Have my first hunt to SAfrica in june. Have carreid guns and ammo on domestic flights many times, but never to SA. I read the SAA regs for Packing ammo. If I understand/remember correctly, it states fiber (which I interperate as Paper/cardboard), or metal boxes. Also have read that some hunters have had problems carrying ammo in typcial plastic boxes as most of us reloaders do. I even heard they may ask if there are plastic boxes inside the factory cardboard, which is what I wanted to do.

I scrounged empty Fed premium boxes from my buddies for my 375, but do not have factory plastic the bullets go in. I scrounged the range but couldnt find any. Will I have a problem if things do not look factory and have my load data written on the box with a magic marker. Looking for comments from recent travelers to SA

I used a small ammo can once, and the other times I came accross a metal first aid kit box that held 4 boxes of loaded ammo. I never had any trouble. The first time I went on American to RSA. When I checked in the clerk said my plastic reloader boxes were ok, then when I came back from RSA, a guy clerk in Florida had a fit. He made me take the plastic boxes out. So I did and set them on the counter. I asked what am I supposed to do? He said "I don't know" So I turned around and walked off with him ranting about what to do with loaded ammo. I turned and said stick them up your ass for all I care! HE HE HE ! I got away with it. I have no idea what he did.

Going over, the regs say factory packages. I've
never been asked to show the ammo. The ammo is
supposed to be in a hard shell suitcase, not the
gun case. I always give the unused ammo to the pH, so the return trip is a "no ammo" trip. If
someone wants to see it in J'burg, they are
counting it, not worrying about the exact
package. Smile and be pleasant.

The (commercial) Aviation act states that all ammunition should be carried in maunfacturers packaging or other containers that allows each and every round of ammunition to be contained in it'a own seperate compartment. Hence those plastic ammo boxes are perfectly acceptable. The ammo shound be packed into your ordinary baggage and not in the riflecase. There is no stipulation that says it must be in a hard case rather than a soft one. If a check-in agent tries that one on, insist that he show you that particular requirement in writing....... cos he's trying to bullshit you.

You are allowed a maximum of 5kgs of ammo per passenger.

Have a good hunt.

Why can't it be easy?

The TSA (www.tsa.gov) says you can pack your ammo in your rifle case.

Delta (www.delta.com) says you can pack your ammo in your rifle case.

South African Air (www.flysaa.com) say you cans pack your ammo in you rifle case.

Both Delta and SAA websites:

One rifle case containing:

No more than 2 rifles
Scopes
Tool kit
5kg of ammo...

Not verbatim, just what I remember off the top of my head.

Of course, everyone says don't do it that way.

Why can't it be easy?

Order a half dozen of the 20 round, plastic ammo boxes with slip tops from Midway. They are relatively cheap, indestructable, and meet the requirements. You can put a label on them with the ammo info, print it on you 'puter. Ku-dude

KLM says securly boxed, no requirement with hard cases.

[ 04-22-2003, 00:02: Message edited by: cchunter ]

Gringo, Hunted in SA July 02...Took ammo in suitcase with and bought hard 20 round plastic boxes put foam rubber in open end of ammo box and slide together and vacumm packed them....
Then my suitcase was lost got it the next day but had to resight gun till my ammo arrived...Advice pack ammo half in your suitcase and half in wifes suitcase but make sure some of each is in each suitcase...If one lost you will have half of your ammo...

Mike

How about the bolt, do you leave it in the gun or separate case?

Christer,
sometime luggage goes lost, I'd gone crazy if my rifle box is arrived and my bolt is in the normal luggage gone lost. I think that is better to leave the bolt with the rifle.

Remember this that could be one of Murphy's laws:
Fortune is blind, but Misfortune has 11/10th of eyesight.

