Planning to go to Africa

c-fbmi said:
Hey Ardent, I know for a fact it will reach 60 deg C in that quonset in Harare in mid Oct..............:d:eek:

OP......be aware you can only take 5Kg of ammo each on any airline now-a-days and the odds of finding 16 ga shotshells in southern Africa are slim, in any quantity anyway. 12 ga is the way to go and buy shells there, or have your PH put in a stock for you ahead of time. The dove and sand grouse shooting in Zim is a riot, the sand grouse are like trying to shoot tiny F15s on a Mach 2 strafing run at 10 feet over the trees. They will test your shotgunning skills like no other bird I have shot, they make teal look like slow moving B52s. We also managed to waste a couple boxes of shot shells trying to shoot bats one evening.........50 or so shots..........1 bat........not to economically feasible !!! Spent a late afternoon shooting doves off some sort of grain field just outside Bulawayo, endless action and lots of fun, shot 100 or more doves in an hour and a half. Burned through a lot of shells but I was running about 75-80% so it wasn't too bad.
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Just a giant sunbaked oven, but all part of the experience. The wing shooting is my favourite part of Africa, oddly enough. Sand grouse move like lightning and are tiny- tough, tough shotgunning. Francolin are good fun and table fare, and never miss an opportunity to shoot guinea fowl on the wing- like shooting flying turkeys.


 
Ardent said:
Sandy Botha, and she said it well. An utter waste of an incredible country, I like to think it will improve with Bob's passing, but it may just get worse.
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Very true. Robert is one of the reasons I hesitate to hunt Zimbabwe, why support that....person...

Is 16ga really that hard to obtain in SA? I would absolutely love to take my SxS. The thing points and shoots like a dream. Haven't had my 12ga Beretta O/U out in years. As for the limit of ammo one can take along, I have heard it's 100 rounds per gun, and also 5kg. Would the 5kg be for all firearms transported? Another question that comes to mind, as the ammo is to be in a locked case separate form the cases holding the firearms, what type of case is usually used? I'm thinking a Pelican.
 
Amounts of ammo vary by the country. The 5 kilo part is for the airlines, and that is almost always the limiting factor. In its alsays been more than enough, but once you get into the dangerous game, a couple big rifles and softs and solids for both itll have you wondering. The locking case is needed in some countries and not others. SA is one of those where you should have it. As for which case, that is always a struggle between capacity and weight and overall size. I'll check mine for brand, but i do remember that the pelicans I looked at were all too big, too small or too heavy.

One thing you'll learn is that is that in Africa there is the easy, obvious way and the hard way. A 16 guage is definitely the beginning of the hard way trail. With some advance planning you might get away with it in SA, but things go downhill fast from there.when you get into dark Africa youll be thrilled when anything works, and TIA becomes a fact of life.
 
For rifle transport, you may want to look into the "Tuffpak Tripod Case w. Wheels".

This lockable hard case is often used to transport big cine camera tripods or golf clubs.

It will easily and discretely carry two or three hunting rifles (you'll probably take two because of ammo restrictions) in soft cases plus other light or bulky stuff, like jackets.

I picked one up in 2013 and really prefer it to a Pelican.

 
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OP......the 5 Kgs is mandated by the airlines and applies to each person. And yes this includes all ammo, shot shells as well. Most airlines say a locked metal container, I just bought a metal cash box at Staples and duct tape it up when travelling.
I got into a very heated argument with Air Canada personal over my ammo one trip, my box weighed 5.5 Kgs BUT my ammo only weighed just under 5 Kgs so round and round we went. They said I couldn't take it and I said their regs very specifically stated 5 Kgs of ammo and said nothing about the container being part of that weight limitation. They said that of course the container was included in the 5 Kgs and I said it is not stated as such and therefore is NOT. Finally I demanded to talk with someone who had some authority and didn't have his/her head up their ass, which went over very well as you can imagine. They got me a guy who was obviously somewhat senior to them and we proceeded to continue the discussion. I explained that I read their regs, on line, very carefully and the regs very clearly said 5 Kgs of ammo and did NOT say that the container was included in that weight and they could not just make up the rules as they chose. He suggested I remove some ammo and make the weight 5 Kgs and I responded that I would be willing to do that only if he agreed to shove them up his ass.........again that didn't go over very well. I could see we were getting no where so I then informed him that if he prevented me from getting aboard with all my ammo and therefore ended my trip before it began, that I would be very happy to sue him and his airline for the full value of my lost flights and hunt and suggested he might want to call their legal department and get an opinion on exactly how their regs read before heading down that path. He was somewhat miffed but I whipped out my cell and proceeded to call my lawyer while standing right in front of him (I know my lawyers number by heart, imagine that). He finally realized that I was stone cold serious and asked me to just hang on a second. He quickly made a phone call while my lawyer brought up their regs on his computer and said that it was pretty clear to him as well......5 Kgs of AMMO, no mention of container except must be metal and lockable. The Air Canada guy then came back and was still humming and hawing, so I gave him my phone and said possibly he needed to talk to my lawyer. They had a brief conversation and I was very grudgingly allowed to continue on my way and they accepted my ammo box as is.
Real nice way to start a month long holiday and hunting trip.

