Can you bring back used ammunition brass from RSA for memorabilia purposes? If so, how?

[Newboomer]

I just put my empties back in the box with the rest of the unfired rounds. If I'm missing a few cases I tell them they are out in the bush somewhere and couldn't be recovered. No problem. The number of rounds you bring into the country is listed on the SAPS form and they understand that all cases may not be recovered, therefore a few empty spots in a box is OK.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ok.
To all of you saying put it in your check baggage and shouldn't or won't have a problem......

It's a roll of the proverbial dice....on my first trip I brought back my souvenir brass in my check baggage and had no problem. My check baggage and ammo box wasn't checked, and I declared to the SAPS officer that all ammo was spent...not exactly a lie, but not the whole truth per se. What ammo wasn't shot was....sort of, part of, my PH's gratuities, in addition to his monetary tip. (Thus spent).

On my second trip, I met and became friends with some fellow Ohioans who rented their weapons and ammo from their PH, who I also became friends with on my first trip.

Both trips I brought my own rifle and ammo. On returning home I again brought back my own souvenir brass and as a favor and precaution I also brought back the souvenir brass of my fellow Ohioans. After all I had my weapon and ammo permit and shouldn't have any problems as the souvenir (spent) brass is of the same caliber.

Since my check bag with my ammo lock box was already packed, I just tossed my friends souvenir spent brass (4 or 5 pieces), into my luggage.

SAPS, checked my baggage, ammo box (of course we all know the routine with "the book"), no problems......until they found the loose spent brass I had just tossed in my bag. After about 10 minutes of trying to explain why it wasn't in the ammo box, and being made aware of the penalty of my error and another few moments of debate amongst the 2 SAPS officers, I was allowed to continue on my way, followed by one of the SAPS officers past the office door. At this point I was chastise once again of my error and how they were being friendly about this incident, and they were putting their employment at risk by allowing me to proceed...one in such a situation should be well aware of what is being implied.

I pledge my gratitude to their such kindness, and remanded the officer a friendly handshake and R40.

Just saying, be aware, there could be consequences to having loose (spent) brass in your luggage, especially if you didn't bring it with you.

Will I bring back spent souvenir brass in the future, Heck yeah! However, it won't just be hap hazardly tossed loose in my check baggage.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

Just put them back into your ammo box and you would be ok

 

[CBH Australia]

That is a neat idea. I went for a management hunt and just the experience and the photos. Bringing a case to go with the pics make a nice souvenir.

 

[Hogpatrol]

There's no EIN requirement and if you use a travel agent or rifle permit outfit, the process is very easy.

As far as being comfortable with a rental gun, one miss or bad hit and that confidence will go out the window.

 

[JimP]

Just to restate what the OP mentioned way back when.

He doesn't plan on taking his own rifle so putting the brass back into the ammo box is out the window.

 

[meigsbucks]

I’d take a small lockable ammo box. On return put the empty brass in an original box and put it in the locked box in you checked bag, just as if I was traveling with a rifle.

 

[JimP]

I may be wrong but isn't there a restriction on importing ammo into South Africa if you are not bringing in a rifle?

Wouldn't it fall in line with only being able to bring in ammo for your rifle of the same caliber? And wouldn't that carryover to exporting loaded ammo out of the country of a different caliber?

I believe that a empty case would would fall into a different category if you are not trying to take some loaded rounds out if you don't also have a rifle

 

[enysse]

I really don’t think there would be a problem bringing spent ammo or “dirty brass” back in a plastic container like they use in reloading. Just put it in your checked baggage. It’s not ammo, “ it’s just brass”.

 

[Rick Cox]

It depends. Some airlines charge a firearms fee some don’t. The saps paperwork is free, but I would use a meet and greet service to help guide you thru the process. About 100$ in Johannesburg. We also use TWG to purchase our plane tickets and help with firearms, they also charge a fee. Money well spent IMO. We have never been charged a fee for our firearms in 4 trips to Namibia and one trip to Romania. We were supposed to be leaving in August for South Africa but it was cancelled. Again no airline fee for firearms. On the Romania trip I did the paperwork. All we have ever used is the 4457 form for our trips. Never a problem. We either fly out of DFW or Shreveport, La on our trips. Your results may vary.

What he said...

 

[Dawg2019]

Their is a jewelry shop in Jberg that made my spent cartridges into a bracelet and a tie clasp. Our PH dropped them off on our way back to the airport then they got mailed to me a month or so later.

