No more EDguns out of Russia :(
Hi, guys,
Sorry for making a new topic, but it seems to me there is a reason to do it. As I told before — we got some problems with sending out guns out of Russia, all the ways, we used to work were closed. Thanks to our government, for example according to a new law one even cannot send a China soft-air pistol by mail out of Russia. The most stupid thing is they made a list of so called “gun parts”, thing out of that list are not allowed to be sent by mail, one needs to call the special company which has a license to delivery such a parts. Among real parts of the gun like barrel etc, you can find there a gun-stock as well or parts of the guns stock, just a piece of wood but it a real “gun part”! Needless to say we are not happy of such a stupidity.
Anyhow I decided to try an official way of the delivery, we made an official contract with my Estonian’s friend. Executed all the bank papers, allowing us to make a dilivery. Then I gave to the local custom office the whole bunch of papers to proof that everything is according to the law. We discussed many things with them, even if I need a special license from the Ministy of Defence of Russia, allowing me to take my guns out of Russia (I have to say, that according to Russian laws and all the papers I make no the weapon but the “thing like the weapon” I have them all sertified for 3 Joles limit.)
So, it took about 3 weeks to prepare all the documents, to agree all the issues etc. Then I got a permission to begin the execution of the papers, allowing me to take the guns out of Russia. Everybody told that everything would be OK. The truck came from Estonia, we were about to load it already and suddenly the custom officials claims that they need to take few samples for the test if they are real 3 Joles. They did it — took out 4 gun, 2 Matadors and 2 Lelyas. It was las Thursday, 10th of Feb. Needless to say we gave them the real 3 Joles guns, the truck was staying at my place, waiting for them. Couple of days ago Ii got the information that there are some problems with the test. I understood that there will not be any delivery and let the truck go back to Estonia (that cost me 1 500 euro to keep it here waiting for the loading). Yesterday I got a call from the custom office, they are willing to come to my place. I expect they want to arrest the rest of the guns (about 60 Matadors)
I have no intention to give the guns to them. I made an official letter saying that due to the long time of execution and hight cost of all the deal I refuse to delivery the guns out of Russia and will sell them in Russia.
So I evacuated all the guns from the workshop and expect them to come on Monday. I have no idea what will going on but do not expect anything good 🙁
Thus the last legal way of taking the guns out of Russia was cut off 🙁 And I have no option left. So there are two ways:
1. Those who made a deposit to Tony — you can take it back. Those who had paid me — give me a letter of PM we will discuss the way I return money to you.
2. Wait until we made the first 300 guns in Europe (we started to make them already). We expect them to be ready in September-October period of time of 2011.
Yes, there is another option — to come to Russia and take the guns by yourself but I would consider that option rather as fantastic.
I think needless to say how I HATE that bloody Russia bureaucracy, Putin and Medvedev. You even cannot imagine how we live here, we spend about 70 % of all our efforts and power just to struggle the system and only 30 % we can use for the real work 🙁
It became quite popular to make an Internet letter to Medvedev, so if some of you want to do it, you can make a letter to him, asking why the bloody Russia doesn’t allow their people to work and sell the good things out of Russia instead of gas and oil.
You can do it here:
http://eng.letters.kremlin.ru/
Sorry, guys for the bad news but you can trust me I was fighting the system like a lion but fail :(…
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😯 😯 😯
Can we get interviewed around the globe by some rusian TV crew and show the support around the globe for Ed and his business ? Maybe an online interview … ? Or post somewhere by the hundreds : LET ED ALONE !!!
Come to think of it, I think that the officials fixed the test of the guns so that it will be higher than 3 Joules . Ed, you shouldn’t have let those guns out of your site. You should have stayed and watch the testings yourself. Now it’s all compromise…
The police is now assaulting my workshop, I have no idea what will happen then. Will keep informed you, hope 🙂
If shipping parts is not an issue then I’m still open to the idea of re-assembling the matador myself. I already sent the support letter to the president to help Ed out of his situation.
I’ve just received a PM from Ed. All of us 300 fan warriors will get the Matador specially signed by Ed and this T-shirt , but instead of the russian letters there will be : True Edgun fan ; Other suggestions are opened
Ed will personally sign the T-shirt with a permanent marker , too .
PS. My mind refuses to believe that the Matador is almost gone and starts to imagine some weird things. Maybe it’s the celery… Anyway, sorry for the confusion created.
PPS. Hoot, ever had the feeling that we jinx Ed ?
If only Ed would give me the green light.
Already have my eyes on some flights 😀
By the way, in which city do you live Ed ?
Dvdrw, grab mine while you are there! We will work the shipping out later! 😆
Ed,
Thank you for your thorough explanation. I know how mentally taxing it is to write a letter like this in a 2nd language. And I echo Oldgoat’s sentiments re: the wait for an Edgun. You guys who are still trying to get your first have my sympathy. I remember the wait – it’s brutal.
Good luck with all that you will face, Ed, now and in the coming months. Stop by and give us an update when you can.
I’ve posted a link to this thread on my Youtube channel, as I was POUNDED with questions today. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/user/EdgunUSA
ted
Yours Ed
Ed,
There are only 1260 Km between us, and a plane ticket is not that expensive for me. Do you think I can come and get the R3 safely out of Russia ?
