Guys, I wanted to ask something of the AR guys who have traveled to Africa, some a number of times. I frequently hear talk about how you shouldn't buy this or that caliber because if your bags get lost your ammo gets lost too and it is hard to find a particular cartridge in Africa. I was wondering, has anyone had this happen to them? How frequently does it actually occur? Another question that I had is is it possible to send you ammo to you PH ahead of time so that you know that it will be there when you get there?

The best place for this question, is the African Forum.

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is it possible to send you ammo to you PH ahead of time so that you know that it will be there when you get there?

In most african countries, to the best of my knoledge. It is illeagal for someone to have ammo for guns that they do not own. ie: you semd 375 Ruger to your PH, and he has a 375 H&H. He would get in troble. The same thing for leaving ammo in camp after your trip. It ain't the good ol USA over there, for gun laws.

Keith

Ammunition for the .30-06 and .375H&H may be available either from the outfitter or a local store, but you cannot count on finding too many other cartridges, hence the sound advice against taking wildcats, new offerings, or 'esoteric' to Africa.

You may not ship guns or ammunition ahead of you without going to a great deal of paperwork and effort to export them.

If taking two bags, split your ammunition among them so that if either bag gets lost, misdirected, delayed, or rifled, you'll still have some ammo.

George

quote:

You may not ship guns or ammunition ahead of you without going to a great deal of paperwork and effort to export them.

If taking two bags, split your ammunition among them so that if either bag gets lost, misdirected, delayed, or rifled, you'll still have some ammo.

Dave, George is 100% spot on, no shipping rifles/ammo ahead at all. ALWAYS split ammo even if you only carry two rounds, split it.

In over 25 trips over the last 15 yrs across the pond, to 6 different African countries I have never been without my rifles or ammo for more than 3 days. In 2000 I made a quick trip to Zimbabwe, booked straight through the entire way. Rifles, bags, ammo, everything I had got laid over in J'Burg, for some reason? After several phone calls, every day for three days, it finally made it, picked everything up, and on our merry way. From that point forward and forever more, when we arrive in the RSA I always overnight or spend a few days before moving on, make 100% sure I have my rifles/ammo in hand. The only other issue I had was in 2008 on a little trip with the boys to RSA for some shooting. Our plane delayed from Myrtle Beach, caused us to barely make the plane for J'burg, and none of our luggage arrived with us. The next day everything was on the plane coming in, we went about our business. Those are the only two issues I have had in much travel, many trips to the Dark Continent!

Now, only last year on a short little run for muskox in Canada, I only had 20 pieces of ammo, my 416 B&M. United lost my bag with ammo in it for the entire trip! My dumbass did not SPLIT ammo as I always have (gees only had 20 rounds) and I ended up having to shoot the muskox with my buddies left handed 338 POS. I spent 3 of the 5 day hunt waiting on my ammo, I hate United! I hate myself for being STUPID to trust any airline! My own fault no doubt! Never again--I will split mine if I only have two rounds to take!

As for wildcats and hard to get cartridges, I don't buy that. I have traveled all over the world, and if you plan correctly, you will have your ammo. Split ammo, regardless of cartridge, caliber. Depend on no one but yourself and proper planning. In some places you may be going, you may not even get the most common stuff, and even if you do, it might be 50 yrs old, and almost 100% for sure, inferior ammo and bullets to boot!

Had I planned correctly, splitting my 20 rounds of 416 B&M, I would not have had an issue in Canada. I would have had 10 rounds, I only used two for two muskox!

Michael

I agree with Michael.
You cannot count on 'local availability'. It will certainly be inferior ammo, and of questionable realibility and age.

The good news is that there are people in Africa with licensed firearms. If you are travelling to hunt, you will be with a PH and he will normally have at least ONE good rifle. Yes, it is possible to hunt buffalo with one rifle only. Frankly, my ammo and my rifles are a package, to use one without the other is the same as borrowing a firearm for me.

So I would encourage you to take the rifle, cartridge, and ammo that YOU like. A wildcat should be fine as long as you have the ammo (properly headstamped helps, too). It will most likely get there. If it doesn't you will be 'borrowing a rifle'.

In the early 80s I lived in an African country with a 338 and none of my acquaintances had a 338 WM. I chose it because I liked it. It served me well and I brought it fodder whenever I had the chance. (Mainly 250 Nosler partitions in those days.) We never went hungry.