gun laws in mexico
- Thread starter pawcatch
- Start date
Jeff Thomas
New member
pawcatch, welcome to TFL!
I've lived in Arizona for over 30 years. Every few years we get to read in the paper about 'Joe Blow', who went into Mexico and was caught with a firearm, or even ... one cartridge or box of cartridges. Then we get to follow Joe's case as he sits in a Mexican jail for 6 months to a year, until they finally negotiate his release. Always (to my knowledge) without his truck, car, etc. Those seem to mysteriously end up in the possession of the chiefs of police and other officials.
Be very, very, very careful about Mexico. It is a third world nation. Lots of great people, lots of great sights, wonderful food and so on. Coupled with an often corrupt law enforcement and judicial system.
Check it out very carefully before you do anything down there with a firearm. For my money, there is nothing in Mexico I want to hunt bad enough that it is worth the hassle. We have dove in Arizona ...
Hopefully, with people like Vicente Fox coming into power, perhaps there is hope for that nation. But, I sincerely doubt I'll see them become more logical about firearms during my lifetime.
Regards from AZ
[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited September 22, 2000).]
I've lived in Arizona for over 30 years. Every few years we get to read in the paper about 'Joe Blow', who went into Mexico and was caught with a firearm, or even ... one cartridge or box of cartridges. Then we get to follow Joe's case as he sits in a Mexican jail for 6 months to a year, until they finally negotiate his release. Always (to my knowledge) without his truck, car, etc. Those seem to mysteriously end up in the possession of the chiefs of police and other officials.
Be very, very, very careful about Mexico. It is a third world nation. Lots of great people, lots of great sights, wonderful food and so on. Coupled with an often corrupt law enforcement and judicial system.
Check it out very carefully before you do anything down there with a firearm. For my money, there is nothing in Mexico I want to hunt bad enough that it is worth the hassle. We have dove in Arizona ...
Hopefully, with people like Vicente Fox coming into power, perhaps there is hope for that nation. But, I sincerely doubt I'll see them become more logical about firearms during my lifetime.
Regards from AZ
[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited September 22, 2000).]
unforgiven
Inactive
I was once denied access to cross on a ferry from Bahia de los angeles in baja to Guymas(sp)my papers were "incorrect" the papers were returned to me i returned them with a 100 dollar bill and they were mysteriously in order.
Be careful it is very corrupt as jeff says!
I would not take anything into mexico i was not prepared to lose!
Unforgiven
[This message has been edited by unforgiven (edited September 22, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by unforgiven (edited September 22, 2000).]
Be careful it is very corrupt as jeff says!
I would not take anything into mexico i was not prepared to lose!
Unforgiven
[This message has been edited by unforgiven (edited September 22, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by unforgiven (edited September 22, 2000).]
The rules are constantly changing, but in general:
1) Long guns (shotguns and rifles in non-military calibers) are allowed. Requires hunting license, military firearms permit, and last time I checked (although there has been talk of eliminating this requirement), a contracted hunt with a Mexican guide/outfitter.
Mexico has some world class dove, quail, and deer hunting, but for non-Mexicans, it is currently guided hunts only.
2) Handguns for non-Mexicans are an absolute (under most circumstances
) no. Anything related to handguns, particulary in a military caliber, can cost you your freedom.
Case in point - An uncle of mine crossed the border at Tecate (east of San Diego) to have some work done on his Porsche 914 (no derrogatory comments on it not being a "real" Porsche ). He was in an auto accident, busted up his car, and received a concussion. During the police investigation, an empty 7 round mag. from a 1911 pistol was found in the car. No gun, no ammo, just a mag. He was immediately arrested and jailed. Apparently, the statute under which he was prosecuted was so broad, that what he did was considered to be same as an "invasion of Mexico by a foreign, armed, national force."
While they were preparing to move him to the infamous La Mesa prison, he escaped from the jail, and literally "made a run for the border." Unfortunately, with the concussion, he wasn't as fast as he hoped, and was re-captured.
