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My one and only hunting rifle is a .375 AI. If I ever get to hunt Africa, will the .375 H&H Headstamp on the ammo be an issue? The rifle is engraved.....375 Holland & Holland Magnum Ackley Improved. I truly pray, that this will not be a problem! Thanks in advance for any and all help! memtb You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel | ||
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I have been going to Africa since 1982, and have never, ever, seen anyone look at the head stamp! Except my first few safaris, rest have always been with wildcats I have designed and built myself. Never had any problems. | |||
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We all have different experiences. I have had headstamps checked and cartridge counted in Australia and half-dozen Africa trips. You never know and it's a crap shoot. Having brass made to your headstamp is expensive. Rather, I would stamp .375 H&H on part of the rifle that is little seen. (Kind of like the fella who hunts turkey with an 8 gauge but the cases are stamped 10 gauge). That is the simplest and easiest way around this problem that MAY happen. Cal _______________________________ Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska www.CalPappas.com www.CalPappas.blogspot.com 1994 Zimbabwe 1997 Zimbabwe 1998 Zimbabwe 1999 Zimbabwe 1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation 2000 Australia 2002 South Africa 2003 South Africa 2003 Zimbabwe 2005 South Africa 2005 Zimbabwe 2006 Tanzania 2006 Zimbabwe--vacation 2007 Zimbabwe--vacation 2008 Zimbabwe 2012 Australia 2013 South Africa 2013 Zimbabwe 2013 Australia 2016 Zimbabwe 2017 Zimbabwe 2018 South Africa 2018 Zimbabwe--vacation 2019 South Africa 2019 Botswana 2019 Zimbabwe vacation 2021 South Africa 2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later) ______________________________ | |||
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I have had my headstamps checked in Zambia. | |||
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I’ve had my ammo checked in Namibia a couple of years ago as well. | |||
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The bottom line is, you never know; if your ammo is checked, it will usually be calibre and not necessarily down to any discrepancies on the headstamp. But you still never know. What some folks do here, when they licence their firearms, is just leave off the "H&H" or "Lott", so the rifle is licensed as simply a .375 or a .458 and no one is any the wiser. That might work on your paperwork as well? | |||
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Thanks to all that responded! Though, with the mixed comments, now I’m really concerned! Though, I kinda like the idea of just stating caliber! Absolutely the truth, just a slight absence of all facts! memtb You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel | |||
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I had my Head Stamps checked in Harare three years ago. They were reloads(450/400). They were in a factory 450/400 box and I had all the reload information on the outside of the box and it passed. | |||
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memtb, My policy and one I share with clients is that "It will probably be fine" is not good enough. Going on safari can have a number of twists and turns in the process of getting there. Some things you can control and some not. The head stamp thing you can control. I've hunted in 8 different African countries and whether they count and check head stamps on the ammo or not is a crap shoot. ideally I'd recommend getting your caliber engraved again but saying 375 H&H. It might be less expensive than custom brass. Having said the above I can tell you that if your safari operator is well connected with the police sometimes an exception can be made. It's worth asking about. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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My headstamps and ammo count were done on both my trips through Harare; coming but not leaving USMC Retired DSC Life Member SCI Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
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The true caliber and the headstamp are close enough that I wouldn’t worry about it in the least. You can always tell enquiring minds that the headstamp is just an abbreviation because the full name wouldn’t fit!  By the way, no one has checked my ammo in over 20 years of international hunting. I like to flatter myself by thinking that, at first glance anyway, I don’t look stupid enough to pack the wrong ammo for my rifles! Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Here is a photo of the ingraving on my rifle. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to temporarily disguise or hide the “Ackley Improved” portion of the ingraving? Welcoming options! I really would like to use “my” rifle! Thanks, memtb  You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel | |||
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I'd tell them the ".375 Holland and Holland" was the caliber, and Willhelmina Ackley improved my trigger. "If you’re innocent why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”- Donald Trump | |||
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With 9 trips to Africa and 1 to Australia I have never have them check quantity or headstamp. Only once in South Africa, they weighed my ammo and I was WAY over. I paid the FEE($20) and was on my way. DRSS Searcy 470 NE | |||
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Cannot imagine that the second line on your rifle (Ackley Improved) would need to be on the headstamp of your cartridge. Effacing the two words on your rifle is too desperate and not, in my view, necessary. Regards | |||
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Man, you are good to go. | |||
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On my 3rd hunt in Zim, it took some effort to clear Harare’s airport because my rifle, an old Parker Hale, is marked “375 MAG” along side the serial number, but I was carrying “375 H&H” ammunition. No amount of talking was going to convince the official my rifle was in fact chambered for the ammo I was carrying...until our pilot intervened and got me through customs, to our waiting charter flight. | |||
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The way that's stamped, I agree. It's a .375 H&H and you should have not problem. I've been checked on ammo.. One time in Dar, the officer asked me to load my rifle in the airport to prove the ammunition fit (rather than checking the headstamps). I was sure it was a trap, but my PH was traveling with me (in-country commercial flight) and he said it was ok. And I didn't go to jail. | |||
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Just tell them the second line is the company that built the rifle. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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I’m telling you: Just say it wouldn’t fit. But don’t show them this: Name Too Long Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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I would have the following business card made up and leave it in the gun case Ackley Improved Gunsmithing Richard Edward Master Gunsmith Klewless, Missouri  Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I agree. Ackley Improved was the Builder of the barrel? | |||
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Cougarz, Mike and slider, I like the way you think! You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel | |||
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Seriously, after all wasn't Ackley a gunsmith? It's certainly verifiable. So how would anyone know his shop didn't build the rifle. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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You have nothing to worry about. Can't imagine any of the airport personnel even looking at the second line besides for 90% English is their second (or third or?) language. We were checked in Dar with Mrs Blacktailer's 308 but they were only counting the rounds and the empties and hardly looked at the rifles. Never asked about my 375 which was lucky since I had given all of my ammo to our PH. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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I've never had the head stamp checked in Africa, but I was asked. by a customs agent in Zambia why I was taking my empty brass back home with me. I told him so I could re-load the brass when I got home in Texas. His next question was how do you do that?  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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My wife took a T/C 375JDJ carbine to Botswana. 375JDJ is a wildcat based on a 444 Marlin necked down to 375. We knew beforehand that they do count cartridges and check headstamps in Botswana. For this to work I had to have properly headstamped brass. Hornady had made a limited run of brass at one time and a friend of mine had a stash that he gave me. I hunt, not to kill, but in order not to have played golf.... DRSS | |||
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