Importation or Transiting Procedures Through Countries with Weapons & Ammunition

[MarkB]

Being Canadian also hope this helps Tony485. I just finished a ton of research on this for my trip June-Aug this summer. Some Airlines, routes had gun fees higher than flights, I ruled out Europe and SAA. US route is OK but clearing all firearms in and out of US becomes a hassle for at least me, plus Delta lost my guns last time around, after 4 months fighting, and getting a $3K check I was told 'find them yourself". Which I did. After all my research the best, easiest, cheapest was Toronto to Addi Ababa to Joberg, same return on Ethiopian Airlines. I will get another flight across Canada to Toronto when seat sale appears. Its stated on Ethiopian website and agent confirmed with a call that if your second bag meets their criteria NO gun fees. Never flown Ethiopian but giving it a try. Also choose the longest layover in Addi Ababa going out for a look around, need visa to do this but will get online prior, also add to list of countries visited.

MB

 

[Hogpatrol]

Being Canadian also hope this helps Tony485. I just finished a ton of research on this for my trip June-Aug this summer. Some Airlines, routes had gun fees higher than flights, I ruled out Europe and SAA. US route is OK but clearing all firearms in and out of US becomes a hassle for at least me, plus Delta lost my guns last time around, after 4 months fighting, and getting a $3K check I was told 'find them yourself". Which I did. After all my research the best, easiest, cheapest was Toronto to Addi Ababa to Joberg, same return on Ethiopian Airlines. I will get another flight across Canada to Toronto when seat sale appears. Its stated on Ethiopian website and agent confirmed with a call that if your second bag meets their criteria NO gun fees. Never flown Ethiopian but giving it a try. Also choose the longest layover in Addi Ababa going out for a look around, need visa to do this but will get online prior, also add to list of countries visited.

MB

I hope you are aware of the training Ethiopian pilots get before they get in the cockpit. Their maintenance problems aren't secret either. YMMV but I wouldn't take a free ticket on that air carrier.

 

[Longwalker]

Tony485 regarding permits, your temporary export permit from Canada will be the first thing you need to do. It will record all the information you need to provide to airlines and other governments along your journey. Once I had mine, it was a simple mater to copy / paste the correct information into other applications. For my trip, I needed to do that for three airlines and when applying for permits to transit Frankfurt and enter Namibia.
You can apply for the Canadian export permit by following the website below. it's a little complicated, you may send me a private message and I can forward you the instructions I received from them. https://www.excol-ceed.gc.ca/Main-Principal/Home_Accueil.aspx

 

[MarkB]

I'm good with that, 5 flights leave Toronto per week, non crashed lately. Every flight carries some risk, part of life.

MB

 

[BRICKBURN]

Any recommendation leaving Montréal with firearms final destination EastLondon through Johannesburg. Reading lots of opinions on hassles of traveling with rifles. Which European airport is the best to travel through and what documents are needed for transit

1. No matter where you fly. Canadian Export permits for Rifle, Scope and Ammunition. Free, online applications. There are copies of the forms on AH including the proper codes to use.

London, UK - No paperwork required.
Frankfurt, DE - IN past there has been a Transit permit required ($). However, last news it was not.
Amsterdam, ND - Transit Permit required. Free
USA - Washington, Atlanta - No paperwork if you are not taking possession of your firearm. Otherwise I would have a 6NIA from the ATF in hand.
No idea on other crazy routes to JNB.

 

[Longwalker]

I did require a transit permit while transiting through Frankfurt in October 2019

 

[BRICKBURN]

I did require a transit permit while transiting through Frankfurt in October 2019

They go back and forth like a YoYo.
Always the best to contact them directly.
I have posted the contact details more times than I can recall.

 

[Tony485]

Thank for all the good advice it’s already paying off to have joined this forum.
How long before our trip would be the appropriate time to start all of the paper work needed for the export of firearms?

 

[DmacD]

Thank for all the good advice it’s already paying off to have joined this forum.
How long before our trip would be the appropriate time to start all of the paper work needed for the export of firearms?

