It's a given that ammo weight is limited to 11 lbs. (5 kilos). I am told by the outfitter that there is a requirement that the ammo be in a locked box (To Tanzania transit through Amsterdam). My question is: Does the 11 lbs include the weight of the locked box or just the ammo in factory cartons?

Makes a rather significant difference in number of rounds I can carry. Anyone have any insight on this? Thanks.

As I read the rule, the limit is for ammunition and would not include the locked box. I have weighed the ammo without case and given that figure to the airline when asked. In three international trips, no one has yet opened the case or weighed the ammo to verify the stated weight.

I take it to mean just the ammo, but I included the wt of the factory boxes in my calculations. I did not include the box that the factory boxes were locked in. (Lot of good that does, you have to tape a key on it so the frigging TSA can open it and be sure it is not a bomb). Unless you are carrying very heavy ammo or are planning on either shooting some kind of varmints or missing a lot, 5 kgs of ammo is plenty. I didn't cut it close, carried about 10.5 pounds and that was 72 200 gr .300 Win Mags and 64 165 gr .308s. Including zero check shots, my son and I fired 22 shots total, including several at jackals, so we brought most of it home.

So far, on three different trips to Africa, I've never seen them weigh ammo. Given that you don't have to declare ammo and it is supposed to be in a separate bag for international flights, I think fudging the wt would not be a big deal, but it could bite you in the butt if you got unlucky. In reality, you just don't shoot that much if you're shooting only big game.

I've been to RSA twice. The TSA weighed my ammo at my point of departure in 2007.

Thanks for the input. Shouldn't be a big issue this trip, but a box of 416's weighs about 2 lbs 5 oz. Taking a 416 and a .375 so that still leaves nearly 3 boxes of each if you don't have to weigh the lock box. Even with two buffalo, that should be more than enough, but I like redundancy.

Does the ammo have to be in a hardsided box or can it be a softsided canvas bag?

lavaca and DCS:

It is my understanding that it has to be in a lockable box for international flights. I'd think that would preclude the canvas bag BUT, as I've stated before, I've personally never seen them make an issue of it.

A lot of people use those kind of cheap, flimsy metal cash boxes you can buy for a few bucks that have a hasp on them for a padlock. The advantage is they don't weigh much and meet the requirements and are basically throw aways. I'd have used one instead of the heavier duty plastic camera type case I used on this last trip, but as usual, I put things off to the last minute and found that case while shopping and said, "That'll work." So one more off the list.

As much as I like my own guns, especially shotguns, I'm leaning toward deciding it is easier to rent in Africa, if that service is available where I'm going. The savings in hassles, potential hassles, carrying the stuff around, paperwork, clearing customs in and out and back, etc. is about to sway me to the dark side. Without the guns and ammo, I could probably get a whole hunting trip into a carry-on and the mental and physical problems inherent in traveling would be orders of magnitude less. OTOH I certainly can appreciate the pleasure of using your own carefully selected gun and loads.......

The only time I was questioned about ammo was "Is it loose" and I said no in plastic boxes. That was that.

Ivaca

when I flew to tanz last summer. I just told the airline I had under 5 kg of ammo and they didn't care. flew thru NY and packed the ammo in the gun case. On the way back NY didn't like ammo in gun case so put it in soft sided luggage.

I bought a cheapo plastic box to put all ammo in (in orignal boxes). No lock

Took 5 boxes shot probably a dozen shots including sight in, left most of the rest for the PH.

Edited: The information below is good for domestic flights only and incorrect for international travel. There are some good links so I will leave it posted, but read the post below also

To date I have flown only domestic flights with firearms and ammo has never been an issue. I have packed it with the rifle and in my suitcase. The suitcase was softside and the zipper locked.

This is what I came up with for my trip to Tanzania.

Continental:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/bag...4D8EB2902FB7A8712614

No more than 11 pounds of ammunition may be carried. The ammunition may be packed in the same container as the firearm or in a separate container. Ammunition must be packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal containers. The ammunition inside the container must be protected against shock and secured against movement. The ammunition may be packed in the same container as the firearm or in a separate container.

In addition to one (1) of the above items, Northwest accepts small arms ammunition up to a maximum of 11 pounds (5 kg). Guns and ammunition may be in the same piece of luggage. However, ammunition must be within its own packaging.

For trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific travel, firearms may be included in the luggage allowance as described above. However, for international travel you must obtain and comply with regulations governing the transportation of firearms for *ALL* countries you are traveling to, including those where only flight connections occur.

Northwest:

http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/specialitems.html#fire

Northwest accepts firearms, handguns, and ammunition under the following conditions:

All firearms must be locked in a suitable crush-proof / hard-sided container manufactured specifically for firearms or hard-sided suitcase. Hard-shell gun cases can be purchased at domestic airports.
Ammunition must be in the manufacturer's original packaging or a container specifically designed for ammunition. Ammunition with explosive or incendiary projectiles will not be accepted.
Due to TSA regulations, gun cases must be properly locked. Often gun cases require further TSA inspection.

From DOT

http://safetravel.dot.gov/index_ammunition.html

This link has info about the .50 caliber rule and "home made ammo"


From TSA

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

You must securely pack any ammunition in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.
You can't use firearm magazines/clips for packing ammunition unless they completely and securely enclose the ammunition (e.g., by securely covering the exposed portions of the magazine or by securely placing the magazine in a pouch, holder, holster or lanyard).

