Licensed Pulse Rifle pre-order

[ghostryder]

Has anyone else had a problem getting these in Australia?

Hi All,

Longtime fan, first time poster.

Some frustrating news affecting Australian Alien/Aliens collectors.

The long awaited, and to many, the Holy Grail of Aliens collectables, the M41A Pulse Rifle prop replica, is being seized and destroyed by Australian Customs as importers orders arrive into the country!

I have this on 'very good' authority working in the collectables business and also being a major collector of Alien/Aliens items for over 30 years now.

I have posted the reasons for the seizure on the Alien Hive forum and also contacted Hollywood Collectable Group about the decision to deny the prop replica entry into Australia.

It seems that the item allegedly contains authentic elements from several real weapons effectively voiding the 'replica' criteria for prop and fantasy weapons by Australian Customs.

Even though the pieces do not make the replica capable of firing a projectile, Australian Customs has apparently deemed this as contravening the replica entry criteria which states that any
'replica' must not be able to fire a projectile or in any way be modified to be able to fire a projectile.

So far thirty three ( 33 ) M41A prop replicas have been seized and destroyed with more to follow as further importers orders come into Australia and I also undersatnd that
the soon to be released District 9 prop replica weapons will also be seized and destroyed too!
So from a worldwide run of 1000 M41A prop replicas you can now scrub off at least 33 with more to follow thanks to Australian Customs.
This is a genuine and distressing issue as the retail price for Australian collectors of the M41A prop replica is around $1500.00 Australian, many collectors have paid in full for their order with no
chance of any credit or refund as a result of the action by Australian Customs.

Both Sideshow and HCG have contacted Australian Customs but they will be hard pressed to reverse this decision.

If you choose to publish this please refer me as Foles36.

 

[cosmic_x]

I got a replacement on the way to me for my droopy OD. HCG handled the whole thing very well.

Please let us know when you get it.

My OD should be here next week, hopefully with no barrel drop

 

[Mr Webber]

If Australian customs has started destroying these replicas then it represents a radical departure from there regular protocol. From personal experience,
in the past their policy has been to notify the person that the item has been siezed and if they want it released, they had 2 weeks to present a case for release,
most people didnt claim and the item
would be desytroyed.
Three weeks ago, i got a p99 airsoft from the States, knowing i only had
a slight chance of getting it in, it has been sent back twice and i have now givin up.
I am finding it very hard to swallow that over thirty of the units have been destroyed especially as they went to the trouble of sending back my p99
twice recently.

 

[AJK001]

Thats BS. :angry

The HGC Pulse Rifle does not contain any authentic elements from real weapons, everything on it is plastic, resin or metal replicas.

If they don't want to allow it in the country, then they should just so, don't make up lies about it to justify destroying someones very expensive replica.

PC is going to be the end of the world as we know it.

 

[ghostryder]

I talked to HCG about it, and they said out of the 9 units shipped through The Big Bad Toy Store, none were held up or destroyed by customs.

 

[AJK001]

I talked to HCG about it, and they said out of the 9 units shipped through The Big Bad Toy Store, none were held up or destroyed by customs.

Does that mean the story about them being destroyed by Customs was not true and that the person who originally posted it was just trying to cause problems like was happening here with a recently banned member?

It just sounded fishy from the start. You would think that the stores importing them or HGC would put a stop to all shipments as soon as the first couple were destroyed, if it was really happening.

 

[ghostryder]

Can't confirm what of his story is or isn't true - but I'm wondering if there are any Australian members here who have one?

 

[Lichtbringer]

It can be a simple story of "luck/no luck". Replicas are not allowed there - and the PR has replica Thompson and Spas parts, when the customs noticed that it depends how the officer in charge sees the stuff. As a replica of weapons-parts, as a toy, as a collectible .....

Not long ago i gathered infos whats needed to import me a parts of a demilled Sterling, and therefor i had contact with our german equivalent of the FBI. They told me "everything can happen - you get the parcel without any problems, it can be destroyed, or it can happen that it will be destroyed and you get a visit due to the law-enforcement". On my request i got no definate yes or no. No matter what happens, you can win when having disagreements with the authorities. Or not. It´s a game.

 

[Mr Webber]

Pretty much had it right then.
Also here, there are different laws for the different States but as a general
rule of thumb, if it fires a projectile from a bullet to a foam ball, you cant import it and the only reason an item would be destroyed was if there was no return
address or the sendee did not claim the item once notified.
If i can find a P99 that doesnt shoot anything, i can have one.

 

[tommin]

Can't confirm what of his story is or isn't true - but I'm wondering if there are any Australian members here who have one?

Published with explicit permission:

G'day mate,

I would have to say yes....it looks to be true. Luckily I obtained a pulse rifle via a different method but I have had many replicas siezed by Australiana customs and via the police with search warrants. All my confiscated replicas were just that. Replicas. There is NO reasoning with these guys. I have gone through every possible channel over the years. The only possible outcome depends on which state you live in but if OZ customs nabs it when it arrives it's all over.

Feel free to publish my pm. Western Australia and Victoria can be slightly tolerant but there are sooooooooooo many hoops to jump through it makes it hardly worthwhile.

