to get special permits (Hard to get and extremely bureaucratic—You get them in advance and before you cross the border).

For hunting you will need to get hunting and TRANSPORTATION permits (also in advance) and this documents will state where and when you will be transporting the firearm. For going to a shooting range you will also need a transportation permit that mentions where the range is located...If you are caught cheating, you will lose your gun and your freedom.

The country is passing thru a very violent period and bringing or carrying any kind of weapon (even a fake one) is going to raise many red flags... In México carrying a fake or an air gun is not different that carrying a real firearm …No distinction …

Bribes in México are no different that bribes and corruption in the US or in any other country, but it doesn’t work FOR FIREARMS. No bribe is going to let you out of jail...

Find another solution for shooting in México, but whatever you do, DO NOT intend to bring any kind of gun unless you have a permit (Obtained before you cross the border) or you are friends with Bill Clinton and he is willing to rescue you (As he did for the reporters in North Korea)

Regards,

AZUARO

Wow. Lots of possibly conflicting information here. Just to try and help Steve, perhaps we can sort things out. It seems possible that:

1. Taking firearms into Mexico is essentially a no-no.
2. Airguns are considered to be Sporting Equipment and can be taken in.
3. Airguns are not regulated in Mexico.

A few years ago (3-5) I saw air pistols and air rifles for sale at a sporting goods store, over the counter, so to speak. I do hear that Mexican pellets are pretty crummy.

Dear members,

While you can still acquire a pellet gun in México (MENDOZA air rifles) YOU CAN NOT import (temporary or permanently) air guns into México without a permit.

It is true, air guns are not regulated as firearms in the Mexican law named “Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego” but it is a fact that nobody can bring into this country any one of them (air, CO2 of powder) without a permit...

The SEDENA (Secretary of National Defense) controls all these permits and you can apply electronically or in person but you will need the permit before crossing the border with a gun.

This is the link for the SEDENA:
http://tramilnet.sedena.gob.mx/portal/i ... 0CARTUCHOS

In this link you will find permit applications for many different items, among the list you will see a section:
"COMPRA-VENTA DE ARMAS DE FUEGO Y DIABOLOS Y MUNICION OPERADAS POR GAS C02”...This section is for pellet guns (CO2 and Air)

RFA-FC-013 is an application permit for firearms and air guns and RFA-FC-021, 023 and 024 include modifications and revalidation of the general permit, the modifications application (024) will be used for an Air Gun...

As I mentioned in my previous posting, “I have been there and I have done that”…I used to shoot Live pigeon competitions in the past but not anymore as getting a permit is very complicated... and even with a permit, carrying or transporting any kind of gun in México at present time is a NO-NO…Very unsafe!

DO NOT dare to bring an air gun or any kind of gun into México without reading this law (Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego) and without complying with the SEDENA requirements (permits).

Don’t present yourself to customs with a gun without having a permit and don’t ever think of smuggling it...Firearms violations in México are a very serious Federal Crime (no possibility of a Bond) and if you are caught you will go to jail and you will do the time. Ignorance of the law in not a valid excuse in México.

Hopefully you will take this advice seriously.

Best Regards,

AZUARO