Bringing spent cartridges on plane in checked bag

[Schmidty]

I have brought empties back twice (2022 & 2025) from SA to USA. I did not bring my own rifle or ammo. I used the PH's rifle and I brought a few empties back from animals I harvested in my checked luggage. Maybe I was just lucky but I had zero problems. This last time I went back home through Paris.

 

[Throwback]

In your scenario, I too have explored the possibility of doing this a few times and eventually concluded its not worth the hassle. In my instances though I dont have checked bags, just a carry on so my options were even more limited.

I have been renting rifles my last few times in Namibia for example, among some other places. Some of those times I have traveled back through Angola (for work), so an absolute no way on taking brass back through Angola. Even when not flying through Angola, (Windhoek to Frankfurt, then on to Houston) I still ruled it out.

You could explore the possibility of the brass somehow being shipped with your trophies but that sounds problematic to me. On one occasion I did take one spent round from the US to Amsterdam as a gift for a relative. I thoroughly washed it out and filled it up with Gorilla glue, and then it was glued on a plaque with a pic of my nephew killing his first deer. I was a little worried about it but in my checked bag it arrived in AMS just fine.

If you can just find the same caliber and brand brass back home you could use that and no one will ever know the difference. Just a thought. Cheers

 

[Rafiki]

A non-hunting example happened in the Turks & Caicos last year. Some guy went there on vacation and brought a backpack he had taken on a hunting trip. Security found a loose (spent?) round. Well evidently they have a law there that lands you in jail for a mandatory 12 years if they find anything fun related; doesn't matter if it is intentional or not. It was all over national news.

I think Trump had to intervene to get the poor bastard out.

 

[Beck]

Not sure about the UK, but in the USA it is fine. Just put the spent cartridges in the locked ammo box with any remaining unfired ammo. Cool idea with the spent brass too

 

[Betterinthebush]

I had my trophy bullets and spent brass confiscated at Windhoek. Had it in my carryon. Didn’t know any better. My fault.

When we passed through customs in Frankfurt both my wife and I were treated to extra-special German attention. Both our carryons set off their snooter-detector for some reason and we were taken to the side. Evidently their equipment is so sensitive that the residue from the spent bullets/brass that was taken in Windhoek that was in our bags set off the alarm. Die Politzei (who showed up with an H&K apiece) were actually cool to us once we told them we were just returning from hunting in Namibia.

Still, I’ll never try that again.

 

[Green Chile]

The bottom line is you need paperwork/permits that show you brought something into Africa before trying to leave with that "ammo". It would be like trying to leave a country with a gun when you didn't enter the country with that gun. It's not logical but that's the reality. The OP gets it now. This advice of do it and don't worry about it, isn't good advice. Some have gotten through ok BUT others have not and some, like the Turks and Caicos guy, had a horrible time getting out. I've had them say you're not leaving and we are charging you with a firearms crime. You don't want to be in that situation. It's not worth ruining your trip and creating real legal problems to get home. When you're standing there and don't know how to get out of that windowless room and on the plane, it's not worth it.

 

[Finprof]

A friend of mine had a choke tube confiscated at the airport. Apparently the TSA agent recognized it as part of a firearm.

 

[Hammergun]

Not even remotely worth the trouble you may find yourself in. If you are not traveling with a rifle then there is no reason to have those empties, which will be considered the same as live ammunition. It is also illegal to bring those into the UK without the proper import paperwork and license.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Muntjacer23,

I understand what you're wanting to do and it all seems innocent enough to me, but it won't to those who nothing about the situation. I highly recommend you do NOT try any of these potential ways around the system. In the eyes of those who could make your life miserable it looks funny.

So I recommend following others advice here to take your own rifle and ammunition. This is done virtually everyday of the year. You're just going to RSA, it's really not that difficult. And you can of course bring back your empties sitting along side of the unused ammo.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Here's another suggestion. Have the safari operator write you the usual confirmation letter and have him include that you will be renting a specific caliber rifle and bringing your own ammo. Then do the appropriate South Africa Police form (many on here can help with that), buy a cheap lockable ammo box, and one box of ammo. Put it in checked baggage. Go through the usual hoops with police at Joberg airport coming and going. Should be no conceivable problem. Bring back a box of empty brass and leave the unused ammo for your operator.

Most of us utilize the "service" of connected individual to guide us through getting rifles through the process. Usually costs a hundred bucks. Worth it even if you don't have a gun. My guy spotted a mistake on my return booking after I arrived in Joberg and saved me a LOT of headaches. They know their way around the airport and it can be confusing. He'll keep the nuisance scammers away from you too. And they usually have a magical way of getting you to the front of the line. Ask your outfitter for a reccomendation.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

You don’t really want to test your negotiating skills in a foreign country where you have no leverage. Best thing is follow the rules, smile and waive. I once corrected a passport agent for stamping the wrong entry day on my passport, needless to say if it ever happens again I will be silent and smile and waive and say thank you.

 

[Hogpatrol]

A friend of mine had a choke tube confiscated at the airport. Apparently the TSA agent recognized it as part of a firearm.

Enroute to Moz, at Tambo out of a carry-on, had a pack of 3" zip ties and a pair of split ring pliers confiscated. I had a small plastic box with fishing items and told them the pliers were for the rings on them. They were ok with the lures with treble hooks but the pliers were no bueno.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Enroute to Moz, at Tambo out of a carry-on, had a pack of 3" zip ties and a pair of split ring pliers confiscated. I had a small plastic box with fishing items and told them the pliers were for the rings on them. They were ok with the lures with treble hooks but the pliers were no bueno.

