Yes indeed I did, but there was no hassle as long as the ammo was for the rifles I had in transit. Here was a spot of luck for me; I had bought Rem .35 Whelen brass for making my loads instead of expanding '06 brass. Because the headstamp and the markings on the rifle were the same, I had no sweat. If they'd have been different, I'm not sure my chinese would have been up to explaining the problem
Posts: 262 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 09 July 2004
Yeah, no problem and plenty doable. If you overnight in HK be sure NOT to claim your gun AND bring it to the hotel with you. Some have absentmindedly done this and wound up in deep schittt requiring assistance from the American Embassy and it buggered their connecting flights, onward. We're talking major jail time, here.
Check with your airline, know the regs if overnighting in HK (and elsewhere) and just follow the yellow brick road. If you're just transiting through HK to points farther on - no problem. HK has many carriers that connect to RSA. My round trips (coach class)from Wyoming or La./HK/return have been costing 1050$ - 1450$/trip, depending how long I stay in HK/China. I typically make ~ 7 trips a year. Been flying United. EVA air has a good deal, too, bigger seats and more legroom (the whole 747 is that way) from Houston, L.A. and other U.S. origin/return points. A good place to start on this IMO would be with Kathi, right here.
FWIW, Unless something has changed most recently, China does still allow Outfitted/Guided hunting for various species. But, references, references, references and go through a U.S. agent who has done it before. I've missed some of the latest SCI conventions over the recent past but they used to have China reps at these, sheep stuff, mostly. Others, here, more SCI current than me would surely know.
If you do make the trip, drop me a PM as to when and if I'm in the vicinity, I'll stand you a few cool ones.
Dungbeetle
Posts: 1370 | Location: Home but going back. | Registered: 15 December 2003
Thank you all. We are traveling with archery gear. Will have to check on that. Any idea of flight time and cost from Seoul and/or HK to Joberg? Thanks again. Bob Butler.
Myself and others were transiting through HK last year from Europe to Australia. As we came off our plane to find our next flight (3 hour stop over between flights) we were met by an airline official with our names on a sign. We spent a long time talking with the airline, then another hour or so while we showed customs/police all the paperwork we had and matched serial numbers for all firearms. With 4 travelling in the group, this process took some 2 hours. And this was simply to change from one plane to another - never leaving the airport terminal. In future I would prefer to avoid HK with firearms.
Fergus
Posts: 266 | Location: Australia | Registered: 14 February 2004
Quote: a group of 4 from Kansas City who were enroute to RSA to hunt. We shared the flight and we were all staying at the Regal Airport Hotel that arrival night. Upon arrival, they checked with the receiving clerk, showed their papers, claimed their guns and verified all in front of other agents, sealed everything, put on the proper tags and it was a done deal. Took, maybe, an extra 1 hr, at most.
This was pretty much my experience in May of 2004. I checked and declared the guns (2 rifles, 2 shotguns) in Vancouver. When I arrived in HK, there was an airlines (Cathaty Pacific) greeter at the end of the walkway with my name on a board. She escorted me to customs where I filled out a bit of paperwork and showed them the serial numbers (unlike the US where TSA has a hissy fit if you try to touch your own property, the Chinese let me do all the handling). That was that. My flight to RSA left about 4 hours after I arrived from YVR, and I had no problems whatsoever. I'll travel that route again.
Posts: 262 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 09 July 2004
Them boys do patrol around there with the Uzi's with flashlights on them and in the "ready" position. If you find out more particulars from the Doc, please do post it and thanks again.
Dungbeetle
Posts: 1370 | Location: Home but going back. | Registered: 15 December 2003
I'd sure be interested to know what the Doc encountered at HK and if you could, please do inform us. Reason I ask is, when flying over on the early July trip, I met and chatted with a group of 4 from Kansas City who were enroute to RSA to hunt. We shared the flight and we were all staying at the Regal Airport Hotel that arrival night. Upon arrival, they checked with the receiving clerk, showed their papers, claimed their guns and verified all in front of other agents, sealed everything, put on the proper tags and it was a done deal. Took, maybe, an extra 1 hr, at most. The agents kept and locked up the firearms (there were other gun cases in that room) gave the receipts and instruction sheets for their pre-boarding the next night and called it good. Those agents were very diligent folks, to say the least. I watched the whole procedure as I have plans to do the same via that route. One of the grp of 4 had done the same/same in 2000.
If I've given anyone BAD info in the 1st note on this one - Please do let us all know. Thanks, Alf. I appreciate your post.
Dungbeetle
Posts: 1370 | Location: Home but going back. | Registered: 15 December 2003
