Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa WARNING: Traveling to Africa with firearms just got tougher...

I don't like to post threads from other websites, but I hope that the administrators will understand the seriousness of the issue and allow me to do so:

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/new-usa-requirements-in-addition-to-the-form-4457.21576/

Apparently, the Obama administration, in response to the "fast and furious" debacle, has now come up with "new" means to combat crime....by writing ridiculous laws that are impossible to comply with. Passed in mid Feb and scheduled to take place on April 3rd, this will impact anyone traveling out of the country who hunts with a firearm. While they tout it as "free", it's impossible to comply with.....so EVERYONE will be unable to obey the law (for example, you have to "show" your gun to a CBP officer prior to leaving the country from your port of origin (for most of us, that Atlanta)....yet when you check your luggage, that's the last you see of it until it arrives in Joburg.
Some folks have even talked to CBP agents, and even they don't really understand it (see the thread).

The United STates just became the United Kingdom when it comes to flying with firearms! HOpefully anyone here headed to Africa this year will not end up in prison from our well intentioned "leaders"
.....what a bunch of stupid rat bastards!

Count me in.

I just spoke with a CBP agent this afternoon and she did not indicate that there was any problem. I just have to take my rifles, scopes, binoculars, etc to their office out side of Pittsburgh, fill out the forms, including S/Ns and good to go.

This too shall pass...I hope!

donsm70

I don't see how you can call them "stupid", they are accomplishing exactly what they intended.

Similar to firearm transfers and shipping "policies", they are limiting the mobility of firearms. It becomes much easier to confiscate materials that don't move.

I wonder if the new requirement reduces the value of my .375 H&H?

What garbage. Can't Congress get rid of this?

They're working on it as soon as they find they're balls first!

It becomes more important to find out what your PH/outfitter has available to rent...

Yup, Obama and Holder don't want anyone cutting in on their supplying guns to bad guys in other countries!

Boehner and McConnell have them in a lock box!

What is CBP?

Its customs. And form 4457 is not new, it is a form to show as proof that items (not just firearms) were purchased in the US, so you don't have to pay customs. You can do this anywhere, to show you own and took it with you and didn't pick it up overseas and are pretending you always owned it.

When are you going? The new rule doesn't take effect until April 3rd......hopefully, you will be back in the states before then; otherwise, the CBP can jail you and take your firearms and fine you.....

Did you even read the info in the link? Yes, form 4457 is not new, but now there are NEW rules in place that require more paperwork which is next to impossible to figure out (even some in Customs are saying they don't understand it....yet they are suppose to enforce it!). In addition, there are several countries that you are now not allowed to do "business" with......you are not allowed to take firearms to Zimbabwe, for example. The government may (or may not!) allow you to take your rifles to that country to hunt....it will be done on a case by case basis. Who makes these determinations? What happens when you spend a load of money for a hunt and all the sudden the Feds decided you can't take your firearms for political B.S.?
If you hunt Africa (or anywhere else in the world), the time to get off you collective asses is NOW and write your representatives to get this nonsense stopped! Otherwise, your prized firearms will just be sitting in you gun safe collecting DUST!!!

I got a email from my travel agent about this yesterday...

I fly to Turkey with a rifle tomorrow, but I will be back by April fools day, so no worries I'm hoping.

Let me know how that works when they take your gun, scope and Binos, jail and fine you, because you only filled out the customs form and did not comply with the UN small arms treaty exemption. Good luck.

Let's please keep this topic open with fresh information as it comes available. It could be a big deal, and anyone who travels to hunt may be affected. A friends is headed to Zim soon and is on pins and needles. Accurate information the best thing in this case, over and above political wrangling.

Here are a couple of links.

First, take the "quiz" here. Click on the blue "Take the Firearms in Checked Baggage Determination Quiz"

Take the quiz and you will be taken here.

You'll have to figure it out from there since this is where it gets messy.

OK, here's the messy part.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

e-CFR Data is current as of March 19, 2015

Title 22 → Chapter I → Subchapter M → Part 123 → §123.17

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Title 22: Foreign Relations
PART 123—LICENSES FOR THE EXPORT AND TEMPORARY IMPORT OF DEFENSE ARTICLES
§123.17 Exports of firearms, ammunition, and personal protective gear.

(a) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit the export without a license of:

(1) Parts and components for USML Category I(a) firearms, except barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames), or complete breech mechanisms, when the total value does not exceed $100 wholesale in any transaction, except to any of the countries or entities as provided in §126.1 of this subchapter;

(2) Parts, components, accessories, or attachments for USML Category I firearms, except barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames), complete breech mechanisms, or fully automatic firearms and parts and components for such firearms, when:

(i) The total value does not exceed $500 wholesale in any transaction;

(ii) The export is to Canada for end-use in Canada or return to the United States, or temporary import into the United States of Canadian-origin items and return to Canada for a Canadian citizen; and

(iii) The exporter makes a declaration via the Automated Export System, pursuant to §123.22(a) of this subchapter, and the exporter is eligible to export under this exemption, pursuant to §120.1(c) of this subchapter; or

(3) Parts, components, accessories, or attachments for USML Category I firearms, including fully automatic firearms and parts and components for such firearms, when:

(i) The total value does not exceed $500 wholesale in any transaction;

(ii) The export is to Canada for end-use by the Canadian Federal Government, a Canadian Provincial Government, or a Canadian Municipal Government; and

(iii) The exporter makes a declaration via the Automated Export System, pursuant to §123.22(a) of this subchapter, and the exporter is eligible to export under this exemption, pursuant to §120.1(c) of this subchapter.

