I'll be traveling to Zimbabwe via SAA out of Johannesburg next July.

I'm spending the night in Johannesburg and then to Zimbabwe the next day. I know your ammo must be transported separately in it's own locked container and not in the Tuffpak.

I believe at one time all that SAA wanted in your rifle case was just rifles. Is that still the case? 2 years ago I traveled with numerous other items in my Tuffpak other than my rifles.

Can someone tell me what SAA's current regs are for carrying items in your Tuffpak other than your rifles?

Thanks

Lsst July and August took four flights on SAA within Southern Africa. Each time my ammo had to be in a separate and locked small hard case and was checked baggage for each flight.
Cal

Cal As I mentioned I am aware of the ammo requirement. My question is about carrying other items such as boots, clothes, etc in a Tuffpak other than rifles.

I read it too quick. My apologies.
I use an SKG case and always travel with clothes and gifts in my gun case. Never been questioned and never an issue both on SAA and Air Link. The only issue I ran into was Air Link's baggage weight limit is less than SAA so I was charged an extra fee on AL when I made the transer from SAA.
Cal

We flew with them in July and had our boots and bulky clothing and tripod in our Tuffpak with not issue.

Same here.. Flew SAA to Joberg in Sept. I put knives, range finder, bipod, gloves & gaiters in my rifle case..

No issues... just ammo separate...

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply.

You’ve all been helpful.

Larry

Hi Larry,

I had an issue. June of 2019.

No clothing or shoes were allowed in my Tuffpak

other items were ok.

So depends on who you get when checking in.

I went through Joberg 4 times and East London twice in October. Had all my coats in my tuffpak for padding. No issues.
Seems like $10 is all it takes to buy someone's integrity so they "won't open the case."

quote:

Originally posted by vlwtx348:
I went through Joberg 4 times and East London twice in October. Had all my coats in my tuffpak for padding. No issues.
Seems like $10 is all it takes to buy someone's integrity so they "won't open the case."

How true.. We checked in together and we did Tip and it was more than $10

I had to take my ammo out of my checked bag and the ammo was shipped separate, the friend traveling with me did not.

Like I said I had to remove my clothing, the other person did not have a tuffpak and he was allowed to have clothing in his gun case.

In Namibia, I had my ammo looked at ( they looked at the stamping to see if it matched the box and we counted number of bullets), my traveling partner did not, as his reloads did to have any stamping on the brass. However a Tip did produce the carbon paper that was needed so we could fill out and obtain our firearm permit. the office did not have a pen or pencil, I travel with an ink pen in my vest that I use all the time, so out it came so we could move on with the paperwork.

I would be Cautious with Bribes. They are Illegal!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
I would be Cautious with Bribes. They are Illegal!!!

No kidding

So is asking for one, but that sure didn't stop them.
They know you will gladly pay it rather than worry about $10k in guns not making it home

How you go about a bribe is the key in Africa, done with arrogance can get you the slammer..I had a client that was the arrogant Ugly American know it all, land in the Tanzania slammer, and that was a baby crying on the phone..I called a politicial friend of mine who got him out and he was told never to return..He was his own worst enemy, so if you do not approach it in a proper and polite manner, look out, the world as you know it will change..

An example: I was returning to the states and Pierre had put 50 lbs of brochures in my large cabellas suitcase..Yes I was over weight and the cost was as I recall $300..I asked if I could discuss payment with the clerks supervisor, we talked awhile about insignificant events of my trip and I asked if I could buy his mother or grandmother some tea, and gave him $50 to hanled that for me..He said of course and thanked me and told the person to pass the suitcase..I was getting on the plane and a policeman came running and shouting my name, I dropped a load and thought the jigs up, and he smiled and gave me receipt for tea for his mother..I framed that one!!

Another event was I had 40 empty 470 cases and the Customs guy was very concerned as to why I was "smuggling" cases that had all ready been use! I thought about it and said I make buttons for my safari jacket with them. He allowed that was a neat idea, and I said would you like a box for your jacket, he then escorted me to first class on a next to the rest room ticket! yee ha...Africa is a strange and wonderful place where manners will work better than anything else in a pinch, if all else fails act dummer than a box of rocks, they are also forgiving...I have a notebook full of funny events that took place over the years..

Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

quote:

Originally posted by vlwtx348:

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
I would be Cautious with Bribes. They are Illegal!!!

No kidding

So is asking for one, but that sure didn't stop them.
They know you will gladly pay it rather than worry about $10k in guns not making it home

It is my experience that you do not have long to wait for them to ask for one most, often when you are checking in with your fire arms. Always have small bills available and when they ask you to buy them a cup of coffee smile and hand them a small amount and thank them for their attention to detail. Always be polite.

quote:

Originally posted by shotgun46:

quote:

Originally posted by vlwtx348:

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
I would be Cautious with Bribes. They are Illegal!!!

No kidding

So is asking for one, but that sure didn't stop them.
They know you will gladly pay it rather than worry about $10k in guns not making it home

It is my experience that you do not have long to wait for them to ask for one most, often when you are checking in with your fire arms. Always have small bills available and when they ask you to buy them a cup of coffee smile and hand them a small amount and thank them for their attention to detail. Always be polite.

Ah yes the cup of coffee and a snack. goes a long way. That is why I have rands as it works out better.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

Haha how is a gun case a hoax.....

I used a tuffpak for 15 years after trying out all the rest...I carried guns, cameras, boots jackets, binocs..taped my rifle ser. @ on the buttstock and explained to the customs and usually got by, but had my ser. # engraved on the trigger guard so you only have to pull the gun up a few inches to read...So what do you consider a better case, probably some monstrousity to heavy an too big to haul around all the airports..Is this your first rodeo btw?

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

He’s Navy; such bluster is to be expected.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

100% agreement!
Too heavy, too easy to over pack and exceed weight limits, if you want something you have to pull out everything, and far too expensive.

I bought one at DSC 10-12 years ago, packed my stuff for the flight home, and immediately put it up for sale at the next gun show. Whomever invented this pos is laughing all the way to the bank. I would not buy one for 1/4 of the msrp.

C

With all due respect to my two friends Cal and jorge, I love my Tuffpaks. Been all over the world with them. Each to their own. That's why the world spins.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Tuffpaks, another over priced hoax perpetrated on the shooting public. Kinda like 700s...

100% agreement!
Too heavy, too easy to over pack and exceed weight limits, if you want something you have to pull out everything, and far too expensive.

I bought one at DSC 10-12 years ago, packed my stuff for the flight home, and immediately put it up for sale at the next gun show. Whomever invented this pos is laughing all the way to the bank. I would not buy one for 1/4 of the msrp.

C

My experience was the same....

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
...
Too heavy, too easy to over pack and exceed weight limits, if you want something you have to pull out everything, and far too expensive.
...

TuffPak is 18 lbs, Pelican 2 gun case with foam is 23 lbs, Americase 2 gun case is 27 lbs. I don't see how TuffPak is heavier. Now, you have to put the guns in a soft case and put clothes etc. to cushion it so weight is probably a bit of a wash.

I also weigh all my luggage, a little hand scale is like $10 on Amazon.

In regards to pulling everything out, I do not use TuffPak as luggage. When I get to camp, everything comes out.

Pricing is comparable or cheaper than the others. Not to mention it is a one time cost.

For those of us that use the TuffPak, a TuffSak is easy to slide in and out of the TuffPak and everything is in there and readily available for inspection. I also weigh my TuffPak with the contents all in, with a luggage scale, before I leave and I have never been overweight. By the way, I also have the Pelican 2 gun case, the Americase, the SKB case and a butt load of others (both plastic and aluminum-1 gun, 2 gun, 4 gun, etc) and they collect dust in my gun case closet.

I agree with Jorge about Tuffpak, even though I don't agree about 700s.

Here is my beef: it costs slightly more than a Pelican, which has much sturdier plastic, includes foam, and five clasps. The Tuffpak is a thin shell of plastic with one lock. How is that worth over $200? The margins have to be through the ceiling.

I put my bolt action rifle in a soft case without the bolt in it in my Tuffpak, put bolt in some socks along with the other clothing stuffed in it for padding.

For some reason, the TSA guys I have dealt with really like it when you slide the rifle part way out of the soft case for inspection without the bolt in it. YMMV

You said you are flying SAA? Hope you realize that SAA is no more...