A client asked me the other day if a person could take a 50BMG, or 338 Lapua to hunt in Africa. My initial thoughts were why someone would want to. But the client is always right, so the following questions.

Is it legal to take a 50BMG, or 338 Lapua to Africa?

Would it be for DG, long shots, or both?

Has anyone done it? If so was it worth it? Aren't they awfully heavy?

If I'm not mistaken, the bore diameter of the 50 BMG is a little over 0.500 inches and would require an export permit to be taken out of the U.S.A.

CZ USA markets a 338 Lapua Magnum and you could take that to Africa.

One guy I met in South Africa had a 338 Lapua Magnum so apparently they are used. If you used the right bullet it could be used from small to rather large game up to extended ranges.

A lot will also depend on the individual airline but technically speaking, as the Air Navigation Order (Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act) forbids commercial airlines from carrying any calibre that has has ever been adopted by a military force, both would be forbidden.

Also, every individual African country has it's own individual firearms laws, so you'd also need to check that.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
A lot will also depend on the individual airline but technically speaking, as the Air Navigation Order (Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act) forbids commercial airlines from carrying any calibre that has has ever been adopted by a military force, both would be forbidden.

Also, every individual African country has it's own individual firearms laws, so you'd also need to check that.

Steve,
That would mean such as 30-06,308 303 etc were forbidden? Can that be right?
SSR

Also, every individual African country has it's own individual firearms laws, so you'd also need to check that.[/QUOTE]

Steve,
That would mean such as 30-06,308 303 etc were forbidden? Can that be right?
SSR[/QUOTE]

Barrett makes some excellent fifty-cals about 30 miles down the road. A very customer-friendly operation.

Legal niceties be damned, anyone who wants either to carry a fifty or fire one in a hunting environment is welcome to it. Not me.

Those things are more akin to artillery than to hunting arms.

well, i guess you never know when you may be presented with a once- in- a lifetime 800 yard shot opportunity at a 100 lb elephant. and 30 lb rifles are custom made for a good gunbearer. and what better solid bullet than a tungsten or depleted uranium one.

quote:

Originally posted by Thenie Meanie:
Steve,
That would mean such as 30-06,308 303 etc were forbidden? Can that be right?
SSR

Thenie,

Yes, that's technically correct. Fortunately, most airlines, esp American airlines ignore the rule but some, esp BA usually enforce it.

The reasoning behind it is that the aforementioned act says that commercial airlines are allowed to carry sporting firearms but not weapons of war.

This might help: http://www.shakariconnection.c...l-with-firearms.html

I believe the U.S. still has export restrictions on the Barret 50 BMG, so you cannot take it outside the U.S., and you wouldn't want to carry it on a hunt (neither would any of the staff).

Kinda silly question in my opinion.

I have hunted with a client who brought a 338 Lapua to Namibia and see no reason why not currently.

Regarding the 50BMG I do not know.

The 338 Lapua and 50 BMG (amongst many others)are currently on the list of banned weapons in Zimbabwe. This means that not even locals, including gun sport, or dedicated shooters may own one legally. The FN, SLR, AK etc may be owned for the purposes of competing in Service Rifle shoots but are required to be kept in a licensed armoury and may not be kept at a residence.

223, 30-06 and 308 sport rifles have to be inspected prior to licensing to certify that they are not fully or semi automatic and are indeed sport rifles as opposed to military ones.

I do know there are a number of 338 Lapuas in SA .

Why anyone would want to hunt with either is beyond me quite frankly.

the 50 BMG is a sissy to shoot......


of course, at 37 pounds, it's a bear to carry.

I was told by a guide I hunted Pronghorn Antelope with in Wyoming that a year or two before a hunter had brought a 50 BMG for Pronghorn hunting. He said that in sighting in, etc., there were always sparks where the bullet hit; fairly impressive by his description.

One of the guys I was hunting with had been in the Special Forces and recognized one of the loaded rounds the guide still had for display as an incendiary round.

Well, the guy got his Pronghorn with his 50 BMG and there was no meat left on it that was edible.

I personally have killed deer with a 50BMG and find that it leaves a 50 cal hole thru and thru, with less meat damage than a 270Win....course I'm not dumb enough to shoot em with incendiary bullets.

troy

I have nop idea what all the fuss is about.

People go hunting with rifles as large a 700 NE.

So I cannot see any reason why someone who wishes to use a 50BMG or a 338 lapua should be ristricted.

I think some people might wonder why you want a 50 bmg which will fire a 675 gr. bullet at over 2600 ft second with accuracy out to mile for DG hunting. You could literally shot DG from a mile away

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
I think some people might wonder why you need a 50 bmg which will fire a 675 gr. bullet at over 2600 ft second with accuracy out to mile for DG hunting. You could literally shot DG from a mile away

It's not a matter of need but of want.

I've also wondered for a long time what is the huge attraction of shooting an elephant at 7 hards. I would make more sense to me to shoot dangerous game from such a distance that an accurate shot was assured but far enough away that you wouldn't get stomped on if the animal got irritated.

reworded for the man with the major in english

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
A lot will also depend on the individual airline but technically speaking, as the Air Navigation Order (Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act) forbids commercial airlines from carrying any calibre that has has ever been adopted by a military force, both would be forbidden.

Also, every individual African country has it's own individual firearms laws, so you'd also need to check that.

So...the .30-06 is illegal then???

quote:

Well, the guy got his Pronghorn with his 50 BMG and there was no meat left on it that was edible.

That would be true if you shot one with a .22 LR!