(b) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit the export without a license of nonautomatic firearms covered by Category I(a) of §121.1 of this subchapter if they were manufactured in or before 1898, or are replicas of such firearms.

(c) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall permit U.S. persons to export temporarily from the United States without a license not more than three nonautomatic firearms in Category I(a) of §121.1 of this subchapter and not more than 1,000 cartridges therefor, provided that:

(1) The person declares the articles to a CBP officer upon each departure from the United States, presents the Internal Transaction Number from submission of the Electronic Export Information in the Automated Export System per §123.22 of this subchapter, and the articles are presented to the CBP officer for inspection;

(2) The firearms and accompanying ammunition to be exported is with the individual's baggage or effects, whether accompanied or unaccompanied (but not mailed); and

(3) The firearms and accompanying ammunition must be for that person's exclusive use and not for reexport or other transfer of ownership. The person must declare that it is his intention to return the article(s) on each return to the United States. The foregoing exemption is not applicable to the personnel referred to in §123.18 of this subchapter.

(d) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit a foreign person to export without a license such firearms in Category I(a) of §121.1 of this subchapter and ammunition therefor as the foreign person brought into the United States under the provisions of 27 CFR 478.115(d). (The latter provision specifically excludes from the definition of importation the bringing into the United States of firearms and ammunition by certain foreign persons for specified purposes.)

(e) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall permit U.S. persons to export without a license ammunition for nonautomatic firearms referred to in paragraph (a) of this section if the quantity does not exceed 1,000 cartridges (or rounds) in any shipment. The ammunition must also be for personal use and not for resale or other transfer of ownership. The foregoing exemption is also not applicable to the personnel referred to in §123.18.

(f) Port Directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall permit U.S. persons to export temporarily from the United States without a license one set of body armor covered by U.S. Munitions List Category X(a)(1), which may include one helmet covered by U.S. Munitions List Category X(a)(6), or one set of chemical agent protective gear covered by U.S. Munitions List Category XIV(f)(4), which may include one additional filter canister, provided:

(1) The person declares the articles to a CBP officer upon each departure from the United States, presents the Internal Transaction Number from submission of the Electronic Export Information in the Automated Export System (AES) per §123.22 of this subchapter, and the articles are presented to the CBP officer for inspection;

(2) The body armor, which may include a helmet, or chemical agent protective gear, which may include one additional filter canister, to be exported is with the individual's baggage or effects, whether accompanied or unaccompanied (but not mailed); and

(3) The body armor, which may include a helmet, or chemical agent protective gear, which may include one additional filter canister, to be exported is for that person's exclusive use and not for reexport or other transfer of ownership. The person must declare it is his intention to return the article(s) to the United States at the end of tour, contract, or assignment for which the articles were temporarily exported.

(g) The license exemption set forth in paragraph (f) of this section is available for the temporary export of body armor or chemical agent protective gear for personal use to countries listed in §126.1 of this subchapter provided:

(1) The conditions in paragraph (f) of this section are met; and

(2) The person is affiliated with the U.S. Government traveling on official business or is traveling in support of a U.S. Government contract. The person shall present documentation to this effect, along with the Internal Transaction Number for the AES submission, to the CBP officer.

(h) The license exemption set forth in paragraph (f) of this section is available for the temporary export of body armor, which may include a helmet, or chemical agent protective gear, which may include one additional filter canister, for personal use to Iraq, provided the conditions in paragraph (f) are met, and the person is either affiliated with the U.S. Government traveling on official business or is traveling in support of a U.S. Government contract, or is traveling to Iraq under a direct authorization by the Government of Iraq and engaging in activities for, on behalf of, or at the request of, the Government of Iraq. The person shall present documentation to this effect, along with the Internal Transaction Number for the AES submission, to the CBP officer. Documentation regarding direct authorization from the Government of Iraq shall include an English translation.

(i) The license exemption set forth in paragraph (f) of this section is available for the temporary export of body armor, which may include a helmet, or chemical agent protective gear, which may include one additional filter canister, for personal use to Afghanistan, provided the conditions in paragraph (f) are met.

(j) If the articles temporarily exported pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (f) through (i) of this section are not returned to the United States, a detailed report must be submitted to the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in accordance with the requirements of §127.12(c)(2) of this subchapter.

(k) To use the exemptions in this section, individuals are not required to be registered with the Department of State (the registration requirement is described in part 122 of this subchapter). All other entities must be registered and eligible, as provided in §§120.1(c) and (d) and part 122 of this subchapter.

[58 FR 39299, July 22, 1993, as amended at 64 FR 17534, Apr. 12, 1999; 70 FR 50962, Aug. 29, 2005; 71 FR 20541, Apr. 21, 2006; 74 FR 39213, Aug. 6, 2009; 77 FR 25867, May 2, 2012; 78 FR 40631, July 8, 2013]

I heard you can rent a hunting rifle from your PH . . .

I just received an "ALERT" from SCI with regard to this issue. It is something that we will have to follow. I guess I should not have taken the word of the CBP agent that I spoke with a week ago.

donsm70

You normally can, but somehow that is just not the same.

donsm70