Taking a firearm overseas

artschool

Well-Known Member
So following on from my tremendous bit of luck in winning the SA hunt competition i am going to have to get a .308 as it seems to be a more suitable calibre for going to africa.

the other reason for the 308 is that i am able to buy just a replacement barrel for my current rifle which should keep things easy.

but i was wondering that seeing as i will have to get a variation for the 308, do i need to get any condition added allowing me to take the rifle overseas?

my fac is currently open.

also any other advice from those who have been before will be gratefully received!!!!
 
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Nope, if it was travel within Europe then a eu firearms pass would be required, but the outfitters will sort out your paperwork at the other end in Africa as far as I'm aware......
 
I have hunted in SA a couple of times and had no problems. You don't need any special conditions on your FAC. You will, in advance, need to fill out a SAP520 form with details of firearm, ammo etc but your outfitter should help you with that.

If you have a choice of airline, I would go for Virgin as I have traveled with firearms with them before and they don't (or didn't) charge for carriage as they class it as your normal entitlement of sporting goods.

.308 is a good round for SA, although I prefer a .30-06. Depending on what you hope to shoot, I would take a minimum of 165 gn ammo.

SA is a great place, you will have a lot of fun.

WB
 
Artschool,
Congratulations on winning the hunt. I'm sure you'll have a really good time.
The paperwork will usually be sorted by the chaps on the ground in SA.
When booking your ticket, make certain to tell the travel agent that you will be taking sporting guns and see that they make a note of it.
When you get to the airport, go straight to the appropriate airways desk, tell them that you have firearms and wish to start the security procedures. If you leave it to check-in time, you'll be last on the aircraft and it'll be a rush.
BTW, at the check-in, watch that they put the correct labels on your cases. It happened to me and I made the fella doing the labelling run after my bag on the conveyor, bring it back and label it correctly.
Good Luck
Peter
 
+1 on the 30-06. I would think that it will do a better job in African conditions because of the bigger range of bullet weights. 180 grain is well inside the comfort zone for a 30-06 up at the top end for a 308.

Have fun,

David.
 
SA Trip

I have found virgin very easy to travel with,i always ask custom's at heathrow for a tempary export permit for my rifle's as this seem's to make things striaght forward in SA.I use 30-06 for all plains game with 165g or 180g bullets.
Going again with two mate's in May:lol:
 
Can I suggest that for no cost you get a European Firearms Pass just in case. Over the years on returning to the UK from South Africa we were twice diverted to Portugal when an EFP would have saved some time. No downside risk if you don't need it.
 
artschool

we flew with SA airlines no problem with them either you can fill in the SAP 520 before you go but don't sign it until you are in front of the firearms desk in Africa will cause you to have to fill in another in front of them other wise used a .308 with 180g Norma Alaska's no probs on plains game

happy hunting
Paul D
 
For what it is worth, whilst I've not flown to SA I have flown around Europe & Scandinavia with firearms once or twice & would suggest you chose Gatwick as your departure/return airport as Heathrow will charge you £50 per leg handling charge for each item of baggage containing a firearm or component part - as rifle & bolt/ammo have to travel separately that's £200 just for the 'privilege' of letting G4S man handle your rifle! Not exactly what I call value for money & more than the total cost of the flight last time I went from Gatwick!!
 
Flew with southafrica airways in November from heathrow.

no charges or hassle whatsoever.
 
Donkey,

we flew from terminal 1 never got charged any extra but may have changed now ammunition in separate case still no extra charge check SA's web site it will tell you on there

Paul D
 
got the variation back with the usual conditions. land i have permission on, any lawful quarry. as well as this one.

The .243 rifle/sound moderator , 7.62/.308 rifle/sound moderator and ammunition shall be carried only when proceeding to or returning from a port of embarkation.

is this correct and normal?
 
Mmm, that's sounds a bit odd. I am assuming you don't have permission to shoot over land in UK with a .243 or .308 then? What rifle do you normally use in UK and for what purpose?
 
Mmm, that's sounds a bit odd. I am assuming you don't have permission to shoot over land in UK with a .243 or .308 then? What rifle do you normally use in UK and for what purpose?
i have a number of permissions and a condition covering deer, fox and aolq for the 243 & 308.
 
But according to the new condition on your FAC you can't take them shooting. You can only carry them to and from the airport, or am I being particularly dense here?
 
But according to the new condition on your FAC you can't take them shooting. You can only carry them to and from the airport, or am I being particularly dense here?

lol. you are not being dense! thats what i read as well, hence the post!

the other condition reads:
the 243 rifle/sound moderator, 7.62/.308 rifle /sound moderator and ammunition shall be used for shooting deer and any lawful quarry and for zeroing on ranges, or land over which the holder has lawful authority to shoot.

i guess the conditions are meant to be read together?
 
:)

I would suggest that the two conditions are contradictory and, to me, the new condition seems completely superfluous as you can already be in a public place with them if you have good reason.

If it was me, I would point that out to your feo but, as you seem to be 'sort of' covered for stalking in the UK with them and travelling overseas with them, you might consider it not worth the bother.
 
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