There is noth magic or mystical about a .338 Lapua...just a good .338 cartridge. Really...for all practical purposes...no different than a .340 WBY.

I am currently building a .338 Lapua bolt-action hunting rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
So...the .30-06 is illegal then???

Lane,

Technically it is yes. The act classifies ANY calibre that has EVER been used by a military force ANYWHERE in the world as a weapon of war and therefore not permitted to be carried on a commercial pasenger aircraft.

I know it's bloody silly but that is what the act says. Fortunately, most airlines, esp most american airlines have the common sense to ignore the requirement....... Unfortunately, some airlines do apply it.

BA are especially strict on it and we've had them refuse (in advance) to carry 308s & 30.06s on several occasions.

I followed it up recently with BA and was assured that they would be more reasonable in the future but despite several attempts to get them to commit in writing that they would carry sporting rifles in those calibres, they wouldn't actually give me anything in writing to confirm they'd accept them as checked baggage.

I went as far as repeatedly calling and emailing both risk assessor and customer duty managers etc but no bugger had the testicular fortitude to commit to anything.

I thinking, maybe one can argue that the 308 winchester is a civilian round and therefore not been used im any military force, there are differnces compared to the 7.62*51 nato.


STIG

quote:

I followed it up recently with BA and was assured that they would be more reasonable in the future but despite several attempts to get them to commit in writing that they would carry sporting rifles in those calibres, they wouldn't actually give me anything in writing to confirm they'd accept them as checked baggage.

Do they still restrict the .450 NE ???

There have probably been as many .30-06's to Africa than any other caliber than .375 H&H.

quote:

Originally posted by stigonom:
I thinking, maybe one can argue that the 308 winchester is a civilian round and therefore not been used im any military force, there are differnces compared to the 7.62*51 nato.


STIG

Yep...you could make that case for the .223 Rem and the .308 Win but NOT for the .30-06 Springfield.

The old military rifles actually say .30-06 on them.

We've tried pointing out that the shoulder angle of the 308 is slightly different but they still refused to carry them.

It really is a crap law but nevertheless, it is the law and if they want to enforce it strictly, you can't beat them.

The U.S. Military also used some .300 WM sniper rifles. So is the .300 WM banned too?

Many years ago, I was coming back from London with several pistols, including a Colt 1911 45 ACP, which had a 22 conversion kit.

All the guns were handed to me at the airport by the shippers, with all the export documents.

I was travelling on Gulf Air.

The station manager, being a total idiot, took it upon himself to refuse to carry that particular pistol. Saying that it "munition of war"

After quite a bit of discussion, we agreed that we should change the paper work to say Colt 1911 22 LR with a 45 ACP conversion kit, and he would allow it to go through.

We did that right there at the check in desk, and all went well.

Just an example of how stupid some people can get.

Lane,

The act classifies ANY calibre that has EVER been used by a military force ANYWHERE in the world as a weapon of war and therefore not permitted to be carried on a commercial pasenger aircraft...... individual airlines and often individual staff interpret it different ways.

I'd say an airline such as Delta would probably carry it but someone like BA might not.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Lane,

The act classifies ANY calibre that has EVER been used by a military force ANYWHERE in the world as a weapon of war and therefore not permitted to be carried on a commercial pasenger aircraft...... individual airlines and often individual staff interpret it different ways.

Hey, that would include the 45-70, too.

quote:

Originally posted by stigonom:
I thinking, maybe one can argue that the 308 winchester is a civilian round and therefore not been used im any military force, there are differnces compared to the 7.62*51 nato.
STIG

Go ahead and argue if you'd like, just do it waaaay ahead of time. British Airways nearly made my wife and I miss our flight while convincing them her .308Win. on a Muaser action wasn't a military rifle. When we did re-claim our bags in Joberg I discovered her case had the locks cut off assumedly in the U.S. or Britton even though I repeatedly offered to open it during the debate. Amazingly nothing was missing!
As Steve said, U.S. carriers as well as SAA don't seem to be as picky. That said I believe a 50 cal. wouldn't make it past a U.S. check-in counter!
I do remember reading several years ago in Magnum Magazine about an Aussie shooting a blue wildebeast through and through, front to back with a 50BMG round. Suposedly after being inspected and determind to be dead the thing got its wits back about it and ran off never to be seen again. That's one tough gnu!

I took my 338 Lapua to South Africa for a plains game hunt,the begining of this month,it performed perfectly,I was on a cull hunt,hilly terrain,fairly long shots,most all one shot kills,very quick very clean.
my rifle is a Remington 700 police model,magazine holds five,weighs about ten pounds,not unpleasent to shoot at all,I was shooting 250 gr pills about 2900 fps,my PH was quite impressed with the rifle.

quote:

quote:
Well, the guy got his Pronghorn with his 50 BMG and there was no meat left on it that was edible.


That would be true if you shot one with a .22 LR!

J. Lane Easter, DVM

I was thinking the same thing

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
I was told by a guide I hunted Pronghorn Antelope with in Wyoming that a year or two before a hunter had brought a 50 BMG for Pronghorn hunting. He said that in sighting in, etc., there were always sparks where the bullet hit; fairly impressive by his description.

One of the guys I was hunting with had been in the Special Forces and recognized one of the loaded rounds the guide still had for display as an incendiary round.

Well, the guy got his Pronghorn with his 50 BMG and there was no meat left on it that was edible.

Perhaps thr pronghorn was nicely cooked and well done by the incendiary round. A new gourmet
idea!
Hans