About Jessica Sparks Expertise Questions about the paintball sport itself, from recreational ball through speedball and competition play; how to play the game, from basic to advanced tactics; paintball equipment; how to start a paintball field or store; and about the business of paintball.
Experience
Publications Have written for/edited Action Pursuit Games magazine, Paintball magazine, and many other magazines, newsletters, web sites, newspaper articles, videos, video scripts, and books. Expert; consultant.
Paintball - Crossing the boarder with a Paintball gun
Expert: Jessica Sparks - 4/17/2006
Question Dear Jessica,
I plan on visiting my friend in Canada and we plan to goto a paintball range that's close by to where he lives. What I want to know is: I plan to take my gun with me, will my gun be confiscated when entering/leaving Canada? I know it's not a true firearm, but I want to know if I'll be held up by customs for a long time. Should I disassemble it? Thanks in advance.
Answer Gray, it depends. Are you driving across the border? Someone needs to check with the border patrol on both sides of the border at the crossing, for one thing. Tell them ahead of time and ask them if there are any rules, regulations, restrictions, suggestions, etc. There have been cases where players got hassled at the border. There also have been cases where markers have been confiscated. On the other hand, a lot of players have not had problems.
One idea to consider is to borrow or rent a marker over in Canada, and avoid the problem. Same with a tank - borrow or rent. Goggles and gear should not be a problem.
If you do take your own marker, when you get to the border the advice that most often is heard is to be sure to declare to customs that you have an airgun, and it is disassembled. Any tank should be emptied of all gas or air.
About crossing the Canadian border, there are some people who will say "no problem". There are other people who will not go to Canada with their gear because they have had problems. Wayne Dollack had problems crossing with some simple props for his scenario games a few years ago, and it was a very difficult experience for him.
When leaving the US with gear, it is a good idea to take copies of your bills of sale so that upon return, you can show the gear is used and that it was bought in the USA.
