Cartridge marking going to Africa

[PK458]

Hey everyone!

I hope this is the correct place to post this. I am a new member and have a question regarding going to Africa and when they check your rifles caliber marking and cartridge head stamp.

I recently acquired a BRNO ZKK 602 in 458 win mag and I’m getting it reamed to 458 Lott. I am doing this because here in Canada I have found it way easier to find loaded ammo and brass for 458 Lott (I’ll honestly just be loading it down to 2150 ish fps with 500 grain bullets anyway)

My question is because I’m trying to get it marked as tastefully as possible, would it bring me challenges when declaring my rifle if I kept the 458 win mag marking but have my gunsmith add: / 458 Lott beneath the current marking?

I look forward to everyone’s answers and just because here’s some pics of the rifle and and my idea for the marking.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Not a problem at all. I’ve got one marked that way. Not an issue

 

[BryceM]

There's plenty of ways to do it. Ideally, I'd have the old stamp effaced, removed, or at least obliterated. You really don't know how many hands the rifle will pass through in its life. Might as well make it easier on them. Anyone who re-reams a barrel should have experience with this question.

Of course, the new chambering should be clearly marked.

This is only half of the potential issue though. The headstamp on the brass doesn't always match, as you can neck/trim/fireform many different chamberings from other host brass. I'm wondering if anyone has had problems trying to bring in brass headstamped .280 Rem when the rifle is chambered in .280 Ackley.

 

[Hank2211]

Based on my experience, I think you could get away with it the way it is. They tend to look only at the number - if they look at all - and since you have .458 both ways, you could just say that Win Mag is the company or the maker, same as if it said Lott. Most of those doing the checking know very little about firearms, and telling a Lott apart from a Win Mag might just be too much.

I had a problem once when I arrived in Africa with my Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby, and boxes of ammo which said 7 x 57 Mauser. Fortunately I had a page from a firearms manual saying that they were the same thing, but that seemed to have no effect. Then I told the officer that one was metric and the other was Imperial. At that he said "Ahh, now I see" and away I went. In future, I will spare myself the trouble and buy boxes marked .275.

 

[JimP]

In two trips I have yet have them ask about my ammo.

In a dozen flights getting there and back my ammo has only been weighed once. And that was by Qatar on a flight home.

 

[Russ16]

Hate to high jack but how do people handle hand loads. Ive read it need to be in be manufacturers box. Do they just put them in a factory box?

 

[deewayne2003]

Hate to high jack but how do people handle hand loads. Ive read it need to be in be manufacturers box. Do they just put them in a factory box?

The regulation verbiage is something to the affect of…..

“Ammunition must be in original packaging or packaging specifically for transporting ammunition”

My ammo was in plastic MTM cases and nobody said a word.

 

[Doug3006]

Five trips to 4 different countries and I used plastic MTM cases each time with nary an issue.

 

[1dirthawker]

The regulation verbiage is something to the affect of…..

“Ammunition must be in original packaging or packaging specifically for transporting ammunition”

My ammo was in plastic MTM cases and nobody said a word.

+1

 

[Russ16]

Interesting. I’ve had hassle form airlines using MTM cases domestically. I convinced them to let it through but with hassle.

 

[PK458]

Thanks everyone for clearing that up! I’ll definitely be going ahead with the markings like how I had in the picture

 

[Hunter4752001]

@PK458 you haven't indicated where you're from. (Curious because your gunsmith marked yours identicaly to the mine did- even down to the white paint in the llettering.)
If you're from a jurisdiction where there is rifle registration and certification you may need to check if they match. In preparation for a forcoming trip, my outfitter has indicated that SAPS will only be looking at the '458' part and not anything else. However, if going to SA, use one of the permits services. It may avoid having an officer seeing a oportunity to cadger for a 'facilitation fee' or stuff you around for a few hours.