 

[Rick Cox]

I was curious if anyone has brought back the used brass from the ammo used in RSA for memorabilia purposes and if so how did you bring it back? Can it be brought back in your luggage? Can it be shipped? I like to use the actual empty cartridge inside shadow box frames of pictures with any trophies I have harvested and would like to do the same with my trophies I will be harvesting on my Africa trip the same as I have for majority of my other hunting trips. This is my first time hunting Africa (Eastern Cape Specifically). This may be a hard NO but if there is a way I’d like to get it back to the USA for the memorabilia I usually make with any trophy critter I have harvested with the photos inside shadow boxes. Picture attached was from a Mexico whitetail trip showing how I make these shadow boxes. Thanks in advance! View attachment 356731

Check out Rifle Permits .com. They will take care of the legal hassles for a very good price.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I really don’t think there would be a problem bringing spent ammo or “dirty brass” back in a plastic container like they use in reloading. Just put it in your checked baggage. It’s not ammo, “ it’s just brass”.

I tried explaining that to SAPS, did not work. SAPS treats spent brass as loaded ammo. Also on your SAPS 520, if you claim you are importing X number amount of ammo and you don't use it all and decide to bring your live ammo back home, instead of leaving (excuse me, I meant to say spending) it (with) on your PH, and only returning with your souvenir brass. DEPENDING on the SAPS person(s) you encounter and your explanation that [these were the only empty cases we could find], you could be having a conversation on the error of your ways.

Note SA airlines rules and regulations requiring ammo be '....transported in a locked case and separate...not in checked baggage....'. Again SAPS treats spent brass as loaded ammo.

Not really suggesting ...hint...hint... wink...wink...one could perhaps put their spent brass securely into a pants pocket of a dirty pair of hunting pants rolled up inside their dirty hunting shirt, underwear and socks, and nearly tucked away in a clear plastic laundry bag, inside their checked baggage. Maybe add a folded R20 in with the brass, just in case, then declare absent mindedness....hmmm, plead for forgiveness and request it all be properly disposed of, if checked.

 

[enysse]

@Ridge Runner , if you were not bringing a gun and ammo over to hunt and just going back with spent brass in plastic container then there is no need for a SAPS 520.

“Dirty brass” has no active primer, powder or bullet.

South African Airlines is a whole different story. But I think they are not even an option anymore.

 

[Ridge Runner]

@Ridge Runner , if you were not bringing a gun and ammo over to hunt and just going back with spent brass in plastic container then there is no need for a SAPS 520.

“Dirty brass” has no active primer, powder or bullet.

South African Airlines is a whole different story. But I think they are not even an option anymore.

enysse, anyone who shoots knows spent cartridges are not loaded ammo. We are talking about SAPS (?). Trying to explain that to the 2 SAPS officers at O.R.Tambo on my return trip to the US in 2018 was, I'll just say useless.

These 2 SAPS officers were very persistent in telling me the loose brass needed to be in my secured ammo box and the secured ammo box needed to be handled separately, not in my check luggage, and not in my rifle case.

The SAPS 520 is for import and Export permit of ammo (and firearms for personal use), and dependent upon the interpretation by the SAPS officer one encounters on that particular day.

SAA and Airlink currently the only 2 licensed/permitted carriers authorized to transport firearms and ammunition in South Africa. Other African nations also require ammo to be transported as checked/handled separate baggage, not in checked luggage or gun case.

Most likely it won't be a problem bringing home souvenir brass, however their is always that chance of getting a SAPS officer(s) with their own unique interpretation of the regulations.

 

[Cam Moon]

 

[kevin masters]

I take all of my used brass back home. I just put it back into the plastic cartridge holder after the hunt.

+1

 

[Chago]

OP forget all of this. Take your gun. There are many companies you can hire that are like $120. They take care of all the paperwork. I had to send them a bunch of info at the start. Then they took care of the rest. They met me once I landed, they helped me collect my bags, walked me right through customs. Shit I felt like a VIP. I didn't have to do anything. Then you can keep all the brass you want.

 

[Tbitty]

I flew SAA August of 2019 for my safari. I used a hired rifle/ammo from the PH, but (with his permission) kept all my spent brass. Similar to others, I used a sharpie to mark animal taken on the spent case.

My PH suggested I roll it up in a sock and just put it in checked luggage, which I did. I had no issue with the checked bag and I'm particular about my packing so unless someone was just as careful re-packing (they never are), it did not appear my luggage was opened or searched.

The brass are now on a shelf in my hunting room, no problems. ... may not be the case for everyone, but I had no issues bringing it back.

As others have said, too, if you are bringing it in, there should be no issue to return with same number of rounds, either spent or live, if declaring.