We got back yesterday and had zero problems with clearing our guns. To start with, the advice about having ammo in a locked petty cash box was great. At each stop, every official, US or otherwise, seemed relieved the ammo was separately locked, in an unlocked suitcase. Was told Houston that ammo could not travel in same case as a rifle. TSA guy in Houston was very polite, wanted the other items unpacked around the gun case to see what was traveling with the rifle. In Cape Town, a porter carried case to the Firearm area. About 8 other hunters were getting cleared at the same time. We use the new form (8 or 10 pages), no fingerprinting, looked only for 1 serial number on the barrel. No problem.

In Windhoek, they looked at serial #df and wanted to know how many rounds I carried and what brand, but didn't look in ammo box.

Back to Cape Town, they checked rifle against the form I got when I first arrived. At the ticket area, an agent wanted the ammo box open, took the boxes and weighed them. Only time anybody looked at ammo. In Atlanta, US customs looked at the US 4577(or whatever #) and didn't even open the case to look at the rifle! I was very surprised, but whatever! Since we cleared customs in Atlanta, I just took the case off the rack with the regular luggage and walked out with it. Nobody checked bags. It pays to keep a close eye on your bags.

Overall, no hassle, everybody was polite and reasonably efficient (though Windhoek goes on Africa time). Nobody wanted or expected a bribe.

By the way, going through Cape Town was great. Pretty airport, very uncrowded, and the day we spent in Cape Town was great. Bob

Bob,



Glad to hear everything went smoothly. Cape Town is very nice, and the lower number of hunters entering there really seems to make the gun permit thing go quickly. Interestingly enough, Cape Town was our first stop, and after three days we were checking in at the SAA counter for our flights to Bulawayo. The gal there told us to put our ammo in with our guns! Seems like everyone had their own interpretation of the rules, so I just did whatever they wanted at the time. No problems as well.

Please enlighten me on the ammo box issue. I leave Wednesday for Zim via JoBerg. I have 5 boxes of factory ammo in the original boxes. Do I need to put them into another container?

Can't say for sure if it's required, but I got a metal lock box from Office Depot to put my boxes in. Because you can't lock your suitcases, I think they like the ammo in a locked case inside the suitcase. It worked like a charm and was sure worth the $10. Bob

The problem is that nobody knows what the hell they are doing at the airports. Last year the ammo was not in a lock box and in with the guns, which was fine with TSA.

Everybody quotes what the rules are, but there apparently are no rules.

Seems like if you have a lock box you are covered for any eventuality, whether with the guns or luggage.

TSA Rules are as follows:

"Ammunition - Ammunition is likewise prohibited from carry-on luggage. Ammunition may not be carried loose. It must travel in the manufacturer's packaging or other packaging suitable for transport. Consult your air carrier to determine quantity limitations or whether the ammunition must be packed separately from the firearm."

There is also a 5kg limit.

Each airline puts it's own twist on these rules.
If you go to United or Delta's site, you can read their interpretation of the TSA rules. Most airlines like the ammo in factory boxes in turn in a METAL box, don't ask me why, perhaps they are scared the ammo boxes will come undone en route (I guess they know their own baggage handlers!) I use a mil issue ammo box modified to take a lock. You can get away with Midway plastic ammo boxes if the ammo is reloads. Lots of guys use plastic camera cases instead of a metal box, in turn inside your main piece of luggage. DON'T travel with loose ammo, I tried this once and had to change airlines to continue my journey. United wouldn't have it. Note, TSA only requires the guncase to be lockable.

I think I am going to change my user name to READER_RUSS. I have found that when you actually read the official rules, everything becomes clear.

Glad to see confirmation that my reading of the new Firearms Act in SA was correct. No fingerprints, no serial no's engraved on guns, quite easy to clear customs with firearms, your firearms won't be confiscated if you don't hire some third party to fill out the forms for you etc etc. As I established, the act reads the same in Afrikaans and English with regard to serial numbers, contrary to certain postings on this site.

Russ,

Hey if you are going to get technical, you are going to be no fun at all.

I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with debbie at Gracy travel regarding this very subject. It was disheartening to say the least. Basically, nobody knows what the rules are in RSA or what they will be a year from now. Hopefully, in transit passengers won't have much to worry about, but now thatnks to SAA and that POS FRENCH Airbus, the planes stop for fuel on the way over, further jeopardizing connections. So, I guess I have till next June and hopefully those of you who go ahead of me will have it sorted out. What a mess. jorge

Same here. Left July 2nd and got back the 21st.



I just followed the free advice I got from Air 2000 and my travel agent, Kathi.



I checked guns and ammo (in separate locked boxes, one plastic, the other wooden) straight through to Windhoek from Boston, via Atlanta, Ilha do Sal and Johannesburg.



No problems whatsoever.

When I went this past May, in Atlanta they never opened my luggage, with 4 box's of ammo in cardboard box's, stuffed inside my boots.

When I got to Cape Town I was told: Your ammo must be in the same case as your firearms. I took the ammo out of the suitcase and put it inside the hard case. Sounds stupid to me, but thats what they wanted.

On my return I put the ammo inside my boots, again, inside the suitcase. Nobody ever asked to see it, even in the states on my flight home from Atlanta.

I think you're all right, nobody knows that in the heck they are doing, lol.

It was a seemless process, for me, both ways.

Don