I looked on the AFRICA - REFERENCE forum for information wanted, but I did not detect it.

My .72-caliber English-style (Alexander Henry) muzzleloading cap lock rifles are being built. metal work - partial I expect one to be completed around the first of the year, the second, perhaps, by April 2016 - I can get by with one, though. I want to hunt cape buffalo. Anything else is so secondary as to be irrelevant.

1. Am I permitted to hunt cape buffalo [anywhere] with such a muzzleloading rifle shooting 880+ grain conical bullet?

2. Am I permitted to ship the rifle as three distinct packages - one containing barrel, one containing lock, one containing stock? The purpose would be to reduce problems/restrictions that pertain primarily to cartridge firearms entering and leaving African countries.

3. Am I able to ship the muzzleloader back home to Montana from whatever African country, again as three distinct packages? Again, the purpose would be to reduce problems/restrictions with TSA, BATFE, and who knows what other alphabet agencies? In this country a muzzleloading rifle is not a firearm, and the three distinct packages are perhaps just "freight?"

4. How much elapsed time should I expect for a passport to be issued from date of application's mailing?

5. For countries that allow a muzzleloading cape buffalo hunt, what way have I to identify any specific immunizations and/or medications needed? Is it generally necessary to furnish in advance to the country's authorities a list of drugs/medications I would have with me?

6. What would be the procedure for unusual medications, such as methylprednisolone, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine sulfate, and other?
***
This should get me focused.

In my limited experience and those of a few mates:
1. Yes. I have known many who have hunted with ML arms. However, you will need to have your black powder and caps bought in South Africa and shipped to Zim. It may be impossible to get them in Zim but if you have enough time, contact some sports stores, such as Feredays, and they may be able to get it for you. Don't try to board the plane with a pound of FFg and some caps!
2.There are more laws regarding shipping guns overseas than there are if you carry the firearm in a locked hard case as checked baggage. It is faster and far less expensive and you know where your gun is at all times. The paperwork in Zim or SA for those receiving your package(s) is not worth their time or cost. Three packages equate to 3x the chances something will be lost or delayed in transit.
3. See above. To ship a firearm out of the country you are in is a logistical nightmare. Just carry it with you. No problems with TSA and none with BATFE. Just get a 4457 prior to departure and you will have no worries.
4. Passport can take up to six weeks but for an additional fee they will rush it to you in less than two weeks.
5.You won't need amy list of immunizations in any country expect for a yellow fever certificate if entering Tanzania. Keep your shots up to date for your own protection, but nothing is required.
6. I bring insulin, pain pills, and other scripts with me in my carry on (to avoid loss). It helps to have your name on the script to prove it is yours, but nothing is required. Like most items, what is done upon arrival depends on the attitude of the bureaucrat handling your entry.

Others may see things differently but these are my experiences in 16 trips to Africa. But, I have not been there sincere 2013.
Good luck.
Cal

May I suggest that you contact a good concierge travel agent that specializes in handling travel for hunters headed to Africa. Kathi Klimes posts here regularly, and does an excellent job. The nature of your questions indicates that you are totally unaware of what is needed to do an African safari of any kind, let alone one with muzzleloaders. Cal's advice is spot on, also. Take your rifles together in one case, otherwise the officials might think you are up to something nefarious. Your County Heath Dept., or health care provider should be able to tell you what immunizations you need once you have decided where you are going.
Best of luck
Tim

You need to take the firearms with you when you travel and as has been said, you cannot under any circumstances whatsoever take black powder, black powder substitute or detonators on any commercial flight.

Air Travel with Black Powder is Absolutely Prohibited: What You Need to Know


Black powder is a Class 1.10, Packing Group II, number UN0027 “Explosive”. Air travel with black powder in your checked luggage is prohibited. Carriage on a plane is not one single offense. Rather, it constitutes multiple offenses and subjects the sportsman to multiple separate civil penalties (15 to be exact) that can each be substantial. The following is a partial quote from a Notice of Proposed Civil Penalty received by a hunter when his luggage was found to contain one container of Jim Shockey’s Gold Premium Grade Black Powder Replacement:

By reason of the above, you violated the following Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations (Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations):

1. Section 171.2(a) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation in commerce when the hazardous material was not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled, and in condition for shipment as required or authorized by applicable requirements of this subchapter.

2. Sections 172.200(a) and 172.202(a)(1) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to describe the hazardous material on the shipping papers, including the proper shipping name prescribed for the material in Column 2 of the § 172.101 Table, in the manner required by this subpart.

3. Sections 172.200(a) and 172.202(a)(2) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to describe the hazardous material on the shipping papers, including the hazard class or division prescribed for the material as shown in Column 3 of the § 172.101 Table, in the manner required by this subpart.

4. Sections 172.200(a) and Section 172.202(a)(3) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to describe the hazardous material on the shipping papers, including the identification number prescribed for the material as shown in Column 4 of the § 172.101 Table, in the manner required by this subpart.

5. Sections 172.200(a) and Section 172.202(a)(4) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to describe the hazardous material on the shipping papers, including the packing grouping, in Roman numerals, prescribed for the material in Column 5 of the § 172.101 Table, if any, of the material covered by the description, in the manner required by this subpart.

6. Sections 172.200(a) and Section 172.202(a)(5) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to describe the hazardous material on the shipping papers, including the total quantity (by net or gross mass, capacity, or as otherwise appropriate), including the unit of measurement, of the hazardous material covered by the description, in the manner required by this subpart.

