Extra Ammo?

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

It always amazes me when people use the phrase “in Africa you can or cannot” . What is legal in one country may or may not be legal in another. One thing that all 58 countries in Africa have in common, everything is o.k. until it is not, then it goes to s**t real fast.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Hey folks,
In reading the 300 PRC thread and seeing people state that ammo is likely going to be impossible to find anywhere in Africa has made me consider options for taking extra ammo in the event of lost luggage. I am wondering if I can pack a spare locked ammo can in my wifes luggage, so that in the event mine gets lost I'll have hers to fall back on.

On the same note, if we do separate 4457s and put one rifle in her name and the other in mine, can we pack them together in the same case, but travel with ammo in each of our checked luggage?

Keep us posted on your trip. We're all going with you know.....

 

[Sika98k]

Far too much is made of the fear of losing ammo. We all hear the stories of bags being delayed but in reality it is rare. Go with what you have planned and absolute worst case scenario you rent a rifle. Don’t let these little worries ruin your trip and the fun of planning. Also just keep the two rifles in your name and together.

Regarding the first sentence. Sure but when it happens it’s a calamity. I use a 7x57 as my plains game rifle. Owing to a delayed takeoff in Madrid I think we had to transfer across the apron in Addis Ababa. My rifle case made it. The ammunition sadly did not. Tried every gun shop up to Grootfontein and got 1 box of PPU there. Ended the trip with one round left, a few spent rezeroing. Some camp rifles are good, some are junk.
@mdwest , regarding your underwear getting lost. Dead easy solution, go commando.

 

[Philip Glass]

Regarding the first sentence. Sure but when it happens it’s a calamity. I use a 7x57 as my plains game rifle. Owing to a delayed takeoff in Madrid I think we had to transfer across the apron in Addis Ababa. My rifle case made it. The ammunition sadly did not. Tried every gun shop up to Grootfontein and got 1 box of PPU there. Ended the trip with one round left, a few spent rezeroing. Some camp rifles are good, some are junk.
@mdwest , regarding your underwear getting lost. Dead easy solution, go commando.

Sorry that happened to you. You would think that caliber would be available in Africa. It is rare for this to happen however in the big picture. What I am saying is that this is debated as nauseam here on AH. I don’t think guys should be worrying themselves to death over losing ammo. This is my point.

 

[Sika98k]

Sorry that happened to you. You would think that caliber would be available in Africa. It is rare for this to happen however in the big picture. What I am saying is that this is debated as nauseam here on AH. I don’t think guys should be worrying themselves to death over losing ammo. This is my point.

No worries. This time I actually picked up some in Swakopmund with ease. Although the shops in Windhoek either had none or failed to reply to emails.

 

[fourfive8]

Yes, this is debated ad nauseam. Two ways to look at it. "You pays you money and you takes you chances" with choosing a caliber that at best is uncommon no matter location especially Africa if replacement is needed. Or pick a caliber that is common especially in Africa so would be much easier to replace if needed.

Even if the worst happens and your ammo Is lost there would be even less chance of finding some in an uncommon caliber with a good bullet of preferred design and weight. Saw it happen once with another hunter who had lost ammo for a more common DG caliber and used some he scrounged locally. Used the POS ammo with frangible bullets for DG and ended up shooting and losing a buffalo because of it.

The positive side is there is a very low rate of lost ammo. Also, as has been covered many times, don't try to circumvent the regs no matter if they make sense or not.... not worth that potential entanglement.

 

[Hogpatrol]

My Africa battery: .45 muzzleloader, 17 Fireball, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5-284 Norma, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 30-28 Nosler.

Mad Magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman. Photo courtesy Mad Magazine

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

For my South Africa hunting trip during October 2022, I put Apple Air tags in every piece of luggage including my plastic ammo box. Their location showed on my wife’s Apple phone (I’m still a Droid) in real time. If my ammo would not have arrived it would have been very easy to show the airlines personnel where the ammo box was. It’s much easier to find something if you have a general location of where it’s hiding!

Traveling to South Africa on Delta my plastic ammo box remained in a larger suitcase. If we had traveled on to Zimbabwe or other locations, the ammo box would have been removed from the suitcase. In that case, the Air Tag or similar tracking device would be worth their weight in gold.