 

[PK458]

@PK458 you haven't indicated where you're from. (Curious because your gunsmith marked yours identicaly to the mine did- even down to the white paint in the llettering.)
If you're from a jurisdiction where there is rifle registration and certification you may need to check if they match. In preparation for a forcoming trip, my outfitter has indicated that SAPS will only be looking at the '458' part and not anything else. However, if going to SA, use one of the permits services. It may avoid having an officer seeing a oportunity to cadger for a 'facilitation fee' or stuff you around for a few hours.

I’m from BC, the markings in the picture isn’t actually on it yet I just used lettering on my phones photo editing for the idea. I’ll be using Corlanes to do the reaming and marking. And that’s good to know! Thank you for the input! I appreciate it

 

[Vashper]

The regulation verbiage is something to the affect of…..

“Ammunition must be in original packaging or packaging specifically for transporting ammunition”

My ammo was in plastic MTM cases and nobody said a word.

Are these some kind of US federal regulations or international aviation regulations? In our country, only the first half of this phrase applies to transport. Which sometimes leads to unpleasant incidents.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Just add 458 Lott as you have marked in your photo this way you know, or the person that acquires the firearm after you will know, that both the 458WM and 458 Lott ammunition can be used.

Think of the 458 Lott in terms of 357 or 44 magnum whereas the 458WM can be used in the 458 Lott the same as 38 or 44 special can be used in the 357 or 44 magnum, but the heavier magnum loads are not meant to be used in the lighter caliber firearms.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As for transporting ammo:

The regulation verbiage is something to the affect of…..

“Ammunition must be in original packaging or packaging specifically for transporting ammunition”

My ammo was in plastic MTM cases and nobody said a word.

Reference what I highlighted in @deewayne2003 's quote as he is spot on.

A while back (as I don't remember the year) there was an incident, or perhaps more than one incident, with handloaders using bad reloaded ammunition which caused SAPS to only allow factory ammo into RSA; meaning hunters could only bring ammunition in factory boxes. Handloaders became creative and labeled their aftermarket ammo containers with a factory name: just for example purposes: Ridge Runner Munitions Company.

As for the airlines they require: No Loose Ammunition. Ammunition cartridges must not be able to make contact the example being original factory box (the airlines included but didn't write in: allowing in a similar type box/container). SAPS took the airlines literally meaning ammunition must be in a factory marked box.

Eventually SAPS relaxed on this and has allowed as long as individual cartridges are not able to come into contact with another cartridge it's OK.

 

[PK458]

Just add 458 Lott as you have marked in your photo this way you know, or the person that acquires the firearm after you will know, that both the 458WM and 458 Lott ammunition can be used.

Think of the 458 Lott in terms of 357 or 44 magnum whereas the 458WM can be used in the 458 Lott the same as 38 or 44 special can be used in the 357 or 44 magnum, but the heavier magnum loads are not meant to be used in the lighter caliber firearms.

Yes that was definitely one of the main reasons why I kind of thinking to do it that way as a hope that it’s easier for a less versed customs person to figure it out haha.

I also really didn’t want to cover up the old marking with anything unsightly if I didn’t have to or worst case get it removed then have to re blue.

 

[PK458]

As for transporting ammo:


Reference what I highlighted in @deewayne2003 's quote as he is spot on.

A while back (as I don't remember the year) there was an incident, or perhaps more than one incident, with handloaders using bad reloaded ammunition which caused SAPS to only allow factory ammo into RSA; meaning hunters could only bring ammunition in factory boxes. Handloaders became creative and labeled their aftermarket ammo containers with a factory name: just for example purposes: Ridge Runner Munitions Company.

As for the airlines they require: No Loose Ammunition. Ammunition cartridges must not be able to make contact the example being original factory box (the airlines included but didn't write in: allowing in a similar type box/container). SAPS took the airlines literally meaning ammunition must be in a factory marked box.

Eventually SAPS relaxed on this and has allowed as long as individual cartridges are not able to come into contact with another cartridge it's OK.

Thank you for this reply too! This helps as well for me as my wife and I are planning our first trip to Africa