Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Lockable case for ammo

What do you guys use for your ammo flying over to South Africa?

I put mine in an injected moulded plastic box that is sealed and quite heavy (plano, I believe it is) and then put a TSA padlock on it along with another lock on the inside with a note asking TSA to relock the container if it is necessary to open the ammo container.

I just bought one from Harbor Freight. Perfect size, molded, deep, lockable, quality and cheap 29.99

Just make sure you get a good one. You never know when some idiot in J'Burg will make you pull your ammo out of your bag and ship your ammo and checked bag separately. It hasn't happened to me yet, but did to my buddy. In that case it needs to be relatively sturdy. I use an Americase aluminum one, or a small Pelican.

Found a locking metal home safe that fits four boxes of ammo plus room for a Leatherman and scope rag, at the pawn shop. It has two keys already.
will use it for our August trip. Prior trips, I/we used a Clark tool box (metal) with a lock and extras in our baggage.

Have used this for the past several years.

I have never put my ammo in a locked case. I have never been asked about my ammo either.

Pelican, with your name address and other details on it.

I did Have my ammunition pulled from my bag and shipped separately from Johannesburg to Calgary via Amsterdam. All was good in the end.

I just use a military ammo can. Lock the handle and haven't ever had an issue but it is Africa if those guys can't think of a way to dick things up, no one can.

Love the country, not so fond of the leadership.

I spent some time on this question.

I ended up using one of the MTM ammo boxes that are lockable. They are plastic, if the airlines in Africa want to pull them out and check them separately, they will hold up, but they are LIGHT!

This matters for two reasons - one, the ammo box will generally be in your main bag out of US - means it will add to your overall weight. Second, there is a limit of 11lbs (If I remember correctly) for ammo and some airlines will include the case in that weight - so a metal case or pelican will reduce the amount of ammo you can take.

I use the big TSA shackle locks - link below - main reason is that when i check in my gun case is locked with a combo - TSA will inspect it, but then I have had them call me back to give them to the key to my ammo box - almost missed my flight one time. the shackle locks are substantial enough and there is no requirement for ammo that no one can access it - also it will likely be in your bag on the way to africa - just eliminates one more thing that can go wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/SnapSafe-App...4240&sr=8-3&keywords=TSA+shackle

I am looking at this one: https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/6...u9ta82gIVjFuGCh2O5AEiEAQYAyABEgIf6PD_BwE

Same.

Yep!

My ammo box is a small orange Pelican that matches my guncase.

With my last name on it in big letters.

And contact info including cell phone number laminated onto the case.

And locked with the same keyed Masterlock as my gun case.

The last, as in final, time I went through JHB they pulled and tagged it and it showed up in Atlanta just fine.

Lesser cases would probably work, but when dealing with the SAPS, Airlines and TSA it is best to prepare for the worst possible case, not just good enough.

I have had to show my ammo box a couple times. TSA just wan't to check that it was locked. Use a private lock on gun cases but TSA on Ammo. If TSA want's into your ammo box they would have to contact you first if there is a private lock on it!!! If you are sitting on a plane when it happens you could miss your flight!!!

What Slider1 said - EXACTLY what almost happened to me - had a private lock and they called me back - almost missed my flight.

Good info thanks guys. I looked at that MTM case @ Sportsmans Warehouse yesterday. I'm going with the Pelican instead.

I bought a plastic pistol case for about $10.00. I removed some of the foam inserts and replaced them with thinner inserts and it
held two boxes of .416 Rem Mag ammo perfectly. I locked it with a TSA lock and put a big mailing label on it with name, address, and phone number.

I put it inside my checked luggage for the international flight, but had to show it to the people at SAA for the Jo'burg to Bulawayo flight.

BH63

So you guys are saying the U.S. airlines are allowing ammo boxes to be placed in checked luggage?

The procedures are changing all the time. ALWAYS check the most recent procedures of TSA and each airline you will be flying, when traveling with firearms. I like to print out a hard copy, just in case I run into
an airline/TSA employee that doesn't know or acknowledge the rules. On my last domestic trip (SEP 2017), I just put the boxes of ammo in the case with my rifle. TSA (in Denver and Bangor, ME) took my keys and
opened up my locked gun case for an inspection prior to allowing it into the baggage chain. (BTW I somehow lost two revolver speed loaders that were in my regular checked baggage. I don't know if they were confiscated
or simply stolen. They just disappeared.)

BH63

Stolen it Happens. Never the same at Johannesburg, sometimes you have to do this another time sail right through. We hand carried our rifles and ammo to police station then got authorization, another time go right through No ryhme or reason to the system in place.