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Alf,

I agree....the South African whites are screwed.

Too bad those 15 million rounds of ammo were not put to good use.

Well, I'm only sorry that all my plans are made and I'm leaving in about 11 or so days. I'll be sending out a few emails to find out more and if I can cancel my trip. Personally, I dont want to use anybody elses gun. If I go, it will be my last trip there, rest assured. Theres plenty of other countries willing to take my money and make me feel welcome--even with my own gun....

There is a bigger story behind all this !

Mauritz Coetzee working for a gunshop in Pretoria told me that all the dealers in the country cannot find Powder and now twice a permit as been denied to import primers from the States.

In the North West province hunting permits has been denied to local hunters unless they have a signed letter from SA Hunters which says that they are compentent. So it looks like the government wants to break all gun owners morals so that in the end they can just give up their guns because it's too much hassles.

If I were a SA PH, I'd be investing in a M70 or whatever with a decent scope...and telling all my clients not to worry... Charge a fair and realistic usage fee, no problem.

Heck, the day may come when the hunter brings his favorite scope with him, and the 1st afternoon is spent mounting and bore-sighting then shooting. I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but especially for a plainsgame hunt in SA, I'd have no problem using a loaner rifle as long as I knew is was not a POS. In fact, an operation that could brag about having top-notch rifles ("equipment") for use may have a competitive advantage, realizing that there is a limit to the number of guns that may be owned.

DG may be a different story, although the last scare in March or whenever my PH in Zim assured me that if my rifle did not make it (in April), he had a spare. I told him "great", as since I'd be using his, I'm sure the backup rifle would be in proper working order.

But in any event - I sure as heck would not let this stop me from going on a hunt.