I have learned that you have to have rifles chambered in minimum calibers with minimum kinetic energy to hunt specific animals, but what about reloads? I was reading another thread, and the person was saying that you can only take factory stuff, or custom ammo loaded by a "custom ammunition specialist". That true? Or, what about headstamps?

For dangerous game, 9.3 or 375 is the legal minimum - what country are you going to?

They can't tell reloads from shinola...the headstamp is all that matters.

All the customs offcials really worry about is
1) How many rounds you have per weapon that you carry. Nearly the African countries allow you 100 per rifle.
2) No one worries about hand loaded rounds as long as they go boom when shot,
i personally reccomend that you use the correct calibre for dangerous game which is a 375 and up.
I also recommend this train of thought the kinetic energy in AFRICAN GAME IS VERY IMPORTANT ,to light a load will result with a animal 'ramping the horizon"

Break a bone puncture a lung and hit them hard
then all will be ok.
How we may be of more help is if you told us what calibers you have and which ones you intend to use and what animals you intend to hunt.
regards
Ian

quote:

Originally posted by gixxer:
I have learned that you have to have rifles chambered in minimum calibers with minimum kinetic energy to hunt specific animals, but what about reloads? I was reading another thread, and the person was saying that you can only take factory stuff, or custom ammo loaded by a "custom ammunition specialist". That true? Or, what about headstamps?

Just a note about reloads:

If you tell the airline clerk you are carrying reloads in your luggage, it spooks 'em! They probably have nightmares about home made bombs, and there is no reason to make their day stressful with talk about reloads.

Personally I do not reload. Instead, I create original pristine loaded ammo in its original carton using the equipment located in my garage.

Reloads are fine..but you can only take 11 lbs. re: US airlines...In Africa they allow 100 usually but now you can take about all you want into Tanzania and they will even let you pay a tax on anything over 100.

It gets a little confusing as they are all a little different, but the 11 lbs will fly anywhere, so thats what I take, whats left I shoot at sticks in the river and bring the emptys home, as ocassionally its a bit of a hassle if you try to bring home loaded ammo..

If the African Custom guy panics on the emptys and they do sometimes as they cannot imagine why you would want them, tell them you saw the ends of and make buttons for safari coats, they think thats great...

When traveling in Africa, smile, look totally ignorant, innocent as hell, be polite and smile,that works well and never lose your since of humor, or you will go beserk in the dark continent!!

The reason why I was asking about the headstamps is the basic brass not headstamped is $33 for 20, compared to $68 for the formed headstamped stuff. Guess if you are saving the money for the trip as expensive as that is, what is another $200 for correct headstamped brass... I currently do not have a trip planned, still working on getting the rifle. Just wanted to know as much info as possible before I start dropping mad yak on a rifle and reloading components. And I have a sneaking suspicion that I would have no problem with meeting kinetic energy requirements with a 470 Mbogo...

I know a lot of folks that have no headstamps on the ammo, and never seem to have a problem, but the possibility always exists, so why risk it, is it worth a Safari gone bad...Some have had ammo and rifles confiscated for one reason or another...

Follow all the rules and have a good hunt..play games with the boys overseas and watch your Safari go South in a hurry....good advise, follow it....

Yep reloads are OK. It is just that not all employees of the airlines have a clue that they are OK. I had a trip to Texas get ugly quick when they would not let me on board with my reloads. The fat ethinic lady behind the desk in Atlanta said they had to be in original factory containers. I asked for the supervisor. Unbelievably the supervisor agreed. Finally after much heated argument they simply said if I wanted on the plane I had to leave the ammo on the ground. If I wanted to keep my ammo that was fine but I would have to drive to Texas. Afterwards I checked their website and all it said was it needed to be in a safe container that held each cartidge seperate from the rest. They just had no idea of their own rules. Nowadays I have my ammo in a brand spanking new box with a custom ammo label and sealed with clear mailing tape. It is in the manufacturers original container and I is the manufacturer. That incident was in 98 or 99 and I have not had a problem with ammo since but you never know who will be behind the desk. Ray said it best smile and keep a friendly attitude. I think that was part of my problem as I got a bit warm under the collar at the confrontation.

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Nowadays I have my ammo in a brand spanking new box with a custom ammo label and sealed with clear mailing tape. It is in the manufacturers original container and I is the manufacturer.

I haven't seen those plain white boxes in a while... where are you getting them?

Midway has the empty boxes. The labels have been shown on the forum before, just include your info on them. Have done this several times in Canada, Korea, South America, and Europe. Works like a dream. Oh, and put the headstamps down with the bullet up and showing.

Are you allowed to bring in Weatherby or Rem 700 rifles

Mike

Ha Ha, very funny joke 375. Just because I have a 700 in 375 RUM doesnt mean you have to poke...



Of course I would not bring it, that is what the 470 Mbogo is for.

DG must be 375 and bigger, the headstamp must match the rifle's calibre. Reloads are not a problem. Different countries have different rules on the amount of ammo. You can only bring in ammo for the rifle you are importing.

Your outfitter/Ph should give all this detail to you, they are usually clued up with the legislation of the area where you will be hunting.

Airline rules are firm at five kilograms (11 pounds) but this business about "original factory containers" is pretty common. Problem is you can't argue with them (and still catch your plane).
African countries do vary a lot. Zimbabwe has a "minimum kilojoules of energy" for various classes of game. 9.3x64 or .375 H&H makes it just fine. Some countries may check headstamps--have had this happen in both Botswana and Ethiopia. More common for them to simply count cartridges to make sure the number matches what you put on your form.
Best story: In C.A.R. you must pay a "fired cartridge tax" of several francs per round you fire. My first trip there was a bust, couple shots sighting in, couple duikers and that was it. But, being a good handloader, of course I put the empty brass back in the boxes. On the way out they counted cartridges and I was digging out money to pay the tax. The guy didn't know the difference between fired and unfired, so all 40 rounds were accounted for and no tax was charged!

Hey Craig, nice to see you here ( I sent you a PM). I've been researching this "original factory container" mess. They are indeed vague as they also include wood, fiber boxes, etc . I spoke with Allen Day yesterday on the ammount of ammo we usually take. As it's the case with all of us, I think we probably take too much! He's never been checked for ammo weight, nor have I.

I purchased some of those nice plastic boxes and then proceeded to cut some of the original box tops form regualr ammo boxes and glued them to the inside. TO the unenlightened airline morons, they seem like the real thing. Bottom line is the rules are ambigious to say the least (the way I read Delta airlines' for example is to pack the rifle AND ammo in the same container, but yet I alsways get told the must be separate). Bottom line is don't argue with them. But now I do take a copy of their own regulations AND TSA's just in case. jorge