stena line and rifles

ksb

Well-Known Member
hi guys

I am traveling over in a couple of weeks to wales to the WMS range, i will be taking a couple of rifles and ammo with me. When i contacted stena line for information they basically said that ammo and rifles must be in a lockable case for the duration of the crossing. I was wondering if anyone can let me know if the plastic case that new rifles are shipped in are ok if a padlock is fitted to prevent them from being opened or must the case be similar to airline approved?

thanks in advance

keith
 
Keith, as far as I know, the rules you refer to apply to foot passengers taking rifles. If it is in the boot of your car, I have never had any issues.

Regards
 
They can be a bit funny about carrying ammo on soft hulled boats, like the HSS or P&O's express service. I know if you're on the P&O slow ferry it's not a problem as long as it's locked in your car. (and if you're in SACS you'll get 15% off your crossing)
 
Contact Stena Line direct and get the answer in writing !
A few years ago I was taking a friend over to Wicklow for his first Sika stag.
We had the valid Irish rifle permits and hunting licences. They refused to allow my friend to take the ammo he had declared and the local Police were called to take it into custody. They also took my car keys from me and I had to get them back before we could disembark at Ireland. The Police at Holyhead also confiscated a very expensive hand-made hunting knife from him to add insult to injury which we managed to recover upon our return following much hassle and visits to two different stations.
This was my last trip over there and at 77 I can do without such nonsense now.
I have been going over stalking each year since 1971 when I was first over there as a member of the England International DTL clay pigeon team.
You may have to purchase ammo here if they are using similar rulings.

HWH.
 
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Now you have me worried, when I spoke to stenaline they said notify the check in staff and make sure the rifles and ammo are in lockable cases. I don't want to turn up on Friday after travelling down to Dublin and find I need to leave the ammo behind. As you can imagine the amount of ammo required for a range day could turn out expensive especially given the time I have spent reloading for the trip. I think I will call them again tomorrow to make sure we don't have any surprises.
 
Hi
I have been across to Wicklow with a mate on three occasions with Stena Holyhead –Dublin , first time was no problem Serial no’s checked , sailed through(sic) .
Second time was a nightmare , the Police took our knives (again recovered after we returned to the UK ) & the Stena jobsworths said they wouldn’t allow any ammo on board . After speaking to the port manager who was the only person around who knew the policy regarding guns, he allowed us on board with rifles & all ammo( 40 rounds each ).After driving onto the ferry the guard asked us if we were the ones with firearms , when we said yes he told us “make sure you lock the car & keep your keys with you won’t you !” We could have shot 80 people on board that day but at least nobody would have got stabbed !!!!
Third trip wasn’t a lot better despite reading their T&C’s back to front & ringing 6 times to get the written permission to carry firearms which the terms stated we needed .Each time I was being told that they couldn’t do that & I’d just need to speak to the people at the port !!
In the end we just rolled up , didn’t get asked about the knives (we were prepared for that one ;)) luckily , but the first question we got was “have you any ammo? no ammo allowed on board !! "
Again argued till they were blue in the face , got the Stena port manager down who said no problem go onboard !!! Aaaargh ! So ridiculously inconsistent its unbelievable .

Dublin was a doddle on all three occasions , why Holyhead is such a nightmare , I don’t know & I can offer no advice other than to print off their terms & conditions & document when you contacted them to seek permission ( there is a limit on the amount of ammo you can take , I think its 1000 rounds ).

Good luck with your trip !!!
 
Surely this is all against the united Europe policy? open ports etc, do you actually have the car searched on this route? If not why even tell anyone if you have all the permits keep stum unless they actually ask you, then obviously don't lie but why they should confiscate your knife is beyond me how many caravans have carving knives etc, and we all know that these folk in caravans are so much more trustworthy than these bad men with guns :-|
 
The secret is to tell them bugger all.

Drive up, unless you are specifically asked, I would not volunteer to tell them anything, just drive on to the ferry. Of course, if there are three guys in a 4x4 dressed in cammo, they might just ask you....

Larne - Stranraer is much easier.
 
Spot on mate, we do exactly that dress very casually jeans and jumpers never ever get hassled, 2 idiots who went on the same boat as my mate last year got the third degree as they were all in camo looking like they were about to assualt Kabul ..lol muppets :D
 
We volunteered the fact we had firearms & told the truth about whether we had knives (on the first trip at least :cool:) so we didn't get searched . However , we did see alot of other cars & vans being pulled over & "inspected" (searched is too strong a word ) .If you are anything like me you would have a vehicle filled to the gunnels with shooting paraphernalia (or dead animals !explain that one !!) then you'd stand a very good chance of being rumbled .
Personally, I wouldn't risk a trip that was gonna cost a grand & 4 days holiday that I've been looking forward to for months for the sake of a bit of hassle . What would they do if the found guns ? I suspect the very least that would happen is that you don't sail with Stena anytime in the near future - trip scuppered :doh:.
The knives thing was stupid & basically the Police didn't know there own law.Didn't get asked last time perhaps they do know .
 
