Happy New Year, You'all !!! My wonderful travel agent (she is also cute) is working on getting my flights to Oz in July. One possibility is Singapore Air ... Has anyone had any grief going that route with hunting guns .. (I'm starting off from Canada .. if I go through Hawaii I reckon I have to get the permits from Washington (again) ... )That is not or was not a big problem a few years ago .. but I like things as simple as possible .. Gracias !

what are you hunting in Oz/

You would be best to fly Canada to LA then either direct to Australia or via New Zealand. Most of Asia is best avoided and Singapore is the worst. If you change planes in Singapore, you have you have to get a permit and pay for a security guard to escort your rifle case from one aircraft to the other.

Hong Kong does not require quite this much drama, but you will need to meet with police and customs officials while they check your documents against the serial numbers on your firearms. In my case this just took time, but some friends of mine had the same procedure under the muzzle of a sub-machinegun toting policeman. Allow plenty of time on the stopover. In my case 2 hours of the 3 hour stopover was taken up by police / customs. The best Asian airport (as in least problems) was Bangkok where they didnt check anything as a group of us transited through.

The easiest is direct US to AU, even if US documentation is required in my opinion.

Fergus

Sheesh !!! Thanks for the heads up on Asia !!! I shall avoid that route (s) !!! Guaranteed !!! I am starting to really dislike the hoops I gotta jump through on some of these trips .. (Bad experience in Joeys for one ...) Since I am primarily going to the north of Oz to get a water buffalo .. maybe I could just pick up a fairly good size rock .. do a stalk .. and bonk one of those big bovines on the head ... Maybe I'll see about the L.A. route ... and/or rent a rifle in Australia. Problem is I have this wonderful left handed Sako .416 that would be perfect ... My travel agent today told me that the wholesalers won't be offering much for a couple of weeks on the tickets so I still have time to ponder .. and scheme ...

Have you dealt with Australia yet?

Not in any way ... I've got all the paper work for guns etc...

Australia is no big problem really. I've been going there every year. If you are going there to hunt you just need your outfitter to get you the form to fill out and you need to get it back a month or so before your trip with his check. No semi autos or handguns and no pump shotguns. They do have a customs form to EXIT the country now in Australia and you do need to have that, but you can submit that when you arrive. I've not really had any problems there at all, but given the option I would avoid Sydney and take a direct flight to Brisbane, smaller airport and more friendly to hunters I think. I've had a hard time getting my rifle back there from the customs agent that wanted to swing it and talk guns and hunting. You will have to take a short train ride there from the international to the domestic terminal and they told me to carry the gun over there! I had another hard time trying to get away from the guys that saw it and wanted to talk hunting!
I also would avoid Asia at all costs. I keep hoping that someone will start a direct flight from Honolulu to Darwin, it would make it so much faster and easier.

Avoid Singapore at all cost. This is a gunless society.

Police Officers and the Military have never dealt with guns until they get to basic training.

They don't teach the never point a gun at anything you don't intend to destroy concept to these idiots.

They don't teach them to keep their finger off the bloody trigger.

They keep one round in the chamber and their finger on the trigger at all times.

They are idiots, avoid Singapore if you are travelling with guns at all cost.

IDIOTS!

If your on vacation it is nice.

I spent many a day in Singapore. Not a bad place for a port visit, but standing watch with a bunch of idiot Sing military that haven't spent their entire life safely handeling guns is a nightmare.

quote:

Originally posted by loboga:
Australia is no big problem really. I've been going there every year. If you are going there to hunt you just need your outfitter to get you the form to fill out and you need to get it back a month or so before your trip with his check. No semi autos or handguns and no pump shotguns. They do have a customs form to EXIT the country now in Australia and you do need to have that, but you can submit that when you arrive. I've not really had any problems there at all, but given the option I would avoid Sydney and take a direct flight to Brisbane, smaller airport and more friendly to hunters I think. I've had a hard time getting my rifle back there from the customs agent that wanted to swing it and talk guns and hunting. You will have to take a short train ride there from the international to the domestic terminal and they told me to carry the gun over there! I had another hard time trying to get away from the guys that saw it and wanted to talk hunting!
I also would avoid Asia at all costs. I keep hoping that someone will start a direct flight from Honolulu to Darwin, it would make it so much faster and easier.

That may be my problem as I don't intend to use an Outfitter, nor have I ever needed one.

I haven't taken a rifle to Aus since 1999 but was planning on a couple of Doubles this June. I have talked to two exporters of firearms and a couple of cops I know and they have all said don't bother trying.

Travelling around the Country with firearms appears to be a less than well advised idea for a non resident. If your only purpose is a 10 day hunt and then home I suppose it is different.

If anyone has any knowledge or help I would appreciate it. Other than that it is to illegally use a friends rifles.