A-zone........two guys I ran into in Zambia had that type of case for their rifles c/w "I love golf" stickers and such on it. They were dressed more like golfers, no camo etc, so I queried them about the case. The one fellow said he'd had 2 rifles "go astray" after a hunt so he came up with this idea. He said he'd had no issues since and it held 4 rifles in soft cases inside, both his and his buddies. I thought that was pretty cool, and he said almost no baggage handlers would risk stealing golf clubs but rifles were another matter entirely, and of course bring huge cash in some countries, not so golf clubs.
 
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Ah Doug,

i had the same kind of conversation many years with British Airways while outbound to Montreal ... you are right weight of ammo and each person ... i do not have a lawyer but had printed their rules/regulations and after talking to the head of Paris station that was it ...

tufpack may be great but up to the time customs are digging in ...
 
Had a gander at the Tuffpak product site. Looks like a winner to me. They have a 'Tuffsack' that fits into the Tuffpack and slides in and out quite easily. Might make it easier for customs... It appears to be handier than the Pelican in that you can pack additional items into it. The Pelicans do look like gun cases and I suppose could attract some unwanted attention. Are gun thefts relatively common on flights to Africa? Have to check on the max number of firearms allowed in a single case though, may have to pick up 2 cases.
A-Zone, where did you pick up your case?
 
MetricMan said:
Had a gander at the Tuffpak product site. Looks like a winner to me. They have a 'Tuffsack' that fits into the Tuffpack and slides in and out quite easily. Might make it easier for customs... It appears to be handier than the Pelican in that you can pack additional items into it. The Pelicans do look like gun cases and I suppose could attract some unwanted attention. Are gun thefts relatively common on flights to Africa? Have to check on the max number of firearms allowed in a single case though, may have to pick up 2 cases.
A-Zone, where did you pick up your case?
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I ordered it on-line.

<h ttp://www.nalpak.com>

I took two rifles in soft rifle cases, then made the noobie mistake of packing too many loose items around them. As mentioned above, it's inconvenient if you have to pull everything out for customs or whomever.

The simple solution is to use a fabric duffle bag to hold your loose stuff, then fit it in around your soft rifle cases.

That worked like a charm. The manufacturer sells a fabric bag for that very purpose. (I just used what I had on hand).

Also, the tuffpack is good if you want to take a fishing rod, camera tripod or shooting bipod along. Helps to divide-up your weight since the rifle case has the same weight limit as your luggage. (Make sure that you weigh your bags as you pack them. If you are found to be "over" - as I was when taking a flight within South Africa - you will have to re-pack your bags (and possibly leave stuff behind) at the airport.

Live and learn...
 
Depends where you're going for rifle security Metric, South Africa, no concerns I travelled with $30,000 worth of guns in my case last year. My pistol was even confiscated for the first time and returned to me on departure, again all above board no bribes and got it back in perfect condition.

Now going deeper into Africa things change as to risk, progressively more so the more off the beaten path you go- Doug probably has the best insight though I believe he's been fortunate. I was very happy to see my case on a couple occasions, happier once opened.
 
durnet said:
JHC-II... Just a FYI.
I can fly from Toronto to Frankfurt, and then get a direct flight from Frankfurt to Windhoek. That would be the same travel time as going to RSA, and in Namibia you fill out a one page document to enter the country with your firearms.
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If your flying with firearms you may want to go Frankfurt to Johannasburg then Windhoek with Star Alliance. Air Namibia doesn't have a baggage handling agreement in place, so you may have to transfer you baggage yourself. This could be a issue.
 
