Traveling to Africa with Ammunition only

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Has anyone had experience traveling from the U.S.A. or Canada to Zimbabwe with ammunition only?

As travel on airlines with ammunition becomes more and more difficult we are finding more clients wish to use our firearms which is not a problem. What is becoming a major problem is ammunition. In Zimbabwe if you can find a box of .375 H&H cost will be in excess of $200.00 a box. The bigger the caliber the higher the cost.

Here is my question what problems are encountered with the various airlines traveling with ammunition only? Is a 4457 form required? Any problems going through the various countries? Of course we know about the locking case, weight limit and the fact that some airlines require the box in checked airlines and others as a separate piece of luggage. At this time this is a problem, in the future it will become a major problem. Please note this does not effect South Africa due to the fact that ammo is readily available.

Lon

 

[cal pappas]

4457 is only for items with a serial number.
It is my understanding one can bring a firearm and ammo into Zimbabwe with proof of a hunt. I would not try to bring in ammo alone unless proof of hunting is obtained stating you are borrowing a rifle from the PH. Please call your PH or booking agent for details. I would hate to think of the possibilities of arriving in Zim with no hunt papers and a few boxes of ammo.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Hi Cal,

I am a Zimbabwe PH and a Safari company owner. I am also familiar with our firearms laws and the in's and out of Zim interpretations. All of our loaner guns are Zimbabwe licensed and we issue a letter of invitation along with proof of hunt to all clients.

What I am interested in are the airlines themselves and South Africa SAPs. They are use to travelers who are traveling with firearms and ammunition. Airlines like Ethiopia air require a 4457 for firearms with ammunition and pre approve. What happens when you travel with ammo only and there is no 4457 form? You travel to Zim. often enough to know our situation pertaining to ammo availability. Last year we did nine hunts, only one hunter brought his own rifle and ammo, .338 which he may have forgot with his PH.

Cheers, Lon

 

[sierraone]

In my limited experience, you don't carry ammo unless you are carrying a rifle.

 

[Areaonereal]

At 200 per box of ammo, I would bring my own rifle with 100 rounds of ammo.. what about reloading, bringing in the bullets from the US would not be an issue if you needed them by a visiting hunter.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Reloading is a non starter. Many simply do not want to go through the hassle of traveling with a rifle. As I mentioned the $200.00 a box is when you can find it and that is not premium ammo. At the moment I have a friend (PH) he has a client traveling from Germany I believe. He has borrowed a .375H&H rifle, but so far has not been able to find ammo for his client. I know his client will spend in excess of $75,000.00 on his hunt (Matetsi) so it is not the $200.00 a box he just has not been able to find any.

Cheers, Lon

 

[WAB]

Lon, I would check with Travel Express or Gracy. They are pretty familiar with the airlines.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Lon, I would check with Travel Express or Gracy. They are pretty familiar with the airlines.

WAB, Thank you, that's the way that I will probably have to go. I know it is a unusual question. When you have a client arrive and he does not have a rifle and the outfitter cannot supply or replace ammo it will become a major problem in the future.

 

[cal pappas]

Lon:
In the US I travel with ammo sans rifle but that is domestic only. I don't know Zim or laws in another country.

 

[Areaonereal]

Lon. You reload Client
brings whatever bullet you wan to supplement

 

[Areaonereal]

Ok. i an not clear….you have empty brsss,and powder, primer , you tell client bring xxxxxbullets…you full size brass. Prime load shoot retain Brass pick up re size to move on. What happened to. Previous brass
s

 

[JimP]

I don't think that it is the airlines that you need to worry about.

It is the customs in the country that you plan to bring the ammo into, in this case it would be the Zimbabwe customs.

 

[flatwater bill]

Years ago I often traveled to Namibia with ammo only. Have a firearm already there. Some years back the laws changed, and it was expressly forbidden to bring ammo unless you also brought a rifle for it. I'd be more worried about Zim laws than airline regs. Brickburn often finds answers to obscure questions.........good luck.....FWB

 

[375Fox]

There is no issue leaving US with personal use ammo without rifle. I just did for Spain. However, I wouldn’t consider bringing it to Africa without a huge number of assurances. An airport official in Namibia wanted to see my permit/declaration on my small pocket knife once and caused a significant amount of headache for me. Would it not be easier to encourage more clients to bring their own rifle and bring maximum ammo to the 11 lbs or legal limit? Just one or two clients could give you ammo for the year or more.

 

[Tanks]

I was checking into this as I wanted to use my girlfriend as an ammo mule. At the time I was told the airline would not let her bring her 11 lbs of ammo unless she also brought a rifle. This was for Zim, customs would not have been a problem as I had the rifles.

 

[thi9elsp]

Not Zimbabwe, but in 2016 to New Zealand I travelled with ammunition only. I did have to have a letter from the outfitter and declare the ammo at the airline in the US. Also, New Zealand required that I take the left over ammunition back out of the country with me along with empty brass.

 

[lockingblock]

I can only speak to US airlines, but I regularly fly with ammo in a checked bag. They want to see it is securely packed, in boxes (not loose), and the limit is 11 pounds.

So, getting it on the outbound leg should be easy. As to whether the customs people in Zim would allow it in, that’s a question for them.

I think it would be fine.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I live in Zim I know our laws and abide by them our clients also abide by those laws. My concern was DEPARTING the U.S. with ammunition, NOT ARRIVAL. I received a e-mail yesterday from Steve at TWG he says. Rifle with ammo of same caliber. No ammo only.
At different times many years ago I had clients travel on (SAA) with ammo and a copy of the designated PHs loaner rifle. Legally in Zim a firearms license holder may only obtain ammunition from a licensed firearms dealer in Zimbabwe. This ammo could not become the proper of the license holder and any unfired cartridges must leave the country at the conclusion of the hunt.
Today it seems that certain airlines such as Ethiopian airlines require prior application for permission.
One of the items required is a copy of the current 4457 form. The 4457 form is required for reentry in the U.S.A. it is normally used for firearms, but not limited to firearms.