Traveling With Your Own Rifle to Europe; Bad Idea or Terrible Idea?

[Rimbaud]

I have taken my own weapon to the UK many times without issue. I ran into a snag on a trip to Romania two years ago, but will be taking my own rifle again next month.

When will you be in Romania and what are you hunting? We leave 22 Oct from Atlanta for Cluj on Turkish Air and will be making our way to Retezat for chamois, and waiting to find out about bear hunt locale. If paths cross, first few rounds on me.

 

[wesheltonj]

Yes there are fewer airlines and airports in Europe that are handling firearms, when an airline does accept rifles often the cost of taking a rifle and ammunition is charged at US$200 each rifle and US$200 for ammunition, each way!! (British Airways).

I do like to use my own rifles but it is becoming more challenging.

That depends on the country that you are flying into. Slovenia - one charge as ammo goes in the gun case.

 

[WAB]

When will you be in Romania and what are you hunting? We leave 22 Oct from Atlanta for Cluj on Turkish Air and will be making our way to Retezat for chamois, and waiting to find out about bear hunt locale. If paths cross, first few rounds on me.

Sept, Cluj, red stag. Have a great hunt!

 

[Rimbaud]

Sept, Cluj, red stag. Have a great hunt!

Safe travels and good hunting. Look forward to your report.

 

[ingwe500nitroexpress]

Merkel is not anything like CZ. But both them and Heym and Krieghoff are made on a CNC with very little hand fitting.

Krieghoff isn't a step below a hand made bespoke rifle from any country, it is made by CNC.

There is a stupid notion in the hunting world that a gun made by hand has soul, and is better than a gun made by a robot. Guns are soulless objects, no matter how much we want them to not be. The same as push pins and cars.

Or that a gun made in a certain factory is always better. Every company can produce trash and treasure.

Placing Ferlach guns or British guns as best leaves out a ton of other makers all over Europe and to some extent Canada and America. There are fantastic makers all over Germany and Austria.

Saying that if wanted a mountain rifle for fair weather it would be made by Schierring.

If I wanted a double rifle for dangerous game it would be a Kreighoff Big Game, because of the system and relative accuracy. I'd replace the stock with a fiberglass one, even if scratch built. Possibly a Fuchs double bolt rifle.

If I want something very Willy Wonka and mesmerizing it would be something from Fuchs, Fanzoj or Hofer.

I think Hartmann and Weiss would be hard to beat as the best in the world. They have enough customers in Arab rulers that are only buying million dollar guns, that they own that market.

I would have to respectfully disagree with this one. I’ve owned almost every brand listed, and when Heym introduce the 89b it was significantly better than the Merkels, or Chapuis, or others of similar value. I think the VC was above the aforementioned as well, but not in the league of the Heym. As for Best guns having soul, I also disagree. I own Best grade Hollands, Purdeys, and one of the 2 recently made Jeffery’s they did when they announced that they’d be building limited numbers of bolt rifles. As far as the Hartmann&Weiss statement goes, aesthetically and craftsmanship wise goes, SOME of their rifles contend to be the finest made. E.G, that takedown .404 they just finished. But again, my new Jeffery has wood that rivals some of Hartmanns. Blindfolded I can pick up and shoulder a London vest, and do the same with the others, and it is instantly noticeable. Even after the involvement of a few G&Ts post a long day chasing elephants or buffalo.

 

[WAB]

I would have to respectfully disagree with this one. I’ve owned almost every brand listed, and when Heym introduce the 89b it was significantly better than the Merkels, or Chapuis, or others of similar value. I think the VC was above the aforementioned as well, but not in the league of the Heym. As for Best guns having soul, I also disagree. I own Best grade Hollands, Purdeys, and one of the 2 recently made Jeffery’s they did when they announced that they’d be building limited numbers of bolt rifles. As far as the Hartmann&Weiss statement goes, aesthetically and craftsmanship wise goes, SOME of their rifles contend to be the finest made. E.G, that takedown .404 they just finished. But again, my new Jeffery has wood that rivals some of Hartmanns. Blindfolded I can pick up and shoulder a London vest, and do the same with the others, and it is instantly noticeable. Even after the involvement of a few G&Ts post a long day chasing elephants or buffalo.

Agreed. I appreciate the work of the master gunmakers. The dynamic responsiveness they achieve with a weapon is incredible, and the finish work is beyond belief. I doubt that it translates to more game in the bag, but for me, it does result in an enhanced experience in the field.

 

[Muskox]

I would have to respectfully disagree with this one. I’ve owned almost every brand listed, and when Heym introduce the 89b it was significantly better than the Merkels, or Chapuis, or others of similar value. I think the VC was above the aforementioned as well, but not in the league of the Heym. As for Best guns having soul, I also disagree. I own Best grade Hollands, Purdeys, and one of the 2 recently made Jeffery’s they did when they announced that they’d be building limited numbers of bolt rifles. As far as the Hartmann&Weiss statement goes, aesthetically and craftsmanship wise goes, SOME of their rifles contend to be the finest made. E.G, that takedown .404 they just finished. But again, my new Jeffery has wood that rivals some of Hartmanns. Blindfolded I can pick up and shoulder a London vest, and do the same with the others, and it is instantly noticeable. Even after the involvement of a few G&Ts post a long day chasing elephants or buffalo.

Keep smoking that shit.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Also, with hunting abroad, it's not just the countries sometimes challenging policy hoops you must appropriately jump through, but now we have airlines that take issue with carrying firearms! Ensure that ALL airlines involved have no issues with carrying checked sporting firearms!!! Yet another form of ultra lib urban protest politics...(the same groups, never in Africa, know nothing of wildlife management/conservation, and try to change policies-many times successful for political gain only-resulting in denied transport of hunters, elimination of hunting, and then the fallout-elimination of the now unprotected wildlife! GL in your travels and please provide all the post-trip feedback you like to keep us all informed!

 

[Nyati]

Keep in mind also that in Europe, some people are not gun friendly.

A few years ago, I was checking in at Madrdid Airport, and the lady at the counter said she was not touching my gun case, a supervisor had to be called to do it.

 

[Muskox]

Keep in mind also that in Europe, some people are not gun friendly.

A few years ago, I was checking in at Madrdid Airport, and the lady at the counter said she was not touching my gun case, a supervisor had to be called to do it.

I live in a rural part of Germany, here in this little town there are at least 10-15 hunters for 5000 people. We run into one another occasionally, as we mostly all shoot in the same club.

When traveling you don't meet other hunters with much frequency. In Austria last weekend I went into a woolen shop that happened to have a hunting line. I wish I could remember the name of it. Nice stuff, designed in Austria, wool from New Zealand, probably made in Eastern Europe. Expensive stuff. I was looking at the hunting line, and the lady that worked there referred me to her friend that was a hunter. She was stunning, and married, and so am I but it was fun to talk hunting.

This is such a rare occurrence that I am always shocked when it happens.