7. Sections 172.204(a) or (c)(1) in that you offered a hazardous material for transportation and failed to certify that the material was offered for transportation in accordance with this subchapter by printing on the shipping paper containing the required shipping description one of the certifications set forth in this part.

8. Section 172.204(c)(2) in that you offered a hazardous material to an aircraft operator for transportation by air and failed to provide two copies of the certification required in this section.

9. Section 172.204(c)(3) in that you offered for transportation by air a hazardous material authorized for air transportation and failed to add the certification required in this section the following statement:

“I declare that all of the applicable air transport requirements have been met.”

10. Section 172.301(a) in that you offered for transportation a hazardous material in a non-bulk packaging and failed to mark the package with the proper shipping name and identification number (preceded by “UN” or “NA”, as appropriate) for the material as shown in the § 172.101 Table.

11. Section 172.400(a) in that you offered for transportation a hazardous material in one of the packages or containment devices listed in this subpart and failed to label the package or containment device with the labels specified for the material in the § 172.101 Table and in this subpart.

12. Section 172.600(c) in that you offered for transportation a hazardous material and failed to make the emergency response information immediately available for use at all times the hazardous material was present, and failed to make such information, including an emergency response telephone number, immediately available to any government agency responding to an incident involving hazardous material or conducting an investigation which involves a hazardous material.

13. Section 172.21(a) in that you offered for transportation materials designated “Forbidden” in Column 3 of the § 172.101 Table.

14. Section 173.21(b) in that you offered for transportation forbidden explosives as defined in § 173.54 of this part.

15. Section 173.54(a) in that you offered for transportation an explosive that had not been approved in accordance with § 173.56 of this subpart.

In accordance with Section 5123(a) of Chapter 51, Title 49 of the United States Code of Transportation, 49 U.S.C§ 5123, [name of violator] is liable for a civil penalty of not less than $250, nor greater than $50,000 ($100,000 if death, serious illness, severe injury, or substantial property damage results), for each violation of the regulations.
John J. Jackson, III
Conservation Force - A Force For Wildlife Conservation, Wild Places And Our Way Of Life
cf@conservationforce.org
www.conservationforce.org
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/porta...RCRD&vgnextfmt=print

PHMSA Interpretation #01-0216
Oct 15, 2001
PHMSA Response Letter
________________________________________
October 15, 2001

Mr. Larry J. Talley Reference No. 01-0216
2499 Countrywood Parkway
Cordova, TN 38018
Dear Mr. Talley:
This responds to your letter dated August 7, 2001, regarding the transportation of black powder under the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) and the International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Technical Instructions). Specifically, you ask if there are any exceptions that would allow for the domestic or international transportation of black powder by aircraft.
The answer is no. The air transportation of black powder is forbidden both domestically under the HMR and internationally under the ICAO Technical Instructions. Putting the black powder into either a shotgun case or brass rifle case, as you describe in your letter, and carrying it onto an aircraft, would be a willful violation of the regulations. .
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,

Edward T. Mazzullo
Director
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
173.22

Many thanks to all of you.

My intention was to acquire musket caps and perhaps two pounds (one kilogram) of FFg or FFFg black powder by way of having whatever business with whom I book buy the consumables. I would give them at least two months lead time. And I would allow myself - by losing a day or two from hunt time, if necessary - time to create a load that I find is sufficiently accurate, sufficiently powerful, and permitted. Although were Swiss [brand] FFg and RWS flanged musket caps acquired, I would be ready to rumble.

I gather that air freighting three distinct packages in advance of my flight to [fill in the blank] might be fraught with problems - lost packages, a bazillion forms, et al.
***
One of two essentials yet-to-be-solved is where such hunts can occur. Ms. Klimes would be the person with whom to communicate?

And the other essential is the rifle. . . . I disposed of a customized pair of Pedersoli Kodiak Safari rifles because I felt the 110-grain FFg load propelling a 775-grain conical would be insufficient, and the substantial increase in propellant and bullet weight I foresaw might render a Safari a grenade. So their replacements are so over-designed that the only lurking anxiety is: Will I survive two aimed shots with the load that penetrates "enough?"

Although you have the caliber legal requirements in many countries covered (.72 is bigger than the .375 minimum for buff in a few more than several countries), you may have a problem with energy minimums in places like Namibia that requires a certain number of kilojoules for the various species. Believe that can be googled. Suspect that your weight of bullet will be sufficient to cover the relatively low velocity, but please do the math.

Regards

Load development can take more than two days (load, fire, check POI - accuracy, clean barrels after each shot to get a true accuracy level). My experience with big bore front stuffers reflected the guns like round balls for accuracy but yours being custom designed you probably are having them built to handle conicals. Another consideration is weight of the projectile; 880 grain might not be the most effective.

All that to say two days for load development might be cutting it close.

Good luck

Try using somethimg other than pure lead projectles.

The biggest problem may be that the muzzle loader meets the minimum calibre requirements. So you just need to work out for example for Zimbabwe, that it achieves the 5.3kJ muzzle energy for dangerous game.

There is a black powder club in Zimbabwe, and they do have powders and some caps for sporting uses, so you MAY be able to get what you need, but check first. There are a lot of Somchem powders locally available, but not black powder or pyrodex.

I have asked around and been told that you can e-mail a guy named Phil at ineson@earth.co.zw and that he shoots black powder.