Bringing spent cartridges on plane in checked bag

[Ontario Hunter]

Looks like this has been sorted out on the forum before. Sort of ...

Thread 'Importing ammo but not a firearm into South Africa'

Feb 26, 2017

Can someone advise me if I can bring along my own ammo ( 40 rounds) to use in a firearm supplied by the South African PH ? Do I require import forms from the SA Government?

• Dwight Gelhorn
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Before & after the hunt

If you can take loaded ammo to RSA without a rifle, you can surely return with empty cases. Just do as I suggested. Get the confirmation letter from outfitter indicating the caliber of rental rifle, buy a cheap ammo box and one box of loaded ammo, complete the SAPS form and you should have no problem. The authorities will treat the empty cases on return as if they are loaded. And you will have paperwork for loaded ammo. No problem.

I suggest stuffing underwear and socks in the locked ammo container to take up space so the box of ammo doesn't accidentally open and scatter bullets inside. Loose ammo is a no-no for airlines.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Looks like this has been sorted out on the forum before. Sort of ...

Thread 'Importing ammo but not a firearm into South Africa'

Feb 26, 2017

Can someone advise me if I can bring along my own ammo ( 40 rounds) to use in a firearm supplied by the South African PH ? Do I require import forms from the SA Government?

• Dwight Gelhorn
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Before & after the hunt

If you can take loaded ammo to RSA without a rifle, you can surely return with empty cases. Just do as I suggested. Get the confirmation letter from outfitter indicating the caliber of rental rifle, buy a cheap ammo box and one box of loaded ammo, complete the SAPS form and you should have no problem. The authorities will treat the empty cases on return as if they are loaded. And you will have paperwork for loaded ammo. No problem.

I suggest stuffing underwear and socks in the locked ammo container to take up space so the box of ammo doesn't accidentally open and scatter bullets inside. Loose ammo is a no-no for airlines.

And if you get caught up in some tough spot for a few pieces of brass use this thread to tell the customs folks why you are right and they are wrong. What can go wrong with that? I am sure the precedent set will set the customs folks straight.

 

[wolfhunter]

I had two empty 3006 cases in my locked gun case on the way back from a spring black bear hunt in Saskatchewan airport it was checked they called me to see why there machine smelled gun powder I opened it up showed them the empty cases and they couldn't understand they were empty so I threw them away I n front of the lady and everything was good.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

And if you get caught up in some tough spot for a few pieces of brass use this thread to tell the customs folks why you are right and they are wrong. What can go wrong with that? I am sure the precedent set will set the customs folks straight.

Read the thread. Moderator @BRICKBURN quoted the South African regulation that says the SAPS form is required for importing guns OR ammo. I would advise contracting the Joberg airport guns/ammo "service". Like I said, he will ensure things go smoothly both coming and going. Worth a hundred bucks. I have brought back my empty cases all four safaris. And I even took over a box of 458 Lott cases for my PH's gun on my 3rd safari. Not sure if I declared them on the SAPS form. Hmmm. Probably did.

 

[WhatIHaveSeen]

JNB to Dubai to YYZ. Called from the gate to the small windowless room in the bowel of the building. Checked Bag totally searched down to rivets in the bag and SAPs took the 10 spent brass cartridges I was going to have engraved. (Brass was in a clear bag it the top on the case when first opened. Nearly missed my flight. Inbound to SA 14 new unpirimed cartrges either missed or no problem. .

 

[spike.t]

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.

DO NOT TRY TO TAKE ANY WILDLIFE PRODUCTS OUT OF A COUNTRY WITHOUT THE CORRECT DOCUMENTATION...AND I MEAN ANYTHING.!!!!......I put that in capitals to make a point...you will be in a whole lot of shit that would make your empty case scenario look pleasant.....any wildlife products bought at joburg airport will come with the correct paperwork.....

 

[Muntjacer23]

Looks like this has been sorted out on the forum before. Sort of ...