You may carry the ammunition in the same hard-sided case as the firearm, as long as you pack it as described above.


I am printing all of this info and bringing it with me.

It is easy to exceed the weight limit with shotgun shells. I am placing half of my ammo in my gun cases and the other half with my wife's luggage.

Mike:

You can print all that you want to, and it's a good idea, BUT all those rules are domestic US, it is my understanding, courtesy of my travel agent Kathi, who was quite adamant about it, that INTERNATIONAL rules REQUIRE the ammo to be SEPARATE from the firearms, that is, in a different case. Do what you want, and if you've got direct connections, that is your baggage is checked throught to your final destination, it probably won't matter, but if you have to change somewhere and go through another check in overseas, it could bite you in the butt. It would have been a helluva lot easier to pack my ammo in my tuffpak, but based on Kathi's recs and the fact that I had to re-check my bags in FRA, I didn't. In my particular experience, it wouldn't have made any difference, but it could and why invite trouble?

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Mike:

You can print all that you want to, and it's a good idea, BUT all those rules are domestic US, it is my understanding, courtesy of my travel agent Kathi, who was quite adamant about it, that INTERNATIONAL rules REQUIRE the ammo to be SEPARATE from the firearms, that is, in a different case. Do what you want, and if you've got direct connections, that is your baggage is checked throught to your final destination, it probably won't matter, but if you have to change somewhere and go through another check in overseas, it could bite you in the butt. It would have been a helluva lot easier to pack my ammo in my tuffpak, but based on Kathi's recs and the fact that I had to re-check my bags in FRA, I didn't. In my particular experience, it wouldn't have made any difference, but it could and why invite trouble?

You are absolutely correct. I called Shawn at Gracy Travel and she confirmed it. I could take the chance but will not. BTW I plan to pack my ammo in my Pelican case for my cameras and carry the cameras in a soft case as a carry on. Once in country I can use the Pelican case for my cameras.

I had to weigh my ammo for Northwest last trip in '06 when boarding in Orlando. Next trip, I'm taking one gun, my .375 H&H and 80 rounds. That should be more than enough for two buff and plains game on license. I'll leave the extra for the PH.

RIFLE hunters (shotgunners have no chance unless they bring a box or two of specialized loads for geese or similar)spend way too much time worrying about the ammo weight limits. I mean, even if you can't shoot worth a damn, multiply the animals you're reasonably going to shoot on a trip, say 10 maximim, by two, add in 10 for sight-in and extras and you're up to 30 rounds fired and that would really be a lot of animals. I thought we might shoot a lot of baboons so took 72 200 gr Nosler Partitions .300 Win Mags (tough baboons )and 64 .308 165 gr TBBCs for my son's .308. (BTW these odd numbers of bullets have no significance, they were just the totals of that particular type of bullet that I had left after last minute sight-in in the states, so I stuffed the 4 extra .308s in with the partial box of 12 .300 WMs) That weighed about 10.5 pounds. The game didn't cooperate enough for us to shoot at baboons (I killed one) and we killed 12 animals, including sight in shots, total shots fired 17. All the animals were one shot kills but I fired (and missed) at two animals after my first shot, one jackal and one warthog, rolling around in the brush before they expired and my son fired (and missed) at a warthog he had shot as it ran by him before piling up in about 100 meters.

FWIW, as far as I could tell, there was NO significant difference in the killing power of the .300 WM over the .308. I'm not saying that it doesn't matter, but I am saying that when you hit them right, the size of the bullet (given appropriate bullet design) or the velocity is somewhat immaterial, within reason. We didn't have any DRT large game, but the fartherest one of my son's went was about 80m. OTOH, I shot an Oryx bull, he was quartering towards us, I hit him exactly where I wanted at about 90m, just off the point of the near shoulder, bullet took out heart, part of lungs and penetrated about 2 1/2 feet. He ran about 200m. We shot 3 Oryx, reputed to be very tough animals, 2 by my son with his .308 and the above described with my .300 WM and the distances ran were about 40m, 80m, and 200m. All one shot kills, all hit well.

I have an overnight layover for my trip to Tanzania. Spending the night in London. My trip co-ordinator said that customs in England gets a little weird if you are carrying more than 40 rounds per rifle. I am carrying two rifles, so 40 rounds of 458 lott and 40 rounds of 7x57 is a good bit, but i thought it strange. I keep more than that in the trunk of my car on any given day.

390ish

What will you do with the rifles when you overnight in London?

Can you leave them there as checked baggage? or is there secure storage for them?


Les

Someone is meeting me in customs. margarhita booker i think is the name. i assume it is a woman. this person has set it up so that the rifles and ammo will be stored in a secure and bonded storage area of the airport overnight. keeping the rifles overnight in u.k. is a much bigger hassle than using them in tanzania.

Nice, small,lockable.ammo travel case. Cabella's #IJ-215353. $25. I usually can put 4 50 rd boxes of ammo in there for culling hunts but you are usually over the 11 lb limit at about 140. John

I put mine in a blue Smith and Wesson plastic case. South Africa is funny about ammo too and my buddy had to check his separately when we left. Luckily he had a Smith Performance center case that he used and checked it. It came to Dulles with the rest of the baggage on the carousel. They are also labeling all firearms and ammunition with big red "Steal Me" tags.
I left all my remaining ammo with the PH . Expensive but not worth the hassle.