Probably the same gal that took my red duct tape and put it in her lunch box.

 

[DLSJR]

This is key advice! Treat it like loaded ammo and it goes with the loaded ammo. Do not separate it, even in the same bag. I have been in a little locked room with no windows and seven (7!) SAPS officers in Joburg airport because I had loose brass. Some of you know the room!

I was in a similar room at Heathrow, on my way home from Botswana many years ago. Too long a story to tell, but I switched up my carry-on and a checked bag, which had some ammo in it. (Note: don’t ever have your carry-on look anything like any bag you’re checking). I was waiting to go through the scanner and realized it, so stepped out of line and asked for some help from one of the security people. I got help alright, more than I wanted as four police were there in short order, who escorted me to a windowless room where officials from British Customs, Heathrow Security, London Police interrogated me and treated me like I was ‘Carlos the Jackal’. We came up with a solution after what became a very heated exchange; the customs officer didn’t particularly appreciate me telling him to shove the ammo up his bum.

So…. The advice given to treat it like loaded ammo is spot-on good advice.

 

[Levubu]

I have done it many times, it was never an issue.

 

[JimP]

See if your outfitter can find a local engraver who can do what you want. Then bring them home as a finished souvenir in your checked baggage.

 

[Slickshooter]

I wouldn’t risk it to bring back some brass, these airports can be crazy about that stuff these days.

 

[Nyala23]

I won’t have any loaded ammo with me. Just a few empty brass cases. I presume if I thoroughly clean it and pack it in my checked bag I should be okay.

DO NOT ASSUME! We had to gather up the 2 expanded bullets and put them in the ammo box in that little room at Cape Town. Had a finger nail clipper with 27 take offs taken at same airport. Hate to say but I wouldn’t try without having the SAPS paperwork. Things are not the same there as anywhere else. Maybe mail them home or just commemorate on cases already at home and shake your head at TSA

 

[Sarg]

Seems a lot here are not reading what the OP is saying ?

He will have NO ammo legally on the flight in or out, so no permits & no box to put them into.

In this day & age, if you want to lessen any problems check all rules Airline & Countries you are leaving & returning to, as laws change over night.

Empty cases fired or not are treated by lots of law enforcement & government agencies as ammunition components (as they should really) no amount of sweet talking can change laws/rules & you could be charged with a offence or at the very least miss all your flights & feel Very uncomfortable !

Posting ammunition components can also be a legal problem.

Now I was arrested & had a horrible time for having FIRED Spent bullets/projectiles that were dug out/found in some of our animals, these were in checked baggage, not in my pocket or such !!!

You can argue all you want that those projectiles are useless pieces of metal & could never be loaded into a cartridge case but the fact remains they are ammunition components & the law may say that is illegal without correct permits to export or import, a lot of travelers, Americans are the biggest culprit here as they have so many freedoms in the USA, think it’s ok to do this or that as it’s Ok or cool in their countries or worse 10 other people or friends have done it, well probably lots of Heroine or Cocaine smugglers don’t get caught either ?

Still not legal & it’s a gamble with anything firearm or even weapon related, ie knives sprays, one handed opening knives, double edged lots of stuff !

I know hunters arrested for ivory smuggling in cells for a long time waiting justice that had undeclared Warthog tusks, obviously not real ivory & not a problem, tell them that, lives destroyed & hours or days of terror.
When it happened to me there were a couple of American hunters Bryan Hagerich & Ryan Watson awaiting trail for some months or longer on bail in the Turks & Caicos evidently had spent cases in they possession, a common offence so it was said & normally a small fine but not this time !

 

[Muntjacer23]

Seems a lot here are not reading what the OP is saying ?

He will have NO ammo legally on the flight in or out, so no permits & no box to put them into.

In this day & age, if you want to lessen any problems check all rules Airline & Countries you are leaving & returning to, as laws change over night.

Empty cases fired or not are treated by lots of law enforcement & government agencies as ammunition components (as they should really) no amount of sweet talking can change laws/rules & you could be charged with a offence or at the very least miss all your flights & feel Very uncomfortable !

Posting ammunition components can also be a legal problem.

Now I was arrested & had a horrible time for having FIRED Spent bullets/projectiles that were dug out/found in some of our animals, these were in checked baggage, not in my pocket or such !!!

You can argue all you want that those projectiles are useless pieces of metal & could never be loaded into a cartridge case but the fact remains they are ammunition components & the law may say that is illegal without correct permits to export or import, a lot of travelers, Americans are the biggest culprit here as they have so many freedoms in the USA, think it’s ok to do this or that as it’s Ok or cool in their countries or worse 10 other people or friends have done it, well probably lots of Heroine or Cocaine smugglers don’t get caught either ?

Still not legal & it’s a gamble with anything firearm or even weapon related, ie knives sprays, one handed opening knives, double edged lots of stuff !

I know hunters arrested for ivory smuggling in cells for a long time waiting justice that had undeclared Warthog tusks, obviously not real ivory & not a problem, tell them that, lives destroyed & hours or days of terror.
When it happened to me there were a couple of American hunters Bryan Hagerich & Ryan Watson awaiting trail for some months or longer on bail in the Turks & Caicos evidently had spent cases in they possession, a common offence so it was said & normally a small fine but not this time !

I was also thinking of bring back the fired projectile once removed from the animal in my checked bag too. And also warthog tusks. But I think I’ll have to reconsider both of those now after reading that! Although I do understand that warthog tusks are also sold in the airport and commonly sold to tourists, so I’m not sure how they differentiate between those and ones that have been hunted, provided they are well cleaned.