PS. My permit (license) only allow me to have 2 guns so I can get koljo’s gun too, if he pays for the tickets 😉
I think we need to have some positivity here.
Both me and Ed will do our best to bring Edgun devices back to the US market.
It might take months, but we’ll make it happen!
Thank you, guys for all the support I got from you on different English speaking forums, to my PM inboxes and to my e-mail. I really appreciate it. I think I got such a support because many people understand and feel that making airguns is not only business for me, it’s a part of like and a part of my soul is in every gun I make.
As for Russia — that is true, many thing can be done here if you know to whom to pay. But I am a stupid guy, I NEVER pay to anybody, both criminals and bureaucracy, NEVER, that is my point of view for the life, I must not pay for being a normal and being able to work. I am ready to ruin EVERYTHING myself but will never pay them, I would rather kill them but not to pay. That thing is not discussed, I am 43 and there is no possibility to change my principles I have been building my life on.
Business in Russia, especially if you are making something is a real tough thing, just for example — when we calculated all the expenditure of making Matadors in Europe I found out that with the same price for Matador to sell I will have 2.5-3 times more profit from Matador made in Europe in comparison to made in Russia. You just do not understand that it means to make any business here, that it impossible to describe. Especially make a business for guys like me, stupid ones, who doesn’t understand that “one has to share”.
As for the energy, that is another issue, to make a guns, even 4.5 mm and no more then 7.5 Joles/5 Ft-lbf (which are free for selling in Russia) you should have a weapon making license. It means you have to get a license as if you are producing not airguns which everyone can buy in a shop without any permission but a firearm!!! Just imagine that stupid thing — to make a staff everybody can easily buy one needs a special weapon license! I know what it means, I have a lot of friends among the weapon makers in Russia and when I asked them, what do you think if I get a weapon making license, they without any exception told me — don’t even think about it!!!! If you have such a lisence you cannot do anything against the beuracracy, you factory can be closed any moment by any reason, you can go go court and it will last for years, years which you will not be able to work. That is why in 2005 I was the first one in Russia, who carefully read a Weapon Law and found that trick with 3 Joles toys 🙂 That means that I can produce any caliber airguns in Russia, but the energy shouldn’t be more then 3 Joles. The trick is very simple, there is no criminal responsibility for turning your own airgun for higher energy and my clients know that. So I someone is caught with my gun which has more then 3 Joles of energy, that is not my problem, I sold 3 Joles gun. That is the only thing for now in Russia to survive in this market for such a small company like me. Of course everybody knows about that trick, but since there is no criminal responsibility for such a thing we are not interested for them. The maximum penalty is a fine, about 100 U.S. dollars. Thus there is no problems for those who leaves Russia with my guns, they just show the gun on the custom line, saying they have bought it in Russia, there is no limitation by the law to prohibit for foreigners to take it out of Russia and they easily goes out.
But the other thing my attempt to make an official delivery out of Russia, according to a contract with the Estonian company. They (custom officials) has right to make test of such a goods. They did it, they had four guns for tested, 2 Matadors in .177 and .22 and two Lelyas in .177 and .22. According to their statment Matador in .177 showed more energy then 3 Joles, I have no the exact figure, it could be 3.1 Joles or something like that. Thus immediately we have the problems with them. Now they can charge me with anything from an attempt to full the custom up to an illegal making of the guns. I have no idea what will happen but will fight using all the possibilities.
As for the letters to Medvedev, the funny thing is that they react more to what foreigners say rather then what people in Russia say 🙂 so that would be a good support, if they have about few dozens letters, asking “why you don’t allow people to work in Russian and sell their products out of Russia, where they are very popular? Do you want your talented people to leave Russia and work for other countries economy?” it can cause the movement to the right direction. As one of you told already — the Russia is not the country of the laws, that is country of the persons 🙂 So avoid using such a possibility wouldn’t be smart, I think.
I will not give up, I will fight, I will try to find the ways to work further and I will in a success as I was before, that is not the first time I have to pass that shit through neither the last one, we are just got used to it.
Thanks for your support!
Yours Ed
Another bad news, now from Europe, the parcels with Veles and Lelya were returned to the sender (in Europe). They don’t accept any parcels with weight more then 0.5 kg to U.S. due to that mail bomb threat 🙁 I think the stupidity goes wildly on the planet 🙁 Looking for other ways to have a delivery of what is already in Estonia.
Ed
I take it you have a spare gun…
That’s not going to happen..
What if your gun is shooting inaccurate?
Is it due to your assembling? Maybe due to shipping?
I hope Ed want to keep the assembling at highest level and so the rifles’ accuracy.
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Regret to hear what is happening Ed.
Will definitely write letters in your favor.
The way I see it, it a new uprising.
The Outcome of which will be in your favor over the years to come.
Am sure those existing great brands might have been through hardships to get there too. Its just that you’re is worser.
It sad to hear that that you have to battle it against the whole system.
Victory will be yours and I know it, when the time comes you will flood the markets.
Your’s in a unique skillset which you have demonstrated in a very shotspan and the current demand for Edguns is a living proof of the same.
Prayers for your success Chief…..