Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Handloads in Africa??

As I’m sure some of you have already seen me post I’m headed to the Limpopo area in exactly 4 weeks (first trip to Africa). As i fill out the SAPS forms i am wondering if its ok to bring handloaded ammo or does it have to be factory loads in a factory package? If I’m correct i did read where the ammo has to be in a lockable box separate from your rifles? Thanks for any feedback!

Randall

I took both handloads and factory ammo....no one ever even asked. Split ammo between rifle case and locked and check suitcase so I would have ammo as long as the guns made it....no baggage problems at all. Have fun!

Put it in factory boxes that match the caliber on the rifle and have a great time.
John

I took handloads to South Africa in Plastic MTM boxes and not a word was said.

same here....The ammo must be in boxes that separate the rounds from each other.....just don't throw them in a zip lock and stuff them in the suitcase.

I just passeed through J'berg and then on to Lusaka and back. Had mine in a MTM case BUT put them inside a lockable plastic .50 cal box. No problems. Authorities seemed happy with it all.

It is hit and miss on the "lockable" part. Sometimes they don't bat an eye, others times I've had them zip tie my MTM boxes secure, so the .50 cal box was new this trip and I'll use it ongoing.

That’s what I did but I had black and white labels printed on the plastic box that said 375 H&H

You just never know what the airport personnel will throw at you next. I was flying out of Dar a couple of years ago and the ticket agent insisted in counting every loaded round and brass from my wife's 308. She never asked why there was no ammo for my 375 which I had given to my PH.

Lockable case is a good idea, with your details on a “sticker” on the case. I had some jackass insist on shipping my ammo separate from my baggage in 2015 when leaving South Africa. Having the case avoided any real issue. My meet and great guy was arguing the airline rep in Xhosa, finally threw his arms in the air and said something to the effect of do what want. Turned to me shrugged his shoulders and said “this is Africa “.

In 2016 another jackass would not let me transport spent brass from my handloafs. Left them with the PH.

There in no end the personal interpretation the staff in Jo’Berg will make over the rules. Be prepared and it’s no big deal.

I locked my ammo in a Cabela's plastic ammo case and TSA cut the lock off. My suggestion is to use an electrical zip tie and put a couple inside the box for the return trip.

Everything that I've read and experienced is NO ammo in the rifle case. It should be in boxes that separate the individual cartridges (like MTN boxes) and the boxes of ammo in a lockable case in your checked baggage. The lockable case must be locked with TSA locks.

I've made 6 trips to Africa, hunting in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. I've taken handloads on every trip -- 7mm Rem mag, .375 RUM, and .300 Wby. The only trouble that I ever had was that I brought 60 cartridges to Mozambique, and you're only allowed 40. I lost almost an hour at each end of the trip checking the extra 20 cartridges in with Moz Customs and getting them back from Customs when I went home.

Your rifle case should be locked with locks that only you have the key. Your ammo should be locked with TSA locks and be inside your checked baggage that is locked with TSA locks. I also carry extra locks of both kinds.

They made is throw away the empty brass when we departed from Namibia, I thought that was weird.

In nine trips to Namibia, they have never had us discard our empty brass! Only wanted to know how many live rounds we had left and were taking with us.

But when dealing with Africans, be prepared for anything!

Blacktailer,

In every nation that I've visited in the last 4 decades, I've met at least one SELF-important, officious "character" in a uniform at the airport, who seemed to revel in his/her authority and/or were "expecting a gratuity".
(International airports have no monopoly on NITWITS wearing uniforms. = I once had a FOOL from TSA at BWI, who insisted that I completely DIASSEMBLE the ordinary Winchester 12 gauge pump shotgun that was unloaded & locked inside a PLANO hard-sided gun-case. When I objected, he called a "senior TSA supervisor", who told me to disassemble the shotgun or it would be confiscated. - Needing to fly on to my next stop, I complied with his SILLY requirement. - When I returned home, I called TSA HQ & the woman who answered the phone said, "NONE of our agents would do that." & hung up on me. More than a little "hacked off" by her rudeness, I then sent a registered letter to the HQ & never heard a word. - My GUESS is that TSA knows that they have some agents, who are "absent commonsense", are drunk with their authority over hurried passengers & that the TSA "big shots" simply don't care to fix such "problem employees".)


yours, tex

No trouble at all in locked MTM boxes, I drill a hole in the lid and side of the box and run a long shanked lock through both, another good thing about the 400 Whelen, 45 and 50 cal Sharps rifles is no one wants your left over ammo, they don't have rifles to fire em!

To All,

IF you are transporting "unusual weapons" to any number of foreign nations, be sure & allow extra time for "show & tell".

The last time that I went to South America (to work for an NGO), I ended up spending well over two hours "clearing customs" because it seemed like everyone "in authority" wanted to examine, hold & have me tell them how to load & fire the .58 caliber muzzleloading rifle & SxS .58x12 gauge muzzle-loading cape-gun that I had cased & with my luggage.
(My modern firearms rated no more than a quick glance.)

It's been my experience that a smile & a willingness to answer many questions patiently will serve you well in foreign nations. = In one place that I traveled, a very senior member of the National Police wanted me to take him onto a range & show him how the muzzle-loaders work.
(As a result of that request, I ended up being invited to their military Officer's Club for dinner & made several friends while I was "in country".)

just my OPINION, tex

Do what they ask and it will go quicker. You are not going to change someones mind by arguing. If I have more than one bag I divide the ammo among them just as a back up.
I usually try to have only one duffle bag and a gun case or better yet take down the rifles and carry them inside the dufflle. Cameras and enough personal clothing to get me by a couple of days goe's on board. Check as the regs. for cameras may have changed.

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This

I took seventy rounds of 30-06 handloads

50 rounds in a flip top plastic box 20 in a slip top plastic box

Stickers on the box's that identified the contents

I put those two box's in a small Pelican box and locked it with a TSA lock and packed it in my checked bag.

No issues at all.....6 flights

Bob this sounds l;Ike the simplest and safest way to go!

13.5 days and counting!

Randall