Thread 'Importing ammo but not a firearm into South Africa'

Feb 26, 2017

Can someone advise me if I can bring along my own ammo ( 40 rounds) to use in a firearm supplied by the South African PH ? Do I require import forms from the SA Government?

• Dwight Gelhorn
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Before & after the hunt

If you can take loaded ammo to RSA without a rifle, you can surely return with empty cases. Just do as I suggested. Get the confirmation letter from outfitter indicating the caliber of rental rifle, buy a cheap ammo box and one box of loaded ammo, complete the SAPS form and you should have no problem. The authorities will treat the empty cases on return as if they are loaded. And you will have paperwork for loaded ammo. No problem.

DO NOT TRY TO TAKE ANY WILDLIFE PRODUCTS OUT OF A COUNTRY WITHOUT THE CORRECT DOCUMENTATION...AND I MEAN ANYTHING.!!!!......I put that in capitals to make a point...you will be in a whole lot of shit that would make your empty case scenario look pleasant.....any wildlife products bought at joburg airport will come with the correct paperwork.....

Point taken, I won’t take any risk.

 

[Trogon]

I traveled to Kimberly RSA for hunting after a fishing trip in Angola earlier this year. Did not do a thorough enough search of my field bag or hunting clothers for the return flight to Johannesburg. My checked bag had a single .243 Winchester fired case deep down in my Firehouse cargo pants (that little pocket at the very bottom of the front pocket). Had a disconcerting chat and 15 minutes trying to explain why I didn't want to keep it and why it was in there. Go from there for carry-on bag check, low and behold there was another! Way down in the bottom, had used it as a field bag, slipped in there somehow. Another discussion, empty bag REALLY searched, put through scanner again, finally released to boarding gate. I'm guessing my hunting bud was thinking "WTF now?" Had some warthog tusks, ostrich egg and porcupine quills with an invoice/receipt in the checked bag, no issues with that.
It's not really worth the convolutions. in my opinion. I was not traveling with a personal rifle and ammo. Security thought I was treating them as souvenirs of my hunt.

 

[Andrew62]

sounds like it’s not worth the risk. I wonder if there would be a way to have the empty brass shipped perhaps

I love your idea, and it’s possible you could throw the empty brass in a checked bag and never have an issue, but for me, the stress and anxiety of getting caught isn’t worth it.

On 2 departing flights out of JNB, when I handed the lady my boarding pass to board, and she scanned my ticket, instead of a green light it turned red. Both times the lady motioned for me to go ahead and board, but in those few seconds I stood there wondering what was happening, it was an extremely tense time. I can’t imagine that happening and I was trying to sneak something out of Africa illegally.

As Winnie the Pooh said, sometimes the idea of eating the honey is better than actually eating the honey.

 

[LimbNoMo]

I got called to the windowless room this summer. 7 people in the tiny room, my luggage on a desk. They asked me if the bag was mine, then informed me that there was a spent case inside my ammo box and asked me to retrieve it. Security disposed of it. The remainder of my loaded ammo had been left with the outfitter.

 

[Flbt]

Can you just mail them to yourself?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I got called to the windowless room this summer. 7 people in the tiny room, my luggage on a desk. They asked me if the bag was mine, then informed me that there was a spent case inside my ammo box and asked me to retrieve it. Security disposed of it. The remainder of my loaded ammo had been left with the outfitter.

