Probably a Dumb Travel with Rifles Question

@PHOENIX PHIL

It's doable...but....

What you and your wife are planning I did solo on my 3rd trip to Africa. Spent 10 days in Zimbabwe followed by 10 days in RSA. I took 2 firearms: 375H&H and 44 mag revolver.

Rhetorical question to help with ammo:
How many animals are the 2 of you planning on hunting?.....then add a few extra cartridges for checking sights/ scopes.

Weigh the ammo to see if you are over the 11 pounds/ 5 kilo limit.

Weigh your firearms to see if you are overweight.

This should help you to decide if you should pack firearms and ammo under your name or both your's and your wife's name.

Yes. You can purchase additional ammo in RSA. I did this on my trip this year. All I needed was my Passport, SAPS 520 form, and Driver's License. You will want to coordinate with your PH or outfitter for them to arrange with the local gunshop to have the ammo caliber you want on hand.

FYI: Regarding Zimbabwe: work with your outfitter on getting your paperwork filled out for entry into Zimbabwe with firearms and ammunition.

Franco said:

I would keep her name on the 4457 if you are the registered owner. Check with your PH regarding any forms for JNB and Zim. I kept all mine in my name because with my wife going back before me, there would have been a problem with her not bringing it out of the country.

Yes, QA weighed the ammo - but just the ammo. I use a small, lockable Pelican case - you will need something like that for Airlink - at the counter, I open the case and set the ammo out to be weighed, put it back in the case, and put the case in a checked suitcase. Airlink will have you take the ammo case out, and it goes as a separate checked bag. Sometimes there can be an issue with the African carriers wanting to weigh the ammo including the case. I have always used the services of a "facilitator", and whatever problems arise have gone away.

Click to expand...

NOTE:

This should read: YOUR name, not HER name

I would keep your name on the 4457 ...

Upon return to the US, I have had Customs agents check serial numbers in the data base. I believe the 4457 is intended for use by the owner of the item listed. I have no idea if this would be an issue.

In reading your question and replies to comments I see two primary options.

1. Bring your own ammo and stay under 11 lbs total for two guns, put them both in your name and one rifle case

2. Since it sounds like you want to use only your hand loaded ammo you carry with you and you may require more than the 11 lb limit in total for two guns. I would split the ammo between the two of you so you each have 11 lbs you can carry in your checked bag, then I would put one gun on a 4457 for you and one 4457 for your wife and then use two single rifle cases rather than a double. My thought being if a rifle is in each persons name on a 4457 you are going to have to pay two rifle fees anyway for two SAPS 520 forms. I would just bite the bullet and have two single rifle cases checked with my two personal bags from the US and then use one carry on with your binos, boots etc. Two single rifle cases probably aren’t that much more to manage than one big double case. Yes it would then be two $35 fees vs one on Airlink if flying beyond JNB to Zim or somewhere. If flying Qatar direct into Zim probably doesn’t matter. If trying to fly via Europe then costs go out the window. Run the risk of only one case making it on time but small price to pay in my mind versus everything be in good order when it comes to import paperwork and rifle checks by the authorities

Sabre said:

So, I think you are running up against two different things and from my understanding it mostly helps your situation.

The airline is who is limiting you to 5kgs or 11lbs, or whichever their policy says.
Then separately, the country typically puts a limit on number of rounds. I have seen 100rds used a lot, but I have also read other things.

If I am understanding that correctly then if you had an 11lb ammo case in your bag, and your wife had an 11lb ammo case in her bag, then the airlines wouldn't care. Then when you got to your destination you would hand over the ammo for inspection and as long as it was under the total number of rounds allowed for the one person (you) claiming the rifles, shouldn't that be fine?

Click to expand...

I think so, this was the point of my post. I was just not sure if the airline expects not only one ammo box in my bag, one in my wife's bag, but also separate bags for the rifles. Or do they challenge that if both rifles are in one case under one name, then the ammo is also under one passenger?

I'm probably making more of this then I should.

PHOENIX PHIL said:

Yah, I forgot to mention...... One rifle will be my .470NE double, the other will be a M70 .375HH. We're going to be gone for about 3 weeks, so need plenty of ammo. What I'm trying to do is not go over the 11lb limit of ammo. This is not terribly difficult to do with the .470 as one of the rifle.

But if my wife gets to claim 11lbs and so do I, problem solved.

Click to expand...

Be careful. You are correct about ammo. However problem solved by Two guns in one case one with your 4457, the other with your wife 4457. Each of you have your own license in whatever Africa country hunted then you can each have your own Ammo up to 11.5. When the police station checks you they don’t care about either the two rifles in one case or two separate ammo boxes as long as there are two separate hunting licenses with each gun in case matching up to the owner with matching type ammo with matching head stamps

They wont have a problem with two guns in one case yet two separate ammo boxes. If they ask simple answer yes two rifles one of each of ours in one case. no probkems