Empty single piece of brass in backpack South Africa

[kdiver58]

I wanted to share and experience I had coming home from South Africa. I had placed the empty brass from my eland in my small hydration/snack backpack. My wife stuck that backpack in one of our carry on bags. I didn't even think about it or pay attention it had been in there for over a week.

When they found it on the x-ray the bag checker called the police. I said sorry .. My fault in the US we use them for everything from keychains to bottle openers. "It's a brass tube, chuck it if you have to."

Nope they put me in a room for about 30 minutes wrote numbers down. Bla Bla Bla. I wasn't about to get excited. I told my wife "just leave without me" When they saw I wasn't going pay them a bribe. They gave up and let me go.

They so overplayed their hand. They were treating me like a had a kilo of coke in my bag. The one lady was so over the top I almost laughed.

 

[Hunt anything]

My hunting buddy had the exact same thing happen to him, they detained him for about an hour back in 2018, brass in his shaving kit from his sable. My wife and I were having a tough time trying to figure out how to tell his wife why we came home without him.

 

[Cam300]

I like to save the empty brass and put it in my checked luggage, but always wonder if they’re going to yank it out. I must admit I would have been extremely nervous in the situation you just described even though there’s nothing illegal about flying with an empty brass tube (that I know of). You’ve got balls of steel!

 

[Manny R]

When I was in Canada I put my coat through the Xray scanner and I had a shell in one of my pockets I forgot about.. Naturally I was pulled out of line and they explained to me the situation. I apologized for the mistake and their reply was it happens all the time...Just be more careful and way I went.

 

[kdiver58]

I like to save the empty brass and put it in my checked luggage, but always wonder if they’re going to yank it out. I must admit I would have been extremely nervous in the situation you just described even though there’s nothing illegal about flying with an empty brass tube (that I know of). You’ve got balls of steel!

Checked baggage is no problem. As a rule I just use my mini backpack as padding for my guns. This time I didn't pay attention.

 

[Fatback]

Had sorta of a similar situation happen to me coming back from Alberta Canada a few years ago. Typically when I shoot a deer up there I take the cape and put it in a trash bag, then put the bag in a small carry on bag and freeze the whole thing. That way I can bring my cape back home with no worries of it getting lost and ruined. Well, this time as I checked my bags and was going through security, they X-rays my cape and unbeknownst to me, the bullet didn’t exit the deer when I shot it and you could see the bullet plain as day on the X-ray. I was not allowed to bring the cape on board. Had to go back into the terminal, buy a small suitcase and check it. That got expensive, quick. Glad you were able to get sorted out and make it back home.

 

[Don458]

I wanted to share and experience I had coming home from South Africa. I had placed the empty brass from my eland in my small hydration/snack backpack. My wife stuck that backpack in one of our carry on bags. I didn't even think about it or pay attention it had been in there for over a week.

When they found it on the x-ray the bag checker called the police. I said sorry .. My fault in the US we use them for everything from keychains to bottle openers. "It's a brass tube, chuck it if you have to."

Nope they put me in a room for about 30 minutes wrote numbers down. Bla Bla Bla. I wasn't about to get excited. I told my wife "just leave without me" When they saw I wasn't going pay them a bribe. They gave up and let me go.

They so overplayed their hand. They were treating me like a had a kilo of coke in my bag. The one lady was so over the top I almost laughed.

ITs this type of situation which keeps me from going there. And this Administration wouldn’t trade any criminals for me .

 

[Denvir Tire]

Recently went through Logan Airport Boston enroute to Frankfurt and then to Joberg
Carry on had a single complete .223 ball in the bottom, had to wait for MA State Trooper to interview, 10 minute talk and then on the way

 

[Denvir Tire]

On the same trip, companion left JFK and met the group in Frankfurt, we spent the day downtown for lunch and shopping and then through security to continue on to Joberg.
JFK missed a folding knife in my buddies carry on but rest assured the Germans found it. He was arrested and interviewed about an hour. The Polizei released him and the trip was saved. Weeks after our return to the states the Germans dropped the charges.....

