I have a friend who was SA special forces who goes back regularily and a number of MDs from SA whom I hang with as well as my cabinet maker(amazing craftsman). They indicate that it is no problem shipping with permits. $15.oo a round to use on cape buffalo isnt all that pricey. I am a lil leery about the political instability and the crime. I may do the Sharpes horseback bison thing next spring and elk, deer, moose, bear this year instead. I was out the 17hmr this evening. Fun lil gun.
Guns Africa Dangerous game
- Thread starter mackillan
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Traveling anywhere in the third world can be a risky venture, but hunting African dangerous game is not exactly safe. Each year there are PH's and their clients who are injured or killed by elephant, buffalo, hippo, lion, or even the lowly bush buck. If you were to consider the cost saving between a country that is fairly stable (Tanzania) and one that is in a state of political flux (Zimbabwe) you would never go to Tanzania, because the cost is almost double. Once you are out in the bush, the danger from crime or political unrest is negligent, so all you have to worry about is the wildlife, but that is not inconsequential in Africa.
If I recall correctly, you are allowed to take in 11KG's of ammo. If you are taking one rifle, that would be a very generous supply of ammo. If you took two rifles, and one was a heavy (.458 or bigger) you would get by. But if you intend to take 3 rifles or two rifles and a shotgun, you will only just get by, particularly if you wanted to do any amount of bird shooting.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I just received a PM from A-Zone advising me that the airline limit for ammunition is only 5 KGs. That pretty much makes a 3 gun safari a thing of the past and a 2 gun safari problematical. It just goes to prove that when it comes to regulations it pays to do your own research. Just don't make the mistake I did and neglect to find out about "Intransit Permits" for your firearms until it was too late.
mudgunner49
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
"Safari Rifles" by Boddington is a great read also, and from a guy with lots of actual hands-on Africa experience. He has an updated edition out now also that I think I'll have to pickup to compare with the original...
blake
Using that Sharps would be a blast!! Do you have any thought on taking it to africa? What chambering etc...?
I was planning on just doing the horseback bison thing in Montana or North Dakota.
I have both the .375 H&H and the 416 Rigby. Both are awe inspiring calibers although the Rigby kicks a heck of a lot more. The majority of PHs I've talked with use and recommend the 375 H&H. Maybe check what your PH is using and then you'd have a sure source of ammo there.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I didn't know about the in-transit permits until a month before I left. I put a great deal of blame on the travel agent who was supposed to specialize in trips to Africa, but first he didn't know anything about the permits, and secondly he booked us on Northwest; Winnipeg, to Minneapolis, to Detroit, to Amsterdam to Dar. Getting the permit for the Netherlands wasn't a problem, getting a rifle into Tanzania wasn't a problem, getting the permit from the US was going to take 6 to 8 weeks. The rifle I had invested 4 years and a pile of money on stayed home. It all worked out, but bitterly disappointed doesn't even begin to describe how I felt when I realized the rifle would stay home rather than risk losing it.
I have 3 rifles done up for the wild country if I ever make it.
The first one is done on an Enfield with a douglas barrel, rebuilt claw extractor topped with 1.5x5 VXIII in a 458 wm. Loaded with 500 grain full charge BLC-2 and Heavy jacketed bullets
The second is a customized Ruger Tropical in a 416 rigby loaded with 400 grainers wih a VXIII 1.5x5
And the 3rd ia a Sako AV custom barrel done on an 375 Epstien with a VXIII 1.5x5
And if these dont work I am in trouble! that is if I get to go.
The first one is done on an Enfield with a douglas barrel, rebuilt claw extractor topped with 1.5x5 VXIII in a 458 wm. Loaded with 500 grain full charge BLC-2 and Heavy jacketed bullets
The second is a customized Ruger Tropical in a 416 rigby loaded with 400 grainers wih a VXIII 1.5x5
And the 3rd ia a Sako AV custom barrel done on an 375 Epstien with a VXIII 1.5x5
And if these dont work I am in trouble! that is if I get to go.
The funny part about all that is you don't need anything for the US if you are just flying through. If you guns are checked straight through and you never take possesion of them nothing is required. They can't issue you a ATF Form 6 in you are not going hunting or competing in the US.
death-junky
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Moose Jaw SK
whats that? Never herd of one Ive herd of a Zeiss Conquest scopes.... But i would go with the same rifle but a leupold vxIII 1.5x5x20 for africa!
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Because there was a change of aircraft, and because I would have to go through security with my checked luggage, I was advised that I would have to have one. That was from ATF. They saw it as no different than entering the US with the firearm. Had I not had to deplane, I might of been alright.
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Not what we found out last year. What we learned when planning our trip to the Republic of South Africa was that if you're not a US citizen and you plan on flying through the United States to a different (i.e. foreign)destination country you fall within the jurisdiction of the US State Department.
One way to look at it is: you are dealing with foreign nationals (Canadians) travelling through the United States with guns (albeit hunting rifles) to a third (foreign) country. The State Department runs that show. The problem, as we found out, was that the permit that was required to do the aforementioned lawfully can only be applied for by a US national. In a nutshell, we switched our flights to Frankfurt rather than flying through Dulles.
Four members of our party (who were not travelling with firearms) flew as originally planned, (through the US) without any trouble.
As far as Germany was concerned, as long as our firearms didn't leave the transit area we were OK without any special permits. We were advised to inform Lufthansa at the time of booking that we would be travelling with hunting rifles, but that was no problem at all.
Yeah, talk about "live and learn".
Thanks I looked at one at a gunshop today very nice at close range
Amazing, 3 weeks ago today I flew back from NZ. In 2006 I did the same. Form 6 doesn't apply according to the Canadian Specialist (their words) in the Washington ATF office. The lady's name is Pauline Wooley. There was nothing mentioned about any state department involvement. But I like you go out of my way to fly around the US when traveling with guns or not.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
That was my understanding as well, Frankfurt is the best place to connect when traveling from Canada.
