TargetTalk

Hi All : I had ordered a AW-93 about a month ago,and was just told they can not be imported in to the USA because the don't have a safety on them. Does any one know about this ? I guess I have to start all over looking for a new gun again.
Dave in the USA

The US versions of euroguns have safeties, because the Gun Control Act of 1968 requires pistols imported into the US to have a safety. This is nothing new, and that's about all there is to know about it.

They were imported by Nygord, and Brenzovich took over the franchise, last I heard. You said that you ordered one recently, so I suspect that you know that. I only repeat it here because I can't figure out why they would have been importable not that long ago, but are not now.

Could this be a State issue, as opposed to a Federal regulation?

Hi All;
All I know is Brenzovich Firearms told me they can't be imported till they
(FWB) make a change to the gun,ship one over here and see if it passes
so it can be imported at a later date.
Dave L

All of Mr. Nygord's AW-93 pistols had no safety. I have one, and it has no safety. I am in the USA.

The ATF is a bit erratic about enforcement of the regulations. Walther GSPs may or may not have eexternal safeties, depending on when they get imported.

Last year, I brought a Hammerli in from Canada. I had a safety put on it, but one importer told me "It is illegal to import a gun without a safety, but it is OK to own a gun without a safety. A lot of guns come in and never get one."

I forgot to check my AW93 last night, but the Hammerli safety is pretty small and useless. It meets the requirements, but it is not something that is usable. Heck, you might even say the overtravel screw is a safety. If you screw it in far enough the gun will not fire.

Steve T

Hi All : Steve T. can you or someone else tell how to import a pistol from Canada ? Thanks a lot Dave L

There was a thread a month ago (or so) that covered importing from Canada. I chose to use Larry Carter as the import broker, since he was putting the Hammerli safety on the gun and I wanted him to check it out. He handled all the paperwork. It cost something like $40-50. There are import brokers who will do it for $30-35, or so I have heard. You can also do it yourself.


Go to the BATFE website and there is information available. As I understtand it... There is a form that must be filled out for permission to import a firearm. You must have the make model and serial number. They will take up to 6 weeks (usually 2-3 I heard) to issue a permit to import. This is given to the shipper / seller and declared to the shipping company so they can get it through customs. It must be received by an FFL. You also have to fill out a form with the treasury department to pay any import duty on the gun. I don't think I needed to, but if I did, it was in the cost of Larry's work.

I had one hiccup. The seller declared the gun and gave UPS the import license info. There was no problems on the Canadian side. It took about 2 weeks to get released from customs, but when it was given back to UPS, someone flagged it as an improper shipment (never did find out what that meant) and returned to the seller. He then shipped it without declaring it and it sailed through. That makes me feel nice and safe :)

Regards,
Steve

Why are all free pistols allowed to be imported without the safety issue?

Kalish wrote:Why are all free pistols allowed to be imported without the safety issue?

Good question. I always presumed that since a free pistol usualy had a separate trigger cocking lever that this sufficed as a safety mechanism. I also don't remember seeing a separate safety on imported single action revolvers (not counting the half cocked hammer position).

Charles

Is there a way to retrofit a US-compliant safety lever on an AW93?

The AW-93 has a "sort of" safety. I don't know if it is US compliant though.

This is from the manual available at: http://www.pilkguns.com/tenp/fwbaw93manual.pdf

Firing pin safety
The engaged firing pin safety prevents
when releasing inadvertently the trigger
that the hammer hits the firing pin. The
hammer is retarded by the firing pin safety.
The firing pin can only be engaged when
the hammer is cocked.

To actuate the safety
- unload sporting pistol.
- Pull the slide (4) backwards to its stop
and let it snap forward by the force of
the then cocked slide spring or press
down the slide catch lever.

The hammer is now cocked.
- Press the latch of the sighting base to
the right and
- turn the latch clockwise (to the top)
into vertical postion until it is positively
engaged in the vertical notch.
If the hammer is released in this
position the firing pin safety retards
the hammer before the hammer hits the
firing pin.

bjsulla wrote:The AW-93 has a "sort of" safety. I don't know if it is US compliant though.

The manual describes an active safety that should satisfy BATF.

I don't think a safety, per se, is a requirement. IIRC BATFE has a point system that assigns plus points for things like a manual safety, long barrel, adjustable sights - things which which make the pistol presumably less likely to be used in a violent crime. There are minus points given for short barrels (concealability), mag in front of the trigger (looks dangerous), etc. Add up the pluses; subtract the minuses. If you don't make the grade, add a plus device or two and Bob's your uncle.

I'm pretty sure that's why a free pistol needs no safety while a Pardini SP or Walther GSP does.