RSA and Namibia are very civilized and pretty straight forward, however if you plan to go elsewhere in Africa to hunt, make sure you take a healthy supply of "Ben Franklin Permits", it speeds things up immeasurably and smooths out the rough spots.;);)

I can say that I have been fortunate and have always managed to return home with my firearms, but then I travel and hunt with Remingtons. No self respecting baggage handler/gun nut would bother to steal them, especially if he reads this forum !!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

What ever you do, DO NOT book through London, that is the closest I have come to losing my firearms. A very anti-gun, anti-hunting BA agent tried to seize them in London and it took some very heated words and an extra hour to get that sorted out. Canada - Frankfurt - Africa, that's the way I always go. I have had to transfer luggage in Frankfurt, it's no big deal and they have two very pretty young police officers to escort you and carry your firearms for you, as per their laws. There are no "looks of disgust" when moving your gun box in Germany, quite the opposite. I have had people come up and ask where I'm hunting and what kind of rifles and calibers I'm using etc. Had security guy wish me a good hunt and have had many waves and thumbs up in the terminals there. Germany is a very pro-hunting, pro-firearm country. The two young, pretty police officers were very interested in where I was going and what I was going to hunt and both shook my hand at my departure terminal and wished me luck on my hunt.
The Germans are also very particular that your firearms leave their country and the police make absolutely certain that your gun box is on your flight. So if your gun box doesn't arrive in SA or Namibia, it's not in Germany and did in fact arrive but just didn't get brought out for you......start screaming for the police immediately and I will guarantee your guns will magically appear. The police in RSA and Namibia are very straight and under a lot of scrutiny from above, as corruption has been a problem in the past, but in the last 10-15 years it is pretty much non-existent with at least the lower echelon officers that you will be dealing with.
Don't be intimidated by all this, 99% of all hunts and travel go off as planned with no glitches at all. Just do your research and find out what paperwork you must have and get it done and all will work out for you, I'm sure. It's a lot rougher going to places like Mongolia or Congo or Tajikistan.............but hey getting there, with everything you intended to arrive with, can be half the fun (they confiscated my duct tape in Congo, no idea why, PH was pi$$ed and said some very disparaging comments to the lady who took it.....didn't help)........patience, patience, patience TIA..........and always arrive at the airport at least 3 hours ahead of flight time, and never book a connection tighter than 4 hours, if you have to transfer you own bags. Make sure your passport photo looks like you, or get it replaced. They have no qualms refusing entry if everything is not 110%............
Above all be patient with them and have fun, and always remember TIA
 
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spooksar said:
If your flying with firearms you may want to go Frankfurt to Johannasburg then Windhoek with Star Alliance. Air Namibia doesn't have a baggage handling agreement in place, so you may have to transfer you baggage yourself. This could be a issue.
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yes it can mean a permit from the frankfurt authorities for the firearms.
 
c-fbmi said:
RSA and Namibia are very civilized and pretty straight forward, however if you plan to go elsewhere in Africa to hunt, make sure you take a healthy supply of "Ben Franklin Permits", it speeds things up immeasurably and smooths out the rough spots.;);)

I can say that I have been fortunate and have always managed to return home with my firearms, but then I travel and hunt with Remingtons. No self respecting baggage handler/gun nut would bother to steal them, especially if he reads this forum !!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

What ever you do, DO NOT book through London, that is the closest I have come to losing my firearms. A very anti-gun, anti-hunting BA agent tried to seize them in London and it took some very heated words and an extra hour to get that sorted out. Canada - Frankfurt - Africa, that's the way I always go. I have had to transfer luggage in Frankfurt, it's no big deal and they have two very pretty young police officers to escort you and carry your firearms for you, as per their laws. There are no "looks of disgust" when moving your gun box in Germany, quite the opposite. I have had people come up and ask where I'm hunting and what kind of rifles and calibers I'm using etc. Had security guy wish me a good hunt and have had many waves and thumbs up in the terminals there. Germany is a very pro-hunting, pro-firearm country. The two young, pretty police officers were very interested in where I was going and what I was going to hunt and both shook my hand at my departure terminal and wished me luck on my hunt.
The Germans are also very particular that your firearms leave their country and the police make absolutely certain that your gun box is on your flight. So if your gun box doesn't arrive in SA or Namibia, it's not in Germany and did in fact arrive but just didn't get brought out for you......start screaming for the police immediately and I will guarantee your guns will magically appear. The police in RSA and Namibia are very straight and under a lot of scrutiny from above, as corruption has been a problem in the past, but in the last 10-15 years it is pretty much non-existent with at least the lower echelon officers that you will be dealing with.
Don't be intimidated by all this, 99% of all hunts and travel go off as planned with no glitches at all. Just do your research and find out what paperwork you must have and get it done and all will work out for you, I'm sure. It's a lot rougher going to places like Mongolia or Congo or Tajikistan.............but hey getting there, with everything you intended to arrive with, can be half the fun (they confiscated my duct tape in Congo, no idea why, PH was pi$$ed and said some very disparaging comments to the lady who took it.....didn't help)........patience, patience, patience TIA..........and always arrive at the airport at least 3 hours ahead of flight time, and never book a connection tighter than 4 hours, if you have to transfer you own bags. Make sure your passport photo looks like you, or get it replaced. They have no qualms refusing entry if everything is not 110%............
Above all be patient with them and have fun, and always remember TIA
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i know now why you choose the remingtons ... there is some place where camo is not very welcome too at least wearing in cities or airports for the bush that is another story.

