Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Taking my wildcats to South Africa........Case Headstamps?

I'm taking my two wildcats (6.5-06 and 35 Whelen A.I.) to South Africa. Do I need to invest in properly headstamped cartridges cases and labeled ammo boxes? Does anyone have any experience involving taking wildcat rifles to the Dark Continent? I've heard some countries are picking about such matters.

For the RSA, the headstamp absolutely MUST match the markings on the rifle. No problem with the 35W AI as the rifle barrel and headstamps should both merely read .35 Whelen, but on the 6.5/06 I would get ahold of some properly headstamped cases if possible and I have gone so far as to buy blank white cartridge boxes from Midway and then print out box labels for the cartridge(s) in question from a famous SOUNDING ammo maker of my own imagination, complete with cool looking animal graphics etc. Possibly a bit of overkill on the last point but it works really well as in no questions or stress.

Getting a little tougher for us wildcatting rifle nutballs to play with our toys abroad but Africa is SUCH a fantastic playground I completely understand the draw for you. I share the same affliction

BTW, Welcome to 24hrcf! Hope you enjoy your time spent here.

I had a number of clients go to RSA last year with wildcats and mismarked head stamps and no problems..Saeed on AR has gone every year to Tanzania and RSA with wildcats and no problems..I have taken several wildcats to RSA and other African countries with no problems..

I keep hearing about this problem but have not run into it as yet and I have been booking hunts to Africa for 40 years or so..If it is something recent and I have not been notified then I would appreciate some documentation along these lines. Not saying it ain't so, just that I have not been advised of it, and they normally do advise me of such changes.

In 2 trips to South Africa, no one ever checked cartridge head stamps. I also used plastic ammo boxes with no official looking labels.

You are required to use ammo boxes that hold each round individually and made for that purpose but there is no requirement that it has to be any kind of official cardboard ammo box.

that is correct, any factory type box with seperations is fine. Plastic, paper or whatever. and it can be and should be carried in your luggage or in a container seperate from your rifles.

I had a question regarding the headstamps also. I'm going to be purchasing soon an Encore Custom Pistol barrel in 338-06. The barrel will be stamped exactly that: 338-06. The factory ammo I've found is stamped 338-06 A-Square. Will this cause problems? I know the A-Square part has to do with the "commercialization" of this round.

Thanks.

I go by Heeler becuase, yes, a couple of years ago I was starting to learn team roping and was on the heel side. Haven't thrown a rope in a long time as I had to sell my horse and other life events took over. Like a LOT of hunting.

I doubt very much you would have a problem even if they checked head stamps which they probably won't do. They are going to look at the 338-06 as the cartridge designation and the A-Square as the brand name of the case which it is just like a 30/06 R-P case or a 30/06 WW case.

It's kind of common sense; why would someone want to import ammo for a hunt if it weren't going to fit the gun they brought to hunt with?

I agree with the logic, but man, it sure would not be fun to get all the way over there and be the "one person" that runs into problems over a minor technicality like that. Granted, the 338-06 will be the secondary gun on my safari, but would like to use it if I brought it over.

Thanks for help, I do appreciate it.

Crossing over the border from South Africa into Namibia by road can be an eventful time if you get stuck with the wrong official and no amount of explaining is going to convince him that the 308 headstamped lapuas in your kit is going to get fired through your 7mm08 rifle. Maybe a letter from your gunsmith might help, maybe not.

I have only been once, so I will defer to other with more experience, but on my trip no checked my headstamps nor any of the other 4 hunters I was with.