What? That's unheard of. Wait ... was the spent case loose inside the ammo box? That would explain it. Airlines also get upset about loose ammo in luggage. And as confirmed by many here, everyone along the way, airlines and police, treat empty cases as loaded ammo. Put empty cases back in their factory box and put that inside the locked ammo box.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I traveled to Kimberly RSA for hunting after a fishing trip in Angola earlier this year. Did not do a thorough enough search of my field bag or hunting clothers for the return flight to Johannesburg. My checked bag had a single .243 Winchester fired case deep down in my Firehouse cargo pants (that little pocket at the very bottom of the front pocket). Had a disconcerting chat and 15 minutes trying to explain why I didn't want to keep it and why it was in there. Go from there for carry-on bag check, low and behold there was another! Way down in the bottom, had used it as a field bag, slipped in there somehow. Another discussion, empty bag REALLY searched, put through scanner again, finally released to boarding gate. I'm guessing my hunting bud was thinking "WTF now?" Had some warthog tusks, ostrich egg and porcupine quills with an invoice/receipt in the checked bag, no issues with that.
It's not really worth the convolutions. in my opinion. I was not traveling with a personal rifle and ammo. Security thought I was treating them as souvenirs of my hunt.

Yeah, and I never saw that guy in my life.

 

[Philip Glass]

It ha

Yeah had some fun here with daughter and father clients.....they had rented rifle so obviously no visitors firearms permit....I had watched them go through to security so headed for car park....git phone call from unknown number...was airport security police....so luckily having not left I headed back to terminal...clients were standing there with 3 police....the dad had kept a few empty cases as souvenirs...but had them in his coat pocket.....so empty cases no visitors firearms permit...mmmm....took a bit of talking and explaining....police eventually let them head....also said we could make you bring back your blue book...our firearms permit...which would have been a pain....but let me go without doing it....could have been a sticky situation if they wanted to push it....

As said put in the box with the other ammo that's not been used....no probs

It Happens all the time!

 

[Dan458]

You’ll get away with it sometimes but not worth the hassle when you don’t. I’ve been pulled off flights twice. One time heading home from Joburg and the case had been in my bino harness for the last 4 international flights since I left Aus!

 

[Sideshow]

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

In the UK if it went to court empty brass is just that empty brass. Even if you had all the components bullet head brass powder and primer until it’s assembled it’s not classed as a bullet our firearms part. Okay here’s the kicker. 1 he’s coming back into the country so needs to pass through African security with whichever country/countries he’s coming from that’s the can of worms which has been established above. UK you may have a bit of a wait until you found the right person who knows there stuff. I always have the home office law on this saved on a pdf and ready to hand for such an occasion lol!
As for BA it’s not the airline staff that is the problem it’s the security personnel at departures seen it a load and have more than a few stories. Big difference between the two.

 

[Flbt]

In the US I know a guy that got in trouble going in to the court house. With one of the lighters that looked like a cartridge.
He was arguing that it was not a cartridge.
One of the lawyers walked up to go through security.
You are right. But do you want to pay me 15k to prove you are right on court after going to jail?
Or do you want to go about your day. Throw it away or fight it it’s your choice and money.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Never been a problem going through security at my courthouse with my keys. But those cops are mostly hunters and savy about guns and ammo. They can tell the 12 gauge shell is a dud. If I have time I'll show them pictures of African hunting. They get a kick out of that. I just make sure my keys stay in my pocket while I'm inside the building. Why would I take them out?

 

[Flbt]

Never been a problem going through security at my courthouse with my keys. But those cops are mostly hunters and savy about guns and ammo. They can tell the 12 gauge shell is a dud. If I have time I'll show them pictures of African hunting. They get a kick out of that. I just make sure my keys stay in my pocket while I'm inside the building. Why would I take them out?
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It doesn’t suprised me that you never had a problem.
There a lot of problems with that county leo now

 

[Ontario Hunter]

It doesn’t suprised me that you never had a problem.
There a lot of problems with that county leo now

What are you smoking? I don't live in a "county" and it's not a "county" courthouse. Yeah, these guys are a "problem" because they let me walk into a courthouse with an empty shotgun shell full of wood and a screw eye through the primer pocket. Oh, I guess I could jump up on a chair in the courtroom and wave my keychain in the air: "Everybody on the ground or I'll shoot. Uhh ... oh, sorry ... I forgot to bring a gun. Forget it. As you were." In my experience pimple-picking self-pontificating good ole boy local cops with the IQ of lint are usually a bigger "problem."