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Here’s your guide to buying a gun in the UAE as per ADIHEX

Sun 02 Apr 2023    
EcoBalance
| 4 min read

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) is the only event in the UAE, which allows its visitors to buy hunting and shooting weapons whose manufacturers, experts and designers compete to professionally offer the best products to hunters and shooters. In each new edition, remarkable and rare innovations emerge in the world of hunting and shooting, due to the art, quality, durability, and safety they offer.

The previous edition of ADIHEX achieved a high record of total direct onsite sales. Over 900 companies and brands from 58 countries participated in the “Hunting and Shooting Sports Guns and Equipment” sector. Moreover, 47 regional and international companies and 110 international brands sold over 3400 weapons to hunting professionals and enthusiasts. Additionally, partnerships and deals were struck as hunting weapons manufacturers registered a high turnout exceeding 100,000 visitors. 

Also, read – Most expensive falcon in the history of the ADIHEX was auctioned off for AED 1.1m

The 20th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) will be held from 23 to 29 August 2023, sponsored by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC), and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) where the event takes place. Whereas the industry partners include the Mohamed bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund, the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, the European Foundation for Falconry and Conservation, the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey, and Game Fair – France.

ADIHEX attracts annually major hunting manufacturers as this sector is considered one of the most prominent events that fans of the exhibition await every year. The allowed hunting weapons include hunting rifles and pistols, heritage swords and daggers, hunting knives, wooden and plastic archery units, and airguns within specific criteria.

The exhibiting companies participating in the ” Hunting and Shooting Sports Guns and Equipment “ sector were able to significantly increase their sales at ADIHEX over its previous editions, due to the interest of hunting enthusiasts in buying everything they need, meeting major buyers, industry leaders and marketing experts, and concluding deals and partnerships with the most prominent local agents and distributors to market their products.

The Higher Organizing Committee of (ADIHEX) has launched the guideline for buying and selling hunting weapons on the event’s website, as sales are subject to any terms, conditions and procedures that are presented to the relevant exhibitors to ensure compliance with them.         

Local and international companies and institutions wishing to participate in the “Hunting and Shooting Equipment” sector are required to obtain a participation permit from the Weapons and Hazardous Substances Office and the Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates to complete their bookings at (ADIHEX). Moreover, the permit must include a copy of the company’s license issued from the competent licensing authorities, whether in the UAE or other countries. It is also important to specify the type of participation, whether it is for display only or for selling, and adhere to the approved list of materials that should be shipped before a specific period of launching the event. Additionally, all regulations, instructions, and approved security and safety measures must be complied with.  

Moreover, displaying the hunting weapons at (ADIHEX) is subject to several rules and regulations, as there should be no loose weapons on the stands or counters and all weapons must be permanently tethered, no live ammunition or explosives will be exhibited on the stands except models, dummy, inert or live cutaways to explain the innovative details of the manufacturing process.

Furthermore, the UAE Ministry of Interior and Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters have developed online programs for licensing the acquisition of hunting weapons, expediting the procedures for obtaining them, and coordinating with licensing authorities in the GCC and other countries.

Each UAE citizen over the age of 21 years is granted the opportunity to acquire a maximum of 3 weapons. In addition, other nationalities from all countries are allowed to purchase hunting weapons, as long as a no-objection letter is issued from the competent authority in their country, in which the number and types of weapons allowed are clarified, provided that the registration and application for a purchase permit and a weapon license is completed by visiting the online portal:

Weapons permitted to be purchased at (ADIHEX) include hunting rifles, pistols up to 9mm, heritage swords and daggers, hunting knives, wooden and plastic archery units, and air guns of less than 8 joules which do not require a license. Whereas, those who are under the legal age may purchase weapons but are subject to the consent of the parent or guardian. Air guns that exceed 8 joules are showcased for sale but require prior permission as per the applicable regulations, and they are deducted from the individual’s share in the number of weapons allowed to be purchased.

The purchase procedures of hunting weapons for nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other countries include submitting a no-objection certificate or a letter from the competent licensing authority in the buyer’s country, indicating the number and types of weapons to be purchased, the person’s information and all supporting documents, to the licensing authority of the UAE Ministry of Interior. Then, obtain a permit from the licensing authority of the UAE Ministry of Interior to purchase and receive the permit. The licensing authority available at (ADIHEX) will submit the purchase invoices to complete the procedures.

The weapon will be sent by the licensing authority of the UAE Ministry of Interior, to the competent licensing authority of the buyer’s country, to proceed with the licensing procedures to hand over the weapons, provided that the end-user certificate will be forwarded by the licensing authority of the buyer’s country, to the licensing authority of UAE to pay for the restrictions of “items sold outside the UAE”.

The ” Hunting and Shooting Sports Guns and Equipment ” sector is growing annually in response to the desire of the event’s audience, where they can get all the essential products to practice their favourite hunting hobby, as the exhibitors provide many distinguished products in the sector, including hunting guns, shotguns, rifles, and compact rifles, airguns, paintball guns, hunting ammunition, decorative showcase rifles, heritage daggers and weapons, light beam training guns, bows and arrows, aiming devices, shooting accessories, gun stocks, gun cleaning kits, guns safety and transport, guns cupboards/safety storage, transport cases, rifle covers, binoculars, rifle scopes, spotting scopes, telescopes and iron sights. This also includes dioptre optics (A unit of optical measurement that expresses the refractive power of a lens or prism), target tracking ray tools, simulators, rangefinders, distance and night vision tools, cleaning equipment and accessories, cameras, digital scoping, riflescopes, laser sights, folding knives, fixed-blade knives, hunting multi-tools, rescue knives, bayonets and accessories, and much more for practicing hunting and shooting sports.

Gun buying guide UAE Gun buying guide UAE Gun buying guide UAE

Gun buying guide UAE Gun buying guide UAE


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