From Previous threads about ammo boxes, ensure your name and cell phone are clearly marked or inscribed on them. I cannot imagine many African airport/airline personnel who would not try to locate the owner in hope of a nice gratuity… : )

 

[JimP]

A couple of problems with a air tag would be getting a airline representative to listen to you while you are sitting on the plane getting ready to take off.

The next problem with having your cell phone number on a tag on your ammo or luggage box is pretty much the same thing, getting a airline representative to call you and then actually having a cell service that works. Last year I paid Verizon for the privilege of cell phone service in South Africa. I tried it several times and it never did work, however I did get a text message telling me that they charged me $10 for trying to make a phone call.

As I have said, don't sweat the small stuff. If your ammo and or rifle case doesn't show up just use one of the outfitters rifles and ammo until yours does.

 

[Hogpatrol]

A couple of problems with a air tag would be getting a airline representative to listen to you while you are sitting on the plane getting ready to take off.

The next problem with having your cell phone number on a tag on your ammo or luggage box is pretty much the same thing, getting a airline representative to call you and then actually having a cell service that works. Last year I paid Verizon for the privilege of cell phone service in South Africa. I tried it several times and it never did work, however I did get a text message telling me that they charged me $10 for trying to make a phone call.

As I have said, don't sweat the small stuff. If your ammo and or rifle case doesn't show up just use one of the outfitters rifles and ammo until yours does.

Without going off in too much of a tangent about which carrier in the U.S. is the best, I have T-Mobile and can make a call anywhere there is service in RSA at .25 a minute. Did it many times at NIck Bowker's and it was like talking with someone nextdoor. Texting works and is free as is wi-fi calling. No need to call them or change the sim card either. Had a bud on one trip who got a $400 bill from Verizon when he got home. YMMV.

 

[JimP]

I know that phones work but for some reason mine didn't want to. Verizons plan was $10 a day. But for some reason when I tried my phone in Joberg I couldn't make calls. I tried every way that I could imagine to make one but the recording kept coming back that my call didn't go through or something. I then tried in Port Elizabeth and again at the outfitters lodge, all with the same results. But each day that I tried I got a text from Verizon telling me that I had been charged the $10 for my international calling plan. I had set all this up with Verizon a month ahead of my trip.

I gave up after the fourth charge. I figured that $40 was enough for something that didn't work for me.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I know that phones work but for some reason mine didn't want to.

I've been in SA twice and hade great Verizon service in Limpopo and Kalahari.

I also used a local $5 SIM card in ZIM and had good service.

What's App uses my cell number and works with any WI FI.

Sorry your experience wasn't as good.

 

[YancyW]

I know that phones work but for some reason mine didn't want to. Verizons plan was $10 a day. But for some reason when I tried my phone in Joberg I couldn't make calls. I tried every way that I could imagine to make one but the recording kept coming back that my call didn't go through or something. I then tried in Port Elizabeth and again at the outfitters lodge, all with the same results. But each day that I tried I got a text from Verizon telling me that I had been charged the $10 for my international calling plan. I had set all this up with Verizon a month ahead of my trip.

I gave up after the fourth charge. I figured that $40 was enough for something that didn't work for me.

My last trip, I had the same issue with Version. My wife tried for several days to work though it with them, we finally gave up.

 

[Rare Breed]

I gave up 2 hunts ago and just bought my own satellite phone. Yes I could have rented but in 2 trips it was paid for. I just buy a SIM card each trip. Works anywhere everywhere no matter where I am

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I’ve tried the Verizon route between 3 RSA hunts and 1 Namibia hunt and the plan didn’t work on any of them. I just use WiFi Calling/WhatsApp while at the outfitters. I too have debated buying a satellite phone but thus far haven’t needed it.

As for the rifle/ammo my plan is to just use a camp rifle in the event my bags are lost or delayed. Flying through London on BA this upcoming trip so the chances it happens might be a little higher. I saw it happen to someone else in my party on my first hunt in RSA and he just used the camp rifle until Mr X called and said his bags arrived.

 

[DSchmidt]

Thanks for all of the awesome responses. I like the airtag idea. My trip isnt real soon so right now im just preparing everything I can ahead of time.