I’m taking my wife to France & Italy next month on a non-hunting trip. My question is, Are there any restrictions on taking a box of bullets with me to give to a friend. I want to take a box of .416 A Frames to give to a friend in Rome, but he is concerned they’d be confiscated. Not ammo, just a box of 400 grain A Frames. Flying American to Paris, then Air France from Paris to Rome.

Anyone know or have any advice?

Apparently it depends on the country.

I know people going to the Middle East and Asia have been stopped if this was with them.

You might wish to get an answer from France and Italy.

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You say box of bullets and then you write not ammo just a box of .400 grain A Frames.

Do you mean the actual projectiles and no shells / cartridges ?

I have travelled with a sealed box of `bullets` between Europe and RSA and no issues. But maybe I was just lucky ?!

Maybe easier to mail ?

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quote:

I have travelled with a sealed box of `bullets` between Europe and RSA and no issues. But maybe I was just lucky ?!

I would say you were lucky indeed where Europe is concerned simply because a "bullet" is related to a firearm and therefore considered to be "part of a firearm" thereby requiring the necessary clearance documentation.

I was once stopped in Rome airport while in possession of a rifle stock which had been "denuded" of anything metallic including the 2 screws that held the recoil pad in place.

It was impounded by the authorities who later released it to the gun-maker to carry out the necessary repairs after which it was returned to the Customs holding area for me to collect on my way out.

I was lucky to not having it confiscated in the first place and possibly charged for attempting to smuggle it through.

I’ve taken bullets, and brass, to SA a couple of times flying Delta. This past May I located bullets in Namibia that are hard to find in the US. Before I bought them I checked with the airline and was told they would not allow it. I guess it depends on the airline and the country.

In some languages, notably Arabic, BULLET and CARTRIDGE is the same word.

All you need is an ignorant official and you are in trouble.

My understanding of the word bullet refers only to the projectile whereas cartridge is the finished product that goes "bang".

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
In some languages, notably Arabic, BULLET and CARTRIDGE is the same word.

All you need is an ignorant official and you are in trouble.

Yep, it was Emirates that told me bullets weren’t allowed in luggage.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
In some languages, notably Arabic, BULLET and CARTRIDGE is the same word.

All you need is an ignorant official and you are in trouble.

Yep, it was Emirates that told me bullets weren’t allowed in luggage.

Perhaps prior approval, as for ammo, has to be first obtained to allow bullets in luggage ?

I have no doubt that what you are proposing is prohibited both by airline rules and by law.

Is your friend unable to obtain the bullets in normal commerce from a gun dealer in Italy?

That would of course be easiest, although perhaps not least expensive.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I have no doubt that what you are proposing is prohibited both by airline rules and by law.

Confusing. Why would airlines, generally and given approval, allow ammo carriage but not projectiles ?
Noy saying there are no applicable laws around this but what laws exactly ? I'm not aware of any if there are.

Thanks everyone, this has been helpful. I appreciate everyone’s insights. I’m looking into shipping them to him in Rome. Just trying to figure out who is best for shipping bullets to Rome.

He actually owns a gun shop near the Vatican. He mentioned how hard it has been for him to get .416 Swift A Frames and I have a decent stock on hand so I want to give him some.

I wouldn’t be surprised if someone here either knows him or has been in his shop. Phil Giordano, Armeria Zaccherini is his gun shop.

quote:

I have no doubt that what you are proposing is prohibited both by airline rules and by law.
Confusing. Why would airlines, generally and given approval, allow ammo carriage but not projectiles ?
Noy saying there are no applicable laws around this but what laws exactly ? I'm not aware of any if there are.

I’m certain most, if mot all, airlines will not allow carriage of ammo without a firearm of the same caliber that has been approved for carriage on the same flight.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

I have no doubt that what you are proposing is prohibited both by airline rules and by law.
Confusing. Why would airlines, generally and given approval, allow ammo carriage but not projectiles ?
Noy saying there are no applicable laws around this but what laws exactly ? I'm not aware of any if there are.

I’m certain most, if mot all, airlines will not allow carriage of ammo without a firearm of the same caliber that has been approved for carriage on the same flight.

Hi Karl.
Thanks for your comment which in some instances may be entirely correct. I have never personally done this but non firearm carrying friends flying from the USA to NZ have brought projectiles for me and didn't experience any difficulties when declared at check-in.
I have always traveled with a rifle whenever I personally had ammo and / or bullets in my checked luggage. Sometimes there were calibre mismatches but that never prompted any questions.