Hi Toby458,
I flew with KLM, through Amsterdam in 2018, no problems. I made sure to register with the airline that I would be taking a firearm when I bought the ticket. I needed the Canadian paperwork (the same BRICKBURN mentioned) and also a permit to transit through Amsterdam airport. I applied for the Dutch permit online, about 4 months prior to my trip. No problem, emailed back to me in plenty of time.
I was headed for Namibia as my final destination, so it was KLM the entire trip (from Toronto) No extra baggage fee for the gun case, and all luggage was sent through to final destination. I have no first hand knowledge about switching from one airline to another though, so you would need to do a little homework with all the players involved to satisfy their rules.
Good Luck!

 

[LiegeRiver]

Any recommendation leaving Montréal with firearms final destination EastLondon through Johannesburg. Reading lots of opinions on hassles of traveling with rifles. Which European airport is the best to travel through and what documents are needed for transit

We flew to Frankfurt-Joh-EL. Checked our bags/firearms through to Joh. Never saw our bags in Frankfurt, they went right through.

 

[mikecatt13]

Anyone have experience with taking rifle with multiple barrels through RSA? 2 firearms maximum. Ex: could I bring my double in 470, bolt gun in say .300WM, and a extra set of barrels for the double in .375? Or is it 2 calibers max. Regardless of barrels, etc?

 

[riflepermits.com]

Anyone have experience with taking rifle with multiple barrels through RSA? 2 firearms maximum. Ex: could I bring my double in 470, bolt gun in say .300WM, and a extra set of barrels for the double in .375? Or is it 2 calibers max. Regardless of barrels, etc?

Dear Sir

Send me an email henry@riflepermits.com.

Kind regards
Henry

 

[Graham Hunter]

So I am trying to get a transit permit to go thru Munich but the site does not list Munich and keeps kicking me back to Frankfurt. Any idea's/

 

[mikecatt13]

For those of you that have taken firearms to Namibia...do they use the serial number from the barrel like RSA or the receiver (is the receiver only a US thing?)?

Wife and I are taking an R8 and S2 to Namibia and am trying to figure out how to fill out the paperwork properly. Both guns have user interchangeable barrels and Blaser serialized the barrels because that's what is registered as the firearm in many places, but we are in the US so the receivers have serials too.

Overnighting in Joburg then onto Windhoek. Using assistance for the RSA paperwork, but still trying to figure out which serials I give for both countries. Do I just ignore the receiver one if it's just a USA thing and list the barrel serials? That's how I understand it with RSA but not sure about Namibia specifically

 

[Hogpatrol]

I've never heard of a serial number being checked on a barrel in RSA, only the receiver. In fact, I never heard of a serial number on an American made rifle's barrel.

 

[mikecatt13]

I've never heard of a serial number being checked on a barrel in RSA, only the receiver. In fact, I never heard of a serial number on an American made rifle's barrel.

They are Blasers so they're american imported not American made, so the removable barrel (which kind of acts as a receiver of sorts because the only thing "behind" it is the bolt housing) has a serial and the receiver does as well (to comply with US law). I know for sure RSA treats all the interchangeable barrels as "firearms" so they have to be serialized and that's what they use on the paperwork, according to riflepermits.com.

Which is why I'm kinda hoping a fellow R8 owner that has traveled with theirs can chime in and clarify for me

 

[JanP]

Yep, for Blaser you need the barrel number. I fly with my R8 and R93 a few times every year to SA and Namibia.
And regarding Ethiopian Air, they have about the youngest fleet of aircraft. Their last accident was with an American made Boeing 737 MAX. It was a design fault of that US-machine that has cost many lives! So @ Hogpatrol, please no shaming of well educated African people!

 

[Hogpatrol]

Yep, for Blaser you need the barrel number. I fly with my R8 and R93 a few times every year to SA and Namibia.
And regarding Ethiopian Air, they have about the youngest fleet of aircraft. Their last accident was with an American made Boeing 737 MAX. It was a design fault of that US-machine that has cost many lives! So @ Hogpatrol, please no shaming of well educated African people

May be well educated but in that instance, poorly trained and lacking experience when things go south. That was a retrievable malfunction but when you only have 250 hours of blue sky conditions, it's not the aircraft.

 

[jac211]

When I went with CMS in Zim, I flew to Jo'berg from Atlanta on Delta. I paid like a hundred bucks to have a CMS contractor meet me in J'berg and walk through the firearm check in/out process. Well worth the freight. Easy Peazy.

 

[ianevans]

Hi All .hoping someone can .help .planing gonig to johannesberg in march using Emirates and connecting in Dubai .What do i need to get firearms through Dubai airport