Bringing ammo but not a rifle

[russ_c]

Appreciate everyone’s insight.

 

[JimP]

Just find out how much that same ammo would cost locally and then add that to your tip..

When entering a foreign country you don't want to jab any of the inspectors in the eye with a stick. So to speak.

 

[spike.t]

Just find out how much that same ammo would cost locally and then add that to your tip..

What I was going to say...and remember reloading in certain countries is illegal ...here anyway

 

[Tanks]

They count your ammo on the way home? Really! Why? They counted it and determined the "head stamp" of it when you got there? They're going to now count your "absence" of ammo after the hunt? Are they going to count the number of Covid tests you had both before and during your stay? How much more stupid can this get? This entire melodrama has me rethinking an African hunt.... seriously!

That has always been the case, at least for me, for Zimbabwe. On one trip the customs officer "complimented" me for being a great shot mentioning that most usually use up almost all of their ammo.

I didn't mention that "most" probably left their ammo behind and I was only taking mine back because they were wildcat rounds that the PHs couldn't use.

BTW, no one checked the head stamps ever. But ammo is counted as most African countries have an import limit even with a firearm. That being said, no one is going to blame you for being a "bad shot" and using up your ammo on the way back.

Customs and paperwork is not unique to African countries. Form 4457 is an example of that for the US. It takes me longer to go through US customs than African customs.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Consider paying the PH to pick up or order some decent ammo for you over there. I would always prefer to bring my own guns/ammo...

 

[sierraone]

Someone else here was asking about taking a third rifle and leaving it as a gift for the PH just a few days ago. I advised him he was just asking for problems when going through customs. My advice to him was to just give the PH cash money as the gift and let him buy the rifle in S.A. Anytime you give "gifts", particularly guns, ammo and more expensive items, you are potentially giving yourself unnecessary headaches without S.A. customs. Bottom line though is that it is your call.

 

[JimP]

While I have only visited South Africa once they never even looked inside of my ammo box to see if I had the correct headstamp or just how much ammo I was bringing in.

 

[The Engineer]

When leaving Moz in 2019 at Tete they counted my loaded ammo/fired cases and big deal was made of 3 missing. It took PH doing an animated recreation of hunting and ejecting rounds while moving to get the agent to understand why there were three missing cases.

 

[375Fox]

Outfitter didn’t ask. Just wanted to bring as a gift. I’ve been over 4 times, but have never carried a rifle, always just a bow. So, just a learning curve regarding rifle importation for me

There are better and much easier gifts to give. I’ve been asked to bring trail cameras before and SD cards. You are asking to create issues with ammo when it can be avoided if you’re still planning to hunt with a bow. If you really want to give some gifts instead of extra cash better to ask specifically what he needs. He likely gets a lot of leftover ammo already.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I have brought brass before and didn't have any issues. I didn't walk around faulting it either.

A bit of a funny story, in Zim they counted my ammo on the way in and the way out. But they didn't really count just kind of looked at it and wrote a number down. When I got to Ethiopia on the flight home, they actually counted my ammo as I was transitioning through. And the Zim person marked I had 18 rounds when in actuality I only had 14. They asked me what happen to the other 4 rounds and I said I guess they can't count in Zim, and the official said ok and had me lock everything back up. I guess it could have gone much worse but I found it mildly amusing.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Only illegal if you get caught.....LOL. When I came back into the US my luggage was scanned and the agent asked if I was an artist, I smiled and replied why would you ask, her reply was “you have all have those pastel colors packed in your bag”, I said only an artist with my rifle and that is ammunition for my rifle in tow. Then they all lost their minds. I always hold my breath going through customs.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Someone else here was asking about taking a third rifle and leaving it as a gift for the PH just a few days ago. I advised him he was just asking for problems when going through customs. My advice to him was to just give the PH cash money as the gift and let him buy the rifle in S.A. Anytime you give "gifts", particularly guns, ammo and more expensive items, you are potentially giving yourself unnecessary headaches without S.A. customs. Bottom line though is that it is your call.

The real issue is NOT bringing that 3rd rifle back through U.S. Customs (inspections both ways.) It's documented on a 4457. They will be keenly interested in its (international) disposition!

 

[C.W. Richter]

While I have only visited South Africa once they never even looked inside of my ammo box to see if I had the correct headstamp or just how much ammo I was bringing in.

They have always checked the number of rounds but not the headstamps, but for wildcats I carry a gunsmith letter explaining that (i.e. the .416 Chatfield-Taylor uses .458 Win Mag brass, et. al.) Putting them in the boxes right side up is the way to go!

 

[JimP]

The real issue is NOT bringing that 3rd rifle back through U.S. Customs (inspections both ways.) It's documented on a 4457. They will be keenly interested in its (international) disposition!

I don't believe that they could care at all. I have a shotgun and a rifle listed on my old 4457 and the customs agent just looked at my rifle that was in the case. I had left the shotgun home on that trip.

 

[Newboomer]

Safest bet for rifles and ammo is to check with one of the import agents like Rifle Permits. They will give you the straight scoop and handle all your needs. I use their Meet and Greet service. He meets me at the gate and walks me through to my next flight. Local SAPS people don't mess with them.

 

[Tanks]

They have always checked the number of rounds but not the headstamps, but for wildcats I carry a gunsmith letter explaining that (i.e. the .416 Chatfield-Taylor uses .458 Win Mag brass, et. al.)

I just have the gunsmith stamp the barrel accordingly, and have the 4457 reflect that. The pic below shows the caliber and the donor brass.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I don't believe that they could care at all. I have a shotgun and a rifle listed on my old 4457 and the customs agent just looked at my rifle that was in the case. I had left the shotgun home on that trip.

Oh they care at post-9/11 JFK, NYC!!!

 

[JimP]

Oh they care at post-9/11 JFK, NYC!!!

That's a local problem that most of us here don't have to contend with.

 

[C.W. Richter]

That's a local problem that most of us here don't have to contend with.

That's an issue a huge number of hunters will deal with, being the major hub to Africa out of America (along w/ ATL.) I detest NYC (actually Albany down to NYC), but it's the closest major airport out (and port to collect trophies.) Flying from gun-friendly PA to TX (or CO) and back is refreshing in comparison!

 

[JimP]

I flew through JFK on my first trip but my rifle was transferred so I never saw it.

The new flights are going through Jersey with United from what I have seen, and as always Atlanta with Delta. My return flight came through Dulles and back to Colorado.