Thread: importing red dot sights, permit required?

Hi all,

Do you need an import permit for sights? I've sent email to local AO but her replies tend to take a while (if ever). Ebay is cheaper than NZ suppliers, if I can get them in. I've got E endorsement if that makes any difference to import rules, but mostly A cat firearms.

Cheers,

Ben

No you don't need an import permit.
Unless they somehow deem it to be an Ecat gun part in which case you will.

Get an email from your AO to confirm it's OK, then if customs stop it you can tell them to have sex and travel.

Yeah it's the potential "MSSA part" bit that I'm concerned about...

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Yeah it's the potential "MSSA part" bit that I'm concerned about...

If it's an optic you should be fine, iron sights can be another story.
Get your AO to confirm for piece of mind.

carlhurley is right, some are ITAR restricted so it'll pay to email around a few places too see if they will ship them or not.

some of the red dots are itar restricted out of usa they wont ship here pays to check

Originally Posted by carlhurley

some of the red dots are itar restricted out of usa they wont ship here pays to check

Buy the 'copy' from China, much cheaper on postage and Chinese export laws are more export friendly. Do they make ARs too?

Originally Posted by Cordite

Buy the 'copy' from China

Any suggestions on Chinese red dots? How good are they? I don't know much about this subject.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Any suggestions on Chinese red dots? How good are they? I don't know much about this subject.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tact...33924c4drSHQ1W

i got one of these for my 7.62x39 label on the package said torch (guess they didnt want it to get a second look at customs)
seems to be ok only used it at the range so far , yet to try it out i the bush

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Any suggestions on Chinese red dots? How good are they? I don't know much about this subject.

I bought a few in to try a few years ago put one on a a 223 ,308, still holding zero

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Any suggestions on Chinese red dots? How good are they? I don't know much about this subject.

I bought one a few years ago it will not tighten on a Weaver or Picatiny Rail so have no idea if it will hold zero or fill up with water at the first sign of rain.

I think you can swap between red and green dots or somfink make me an offer you can play with it.

A friend also purchased one from China and had it fitted supposedly by a gunsmith in the rear sight location on his new SKS I could not get any kind of zero it patterned instead of grouping mind you could have been the SKS me the weather or how tight my boot laces were on the day.

I got a bit embarrassed (might go to SpecSavers) my mate thought I couldn't shoot for S so went and got my Sako TRG 22 with S&B tried it all was well.

These were cheap optics to purchase might be you get what you pay for to a degree.

Get a second hand trs25 from tard me for about $100 i reakon,used them for years on all sorts of guns no troubles except you can overtighten the screw that mounts them but it’s an easy fix if you do strip it out.

Friends don't let friends buy Chinese optics

Originally Posted by ChrisW

Friends don't let friends buy Chinese optics

i have a chinese BSA scope and its bloody fantastic. holds zero well and nice optically. made in china is like the new made in japan from the 70's and now we all drive japanese cars

Originally Posted by gone-tropo

i have a chinese BSA scope and its bloody fantastic. holds zero well and nice optically. made in china is like the new made in japan from the 70's and now we all drive japanese cars

At least BSA is a reasonably well known brand, and not an "unknown" aliexpress, potentially airsoft optic. How do you distinguish between what's an airsoft or toy optic and whats not? Price? Maybe they just put a huge markup on their airsoft optic. Its not unusual to see the same thing being sold for drastically different prices, because as they say - some people just want to pay more, or think its better because the price is higher.
Its not necessarily where its made that is the issue as I know china can make some great products, it's that you don't know what you are getting when buying an unknown, no name Chinese optic.

In saying that I have a BSA red (and green) dot sight which is an absolute piece of crap. Has some of the worst parallax I have ever seen.

Originally Posted by ChrisW

At least BSA is a reasonably well known brand, and not an "unknown" aliexpress, potentially airsoft optic. How do you distinguish between what's an airsoft or toy optic and whats not? Price? Maybe they just put a huge markup on their airsoft optic. Its not unusual to see the same thing being sold for drastically different prices, because as they say - some people just want to pay more, or think its better because the price is higher.
Its not necessarily where its made that is the issue as I know china can make some great products, it's that you don't know what you are getting when buying an unknown, no name Chinese optic.

In saying that I have a BSA red (and green) dot sight which is an absolute piece of crap. Has some of the worst parallax I have ever seen.

Athlon scopes are mostly made in China and seem to get good reviews, but as you said they are a known brand with customer service, their own website and employees.
I wouldn't spend money on a no name product regardless of where it's made, if there is no decent after sales support, then you may be pissing money down the drain.

By once cry once, it may be hard to swallow at the time but you wont regret spending money on a quality optic.

All the Chinese scope I've had were shit, and the low end scopes from the likes of Vortex are hardly worth raving about.