i plan on taking some .577 cases to the Caprivi in a few weeks for the PH to reload for his use. is there any problem taking them- do they have to be declared at airline check in, RSA customs, Bots customs, etc????? does it matter if they are just loose in a plastic bag? again, these are once fired brass with no primer, powder, etc....

I took some one year with a stop in JNB an then to Harare. I believe it was about 80 pieces of .458. I had them in a couple of ziplock bags in my duffle. I'll be the first to say I don't know regs, but I had no problems and customs folks saw them in Joburg and Harare.

It is not ammunition, just pieces of brass. No different than muzzleloader bullets, and they are fine to fly with...(just not the powder )

Guys,

All sounds reasonable until you get that one official that takes exception. I wouldn't chance ruining my safari because some ignoramus wants to call the empty brass ammo. I had a problem with this pre 9/11.

Mark

Listen to Mark. One idiot can absolutely ruin your safari. In my experience brass is OK of the headstamp matches the rifle. If not, it MAY be a problem depending on the government official who notices it.
Cal

Mark, I agree with you. I did it, and don't think it is wrong, but that does not matter. Like you say, one uninformed agent could make a lot of trouble. I don't think I would do it again. Sad when we can't do someone a good deed.

why not just take him some ammo

I've taken empty brass to South Africa several times and have had no problems.

Karl

I have some people mention that they had them confiscated at one airport or another.

Some even missed their connecting flights.

I would not do it, it is not worth the problems you might encounter.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
why not just take him some ammo

the brass is actually coming from a friend/client of Karl's who is sending it to me from FLA.
since i am not taking a rifle, i would think loaded ammo would be a bigger red flag. i will tell the AA checkin clerk and see what happens. if they take it, they take it. i transition to Etihad at JFK but i have enough layover that if it becomes an issue, i should be OK. same thing in Abu Dhabi

Here in New Zealand thinks are usually very relaxed and reasonable. But in 2008 I was going to the US & took some Woodleigh DR bullets for a friend on AR - about 4 or 5 packs of 3 different calibers. The problem was that I had to fly from a small town to Auckland - bags checked through to LA & then collected the bullets in Auckland and had them in my hand luggage since they were not ammo.

The pedantic guy at the X-ray stopped me and made an issue. Some superiors were called and they confiscated the bullets - total of about $250 worth. Funny part is that they missed one box of 577 750gr SN which was with my laptop!

the brass will be in my checkin bag, so hopefully avoid this issue. when TSA X-rays the bag, it may become an issue but i will have plenty of time to sort it out. and if they confiscate it, well, that's life....

The last time we tried this the permit folks at Air2000 told us that we had to have a rifle of the same caliber to enter South Africa.

In your checked baggage you might get them into RSA but not sure about leaving.

BUT, do not even THINK about taking them into any of the other countries in the area without declaring them to Customs. Esp Zimbabwe.

You may get away with carrying them into all these countries, but running into the one hard case could make it a very unpleasant visit.

In my opinion, its not worth it, and your PH should not have asked you to do it.

Les

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
why not just take him some ammo

the brass is actually coming from a friend/client of Karl's who is sending it to me from FLA.
since i am not taking a rifle, i would think loaded ammo would be a bigger red flag. i will tell the AA checkin clerk and see what happens. if they take it, they take it. i transition to Etihad at JFK but i have enough layover that if it becomes an issue, i should be OK. same thing in Abu Dhabi

Don't do it!

I almost guarantee you will get hassled in Abu Dhabi.

It's not illegal but nor is it fidiot proof. - I reckon it's not worth the inevitable trouble it's going to bring you - especially if you try to take it in your carry on baggage.

It might be of interest to run a check through the firearm laws of the country of intended visit first before calling spent ammo "just brass".

Try that stunt in any of the EU states and you will be in for a nasty surprise.

Ammunition components would be considered just loaded like ammunition by Air France (and of course primers not in brass would not be accepted at all) so would have to be in boxes just like ammo and in a seperate locked box just like loaded ammo.

Guys, I got a message from a reliable source that it is now illegal to travel with components, so I definitely wouldn't chance it and mess up a trip.

I think a lot of people do not appreciate how things have changed - and not for the better.

In 1982, another kind hunter - I did not know him, but he was a client of Klinebergers - took my two rifles and left them in Vic Falls airport.

I went there a few days later, and guess what?

The boxes were too big to put in their room, so they were left out in the corridor where people were walking in and out!!

In 1991, I took several cases of 12 gauge shotgun shells and cases of 22 rim fire ammo, as well as several boxes of cast bullets.

No one asked any questions.

Now I only take what is mentioned on my rifle and ammo permit - nothing more.

A couple of years ago I took I took 500 rounds of 22 WMR ammo for my PH. I transited through SA on to Bulawayo. the ammo was declared on entry along with my hunting rifle ammo. No problems with Zim customs. In fact, they didn't even ask to look at it.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
A couple of years ago I took I took 500 rounds of 22 WMR ammo for my PH. I transited through SA on to Bulawayo. the ammo was declared on entry along with my hunting rifle ammo. No problems with Zim customs. In fact, they didn't even ask to look at it.

465H&H

In 2011,I did pretty much the same thing through Harare but I don't think it was declared. I wasn't sure about it but my PH was desperate for some 22 LR and all went through without a hitch. Bringing ammo or components that don't match your rifle appears to be a crap shoot.

I was told, along with a whole group of arriving hunters, by South African Louie Bekker, many, many years ago, not to bring extra ammo or any ammo components into South Africa that did not go with your rifles or hunting ammo, even if you were asked to do so by your PH. He said that it was illegal to do so. Right or wrong, I have lived by that advice, in spite of being asked to do so by some of my PHs. I plan on continuing to follow that advice in order to avoid even the slightest chance of being involved in any questionable ammo or firearms issue outside of the United States. Like Saeed said, it's not worth it.

I'm not certain, but I think there also could be a problem up here with taking ammunition components that are not for your own use to another country. I vaguely remember reading something somewhere about the U.S. State Department prohibiting it.

Bill Quimby

Yes, the U.S. has some crazy export laws regarding reloading components. I'd worry as much about that as the import laws of where you are headed.

Yes ! How is he going to get past the idiots in JFK ??

Pro Tip - Don't export firearms or ammunition or components of either to a foreign country unless you have an E-Trade license. It violates US Department of State regulations.

It probably also violates laws in the country you are taking the components to.

Don't invite the man into your life.

If you ignore this advice then please don't post your criminal activity on an internet forum.

Obama's Government doesn't really care that you are only taking empty brass to your friend in Africa. Good intentions don't have anything to do with it.

In Tanzania, the possession of even a fired piece of brass counts as a cartridge.
My crew in the field would not keep the 505 Gibbs brass even if I first made them into whistles or flutes.
Sincerely,

well, i have reconsidered and decided to flush the idea. since ammo components apparently fall under State Dept guidelines, no sense in rocking the boat. also i will be using 3 different airlines transiting 5 countries, so the chance for a problem skyrockets. no good deed goes unpunished, so i will pass on trying to do a good deed! thanks for the advice, guys.