Waldy, I have found that the security guys will ask, "do you have any sporting weapons in the car?". If they ask that, you obviously have to answer honestly. However, if they don't askk, I will not offer...

I have told this before I am sure, but, about 5 years ago I was heading with the family over to Scotland for a week's holiday in Argyllshire on the second Saturday in August. I had a days stalking booked so had the 270 in the back of the car along with all the other luggage.

We were leaving from Belfast on the 7.30am HSS sailing. I had forgotten that this was the first day of the Scottish football season, when I got to the docks, the place was bunged with coaches of Rangers supporters boozing and heading for Glasgow. In full view of about 10 coach loads of drunken Chavs, the security guy insisted I take the rifle out of the case so he could swing it about and check the serial number in full view of everyone in the docks. I went from being just another punter on the ferry to the guy with a rifle in the boot. Some security....
 
eeek !
Hear what your saying about only declaring firearms when asked but the guys at holyhead were so awkward when the guns were declared , god only knows what they'd be like if you hadn't . As I say going from Dublin - no probs . Perhaps it's an education thing I'm sure it's not unusual to get shooting people on a ferry why can't they understand / carry out their own procedures ?
 
Eyup Rodger! Just about to leave the hotel on the next leg of my journey! Be glad to leave Oman, its 40 degrees plus.

Well I have made my booking with Stena line for next month's trip to County Wicklow and I am wondering how to play it considering the trouble that you and I have had in the past, particularly the year they took our knives but gave only a cursory glance at the rifles!

See you next week.

Phil
 
Now then ,
Its a shame you haven't got your P.A (ie Me ) to sort your booking out this year . :lol:

Safe trip !
 
Yes I did struggle a bit I have to admit! I hope that I am on the right boat! Arrived Bangkok late last night, leaving for Pattaya this morning, back to Bangkok tomorrow night then Saturday leaving for Dubai then home. Be glad to get back, busy schedule. Bought Miz some expensive perfume in Oman to compensate for her letting me boil out the fallow head on the kitchen stove! I need some brownie points before I go off again next month! See you next week.

Phil
 
On a similar note. I booked into an Oban hotel 2 years ago and told the hotel owner/manageress I had a stalking rifle with me. She at once told me not to come into the hotel grounds and she was going to call the local police and she did not want me to stay at her hotel! The police duely arrived very quickly and asked me to accompany them inside the hotel with my permit for the rifle. After everything was verified the police were happy enough and advised I keep my bolt seperate from the rifle which I told them I always did anyway. The hotel manageress did not once offer me an apology and treated me with distain for the 3 days I stayed there. Her husband was away until the final evening of my trip and on his return gave us a free seafood slapup meal for two on the house on realising his wife's stupidity.
 
The world just gets madder :rolleyes: If I had been treated in that way there would be no way that woman would have had a penny out of me:eek: that is absolutely ridiculous behaviour, I would have got another hotel for sure

Philwilk sounds like he is in the best place my mate has just flown into BKK and seems to be following the same travel plans as you Phil :lol: if you are in Pattaya to long you will need more than perfume for the missus:D
 
i travelled over on friday from dun leary to holyhead and was totally surprised to find such a variation in the process. I had as per the terms and conditions informed stena line that i would be traveling with firearms and ammo and they said that was fine just inform the checkin staff when i arrived with the car etc. They had my booking reference and knew what boat i was traveling on but i was angry to find out two days before traveling that ammo was now not allowed as per someones early post on the hss type craft. This left me with a tough decision on the ammo front, but we wont go into that. When i got to the port no one checked serial numbers or paperwork they boarded our car first and took the keys for the duration of the sailing etc this was ok with me.

We returned from holy head to dublin port yesterday and again when i got to the port the staff where informed about the firearms but this time the police inspected the FAC in detail along with drivers licenses , they never checked serial numbers, this took about 20 mins. The security guys asked about ammo and i said i had none. He said that he wasnt 100% sure what the official view of stena line at this time was as they changed it regulary. He thought it may up to 200 rounds but then again it could be not allowed at all.

My point is that i was heading over to a range for a days shooting and had taken the time to reload approx 200 rounds for my rifles, i called twice to confirm that all was ok with firearms and ammo and was told no problem. to turn around and buy 200 rounds of ammo from the range or dealer would have added approx £200 to my trip which would have been very hard to find at short notice. keep this in mind if anyone is sailing in the near future with ammo ( the rifles were never an issue), you could get a nasty surprise at the port. I would also like to point out that at no stage was the car searched or asked to be searched on either sailing .:D


by the way i would strongly reccomend WMS metal challenge to anyone, i learned a lot from the day and i am planning on returning may next spring again.

keith
 
Keith ,
Glad you managed to have a good time despite Stena's best efforts , I honestly think its just a case of ignorance of thier own processes , the guys at the port (holyhead ) just don't know what the rules are . Stena haven't changed thier policy (as far as I can see ) for a while & there is only a limit on obscene amounts of ammo as far as i'm aware (which is more aware than they) .
Ah well, we can but hope .
At least your first of the boat when you have a gun on board , if it wasn't for the hassle I bring one with me on every ferry Journey , saves queing at the other end !!!:D
 
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