Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Is it legal to ship primers from Canada to USA?

Just wondering.

I'd doubt it unless you had an export license, and the recipient has an import license. Just a WAG

I'm not sure about the law for individuals but I have noticed lately that most of the Canadian online ammo / component stores that I look at have a disclaimer saying they cannot ship to the USA.

You can't even ship them between individuals without a Haz Mat cert.

No, you can’t

Bet you can. Imagine they travelled to Canada somehow.

May not be frugal to do, but.....

This is an area where speculation is dangerous. Primers may fall under the International Traffic In Arms regulations administered by the State Department or their regulation may have transferred to the Department of Commerce under the recent rule change. In either case, their commerce is regulated.

Exactly correct. ITAR is a bitch, but this should answer his questions. Also, primers are considered an explosive and that falls under ITAR.

WHAT ABOUT PARTS AND COMPONENTS?


Parts and components is a very important concept. In many cases if an item is on the Munitions List, parts and components that are specially designed for that item are also on the list and subject to ITAR. I’ll repeat that – If an end item is on the Munitions List, in many cases parts and components that are specially designed for that item are also on the list and subject to ITAR. Also, in some cases if the end item is on the list, the parts and components may be listed on the Commerce Control List and regulated under the Export Administration Regulations instead.

Update

Primers would fall into either category 3 or category 5 of the munitions list.


Category I: Firearms, Close Assault Weapons and Combat Shotguns
Category II: Materials, Chemicals, Microorganisms, and Toxins
Category III: Ammunition/Ordnance
Category IV: Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs and Mines
Category V: Explosives and Energetic Materials, Propellants, Incendiary Agents and Their Constituents
Category VI: Vessels of War and Special Naval Equipment
Category VII: Tanks and Military Vehicles
Category VIII: Aircraft and Associated Equipment
Category IX: Military Training Equipment
Category X: Protective Personnel Equipment
Category XI: Military Electronics
Category XII: Fire Control, Range Finder, Optical and Guidance and Control Equipment
Category XIII: Auxiliary Military Equipment
Category XIV: Toxicological Agents, Including Chemical Agents, Biological Agents, and Associated Equipment
Category XV: Spacecraft Systems and Associated Equipment
Category XVI: Nuclear Weapons, Design and Testing Related Items
Category XVII: Classified Articles, Technical Data and Defense Services Not Otherwise Enumerated
Category XVIII: Directed Energy Weapons
Category XX: Submersible Vessels, Oceanographic and Associated Equipment

We cannot sell primers to persons in the US.

I know most Canadian reloading websites have added a notice saying they don't ship to the US as Americans are looking to source reloading components (especially primers). I researched the question myself about a year ago as an American who crosses the border weekly for work and a RPAL holder. What I found is the answer is complicated, really depending on the item and your legal status in the US.

I primarily buy my components in Canada from 3 retail locations. All 3 told me they have agreements with their distributors, requiring that they sell and ship only within the country as it pertains to powder and primers. I have not asked about other components.

If they were legally allowed to ship powder and primers to the US, the purchaser would need a fairly complicated import license that for all practical purposes would not be feasible for an individual to obtain, so shipping is pretty much off the table.

Hypothetically, if the border was open, buying in Canada and carrying across is another matter and legal with conditions. First, if you are a resident of the US (not citizen), you can import an unlimited amount of loaded ammunition, primers, bullets and brass into the US with ATF form 6. Components must be for personal use and for sporting arms (nothing over .50 cal. etc.). As a private citizen, importing powder is not legal. There is no cost for submitting this form and currently processing time is 45 days.

Canadians wanting to import into the US, need to submit form 6NIA Temporary Import of Firearms or Ammunition by Nonimmigrant Aliens. Usually granted for sanctioned shooting competitions.

There are a few gray areas, like importing components to be taken directly to a range, loaded and fired without needing prior approval, but that's the exception.

If you try doing the research online, my guess is you won't get much information.. at least I never did. Everything I found was in context to commercial importation. I finally got answers when I called back to the ATF in West Virginia and got passed to a Firearms Import Agent. I have called them more than once for rule clarification and documentation, because you run a pretty good chance the CBP officers won't know the rules themself.

Just as a reference, currently CCI Small Pistol primers are selling for $70/k, GINEX Small Pistol around $45/k, 7.62 x 39 $.30/Round and 9mm at $19/50 Round Box (all CAN prices) and all readily available.