In Italy we have to separate rifle from ammo and ammo have to be put in a metal box.

bye

Unsure of what to do with my reloads, I created an ammo company, and printed up some labels with my computer. Used cardboard boxes with rigid foam insides, all from MidwayUSA. Put labels on outside of cartridge box and reloading info - also printed on a label - on foam cartridge container inside.

Don't know if it was necessary, but it was kinda fun. I also put half the ammo in each of two bags - one of them my wife's. Finally, I've gotten into conflicts with counter agents about the bolts being in or out. These days, the bolts go into a small, rigid plastic pistol box. This then goes into my regular luggage, and I hope it gets there.

Advantages - Easy to demonstrate that the gun is not loaded; Easier to get gun in and out of really tight cutout space in Browning Travel Vault; Some satisfaction that if someone steals guns, they don't get anything functional. May even abandon them ??

Try these guys, I used their ammo carriers for shotgun and rifle ammo! http://www.americase.com/

Jeff

For those interested I've made some labels and put them on a server for downloading. They were made for Avery labels (but I don't have the prouduct code availible now but will add later if interested).

I've made them in both Word and PDF format. If you have Word or Acrobat (full version) you can add your caliber, bullet weight, and bullet types to the labels. If you only have Acrobat reader, then you'll have to write it in by hand.

I'm going to use MTM cases with the labels and then shrink wrap over the top of the whole thing.

Here the links:

Word Front Labels

Word Back Labels

PDF Front and Back Labels

Take Care,

-Steve

Steve,

I thought about doing that but was not going to go to the trouble of the disclaimer, cool labels I may just use your labels if I can't find any factory boxes at the range.

Billy,

Thanks. I added the disclaimer (and bar code) just to add an air of authenticity to the packaging. BTW, look closely at the phone number and see if you can figure out the "joke" (BTW I just had to correct some transposed numbers)

Take Care,

-Steve

[ 05-01-2003, 17:06: Message edited by: Steve ]

I got back from a hunt to Namibia on April 21st. I carried the ammo in factory boxes that were stored in a lockable metal box. The box of ammo and the cased rifle were in my TuffPak. I kept the bolt in the rifle and was not told that I did any thing wrong, nobody seemed to notice. After clearing the police check in Namibia my PH told me that they usually insist on the bolt being out of the receiver. Due to an 8 hour wait in Cape Town I had to register my rifle with the SAP for 24 hours. They didn't look at the ammo, only the rifle. In fact, going and comming, nobody looked at my ammunition supply. I felt this was the safest trip as far as my rifle was concerned. In Cape Town the gun case was transported by an airline official from the carousel to the police office, all I had to do was walk over claim my case, fill out the form, show the rifle to the official and was on my way to the lounge to await my flight to Windhoek. Before boarding the Windhoek plane the rifle was taken to the SAP office by the departure gate and they placed it on the plane. In Windhoek it was placed next to the police office , checked by them and I was on my way. In Atlanta it was offloaded at the "oversize" door, picked up by me and was inspected by customs. I carried it to a special door were it was placed on the flight to Boston.

I packed my handloaded ammo in factory boxes (and teh plastic internal holder) then stacked the boxes in a metal military surplus ammo can ($5) and used a standard cable trigger log ($5) to secure it closed through the tab and handle. Worked fine, met all requirements, and no questions asked.

All airlines, according to the regs I have on hand state clearly that ammo must be contained in factory cartons with seperations or simular packaging and MUST be seperated from your gun case...5 kilos or 11 lbs is the limit....

I have for many years packed mine in factory boxes or 50 round plastic boxes with seperators or the 20 round seperator boxes...

It is not a big deal, not need for all that marking stuff and so fourth...I pack 375's in 300 boxes and taped up boxes just as long as they have the seperation..

Follow the above and you will have no problems other than with a weirdo airport employ and that is very rare..but carry the airline regulation with you to show them they will not argue with that...Any airline will send you a copy on request.

