Bahamas Rules For Firearms On Board

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

Here is the source information for my confusion
https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/re...aqs/#cattitle9

Which says:

A pleasure vessel entering The Bahamas is allowed to import the maximum of :
Three firearms inclusive of handguns, rifles, and shotguns, where the caliber of firearms shall not exceed 308 calibres.
250 rounds of ammunition per firearm.

Have you tried contacting the Bahamas Customs & Excise Department?
Phone: (242) 604-3124/5
Fax: (242) 322-6223
Web Form ➥ https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/contact-us/

[capn_billl]

How many firearms are you planning to import?


If you exceed the limits, they will be confiscated, and your hassle factor will go up 1000%.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Tell that to the guy whose wife was stabbed in the chest with a machete when she panicked, and screamed while HE was forking over several years of his salary to a couple of 3rd world thugs.

OR the cruisers who were murdered, tossed overboard, and their boat used by local cartels to smuggle into the US.

Like the person who doesn't carry fire extinguishers, life raft, or lightning protection, but just crosses his fingers, and hopes for the best.

Or someone who is going to cruise down Central America, or off the coast of Venezuela, and has a likely chance of encountering the criminal element.

It's NOT my job to tell someone else what to do, or what MY personal politics are.

As a couple of people brought up Ukraine, I'll bet they are regretting gun control right now.

It is LEGAL to travel with a firearm on the open Ocean, and MOST countries, and recommended if you are outside a handy law enforcement area.

It is also legal in the Bahamas as the OP asked.

When I checked in, they had a to scale picture of a .308 ammo, and said "your bullets (cartridge) must be smaller than this". Which would include most handgun ammo.

The prohibition against center consoles entering with firearms (according the the customs agent I questioned), had to do with the fact Bahamian law requires the firearm to be secured (locked) in cabin, which is impossible with a center console.

If you have a firearm, a customs agent will come aboard, and count the ammo, both when you check in, and when you check out.

It will be required to be in a permanently mounted locker in the cabin, locked while in Bahamian waters.

Seriously folks, no need to make this more complicated than it is, and any questions should be directed to the customs office you plan on clearing in with.

If the Bahamas is one's first stop on a trip to the coast of Venezuela then the Bahamas gun rules are going to be less strict than almost any other country they stop in so they are really the least of their concerns. If, on the other hand one is just planning to go to the Bahamas and think it is a place full of third world thugs with machetes waiting to attack one's wife, I think I can safely speak for the vast majority of us in the Bahamas asking them to please stay home.

[PushingThePen]

A common use of a pistol on a boat is for putting down large fish, since clubbing them can be ineffective. Sturgeon, shark, Marlin, etc can be challenging to put down with a club or knife. A small caliber pistol can be the safest and most humane technique. A .22 works great for it.

A pistol can also be an effective signaling tool, similar to a flare gun, but for hiking in unknown areas. Also, if you're sailing the world, personal and property protection. A pistol will scare a lot of 4 and 2 legged predators away.

I'm not talking Rambo scale, but common sense usage is within reason. A .22 can do a lot of damage, but the report of a .45 will scare the crap out of pretty much anything it's pointed in the general vicinity.

With the Bahamas, a .45 really not applicable when a small caliber will do the job nicely.

[Tetepare]

My god, why can’t someone answer the question and others be quiet?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

My god, why can’t someone answer the question and others be quiet?

The question has been answered the rules are there and quite specific.

[pesarsten]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The question has been answered the rules are there and quite specific.

I have no desire to bring more than 3 firearms.
I have no desire to bring more than 250 rounds of ammunition

I would very simply like to have the source information for what is published on the Bahamas Customs web site.

Because,
Thats the one and only place where I have found the "new" rules posted
and,
that site posting does not say anything about center console boats
and,
As published, the maximum "calibre" is .308 Thus the only (common) caliber hand guns allowed would be .22 and .32 this eliminates 380, 40, 38, 44, 45 etc. A very substantial change in rules. Perhaps due to some confusion on the part of the individual who wrote the web posting.
and,
I do not feel the need to be armed in the Bahamas but, I will not be traveling from my home area directly to and from the Bahamas
So I need to make sure that proper secure storage is in place prior to heading north ( prior) to heading south to the Bahamas in the winter.

While asking a customs official would seem logical, I don't know if they would be empowered to make a general statement on behalf of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

To date, I have been waiting for responses (3 weeks) from

Bahamas Customs department
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
Bahamas Embassy Washington DC
Bahamas Consulate Washington DC
US Embassy in Nassau

No, I don't want to argue the rules I just want to understand them.

