Returning out of Windhoek with empty brass

[Areaonereal]

Anyone had a problem returning with empty brass and no ammo thru Windhoek.

 

[Tgood1]

put in checked luggage you should be fine. do not put in carry on. had a buddy briefly detained in qatar for 2 empty hulls in carry on bag.

 

[Dirtdart]

Technically you are supposed to account for each cartridge upon arrival and departure.
Unless the law has changed Namibia has a max of 80 cartridges imported per rifle. I have had the number of empties versus left over loaded cartridges not match on several occasions without even a second glance when departing. On other occasions I have been questioned as to why the numbers do not add up. A quick story as to how you lost them should suffice. DO NOT say that you are missing cartridges because they were stolen.
If your numbers match you are golden.

The last time I landed in Orlando returning from Namibia US Customs and airport personnel gave me special attention due to the fact that I was bringing ammo back into the country. In the future there will be no loaded cartridges in my baggage on a return trip to the US.

 

[lwaters]

I've been to Namibia twice. Never had them question the brass. They must be worried that your leaving ammo for outfitter.

 

[outwestidaho]

Few years back everyone in our group was ask how many rounds we had on departure. My friend said maybe 20 or so. They went through everything he had. When they ask me I said I have 28 . They let me go right through. We were warned by our outfitter to state exactly how much loaded ammo we had if ask. Not kinda of or I think but exactly. My friend didn't listen. Took 30 minutes for him to get out of it. They never questioned my empty brass just the loaded.

 

[Dirtdart]

If you are flying commercial to the Caprivi you will go through the same drill at the domestic airport for your connecting flight with your firearm/ammo as you did when you landed at the international airport.

I did have a hard time with customs once arriving in Windhoek but departing the country from Walvis Bay with my rifle. Not only that but my departure was a week or so after the hunting season closed.
It all made perfect sense to me but evidently the authorities found it confusing. lol

 

[Longwalker]

On leaving the Windhoek airport I was questioned why I only listed loaded ammo and brass for my double rifle, and nothing at all for my 9.3. I said I had used it all during the trip. My outfitter explained "he's a bad shot" - that got a laugh out of the security agent and I was waved through.

 

[Longwalker]

Just one other note, on a previous trip to Germany I failed to declare four empty cartridges that I had kept as souvenirs from a hunt there, each one written on with a felt marker - "Reh" or "Keiler" I was not traveling with a firearm or ammunition. That got me escorted transport to the security section of another Frankfurt terminal and an interview with five security agents for a half hour. They eventually waved me through and asked about hunting grizzly bears in Canada.

 

[YancyW]

I always shoot all my ammo at baboons and such, I don't reload, so never worry about picking up brass. Never had an issue.

 

[lwaters]

Just one other note, on a previous trip to Germany I failed to declare four empty cartridges that I had kept as souvenirs from a hunt there, each one written on with a felt marker - "Reh" or "Keiler" I was not traveling with a firearm or ammunition. That got me escorted transport to the security section of another Frankfurt terminal and an interview with five security agents for a half hour. They eventually waved me through and asked about hunting grizzly bears in Canada.

In Germany they wanted to take my binoculars apart. I told them if they did they could keep them. Then they ask all what I hunted and sent me on.

 

[Tra3]

On both return trips from Windhoek I was asked if I had ammo in my bags. I said no. This summer the agent asked where all my ammo went. I told them that the reason I was hunting in Namibia was to get better and not miss so many shots, but, alas, I still used up all the ammo. That prompted some smiles, teasing, and I suggesting I continue returning to Namibia to practice.

 

[Mountaineer]

When I left Namibia the baggage guys my PH left me with told me the Namibia police would take all my brass. They asked how many cartridge I had and I told them. They didn’t inspect my locked ammo box so they didn’t take them. I left SA with a piece of brass in my carryon. It got me questioned by the police and told they could put me in jail. After an hour they let me go.

 

[wintel]

When I returned from Namibia in 2019 they told me at check-in counter that empty brass was illegal to take with me. I could take loaded ammo with me, but not the empty brass... I gave the PH two handfulls of Lapua 338LM brass...

I returned from South Africa last week, and they asked me at the Qatar check-in counter if I had any empty brass... I lied and told them only loaded cartridges... I had some wildcat brass that are almost impossible to make and would not give them to RSA

 

[meigsbucks]

In 2018, leaving Windhoek, I wasn’t questioned about empty or missing rounds or brass. I did have to take my locked ammo case out of my checked bag and check it as a separate bag (No extra charge).

 

[Philip Glass]

Anyone had a problem returning with empty brass and no ammo thru Windhoek.

No problem just keep it in a locked ammo box. These days more of us will be bringing brass back than ever before.

 

[mcaustin]

No problem just keep it in a locked ammo box. These days more of us will be bringing brass back than ever before.

That's all I did leaving Windhoek at the end of February. The police asked me how many live rounds I still had and I answered. Then they checked my rifle and sent me on my way. They didn't require me to check my ammo box separately.

The Fixit Stick tool kit that I forgot was in my backpack was a different story... the police at security informed me that I could "take the airplane apart" with them, so I ended up having to check my second carry on bag to avoid throwing the Fixit Stick kit away.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I always shoot it all up. No brass, no ammo Sergeant!

And I do a complete shakedown of everything the night before flying.

Safe travels.

 

[The Engineer]

The only place I have had the empties counted was leaving Mozambique. We had to explain why there were 3 less total when leaving vs. entering.