Question from new recruit regarding Snider Enfield

[elhombreconnonombre]

Given that the Snider Enfield is a military rifled longarm greater than .50 caliber, and for which black powder cartridges are currently commercially available, is this exempt from all federal regs, eg NFA and/ GCA, perhaps as an antique and/or curio/relic. I brought this question up on The High Road Black Powder Forum and got as many opinions as a tiger has stripes.

[pony express]

Some way or another it is exempt, probably because it's older than 1898. I know it HAS to be exempt, since Rattlesnake Jack"imports" one from Canada every year, I'm sure the feds wouldn't approve a "destructive device" to be carried back and forth from Canada every year. And if you need any loading advice, he's the man to ask!

[elhombreconnonombre]

Affirmative...I will wait for Jack to enlighten me. He should ineed be the bloke that knows this. Over on the High Road the discussion ran from its obviously an antigue, not an antique, nor curio/relic, to its ok per NFA, but not ok per GCA, to you might or might not need a letter, stamp, no stamp needed to not poke a sleeping bear. etc, infinitum.

[Pitspitr]

Technically he isn't importing them. He has to jump through a bunch of hoops including showing the INS (I think that's the right agency) an invitation to the shooting match that states that he needs to bring his own firearms. But I guess we'd better wait for his reply on that.
I think it's that they are made before 1898. A while back (again if I remembering correctly it was) Atlanta cutlery had some Nepaleese Sniders and Martini Henrys for sale, no FFL required.

[pony express]

IMA also has them, at least I think they still have some. I think they had some of both British made and Nepal made ones. For a lot of shooting like we do, probably rather have the British. I think some of the Nepal barrels were twist steel.

If you want a matching pistol/rifle combo, keep watching the picture thread, I'm sure someone will post a close up of Gary and his Howda, also in .577 Snyder......

[Pitspitr]

I'm thinking one like his would be a long way out of my price range. That one was really nice. Maybe one like this instead loaded with a slug? http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersoli-Howdah-Hunter-20-Ga-Pistol/740261.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhowdah%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D0%26y%3D0&Ntt=howdah&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[elhombreconnonombre]

As I recall Atlanta Cutlery and IMA (which think are the same folks) do not represent nor sell threse old rifles from the Nepal armory as shootable items, but rather as collectable wall hangers, though many buyers have had success cleaning/repairing them into shootable condition.

[Drydock]

As a pre 1898 antique the Snider is exempt from NFA and GCA regulations within US Borders.  However, border crossings are another deal entirely, dealing with an entire set of regulations I am not familiar with.  I also suspect the ammunition creates a great deal of paperwork as well.