I take mine for the whole three months that I am there, but I am with an outfitter the whole time. You do need a permit for each state or territory that you will be in though.

I usually only am there for a month to 6 weeks at a time. I hunt with friends and get to shoot a lot of different animals. This year Sambar in the Snowy Mountains and then 2 weeks in the Northern Territory for, hopefully buff and such.

One time I had a hunting lic issued for NSW but could only get the gun permit for Vic. That took 3 days but I did meet a cop in Sudbury who hunted and he and I have traded off for 8 years now.

I would avoid all the cities of Hong Kong, Singapre and Bangkok for through flights to Australia with firearms. Fly direct, it is much easier.

Never carried firearms through them myself but I have heard some horror stories. One of the worst was printed in an SCI "South Pacific" newsletter about 9 years ago and involved a bunch of guys going through Bangkok to Kazackstan (or similar) for a hunt, returning through Bangkok with all the same paperwork as they had when the were heading out they were arrested and I believe jumped bail to leave the country illegally as this was the best advice they got. Not sure on all the details as it was just what had been printed in the newsletter.

Those "robot worker ant" countries are big into controlling how people think and act.

quote:

Originally posted by Mickey1:
I usually only am there for a month to 6 weeks at a time. I hunt with friends and get to shoot a lot of different animals. This year Sambar in the Snowy Mountains and then 2 weeks in the Northern Territory for, hopefully buff and such.

One time I had a hunting lic issued for NSW but could only get the gun permit for Vic. That took 3 days but I did meet a cop in Sudbury who hunted and he and I have traded off for 8 years now.

Mick

If you pass through SA on the way to the NT I probably can help you out.

I am travelling from Holland to NZ in August because I have been invited to hunt with a relative of mine over there

I will fly with Singapore Airlines, with a change of planes at Singapore Airport and until I read this thread I intended to bring my own rifle and ammo. With Singapore Airlines this is no prblem, provided you have correct paperwork.

Is it really that riskful to travel through Singapore Airport with a rifle and ammo, even when you have all the necessary documents?

Is there anyone who travelled through S.A. himself before and who can give me firsthand info on this subject?

Reindeer,
I haven’t flown through Singapore myself. I’m not sure that it’s risky, but it is definitely a hassle. There’s also the matter of the extra fee the Singaporeans charge for the “escort†of the guncase. All in all, if I had another choice I’d avoid Singapore.

I’ve flown with firearms through Bangkok (twice), Seoul (twice?) and Hongkong (once). Hongkong was a pain. The Chinese cops took me down into the cargo bay to find my guncase and had me open it and stand there whilst they photographed everything and filled in the paperwork. I had over three hours between flights and nearly missed the onward leg. Needless to say my wife wasn’t too impressed having to wait upstairs with the kids for the almost couple of hours it took to get all this done. She had no idea what was going on. Oh, and this is all after I had already informed the airlines (Qantas/BA) weeks in advance of my intention to transport firearms on those flights.

In both Bangkok and Seoul I’ve left firearms for a week in Customs bond while we enjoyed family holidays in both countries. I’m planning to do the same again this April – Zurich-(London)-Bangkok-Sydney, then Sydney-Seoul-Zurich. The best of some not so great choices in my opinion.

- stu

Reindeer

Honestly I have had a re=think on earlier comments on not flying through - Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Hong Kong - if possible.

For flights from the USA to Aust/NZ they can be avoided.

For flights from Europe to Aust/NZ, there usually isn't a lot of choice, so firearms must be passing through those airports in small numbers with hunters and shooters.

No I haven't done it as I have always borrowed a firearm in Europe when needed.

For Singapore it may be possible to check your luggage all the way through to NZ. Last week my luggage was checked through with SA from Delhi through Singapore to Adelaide even though I stayed in Singapore for 18 hours and had a day-Hotel room.

Check with Singapore Airlines what the procedures for carrying firearms in checked baggage are, especially if the gun case can be checked through without pickup. They may be able to supply a contact for whatever government authority as well. If it was me I would not just rely on the airline but also contact Singapore customs as well just in case.

Good Hunting in Kiwiland.

I addressed myslef to the SA police licensing division and asked them if it is legal to bring a rifle and ammo into the restricted area of SA between fligts.

Here is their reply:

Dear Sir,


Firstly I apologies for the delay in the reply.

2 I believe that you are transiting in Singapore and will not be using
the firearm in Singapore. You need to deposit the firearm with the
Immigration and Checkpoint Authority ( ICA ) bond upon your arrival in
Singapore and may collect the firearm upon your departure.

3 There will be no licence required from us but you are advise to carry
the necessary documents such as your hunting and firearm licence. You may
make arrangements with the airlines on the transportation of your firearm
from the airline to the ICA bond.