I'm looking to reduce the bulk and weight of my "airline approved" lockable ammo box. I use a Pelican 1200 now, which is a fine box affording a lot of protection, but it comes at a cost - it's very bulky, thus taking up a lot of space in the checked bag, and I don't believe the ammo needs that much protection. Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Go to a Harbor Freight store. They have lockable plastic boxes that work great for ammo. Only $5.00 if I remember correctly. Cabela's also sells a similar box as well as Dick's stores. I think they run about $10. I've used these boxes for several trips to Africa.

Just a thought on this. With South African internal flights (the ones that allow rifles/ammo) you usually, but not always(!) have to take ammo box out and check it by itself. Baggage handling argues for a box that is hell for stout...

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Just a thought on this. With South African internal flights (the ones that allow rifles/ammo) you usually, but not always(!) have to take ammo box out and check it by itself. Baggage handling argues for a box that is hell for stout...

Regards

The possibility of being forced to check ammo separate is why I used a Pelican

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Just a thought on this. With South African internal flights (the ones that allow rifles/ammo) you usually, but not always(!) have to take ammo box out and check it by itself. Baggage handling argues for a box that is hell for stout...

Regards

That actually happened to me for the first time on Air France several weeks ago (not on the flight going to Africa, but on the return flight). The box I use (from Cabelas as I recall) is okay but definitely not up to "checked bag" standards. Honestly, I felt there was a 50-50 chance it would show up at the destination but it came through okay. I do not know if this is something new the airlines are doing, depends on the person at the ticket counter, other, but it is definitely something to keep in mind.

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Just a thought on this. With South African internal flights (the ones that allow rifles/ammo) you usually, but not always(!) have to take ammo box out and check it by itself. Baggage handling argues for a box that is hell for stout...

Regards

The possibility of being forced to check ammo separate is why I used a Pelican

I use a Pelican for this reason as well..although the bulk is quite annoying..I make sacrifices in other areas to accommodate it.

I love my Pelican case and have had several for over 20 years. Having said that I went to Bass Pro the other day with a client and he bought a $10 lockable box that looked perfectly adequate to me.

Mark

When you are buying a pelican case are you buying it with or without foam? My guess is if for ammo it is without.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Singleshot03:
When you are buying a pelican case are you buying it with or without foam? My guess is if for ammo it is without.

Jim

buy with foam and you can use it either way...

Have successfully used the smaller, lighter plastic boxes for many trips.

On the odd occasion when the ammo has been required to be checked separately I use a smaller overnight bag, that takes up no space or weight, wrap the ammo box in a jumper or coat not only does it add protection but I believe it takes away that" please steal me expensive look " of bulky solid padlocked containers.....

Scott

I've always used the Cabela's box. Never had to check separately. Locks are a joke, but hey ....

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Just a thought on this. With South African internal flights (the ones that allow rifles/ammo) you usually, but not always(!) have to take ammo box out and check it by itself. Baggage handling argues for a box that is hell for stout...

Regards

That actually happened to me for the first time on Air France several weeks ago (not on the flight going to Africa, but on the return flight). The box I use (from Cabelas as I recall) is okay but definitely not up to "checked bag" standards. Honestly, I felt there was a 50-50 chance it would show up at the destination but it came through okay. I do not know if this is something new the airlines are doing, depends on the person at the ticket counter, other, but it is definitely something to keep in mind.

They did the same for me in Cameroon as well, despite a rather long discussion. I only had 40 rounds on the way back and they insisted that the pelican case needed to be included in the weight... When the box weighs 5-6# itself, it makes things interesting.

I had to put a bunch of things like spare scopes and such in my duffle. Luckily nothing disappeared.

I had a specific discussion with a representative of KLM and they told me that the weight of the box did not count against your 5 kg.

That's what is in the regs...but try arguing that to a African airline official.

It don't work.

Of course, this happened when I was leaving, and I told him he was welcome to keep the ammo. He just said it was ok at that point...felt like giving him the ammo and telling the police he had it...without a license in the airport.

It was probably an attempt to get a bribe, and I just played dumb. Next year, I think I will use a company gun in the rain forest.

Qantas policy for ammo is 5kg including the box/ case. I experienced the same with SAA as well in jburg going to Zim a couple of years ago.
Last year in jburg they never bothered with weighing the ammo. It can be a bit of a lottery, but worse case is 5kg all inclusive.

I use a pelican 1200 or 1300 depending on which guns I am taking. 40 rounds pulls it up in total, less if your toting a .600!!!

Cheers

Nick

I used a Negrini case for ammo.
http://negrinicases.com/shop/g...es/shotshells-cases/
Light weight and strong.

