I realize this has probably been discussed many times, but I wanted recent experiences on this.

Later this summer, I am making first trip to Africa 6 years. We will be flying on Qatar Air to Dar es Salaam.

Prior to Covid I did 9 trips to Africa in 7 years. On all of those trips, at the airline check in counter, I removed my boxes of ammunition from my Pelican lockable box and put it on their scale. So I only had to weigh the boxes of ammo, not my Pelican container/box.

I recently had a Travel Agent tell me that my ammunition and Pelican Box will need to be under 11 pounds combined.


Do the airlines weigh your ammo with your locked box??

Pelican boxes are sturdy, but not very light.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Yes, the airlines include your container in the 11 lb weight limit. I have a Pelican case and an MTM dry box, both lockable, and the MTM is a good deal lighter.

It’s supposed to be ammo only. Just flew Qatar from IAH to JRO and they weighted the box too and imposed a new rule - need the import license besides the rest of the regular documents. However, managed to get around that hiccup, only took several hours.

In my travels to Africa and as recently as 10 days ago. It's always been the box and ammo combined. I always weigh combined at house before I leave. I have an MTM lockable case that I've had for 19 years and it has worked well.

If they weigh the ammo box, it makes it difficult to take 2 rifles, if one is a big bore.

I am amazed on my 9 trips before Covid, that the airlines allowed me to remove the boxes of ammo and weigh them without my pelican container.

With my pelican 1200, 2 boxes of 416 Rem and 2 boxes of 338 Win Mag puts me at about 10.5 pounds.

I flew Emirates on May 4 to Zimbabwe. Emirates wanted the weight in Pelican, which I expected. I brought 28 rounds of 375, 14 rounds of 416 and 10 rounds of 2 3/4”, 1 5/8 oz of twelve gauge TSS 2’s. Total weight came to 10.7 pounds which sailed right through.

For those who are curious, the TSS was to try on a hyena as a test subject for leopard follow up with TSS instead of buckshot. Alan Vincent and I thought a hyena would provide a valid comparison. Unfortunately, the hyenas here on Hammond seem well educated to calling at night and have not cooperated with our test. Alan will have to shoot one and let me know how it works.

I've never had them count the Pelican, only the ammo and their boxes. I'll check with my travel agent.

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:
If they weigh the ammo box, it makes it difficult to take 2 rifles, if one is a big bore.

I am amazed on my 9 trips before Covid, that the airlines allowed me to remove the boxes of ammo and weigh them without my pelican container.

With my pelican 1200, 2 boxes of 416 Rem and 2 boxes of 338 Win Mag puts me at about 10.5 pounds.

I guess I'm missing something about the ammo and the rifles? Your rifle(s) should be in separate case and ammo in your other checked bag unless required to break it out separately. Frankly, up until a couple weeks ago I've never had to break the ammo out separately and have never had the ammo weighed by itself. It's always traveled in my other checked bag with clothes, etc.

the weight check of ammo with the case and lock has been in place for many years but as we all know not everyone know the rules ...

on another note always remember that the captain has the final say when it is related to dangerous good on board IATA and OACI rules. when we worked based from bangui we never had an issue with UTA and air afrique but they were pro hunters companies, i heard some got bad news with air france in Cameroon and CAR in the past where they accepted the firearms but not the ammo.

I've got an email in with my travel agent and want to know the answer on that. If the Pelican is included, that leaves me with 2 boxes of .416 and 2 boxes of .300 Win Mag. That's not a lot on a 21 day full bag safari requiring softs and solids with the .416.

I have never had United or Delta ask about my ammo case. only Airlink has wanted it weighed with locks,ammo and case, 11 pounds total

Most of my trips have been Emirates out of Houston, but I've also used KLM thru Amsterdam and United - SAA. I use a larger Boyt case for the ammo, and I also put knives, multitools and other things in it. My ammo weight was usually maxed out because I was carrying 3 guns and traveling with one of my sons, who at the time was usually a minor. Only one time out of 8 did the anyone suggest the entire case needed to be weighed. When I explained I had knives and other tools also locked in the case, they let me take my ammo boxes out and weigh the ammo only. Every other time no one has questioned me unlocking and removing the ammo boxes to be weighed without the case. I also print and laminate a card that has the number of cartridges per caliber, the weight, and the total combined weight in lbs and kgs. This also goes in the locked case. Lastly, I include a mesh bag and take an accurate fish scale. Had Emirates try to weight my ammo on the main luggage scale and it registered 12 lbs. Pulled out the laminated card with weights and started bagging the ammo in the mesh bag to weigh with my scale. They moved the boxes to the next scale and it registered 10 lbs. They pronounced that good and took my bag.

I just traveled to South Africa.

I think an important issue is to know your airlines policies.

I flew United and they were very firearms/ammo friendly. I think it helped that my travel agent (Shawn at Gracy Travel) notified United that I would be traveling with firearms and ammunition.

The person at the counter never inquired about the weight of my ammunition or wanted to see it. My ammunition was in a locked container in my checked luggage and weighed less than 11 pounds, including the case.

Good hunting.

I used to travel with the ammo case in my duffle, but a few years ago, KLM requires that the ammo case be outside the duffle. But I've never had them include the ammo case in the ammo weight limit.

Mongolia limits ammo coming in to 30 rounds, so I had one box of 10 and another box of 20. Some ticket agent asked how much my ammo weighed. I said "no idea, want to weigh it"? I handed her the box of 10, which she weighed. She then said "hmm, I thought it would be heavier than that".

two boxes of .416 and two boxes of .300 Win weigh 8.5 lbs. If you count my Pelican, I'm 3 oz. over weight of 5 kilo. I'm sure I'll get past that, but that's not a lot of ammo for a 21 day full bag. Pretty ridiculous.

Nobody in the world except the USA weighs ammunition in pounds. The limit you are referring to is a 5 kilograms maximum, not 11 pounds. You can make it a little easier on yourself and others while travelling to use the weight units ALL international airline employees are familiar with. Or continue to use your USA measurement of pounds and ounces which is incomprehensible to someone in Africa or Europe. Best wishes to all who insist they're within an "11 pound" ammunition limit.

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Flew Turkish to RSA last week. Ammo 4.5 kgs max could be carried in main suitcase with a SEC tag.

Return trip also Turkish, ammo lot less than 4.5 kgs post hunt, had to be carried and shipped in a separate box outside the suitcase.

Different ground handlers operating in Dusseldorf and Cape Town. Different rules.

Go figure?!

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For years I traveled to Africa and other countries always with a copy of most airlines ammo and gun policies in written regs for each, on more than a few times it left the ticket folks and their supervisors stuttering and looking foolish..I suggest everyone do that..

Its amazing what their employees try to pull, and how many have no clue while others have a political agenda..Being prepared will save a safari..

I recently fly to Zim on Emirates out of Chicago. In Chicago they only weighed the ammo, but in Harare on the way home they weighed it in the box. Easily made it because i shot a bunch of the ammo up