Traveling with Firearms

[PhilLozano]

To All Hunters,

This dosen't only apply in traveling to Africa. I am getting ready to be off for Africa in a few months, thought I would mention traveling with firearms is not the same as it used to be.

Most of the air lines require advance notice that you are carrying firearms and ammunition. Some air lines will not let you travel with them at all! So best be a bit careful when traveling to Canada or Florida or Colorado, just everywhere you travel. Check first.

Also, as you most likely know, if you hand load your ammo, DON'T have your travel bag in the areas where you are loading. You may get some powder residue on it and you WILL BE DELAYED if they catch it (that is the check they do with the little patch that they put into the machine). So best be careful when reloading.

As I said, check with the airlines you are using, some of them won't let you check your gun case as luggage. Even if you have checked with them before, check with them again. A friend of mine, who was a frequent flyer on a particular airline, and had taken his guns before on their planes, took his gun case to the airport. The 'check in people' would not let him check his gun case as luggage, or let it on the flight.

Long story short, he was delayed 3 days. They did finally let him check them as luggage AND upgraded him to 1st class. But this airlines NO LONGER ACCEPTS FIREARMS AS CHECKED LUGGAGE AT ALL !

Best to look up the regulations for the Airline you are taking.

In GENERAL, you are allowed 5kg. (11 lbs.) of ammunition total. Ammo must be packaged in metal, wood, fiberboard or original cases ( I have gotten away with plastic after market ammo containers/carriers, but be aware, most regulations say the former).

Just thought I would mention this to let you know.

Best,
Phil

[Darkwolf]

Do any hunter or gun-rights groups have current info on airline companies and their policies?

Or also on Airline connection point difficulties?


I also remember that the US enforces BATF laws regarding firearms import for foriegners. Even at relays. Hence, since most International flights between Africa and Canada go through Atlanta, a number of Canadians were busted for arms smuggling. No import permit for the USA even though they were just passing through at an airport connection.

Similar stories from London's Heathrow, where UK gun-bans are enacted on people going on to Europe or Africa. US Handgun hunters intent on visiting Africa might keep that in mind.

[pomoxis]

Last year I had no problem going through TSA screening. All you have to declare your firearm. I had a copy of the airline policy printed from the website to assist the clerk if that was needed. I had the gun cases locked and told the TSA person I had a firearm in a locked case and the rifle was unloaded and the ammunition was in a separate locked case. Because of the length of the case they had to open up the baggage and that is when I handed them the keys. I asked them for further security reasons I would like to have the rifle case relocked. They had no problem with that request.

My rifle case was in an oversized duffle bag designed to handle a double rifle case so it was not out in the open. If I had to do it again I would take a hard shell airline approved golf club suitcase. It would be easier to wheel through the airport.

Going through customs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and back to the US the only thing the custom agents looked at is to see if the serial numbers matched the weapons you are brining in. With the proper forms that were the only thing they looked at. Starting off in Portland Oregon with a smaller airport and at 05:00 probably had a more relaxed staff than LAX.

[ereynolds]

I have travelled to Tanzania in 2003 and Zambia in 2004. In both cases there have been no problems with transporting my firearms except they were lost in South Africa during he transition from Atlanta to Lusaka in Johannesberg. What actually happened is unclear except they finally showed up on the last day of my hunt. I don't know what could be done to prevent the problem, but it won't stop me from returning in 2006 for leopard.
The TSA people have, for the most part, been nonplused about my gun cases and firearms. There was some problem regarding whether you could transport ammunition in the same case as the gun, but the most current TSA website information said it was acceptable. A copy of this in hand at the airport saved me from having to move my ammo to my checked baggage.

[safari007]

Recently returned from Namibia. Had to wait 4 hours at the Johannesburg South Africa Police Department for my temporary permit. After finally getting into the office, the officer asked me for a donation to the drink fund as he was about to stamp my permit. Well after waiting 4 hours, what's was I going to do? a few bucks or a few more hours. A few bucks won out. It sucks, however. They checked serial numbers and ammo. Then I flew to Upington, SA where my PH took me into Namibia. I was the only person at the border crossing, so that procedure went smoothly. I got the Namibia import permit. They didn't ask for money, but said they would take some meat if we had some extra.
I flew Delta to Atlanta. They checked the serial numbers against the Customs Form 4457. I had my rifles packed in a molded plastic lockable golf club type case. The ammo was in factory cases and packed in my other piece of checked luggage. My checked bag weighed exactly 70 lbs. which is the max weight. The gun case weighed 45 lbs. I packed clothes, etc. around the rifles. Took the detachable scopes and binoculars with me on the plane. I have used this procedure on the last 2 trips to Africa and it works well.

[pistolchamp]

Traveling from DFW to Tanzania is most easily accomplished through London... but, a very big problem could occur.

I have to fly into London Gatwick airport and fly out of London Heathrow airport about 25 miles apart.

I refused to get caught with two rifles and one handgun in England so I asked American Airlines to handle the transfer between airports for me. NO was the answer. They have no way to do this.

The flight ouf of Heathrow was to be on Gulf Air (raghead airline) and they also refused (big surprise), so I just rebooked to go through Zurich... and had no problems and saved about 8 hours of total travel time.

England just lost a bit more tourist money... and I don't care.

[Brithunter]

How very strange. I travelled through LGW (London Gatwick) to the US back in 2003 taking a rifle an ammo I also flew Delta who were most helpful. I went to the check in desk a week before my flight and aksed the proceedures and am glad I did as the girls on the desk did not know so we got it sorted before hand. When I turned up I got special treatment as I as carrying a rifle. They took me to customs after checking in my suitcase with the rifle and it was checked against my firearms licence and my US form 6 and I was wished a successful trip which suprised me.

Heathrow is another story which is why I chose Gatwick :D

Now if you need to travel thorough the UK and have to change airports and you should know this before hand you can get a tempory Visitors Firearms permit and so take the firearms on the Bus or train or taxi which ever you shoose to use quite legally.

Just now with the hassle of no hand luggage I would not travel by air from the UK as I do not trust baggage handleers. My brand new alloy rifle case has some bad dents in it from that one trip. I carried my scope binos and camera in a back pack, the rifle is fitted with Apel roll off mounts which do return to zero ;) the ammo was in factory boxes which I pout into a steel 7.62 belt tin which I painted silver and wrote my name on it and packed in in the center of my suitcase with some brushes and jag and cleaning fuild in case the rifle got wet. The cleaning rod was in the rifle case under the foam.