I need help/info getting through customs, TSA, Homeland Security, etc. getting out and then back into the U.S. with my rifles.

[hydehunter]

and make sure your 4457 has a date of later this year I think it is 9-2022, S Africa will have a fit if they think the form is expired even though there is no expiration. also if you have an item on your 4457 and decide not to take it just line it out with a sharpie according to my local customs agent no issues. good post Mike

 

[James DeTorre]

Curious, do we have to lock up ammo separately on domestic flights now?

 

[Mike Matteson]

If you are in rout to another country, they don't check it, they just put it on board the next plane. That was the way last time. It's moved or transferred to the next airline for your final dentation. Or that's the way it happen for me. The biggest thing is having that permit or pass from the guide services with you to allow you to have that firearm or arms to hunt with. I didn't have it. They held the firearm until I came up with it the guide services person did the signing and the way I went. They held safety while I was gone. The Hotels also hold your firearms too during your stay with them. When coming back and going through New York. You are changing from international to domestic flight. You have to retrieve your firearm and have it check. open up for the PD. The international flights are in one location and the domestic is in another area. So you have to get the items from one place to another. If you don't know where that's at, good luck. Being on the West Coast I would take a flight to Germany then onto Africa.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Curious, do we have to lock up ammo separately on domestic flights now?

Frankly I don't know. It seem to me that it just has to be locked up with your firearm. I don't know how you would get it there any other way. You can't carry it on the plane in person.

 

[James DeTorre]

last time I traveled domestic , ammo was locked in gun case. 2020, February

 

[WinMag4me]

X2 Mike Mathensen
I watched baggage handlers throw 2 firearm cases on the asphalt.
These were shotguns and 1was damaged.
A scoped rifle would probably be ruined.
Get the best ape proof case you can buy.
You can rest better traveling with your firearms.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Now with cell phone you can take a picture of it. I didn't have at that time.

 

[Recon$$]

Don't be surprised if you have to grease a few palms in Africa, things get lost and magically appear . ..

 

[cvixx]

Curious, do we have to lock up ammo separately on domestic flights now?

No…I always put any ammo in my checked bag. Handguns only for me and they are locked, not with a TSA lock, goes in my wife's suitcase.

 

[waveslayer]

Pretty easy process, I've done this several times. It won't be their first rodeo, good job on doing your homework

 

[Greyfox]

Curious, do we have to lock up ammo separately on domestic flights now?

Just this past fall, traveled by air, both Interstate (Wyoming) and Canada(Toronto and Edmonton). Ammo could be NOT in the gun case. The ammo, in a separate bag(ie duffel) did not have to be in a lockable ammo case. TSA, and the Airlines recommended TSA locks. If you had non-TSA locks, upon check-in you had to stay near the check-in desk for 15 minutes in case TSA wanted to open/check either your gun case or bag containing the ammo, This was also the case in the prior years of traveling in the states and Canada. Limit 50 rounds of ammo packaged in the original box, or, an ammo box designed for ammo(ie MTM plastic).
I use TSA locks in both my gun case and duffel. No problems…

 

[Mike Matteson]

The last time I looked at TSA locks, they were junk.

 

[Greyfox]

The last time I looked at TSA locks, they were junk.

Most are junk. There are some decent heavy shanked affairs if you hunt them out.

 

[Mike Matteson]

The other problem with that is. Anybody can get a key for TSA locks. They come with the locks to start with. So nobody case are safe. At lease they would have to either pick the lock or have bolt cutters to open up the locks, being they are your locks. That's was one of the reason they went away for that Idea. Being it your key for that lock, you can prove it your case by unlocking the locks. That was the way in Africa it was done to prove you are the owner of the gun cases. That why you have to have a set of keys on you. If you put them in your bags, and it gets lost. Then you are up a creek, without a mask.