My wife and I are headed to Zim in June and we will be taking two rifles in one gun case (one for myself and one for my wife) I was going to carry the ammo box in my other check-on luggage.

Question: What if my wife also carries a small ammo box in her check on luggage with the correct ammo for the two calibers in the gun case, is this legal?
Of course we would carry about 7 lbs of ammo apiece but if one bag was delayed or hyjacked in JoBurg we would have enough ammo in the other carry-on for the Safari.

good plan

On my first safari my suitcase with all my ammo did not get off plane in Capetown...I had two clubs with scopes on them...
On my other safaris I split all ammo in half in different checked luggage....
I look at it this way half of your ammo is better then no ammo...
As long as ammo is in boxed containers separated all is ok...

Mike

Mike

We do as you describe all the time. It is also a good idea to split clothing and other essentials between a couple of checked in bags.

I was planning on splitting my ammo between my son's bag and mine. He is going to be 7 at the time. Anybody know if that will be a problem; meaning a bag checked under a minor's ticket toting ammo?

quote:

Originally posted by rholden:
I was planning on splitting my ammo between my son's bag and mine. He is going to be 7 at the time. Anybody know if that will be a problem; meaning a bag checked under a minor's ticket toting ammo?

I am pretty sure that if a customs or firearms inspector wanted to make it a problem it would be. If a legal minimum age to own the firearm or ammunition in the country you are visiting applies, then they won't care what the law in the US is. I don't know how one can know in advance whether or not the agent will want to go into this.

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:
My wife and I are headed to Zim in June and we will be taking two rifles in one gun case (one for myself and one for my wife) I was going to carry the ammo box in my other check-on luggage.

Question: What if my wife also carries a small ammo box in her check on luggage with the correct ammo for the two calibers in the gun case, is this legal?
Of course we would carry about 7 lbs of ammo apiece but if one bag was delayed or hyjacked in JoBurg we would have enough ammo in the other carry-on for the Safari.

Standard practice for the wife and I back over many year up to last month. Never a problem.

Mow, young kids baggage, I'd be a little leery of that, but have no knowledge or experience in that area

It sure seems practical to me but you never know what some airline zealot is going to take offense to.

Dirk

To cover all the bases just have one rifle's 4457 and Zim gun permit in your wife's name. Then there can be no question about you both having guns and carrying your 5 Kilos of ammo each. Just put half of the ammo for each rifle in your duffle and half in hers.

Mark

I would be hesitant to pack ammmo in a minor's luggage. I do not know if they would let you switch it to another bag if there WAS a problem. I'm inclined to say not likely and that problem could come at any leg of the trip.

I'm with Mark on this one as if there is ammo in your wife's baggage, but no 4457 connecting it to a firearm of that caliber, it might be hard to justify why she is carrying ammunition and no firearm to go with it.

I have checked ammo in my wife's bag and also my minor children's bags many times. I have never had a problem in the US or Africa. Fundamentally, when we check in at the airport I check in all of the bags and firearms, and receive all of the luggage stubs at one time. I don't really care whose name is on whose bag. They are all "mine", at least that is what I tell agent if they were to ask. No one has ever asked. Most people are pretty understanding about families traveling together and realize that I may have some things in my wife's bag and vice versa. Don't make a big deal out of nothing. This is not something to worry about.

Bill

Done it several times and will continue to do so.

I too have packed the wife and other traveling companions bags with ammo. Understanding that it is strickly an airline rule on the 11lbs/5 kilo per passenger.

Once on the ground I always declaired it as mine and have not had any problems provided it was not in excess of the country's import limit. (I did have to leave several boxes in police storage in New Calidonia which was the first leg of a South Pacific trip as they had a max import well short of my 44lbs!)

Mike O

To avoid having your rifle(s) show up with no ammunition, pack some of your ammunition in the same case as the rifle(s). This is clearly allowed under both TSA and airline guidelines (check the websites for each and print out the explicit instructions to show to recalcitrant agents). We had no squawk from anyone going or coming AUS-ATL-FRA-WDH. If the rifles don't show up, then the ammunition in your checked clothes bag that does show up is equally useless.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
To avoid having your rifle(s) show up with no ammunition, pack some of your ammunition in the same case as the rifle(s). This is clearly allowed under both TSA and airline guidelines (check the websites for each and print out the explicit instructions to show to recalcitrant agents). We had no squawk from anyone going or coming AUS-ATL-FRA-WDH. If the rifles don't show up, then the ammunition in your checked clothes bag that does show up is equally useless.

Did you have the ammo in a plastic box only or a locked box inside of gun case?

One more perspective on ammo transport, comeing out of Harrare with 5 total hunters, all of the bags were checked in under one persons name. Then a hassel because one persons bag had ammo to return with and no gun permit issued. overblown show of authority but it was a hassel none the less.

Jeff

I just returned from Zim a week ago. My tuffpak with rifle arrived on time, but my second luggage piece did not. It was held up at Joberg for 4 days. And there was a 150$ fee to bring it to camp. Half my stuff was stolen including some ammo,leatherman, medications, candies, and some clothing. Everything was ripped apart.

suggestion: travel with 2 tuffpaks and put ammo in both paks. Your wife can carry ammo too, just declare it. Do not fly SAA if you can help it. SAA is crap!

quote:

Did you have the ammo in a plastic box only or a locked box inside of gun case?

My last trip I had to argue substantially and finally talk to the pilot to get the airlines to allow my Plastic reloader boxes which where inside a locked box. Their statement was that these were not the original manufactures boxes and not allowable. Didn;t matter that I was the manufacture or that my boxes were better they wanted the cardboard box with a major mfg name on the side.

The on duty manager wondered if I might not"look around and find a discarded mfg box" most travelers shoot up their ammo and throw them away in the terminal thought crap like that statement would tempt one!

Luckily persistance and a common sensed pilot finally got me back on line.

Best Regards
Mike O