Best
Christian

PS Nice to be remembered matey I always regard your PR as the one that got away

The "model" being referenced here:

 

[Clutch]

I bet a few law enforcement officials own some nice PR's now. :unsure

 

[b26354]

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/faq/regFireArmsWpnsQusts.htmThis:
"For import of all non firing replica weapons an Importation of weapons police confirmation - B709A, B or D – Import Permit is required by Australian Customs."

is from this link:

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/faq/regFireArmsWpnsQusts.htm

So, to get anything that looks like a gun through customs you need to fill in the appropriate forms and get the local cops to sign off on it.

 

[Garthok]

So, to get anything that looks like a gun through customs you need to fill in the appropriate forms and get the local cops to sign off on it.

You can't get the local police to sign off on it. I tried, and they can't do anything, you have to see the Firearms Officer himself, who is based in another station, and pretty much unavailable, and even if he did give it the ok, there is still no guarantee.

I chased all this up due to the warnings from Taz about his PR being seized. I took pics of the PR down to the local station and was told while they couldn't even give me a yes or no, they did tell me if "they saw me on the street with it they'd shoot me" (not literally, but meaning it's how much like a weapon it looked)

My only other option was to get a gun collectors license, which involved fingerprinting and joining a collectors club for 6 months go to meetings..blah blah blah..before I would qualify, so I gave up!

The really stupid part about all this is that I have a real firearms license, but can not own a resin piece that "looks" like a weapon.

I did order the D9 weapons, as they don't look like weapons at all, and have had no trouble receiving them..knock on wood

 

[Harry Harris]

The really stupid part about all this is that I have a real firearms license, but can not own a resin piece that "looks" like a weapon.

And there lies the evidence that these laws are extremely flawed. Ironically here in the UK I can legally own a 'real' deactivated weapon but not a plastic replica of one.

Also to legitemately own an Airsoft gun over here I'd have to join an Airsoft club and play a minimum amout of 'skirmishes' to qualify - what our government haven't though about is that this limits participants such as wheelchair users or others with mobility issues. With the world so focussed on 'equal opportunities' this wouldn't stand a chance in a court of law if challenged.

Harry

 

[Mr Webber]

If you want to import a HCG PR in Victoria, get the correct information from the relevent source here,

Website: Victoria Police - Delivering a Safer Victoria
Email: licensingservices@police.vic.gov.au
Postal Address: GPO Box 2807, Melbourne Victoria, 3001
Public Access: Level 4, Yarra Tower, Victoria Police Centre, 637 Flinders Street.
Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Phone: 1300 651 645
Fax: (03) 9247 6485

and here,

Home > Contact Customs Contact Customs and Border Protection Customs and Border Protection offices mailing addresses

Enquiries
•1300 363 263
•+61 2 6275 6666 (outside Australia)
8am to 5pm excluding national public holidays

•Email information@customs.gov.au
•Fax: (02) 8339 6714

Other States police forces have different policies.

 

[Mr Webber]

This site provides a clear example of cans and cannots

Collectors Armoury & Militaria Australia

Pistols (no projectiles): Yes in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia only

Rifles (no projectiles): Yes in Queensland and Western Australia only

So i guess if you want one here you have to have it sent to a mate in Queensland or Western Australia and they can post it on to you, once its in the Country, the domestic system will send it anywhere.

 

[b26354]

That's cans and cannots once the item is actually in the country.

Customs clearance is performed at the port of entry - which may not be in the destination state - so the person in Queensland or WA would still need to obtain the B709 form from police before customs can clear it.

This site provides a clear example of cans and cannots

Collectors Armoury & Militaria Australia

Pistols (no projectiles): Yes in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia only

Rifles (no projectiles): Yes in Queensland and Western Australia only

So i guess if you want one here you have to have it sent to a mate in Queensland or Western Australia and they can post it on to you, once its in the Country, the domestic system will send it anywhere.

 

[Mr Webber]

I would argue that any replica rifle destined for either Queensland or Western Australia that was a non projectile replica would be sent through customs
and the police would not be involved, as these items are freely available in those States and can be onsold by anyone, to anyone inside those States.

Is there anyone here who has recieved the HCG PR in either Queensland or W.A.?

[Alienscollection wrote,
I talked to HCG about it, and they said out of the 9 units shipped through The Big Bad Toy Store, none were held up or destroyed by customs.
__________________
-Willie[/QUOTE]

This clears it all up anyway.

 

[b26354]

I would argue that any replica rifle destined for either Queensland or Western Australia that was a non projectile replica would be sent through customs
and the police would not be involved, as these items are freely available in those States and can be onsold by anyone, to anyone inside those States.

Is there anyone here who has recieved the HCG PR in either Queensland or W.A.?

Owning and transporting over international borders are 2 completely separate issues:

this spells it out in more detail:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ImportingFirearmsReplicas.pdf

http://agencysearch.australia.gov.a...r=http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4232.asp

"To import firearm replicas into Australia, importers must first
obtain written authorisation from the police firearms or weapons
registry in their State or Territory. This authorisation will be in the
form of a B709A Importation of Firearms – Police Confirmation
and Certification Form (B709A Form).
The original permission must be presented to Customs and
Border Protection at or before importation."

As for "The Big Bad Toy Store", I expect they filled in the correct paperwork.

 

[Mr Webber]

b26354 wrote:
QUOTE]As for "The Big Bad Toy Store", I expect they filled in the correct paperwork.
Today 02:13 PM [/QUOTE]

Isnt that drawing a rather long bow?

This is all pointless anyway, there was never 33 PR`s held or destroyed by Customs and that was the point of the whole thing
from my side and the only thing we know for sure is that 9 that were ordered from a specific point and nine got through.
Myth busted.