I live in Canada and recently ordered a bunch of paintball items form the US.  I had the items shipped to Rydens Border Store in Minnesota. Yesterday a friend and myself went went across the border into the US and picked up the packages (he also had paintball gear sent to the border store).  When we came back into Canada and declared our items, the border agent(s) asked to see specifically two items listed on my receipt - the Alpha Black tactical paintball gun, and the flatline barrel for the X7.

They took about 45 mins to an hour investiagting these items and came back with the conclusion that the Alpha Black is a restricted firearm.  The border agent cited the fact that the manual included did not give out the maximum velocity the weapon can fire and also that the paintball gun was a replica of a real gun.  

The explanation for not allowing the barrell was not clear, as no reason was really given except that it was restrcited.

We told the border agents that the items are sold directly in Canada and in Canadian Paintball stores. We were told by the agents that they are NOT sold in Canada and if they were they came here illegally.   

At one point they border agents called the paintball gun an airsoft rifle and made the case that it can fire metal balls and even told us that they could call the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) and have us arrested for being in possesion of the firearm.

My friend and myself are not criminals and nor are we teenagers (we are in our 30's).  We were both taken back by the ignorant attitudes of the agents and the complete disregard for the facts.

We were allowed to return the items to the American Border Store (Rydens), where the items are right now (waiting).  I have a couple of options to proceed to try to get my items back, #1) return the items to where I bought them. #2) make a case for bringing the items through (to Canada permanently) again.

Any thoughts or ideas ? 

I'll probably end up shipping the items back to where i bought them.  It's too bad because I got the flatline barrel for an unbeatable price.  Canadian prices are very overpriced for paintball gear, I woud rather avoid buying from Canada if I can. 

Thanks for advice.

The X-7 is not classified as a replica because it fires a projectile, it does however look somewhat like a firearm so they may require red paint on the barrel. I've had many problems with airsoft guns crossing the border. The problem lies in the fact that replicas/airsoft/paintball fall into a grey area, and also borderguards are not properly trained in these subjects. I have myself and many of my old airsoft buddies called the border service on numerous occations to get a firm answer to what will be seized and what will not. We have never been given the same answer twice. We have even talked to higher ranking officials as well. Basically the bottom line is if a border guard believes wrongly or not something is a firearm or replica thay are told to ban it. I was told by an official " National security trumps your stupid hobby." My suggestion to you if you choose to bring paintball accessories across the border, is to check some Canadian airsoft team sites. My understanding is that some have hired lawers and there is some knid of form that sites exact sections of the legal code. Or maybe the guards knew the law and just wanted your marker, there was an issue in an airsoft magazine about an American border guard with more than 500 airsoft guns that he seized from Canadians. He buys them from the dept for a few dollars each.