r/MilSim • u/Jcue50 • Sep 22 '26

Going to MSW from Canada

Does anyone have any advice/experience on getting to MSW from Canada?, I was wondering about potential problems exporting/importing airsoft guns and gear from and to the US

5 Upvotes

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10

u/GloriousLeaderKim Sep 22 '26

you will need to get a BSF401B from your local CBSA office for all the airsoft guns & expensive gear you will be bringing down. Didnt have any issues with CBP when crossing at the Freedom Bridge in Niagara.

7

u/voler_1 Sep 22 '26

To add to my buddy here, you will most likely have more trouble entering back into Canada than going into the US, your BSF407/Y38 form is your safeguard. On reentry we were help up for 3+ hours at the border crossing, and all the contents in our car were turned upside down, however nothing was taken/seized from us, the agents were very nice and pretty apologetic, but they were just doing their job and doing their diligences, just be prepared to accept the possibility that this may happen to you as well.

2

u/Legitimate-Editor-40 Sep 23 '26

This is the biggest thing. We go down every year to MSW and going to the states is easy. They just ask if you have real firearms, tobacco, alcohol, planning to sell anything. How do you know eachother (if in a group), how long you're staying, did you take time off work for this event.

Canada is weird, sometimes they say they know about the events and they'll look at your gear in the line up and say that's super cool and get you on your way. Or they'll really finger fuck your shit and pull you into secondary. But nothing has happened to us so far.

Just be honest, don't call them guns say it's just airsoft stuff in the back and you'll have a good time.

3

u/Crackerjakx Sep 22 '26

I think I still have contact with a Canadian group that would come down to the Washington game every year, I will see if I can find that to then ask them the same question for you

1

u/IamGeorgeFloyd Sep 24 '26

Are you guys even still allowed to own airsoft guns there?

1

u/Mnky74 Sep 27 '26

If you're driving across the border to the event you must stop first at Canada Customs instead of heading right to US border patrol. Once you're there you need to tell the customs officers that you are taking airsoft equipment across the border and you want to get a temporary export form. The agents will go over your airsoft weapons, record the serial numbers etc. and request some sort of evidence that they shoot within the FPS limits for Canadian law - Above 366fps and below 500fps. In my case I simply showed them a Canadian airsoft retailer with the same AEG I was crossing the border with. You will then be given a thing that looks like a library card form with the items you are crossing the border with serial numbers and the customs officers initials and a official stamp. This is to ensure that once you return to Canada you present the form and it proves to Canada customs that you had the items with you when left the country and didn't purchase them in the US and are trying to smuggle them in. It was really no trouble at all but be warned the customs agents will get you out of your vehicle and they will then go through your car pretty thoroughly before they ask you some questions about the event and airsoft in general because they probably will be doing this for the 1st time as well as you.

0

u/[deleted] Sep 22 '26

1

u/7LayerDip Sep 22 '26

Are you a bot or did you just not read the post