How much ammo are you allowed to bring to South Africa? I was told 40 rounds max! is this true? if I am sharing a gun with a buddy can he bring 40 rounds for himself? or does he need a permit?

Welcome to the forum and you'll find everything you need to know here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...ort-regulations.html

If you want to use a firearm import agent for assistance, you'll find two very good ones here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...nting-directory.html

Hope that helps and don't hesitate to come back to me with any questions.

Short and sweet correct me if I'm wrong 5kg/10 pounds, per person obvioulsy for the persons who are brinning rifles in themselves.

5Kgs is the airline weight limit per passenger for ammo not the SA import requirement. You raise a good point though in that it should be noted that this weight limit is per passenger and this cannot be combined into one container etc because by doing so, you're packing more than 5 kgs together.

I guess I should have added that the maximum number of rounds per calibre/firearm/passenger permitted to be imported on a temporary import permit is 200. However as I mentioned earlier, the weight limit of 5 Kgs per passenger will probably mean you can't make the 200 rounds anyway.

this one might also help: http://www.shakariconnection.c...l-with-firearms.html

Subject to correction, if I understand this, you and your friend can each take 5 kg in separate boxes because there is no U.S. export permit required for ammo (or guns either for that matter). In South Africa, you alone get a temporary firearms license, including all of the ammo on your form, up to 200 rounds.

Problem is only if you are flying on from Joburg to another South African destination. Then you, as the licensee, have all the ammo in two boxes. You would need to check with SAA on what the DOMESTIC limitations are on ammo.

Regards

Tim,

The 5 Kgs per passenger weight limitation is a requirement of the Air Navigation Order, Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act and it applies to all commercial aircraft whether international or domestic (pretty muchanywhere in the world.

That same legislation requires ammo to be packed into manufacturers packaging or other container that ensures every round is kept separate from every other round.

Some airlines also have a rule that ammo be packed into a locked metal (or other) box. Although this rule is actually dangerous, it is a common rule.

The limitation of 200 rounds per calibre per person in a requirement of the SA Firearms Act.

If the hunter is travelling within SA, it's a good idea for the travel agent to check that aircrafts and airports concerned will carry/accept firearms and ammo. Some aircraft have baggage holds that can be accessed in flight and so are not permitted to carry firearms/ammo and not all airports have the correctly licenced staff to handle them.

Thanks for the replys guys, I am alittle confused still? I understand the airline requirments, but I am 99% sure my outfitter told us the other day that we are only allowed 40 rounds of ammunition in SA and any more will be taken from us at customs in Joberg? did I missunderstand him? The only reason this is a concern for me is in our group of 4 I was the only guy bringing the rifle and the other guys bows. 40 rounds will be fine for 1-2 guys but not for 4 guys. Now if some other guys could bring ammo that would be great! but is it allowed if they are not bringing there own rifle? Thanks

Team HC&B

The short answer is that he was wrong if he told you that the limit is 40 rounds per calibre/hunter.

If you're the only one bringing in a firearm, then you're also the only one that can bring in ammo......... however, you could either buy some more here or ask your outfitter if he can get some for you so it's here when you arrive..... if he gets it in advance, he'll have to have that calibre rifle on his own permit though.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly or not, but do you mean there are 40 other guys coming in all together to bowhunt?

Shakari,

Good clarification.

Where I was going is that: if the group is driving out of the airport in Joburg or Cape Town depending on which is the first destination in South Africa, rather than flying on to another domestic destination, then everybody can have up to 5 kg of ammo in their suitcase from Canada. The one with a rifle can put it all on his license IF it is fewer than 200 rounds total.

If they are flying on to Polokwane or Durban, for example, then only one person, the one with the rifle permit, can have 5 kg of ammo. But, they need to check to ensure that the in-country destination airport still has the capability to receive firearms/baggage with ammo. Richards Bay, for example, does not.

Regards, Tim

5kg=11 pounds. 2.2lbs per 1kg.

Steve,

quote:

Some airlines also have a rule that ammo be packed into a locked metal (or other) box. Although this rule is actually dangerous, it is a common rule.

Just for my own info can you tell me when and with whom a locked box is needed for your ammo?

Mark

Tim,

Im not sure if I understand you, but to clarify. Passengers travelling with firearms are permitted a maximum of 5 Kgs of ammo per passenger in total.

SA temporary firearms import laws require a maximum of 200 rounds per calibre per hunter. Only ammo of a matching calibre to the firearm may be imported. No-one may import ammo unless they have a firearm of matching calibre with them.

Regarding the airports that can or cannot accept/handle firearms. The situation with this is that the designated staff at the airport in question need to be individually licenced to do this. If an airport or often airline dont have a licenced person working at the airport or do have one, but not on duty, they cannot permit you travel. Obviously this situation varies from time to time, so its advisable to firstly ask your travel agent to get the airline to confirm in writing that firearms will be permitted on the flight you expect to be on and secondly to ask them to confirm the aircraft type and whether it has access to the baggage hold whilst in flight......... if it does, they cannot accept firearms.

Mark,

Theres umpteen airlines fly to Africa from all over the world so itd take me a loooong time to work it all out for you. The good news is that if you visit www.shakariconnection.com you can access every single airline that flys to Africa and also all their requirements etc. So once you know where your clients are coming from and where they're going, you can use the site to work out their options and check requirements of individual airlines. - You can if you wish, also book their flights for them whilst you're there!

Two that do require locked metal cases and that spring to mind are BA and SAA.... but its a common requirement and seemingly becoming more common.

Hows that for service!

quote:

Subject to correction, if I understand this, you and your friend can each take 5 kg in separate boxes because there is no U.S. export permit required for ammo (or guns either for that matter).

U.S. Customs requires a special permit for an individual to take more than 3 firearms out of the country.

As for the amount of ammo; I believe the 200 round figure is correct. Each time I went, I took 50 rounds of each type of cartridge and had no problems.

As for the weight of the ammo in the luggage, it's 11 lbs. but, if your luggage isn't overweight it's highly unlikely that airline personnel are going to take your ammo out and weigh it.

Since when did BA change their rules on ammo required in a locked box? I flew BA last May (2008) and while I had to notify BA ahead of time (min of 72 hours) that I was travelling with firearms and ammo, all that was required was ammo in factory type boxes and in a checked bag DIFFERENT from the gun case. I did travel with my ammo in a locked (used a TSA approved combo lock ) plastic type box recommended by namibia hunter, but that was to meet SAA requirements since I had a connecting flight with them from Joberg to Windhoek.

Of course at Joberg, SAA made me take that locked plastic box OUT of my second checked bag and they (SAA ticket/gate people checked that as separate 3rd bag and by the time I picked that box of ammo up in Windhoek the bagga folks had damamged the box to the extent that the hasp, or place where the lock went was broken beyond repair. SO much for security of ammo, tho none of mine was missing.

In the end , in spite of all whats written on airline websites, its as much luck of the draw, tho I always try and comply with the airlines written policies before travelling with guns/ammo.

Gotta love government officials and airline agents to make up their own rules depending on their moods at the time.

Still hunting in Africa is great and just wish I could do more.

It's been a requirement with BA for some considerable time, but it partly depends on where you're flying from and often the individual check in agent concerned.

If you check in at London then they usually know the rules - there's also the factor that more staff are a tad anti hunting. Check in at other airports tend to be a bit more lax.

As you say, there's also the luck of the draw factor.