 

[Graham Hunter]

Interesting trip a few years ago in Argentina. Returning from a Dove hunt at the Buenos Aries Airport. Sitting with my Brother in law and family at a lounge waiting for our flight when a young lady showed up in a suit that said Security and asked for me by name. Would you please follow me? As we exicited the lounge I asked her if there was a problem. She said checked baggage screening had found live ammo in my bag??? I don't think so but okay. So we went down to the bowels of the Airport where I was met by a Senoir Sercurity Officer. To be clear they were both very corteous. I was taken to the screening and shown a picture of what was my choke tubes in their container. After explaning that they were clear smooth steel cylinders and some lenthy discussion the Sercurity was satisfied. After some very pointed and not polite instructions by the security to the baggage handler my baggage was put on the plane. They apologized and said the screener was new. I suggested they inform the screeners that a lot of people coming to Argentina would have the same chokes as I. Funny part is when we got home my brother in law had 2 empty shotshells in his bag and one loaded.
Guess he had a different screener.

 

[Mountaineer]

Been there done that in Joburg. They found my spent case in my shaving case. 45 minute interrogation then let go. I’m not into bribery, so no need to try. I’ve made three trips back to Africa, none of those to South Africa. It’s a shame because we met some great people there.

 

[flying sailor]

Being a pilot I sometimes received offers to fly out of the country. One was to fly to Belize in an older Cessna 336 twin. my boss knew the owner and said it would be smarter to stay and work at the airport. I was familiar with a pilot that took his aircraft to Mexico. searched his plane and found 3 or 4 22 LR cartridges in the glove box. His plane was confiscated ( he was a smuggler, after all) This was late '70's. Made me rethink taking a plane out of USA airspace. Never did.

 

[Dewald]

When I was in Canada I put my coat through the Xray scanner and I had a shell in one of my pockets I forgot about.. Naturally I was pulled out of line and they explained to me the situation. I apologized for the mistake and their reply was it happens all the time...Just be more careful and way I went.

First world country as opposed to our corrupt and utterly incompetent savages.

I feel ashamed as a South Afrcan that forrein guests are treated like this by the neanderthals in uniform.

 

[PARA45]

I keep my empty brass and put them back in their respective boxes, that way I know if I’m missing any. Good lessons from all these stories.

 

[slam8031]

Two experiences that I have had on trips to South Africa.
2012 one of the guys in our group had a piece of fired brass in his jacket. They wanted him to stay for awhile but he played it cool like the OP did and walked away. Last summer, as I was boarding to fly to RSA, my son put a jacket in my carry on that had a loaded rifle round. I was in the fast pass global entry line. The TSA guy took the bullet and dropped it in a box. Sent me on my way!

 

[leslie hetrick]

i had a .375 H&H fired case in my carry on baggage on a return trip from joberg, the lady ask what it was and i told her is was a fired empty caseing, and she said it was a restricked item in carry on baggage. i expected to be jailed or something, but she just said she would see that it was destroyed and away i went. 2017.

 

[Sarg]

I had the same coming home from Joberg, I use my day pack as my carry on & forgot or missed some how 3 loaded rounds in my inside hidden pocket, I was horror struck for a moment & tore the pack open, found a cartridge gave it to her & she said there are 3 & sure enough two more in there, she was cool as & you would think it was a Mintie/lolly, I apologized profusely but she just said happens all the time.

I work there & have been in & out for 6-7 years, taking rifles & ammo in & never had any problems like I hear about or read on here but I suppose it must happen !

 

[Mountaineer]

Unfortunately it happens in the USA also. The difference is we can manage the situation better at home than in a foreign country.

 

[Hunt anything]

ITs this type of situation which keeps me from going there. And this Administration wouldn’t trade any criminals for me .

Don’t let this be a deterrent to going to and enjoying an African safari. Just be careful and vigilant and nothing will happen.

 

[flying sailor]

Yes, better to learn thru reading than first hand experience. Times are different for sure. Toured our White House with my young bride back in early '80's- walked up to be wanded and had a Dacor dive knife with a 5 1/2" folding blade, security asked me to point, don't touch, couldnt figure out why the wand kept beeping, after three tries he just waved me thru.