but good advices as usual and most of the time lol ...
 
I also feel like I get my elbows up about South African hunting, not because I have anything against it and I actually really enjoy it, but because you need to know what you're going to experience. It is often the same as a large Texas high fence operation- free range, but inside the often tens of thousands of fenced acres. The fences are protecting the investment, and one of my hardest stalks on which I was busted for days on end at the last possible moment was in just such a place. If you're going for a vacation, you'll have a wonderful time, and guys that have been in deep Africa for uncomofortable reasons like JHC-II who's commenting in your thread here favour it, so that says something. Whatever you do, you'll have fun, just get lots of references I took a huge hit on a outfitter that failed.
 
c-fbmi said:
RSA and Namibia are very civilized and pretty straight forward, however if you plan to go elsewhere in Africa to hunt, make sure you take a healthy supply of "Ben Franklin Permits", it speeds things up immeasurably and smooths out the rough spots.;);)

I can say that I have been fortunate and have always managed to return home with my firearms, but then I travel and hunt with Remingtons. No self respecting baggage handler/gun nut would bother to steal them, especially if he reads this forum !!!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

What ever you do, DO NOT book through London, that is the closest I have come to losing my firearms. A very anti-gun, anti-hunting BA agent tried to seize them in London and it took some very heated words and an extra hour to get that sorted out. Canada - Frankfurt - Africa, that's the way I always go. I have had to transfer luggage in Frankfurt, it's no big deal and they have two very pretty young police officers to escort you and carry your firearms for you, as per their laws. There are no "looks of disgust" when moving your gun box in Germany, quite the opposite. I have had people come up and ask where I'm hunting and what kind of rifles and calibers I'm using etc. Had security guy wish me a good hunt and have had many waves and thumbs up in the terminals there. Germany is a very pro-hunting, pro-firearm country. The two young, pretty police officers were very interested in where I was going and what I was going to hunt and both shook my hand at my departure terminal and wished me luck on my hunt.
The Germans are also very particular that your firearms leave their country and the police make absolutely certain that your gun box is on your flight. So if your gun box doesn't arrive in SA or Namibia, it's not in Germany and did in fact arrive but just didn't get brought out for you......start screaming for the police immediately and I will guarantee your guns will magically appear. The police in RSA and Namibia are very straight and under a lot of scrutiny from above, as corruption has been a problem in the past, but in the last 10-15 years it is pretty much non-existent with at least the lower echelon officers that you will be dealing with.
Don't be intimidated by all this, 99% of all hunts and travel go off as planned with no glitches at all. Just do your research and find out what paperwork you must have and get it done and all will work out for you, I'm sure. It's a lot rougher going to places like Mongolia or Congo or Tajikistan.............but hey getting there, with everything you intended to arrive with, can be half the fun (they confiscated my duct tape in Congo, no idea why, PH was pi$$ed and said some very disparaging comments to the lady who took it.....didn't help)........patience, patience, patience TIA..........and always arrive at the airport at least 3 hours ahead of flight time, and never book a connection tighter than 4 hours, if you have to transfer you own bags. Make sure your passport photo looks like you, or get it replaced. They have no qualms refusing entry if everything is not 110%............
Above all be patient with them and have fun, and always remember TIA
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I've heard bad things about London regarding travelling through with firearms. Isn't Amsterdam supposed to be somewhat similar in the anti gun respect?
 
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