If anyone has access to a current copy of the "Statutes of Bahamas Chapter 213 Section VII Par 43 " I believe that would have had to be changed to accommodate the revised rules. And would answer the question definitively.

Perhaps the easy answer would be to ask:
" If you violated the caliber restriction of max .308 .... What statute would you be charged with? "

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by Shrew

'Automatic' weapons and 'semi-automatic' weapons are very different things.

Indeed. And so are "auto loaders" which would include the earlier mentioned 9mm and .45 (assuming ACP not long Colt).

The language is very ambiguous. Does "automatic" include auto-loaders? I have an auto-loading pistol that has the word "automatic" engraved on the slide.

Also, and I may be way out of date on this, but at one point pretty sure Gatling Guns (mechanically driven rotating barrel autofiring rifles) were actually legal. I had a colleague who made them as a hobby.

[pesarsten]

I did find the reference to the center console on the customs website.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

When I checked in, they had a to scale picture of a .308 ammo, and said "your bullets (cartridge) must be smaller than this". Which would include most handgun ammo.

I'm curious about this. What exactly do they mean by "smaller"? Overall length of the round? Diameter of the projectile? or case at the largest point? Are they talking about something like the power calculations that IDPA for example uses?

Seems like very imprecise language, but then that's gov't for you lol

[pesarsten]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

Indeed. And so are "auto loaders" which would include the earlier mentioned 9mm and .45 (assuming ACP not long Colt).

The language is very ambiguous. Does "automatic" include auto-loaders? I have an auto-loading pistol that has the word "automatic" engraved on the slide.

Also, and I may be way out of date on this, but at one point pretty sure Gatling Guns (mechanically driven rotating barrel autofiring rifles) were actually legal. I had a colleague who made them as a hobby.

The definition of Semi-Auto vs Auto is traditionally defined by the need to pull the trigger each time a round is fired , vs , holding the trigger for continuous
firing ( machine gun)

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

My understanding in the past was that firearms were permitted to be locked on board after declaration and ammo accounting.

I recently read in the Waterway Guide to Bahamas 2022 edition that
Guns were not allowed over .308 caliber, max of 3, not permitted on center console boats. This would prohibit most popular handgun calibers such as 380, 9mm,40 cal, and 45

Have the rules changed? I have requested clarification from the Bahamas embassy in DC, who referred me to the consulate office, who has apparently not been able to reply to me for the last three weeks.

Any verifiable info out there? Any hints on who to ask?

You can’t compare rifle ammo to handgun ammo. The rules are about power, i.e. you can have a .223, .308 but not a .338 Lapua. For handguns you can have any caliber you mentioned.

Officers want to see responsible handling. They didn’t even check serial numbers nor ammo count and no remarks about having a handgun loaded and within easy reach.

[pesarsten]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You can’t compare rifle ammo to handgun ammo. The rules are about power, i.e. you can have a .223, .308 but not a .338 Lapua. For handguns you can have any caliber you mentioned.

Officers want to see responsible handling. They didn’t even check serial numbers nor ammo count and no remarks about having a handgun loaded and within easy reach.

I agree with you absolutely!
Here is the link for the post by the customs department
There is no distinction made between handguns and rifles with regard to .308 Cal

https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/vi...ising-permits/

[JPA Cate]

Two posts above have been deleted for excessive sarcasm.

Please stay focused on answering the question about how the regulations are currently enforced, and avoid discussing the guns on boats issue which generally devolves into excessive rancor.

JPA Cate, moderator, aka Ann

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

I agree with you absolutely!
Here is the link for the post by the customs department
There is no distinction made between handguns and rifles with regard to .308 Cal

https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/vi...ising-permits/

Correct, they assume one knows .308 is a rifle caliber and that more powerful rounds are prohibited. A 12 gauge slug is allowed as well. I did hear that Super Magnum 3.5” shells were confiscated but not the regular 3” Magnum shells.

I was under the impression that you were allowed 1 handgun + 1 rifle + 1 shotgun but your link seems to suggest just a maximum of 3 regardless of type. I wouldn’t do that until after direct confirmation from customs officers.

When the officers see a responsible person handling guns safely and proficiently, there are no problems when everything is in order. We keep a log of guns carried incl. ammo count and I have experienced nothing but friendly, professional handling by customs and BDF officers.