Talk about packing the bolt seperate from the gun, which I normally don't due but on Oct 5, 2001 I was flying from Joberg down to Port E.. When packing to leave Ellesras I had the bolt out for cleaning and packed the rifle in the hard case and it in the duffle. I looked around and saw the bolt lying on the bed which I grabbed up and stuck in my carry on. When I got to Joberg and checked my guns thru the special counter and walked over 15 ft to enter the area the checker found the bolt in my carry on and damn neared died. He went on about the bolt had to be with the gun also stating the scope had to be with gun also. Luck was on my side as I was able to go back and get the gun and place the bolt in the case. As an aside when I went back to be checked he saw a small square container in my pocket and demanded to see it, "What is that" and I told him it was a false tooth again he almost died.

Your ammo must be packed with your gun, in your locked gun case.

Wendell,

When we checked in at the Northwest Airlines counter at our small regional airport, the lady who checked us in ask if my ammo was in factory containers and if my gun was unloaded. She never looked at either the gun or the ammo. She then asked where my ammo was. I said that it was in my guncase. She said that it had to be seperate from the gun. I told her that TSA regulations allowed ammo to be packed with the gun since I couldn't ensure that my other bags would always be locked (although we were able to lock our luggage after inspection at all airports we travelled through).

She said it had to be separate. I got the TSA supervisor and talked to him. He said he coudn't find anything in his information which allowed ammo to be with the gun. He also said that "It's their plane so you should do what they (Northwest) ask."

When I got home, I looked at Northwest's website and it specifically allows ammo to be packed with the gun (I should have had a copy of that info with me). I also looked at TSA's website, but could not find anything about packing ammo with the gun.

Does anyone have a link to the TSA website where it says you can pack your ammo with the gun?

Regards,

Terry

Here's all I could find on TSA's website

Can I still transport a firearm in checked baggage?
Subject to state and local restrictions on transporting firearms you may still transport a firearm in your checked baggage. However you should first check with your airline or travel agent to see if firearms are permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. Ask about limitations or fees if any that apply. Firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded packed in a locked hard-sided gun case and declared to the airline at check-in. Only you the passenger may have the key or combination. Ammunition may be packed in the same locked container as the firearm so long as it is not loaded in the firearm. Small-arms ammunition must also be declared to the air carrier and placed in an appropriate container ? securely packed in fiber wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amount of ammunition. In addition small-arms ammunition must also be declared to the air carrier and placed in an appropriate container: "securely packed in fiber wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition." Ammunition may be packed in the same locked container as the firearm so long as it is not loaded in the firearm.

What about ammunition?
Ammunition is NOT permitted in your carry-on baggage but depending on the policy of your airline may be included with your checked baggage. Check with your airline or travel agent to see if ammunition is permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. If ammunition is permitted it must be declared to the airline at check-in. Small arms ammunitions for personal use must be securely packed in fiber wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ask about limitations or fees if any
that apply.

Can I transport guns or firearms?
Guns and firearms are NOT permitted in your carry-on baggage but depending on the policy of your airline they may be included with your checked baggage. Check with your airline or travel agent to see if firearms are permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. Firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded packed in a locked hard-sided gun case and declared to the airline at check-in. Only you the passenger may have the key or combination.


TSA traveling with firearms ammo

Regards,

Terry

[ 06-26-2003, 17:49: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

Atkinson:

You need to update your regulations on hand. American, Delta, and Northwest, for sure, allow ammo to be packed with the guns. Like T Carr's post, I'd carry a print out of the regs with me in case you run into some junior Napoleon at the check-in.

From Delta's web site:

Shooting Equipment

One item of shooting equipment is accepted as part of a customer's free checked baggage allowance. For each item listed, one item of shooting equipment is defined as one or a combination of the following:

Rifles
One rifle case containing:

two or fewer rifles (with or without scopes)
one shooting mat
one small pistol tool kit
noise suppressers
11 lbs. of ammunition
Cases containing more than two rifles will be assessed an excess baggage charge.