Mike

Mark: Sportsman's warehouse would have been closer to you. Have you visited the one in the Centennial Gateway Center?

Vaughn,

I was just along as a consultant. My client did find everything he needed there. Glad I went as the sale people did not have a clue what he really needed for clothing. I explained about ironing cloths and Bot (sp) flies and she was clueless. She had worked there 9 years though and knew all about safari gear.

Mark

This is what I got. It is an after market Gopro type case & very strong but not expensive. I just removed the foam inside.

It holds the large magnum ammo box as well as the ammo belt & ammo slips for the 416 Rigby.

Here in NZ we do not get Pelican cases. Other heavy duty tool boxes are a bit more expensive and rated for heavy tools used by traveling technicians.

My favorite ammo carrier is the "sport utility dry box". If you google it you will see several different colors and sizes. I use the bright orange ones. They are thick plastic, yet light weight, waterproof, lockable and built like a metal ammo can.

I have a lockable letter box that i got from office depot. Placed a baggage tag on it with my name address telephone number exc On 2 occasion with SAA they made me check it separately worked out fine

When the South African Air ticket agent weighed my ammo in JoBurg she did it in the Boyt case. That cost me 10 rounds to get under the 5kg requirement. I now use Cabelas lockable boxes. They weigh less than half the Boyt or Pelican and seem tough enough. My guns ride in a Pelican though.

I've used a Plano black plastic lockable case. I usually remove the large foam insert for the main area of the case and use a lighter thin piece for the very bottom of the case. The top already has a thin foam layer. I believe that they run about $30-35. They are tough, but lightweight. This has worked for me for 13 safaris, plus four trips to Sonora Mexico to hunt, and other places that I've hunted. I put a separate colored baggage tag on it (i.e. one of my Gracy Travel tags, Travel With Guns tags etc.), load it with my ammo, leave it unlocked and put it in my checked baggage, just in case the TSA baggage folks want to inspect it. Then, if and when I need to ship it separately, (as when I am in Africa, etc.), I take it out, lock it and it's ready to go. I also have an identifying nameplate permanently attached it it just above the handle.

The ammunition weight is a big problem to me as it will be to anyone carrying big bores.

I'm retired Army and I recently spent about $9.00 for a plastic, single pistol case at the local PX. It holds two boxes of .416 Rem Mag ammo perfectly and is fairly sturdy with fairly heavy lock rings.

I plan on using this as my ammo box for my upcoming safari. It is light and doesn't take up much space and should hold up, even if checked separately from the main checked luggage (theft is another matter though).

Pelicans are great, but they are heavy and take up a lot of space, and are IMO expensive, if their only use is to hold ammo going to Africa.

BH63

The first time I went, I used a metal "cash box" that I got at office depot. Non-bulky and light weight with an integral lock (and cheap, it was like 8 bucks or so).
No prob on the way over, on the way back they did not make me check it, and it rode in my checked luggage. US customs punched the lock to see what was in it (no great loss).

Worked great in checked luggage, and *probably* would have been OK if I had to take it out and check it.

My second trip I used a pelican with a TSA lock on it. Didnt have to check it separately either, but I do feel like it would have ridden better if I had, and TSA opened it and then relocked it.

Anyway, cash box might be worth some thought for minimal bulk, but I think I will stick with the pelican for maximum flexibility, even if it is a little bulkier and heavier...

I use a Cabelas hard plastic box that looks like a .50 Cal ammo container but is one size smaller. It weighs little and two boxes of .500 nitro (40 rounds) fit inside with no problem. It is lockable using the holes on one corner.

That said, it is small and to my simple mind, quite subject to getting lost in the loading/unloading process so, when directed that my ammo (Air France and South African Airways) must be separate from other luggage, I simply pull out a cheap duffle and put the ammo box (and only it) within. Makes a bit more bulk and less "loseable" it would seem. The duffle is one of the kind you can pack in its own pocket and when folded up is only about 4"x4"x6" and is always in my carry-on for this purpose (or if I decide to buy something in an airport shop).

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
That said, it is small and to my simple mind, quite subject to getting lost in the loading/unloading process so, when directed that my ammo (Air France and South African Airways) must be separate from other luggage, I simply pull out a cheap duffle and put the ammo box (and only it) within. Makes a bit more bulk and less "loseable" it would seem. The duffle is one of the kind you can pack in its own pocket and when folded up is only about 4"x4"x6" and is always in my carry-on for this purpose (or if I decide to buy something in an airport shop).

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

BH63

Mike,

Those Negrini boxes look great. Any idea what the 100 round shotgun box weighs? They are awfully proud of them.