Cons of buying a Steyr or other match pistol from Germany.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I know what the pros are: delivery to your door and huge reduction in price.

What are the cons? I suppose servicing and repair. Would this be a major issue. I have regularly used the postal service to Germany, and, if these guns are worth the money, they shouldn't often go wrong.

What am I missing?

Even in the UK prices vary. You can pay from £1215 to £1391 for a standard LP10 depending on retailer.

Does Harry Preston still sell directly to the public. I remember buying a silver LP10 from him in about 2006. Wish I still had it.

[Inspector 71]

According to an email from Steyr UK just last week, they sell to trade only.

[Deltawing]

I've ordered target rifles and accessories from Germany and had my reservations about it the very first time.

I can safely say everything I've ordered has arrived safe and sound to my door in less than 2 weeks. As we speak I have yet another order making its way from Germany. Target shooting is an international sport so you should have no trouble getting it serviced or repaired here or anywhere else.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I have no reservations at all about the Germans.

I've bought lots of guns from them, both new and second hand, and have found them to be utterly reliable.

What would happen when your gun from Germany needed servicing? Would Steyr UK refuse to work on it?

If so, would there be other alternatives to sending it back to Germany? Would another specialist retailer in the UK be able and willing to sort it?

[18 Wheeler]

...What would happen when your gun from Germany needed servicing? Would Steyr UK refuse to work on it?

Yes. They make something like £3-500 on every Steyr airgun sold in the uk (model dependent), hence don't want anything to do with those Steyr's they've not supplied.

Fortunately Steyr's are so easy to work on that it's "doable" by anyone. I can't think of any other PCP I'd say that about.
It's so easy that Steyr even provide videos to allow users to maintain their own equipment, and provide the required tools. So even they are hinting that no specialist knowledge is required.

With the money saved you could buy a spare reg as a back up (circa £90). It's about the only part requiring any extra knowledge/equipment to service. So rather than have any downtime you simply swap it out and are shooting again in 10 minutes. The remaining cash saving is yours to spend as you wish .

...Would another specialist retailer in the UK be able and willing to sort it?

Yes. There's a lot of commonality across the Steyr range, the popularity of the LG110 means that most of the good airgunsmith's will have no problem undertaking any tasks you aren't comfortable with. XTX for example, and many more besides. HTH

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks a lot.

[lucklogic]

When you are importing a air rifle from Germany, I have understood that you need an import licence and they need an export licence, Steyr executive told me this

Is this your experience ???

Can you recommend any dealers ???

[craig9mm]

When you are importing a air rifle from Germany, I have understood that you need an import licence and they need an export licence, Steyr executive told me this

Is this your experience ???

Can you recommend any dealers ???

no licence
sportswaffen schneider
kralles in holland

[zanes]

When you are importing a air rifle from Germany, I have understood that you need an import licence and they need an export licence, Steyr executive told me this

http://i.imgur.com/gflne6M.jpg

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I imagine you would only need a license if it were over 12 fpe.

[Rich]

I have been told by Dutch retailers that they have been "encouraged" by Steyr Austria not to supply customers in the UK as Steyr would prefer UK sales to go through their distributor.

As it's a single European market that could not of course be enforced as it would be counter to EC rules.

The comment that I had from Holland was that if they stopped selling to the UK it would just mean the German retailers would take their share of the market, which the Dutch had done their best to build. So they have no desire to "comply".

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Now why would Steyr want to do that?

I thought we were supposed to be in a common market.

[Fierynick]

Does Harry P definitely not work on pistols that he hasn't sold? Seems a bit silly as they've all come out of the factory. However I do rate Harry very highly and appreciate that service back up is very important with such precision engineering..
I do know that Iqbal Ubhi (Morini) isn't so picky, and if it comes from the Morini factory he will work on it.
Such service support is vital if you wish to compete, confidence in your equipment is paramount and this requires servicing, chronographing, batch testing etc etc....

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Who is the UK distributor for Morini?

[18 Wheeler]

Who is the UK distributor for Morini?

Iqbal Ubhi.