Caliber designation

[Areaonereal]

Will be making a first trip to SA in May. Is it a requirment to have the caliber designated(engraved) on the barrel? I have a Sako action with a custom barrel and the caliber was never engraved on the barrell. I have owned this rifle for 30 years, caliber was not engraved for the sake if it were ever stolen, the theif would not have easy acces to caliber( agree or not, that was the reasoning at the time), of course the action is fully identified with a serial number. This rifle was a full custom from the action up in 338 06. A great caliber IMHO.

 

[spike.t]

hi welcome to AH. i have never taken a gun into SA so cant say for there, but any time i have taken guns of any type on many occasions to other african countries that i have been to they have only been interested in the serial no on the rifle. they have checked the calibre of the ammo on the box and opened to count them, but as i say that was other countries to SA.

 

[enysse]

All depends who is behind the gun counter in Tambo. Might be no problem because he or she doesn't look, could be a big problem if someone is looking for money for a nice night on the town (bribe) to let you claim your gun. The barrel of any gun should be marked for international travel.

 

[Grady]

I have to agree with enysse on this on. On my trip over this summer, they checked to make sure the serial number and caliber matched my SAPS 520. They did not check the ammo though.....

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

They match serial numbers ie import permit and either the serial number on the barrel or receiver wherever it is located.

No concern at all, you can relax on this, you will be 100% okay

My best always

 

[sestoppelman]

They match serial numbers ie import permit and either the serial number on the barrel or receiver wherever it is located.

No concern at all, you can relax on this, you will be 100% okay

My best always

Dont wish to sound like I dont agree with you Jaco but it seems most of us have always been under the impression that it was important to have a caliber stamp on the barrel so as to match up with the ammo being brought in to RSA. Is this not so? Per the OP's question, it would not cost much to have a smith or ones self stamp the caliber on the barrel and be totally without worry.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

In all the fire arms brought in I have not experienced this, however if one wanted to be sure any gunsmith can press/hammer a serial number or rather the calibre onto the receiver or onto the barrel in a matter of minutes..

You are 100% correct, an uncomfortable question may arise, maybe I have not experienced this due to the fact that we pre arrange all imports not sure?

My best always

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Gents,

Go to the Rifle Permits - In Support of Conservation Through Hunting website and you'll find a download for the SAPS 520 form as well as instructions.

Page 5, section I is the place where the serial number comes into play. Specifically in section 1.6 it says "Frame or receiver serial number." It says nothing about the barrel, that is in section 1.7.

If you go here: Rifle Permits - In Support of Conservation Through Hunting it says:

Note I - 1.7: "Barrel Serial Number" - not necessary if barrel is solidly connected to the receiver, as are most bolt action rifles, and the receiver has a serial number and the barrel does not have a serial number. This is only necessary if the barrel has a different serial number than the receiver's serial number or if there is no serial number on the receiver and the only serial number is located on the solidly attached barrel, as in some custom made bolt action rifles.



So unless you're taking a rilfe of the take down type Areaonereal which it doesn't sound like you are and there is a serial number on the receiver as I believe you indicated, I think you should be fine.

 

[Hank2211]

I think we're actually dealing with two seperate questions here, as some have pointed out.

1. You don't need to have a serial number on the barrel, and in the two times I've passed through the firearms inspection at OR Tambo, they have only matched up the serial numbers between the (pre-arranged) permit and the guns. And they asked me to show them where the serial number was on the gun. On the action is not a problem.

2. You will need the calibre somewhere on the gun if you get a stickler at firearms control, and that's usually on the barrel. Every country I've hunted in restricts you to ammo in the calibre of the rifle you are bringing in (no bringing in .458 Lott for my PH!). I have had that checked - calibre on the box and calibre on the rifle (which on my rifles is on the barrel). A friend even had his box of ammo opened, and they checked the bottom of the rounds to make sure they were all the same, and that they matched the rifle. So if you don't have the calibre on the barrel, I would have that put on, and avoid the discussion with an inspector who might just be lookiing for a reason to be difficult.

 

[Cliffy]

I always thought (and I could be wrong) that there was some USA regulation that required that the barrel have the caliber stamped on it. That being said, when I did the barrel for my own 338-06 I stamped the caliber on the bottom side of the barrel covered by the stock just so it didn't show. In 4 trips over there with it, I have never had to show that stamping but one time they looked at my forms and checked the caliber on the head stamps of the ammo. They have always checked the S/N.