He was eventually released in exchange for several thousand dollars (brought down by friends) and his car.
However, "connections" make virtually anything possible in Mexico, for both nationals and foreigners. If you don't speak the language, tread lightly.
The eassiest method to have a trouble free hunt is to book with an outfitter, and rent a gun from him. You will save yourself a lot of hassles.
------------------
TaxPhd
"Those who live by the sword are probably pretty f***ing good at it."
"Instructions for a successful gunfight: Front Sight, Press Trigger, repeat
as necessary." - B. Braxton
1) Long guns (shotguns and rifles in non-military calibers) are allowed. Requires hunting license, military firearms permit, and last time I checked (although there has been talk of eliminating this requirement), a contracted hunt with a Mexican guide/outfitter.
Mexico has some world class dove, quail, and deer hunting, but for non-Mexicans, it is currently guided hunts only.
2) Handguns for non-Mexicans are an absolute (under most circumstances
) no. Anything related to handguns, particulary in a military caliber, can cost you your freedom.Case in point - An uncle of mine crossed the border at Tecate (east of San Diego) to have some work done on his Porsche 914 (no derrogatory comments on it not being a "real" Porsche
). He was in an auto accident, busted up his car, and received a concussion. During the police investigation, an empty 7 round mag. from a 1911 pistol was found in the car. No gun, no ammo, just a mag. He was immediately arrested and jailed. Apparently, the statute under which he was prosecuted was so broad, that what he did was considered to be same as an "invasion of Mexico by a foreign, armed, national force."While they were preparing to move him to the infamous La Mesa prison, he escaped from the jail, and literally "made a run for the border." Unfortunately, with the concussion, he wasn't as fast as he hoped, and was re-captured.
He was eventually released in exchange for several thousand dollars (brought down by friends) and his car.
However, "connections" make virtually anything possible in Mexico, for both nationals and foreigners. If you don't speak the language, tread lightly.
The eassiest method to have a trouble free hunt is to book with an outfitter, and rent a gun from him. You will save yourself a lot of hassles.
------------------
TaxPhd
"Those who live by the sword are probably pretty f***ing good at it."
"Instructions for a successful gunfight: Front Sight, Press Trigger, repeat
as necessary." - B. Braxton
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
If you do decide to take a shotgun or non-military-cartridge rifle into Mexico, start with the paperwork at a Mexican Consulate.
All in all, rent whatever you're going to shoot.
They have no sense of humor when there is a chance to humiliate a Gringo.
Art
All in all, rent whatever you're going to shoot.
They have no sense of humor when there is a chance to humiliate a Gringo.
Art
OH! 
Well, I know nothing of Mexican law other than I've heard Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world. Taking that into consideration I would suspect that only the politicos, the rich, the famous, the military, the federales and other elite classes have access to firearms legally. If the peasants are legally allowed anything at all it's probably a single shot shotgun or 22 rimfire. Money talks in Mexico.
I would also suspect that blackmarket guns are widely available. So what else is new?
------------------
Just one of the Good Guys
[This message has been edited by Good Guy (edited September 23, 2000).]
Well, I know nothing of Mexican law other than I've heard Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world. Taking that into consideration I would suspect that only the politicos, the rich, the famous, the military, the federales and other elite classes have access to firearms legally. If the peasants are legally allowed anything at all it's probably a single shot shotgun or 22 rimfire. Money talks in Mexico.
I would also suspect that blackmarket guns are widely available. So what else is new?
------------------
Just one of the Good Guys
[This message has been edited by Good Guy (edited September 23, 2000).]
I don't mean to get off the subject, but doesn't Mexico have a high crime rate and strong gun laws? Sarah Brady keeps telling me the U.S. has more crime than Canada because Canada has stronger gun laws. Mexico has even stronger gun laws than Canada. The same is true of Russia. I rarely hear any mention of this when the whole argument of Canada vs U.S. crime.