doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com South Africa Bird Hunt information

Hi Treblig,

Sorry for the delay , but what I meant was that if I remember correctly Pumps are not allowed in RSA. However I stand corrected now as pumps are allowed. The semi auto's are restricted, but just need an additional letter of motivation with the pre issuance paperwork to get them into the country,with a licence issued.

I was a bit foggy on the details as I try and shoot with something with the right number of barrels even if the configuration of them isn't always to Digs liking!!!

As for airlines, we always fly with Virgin Atlantic here to RSA as their baggage handling and firearms process is excellent. I have a corporate account with them and I manage all my clients flights on their behalf to ensure everyone is in the right place at the right time. clients coming in from the states seem to be OK with the Atlanta flight direct to Jo'burg (Delta I think?)but they book those tickets themselves. I have had no complaints about it so far apart form the length of the journey!!

As for cases, I would recommend any of the high quality airline approved cases. However a take down case is best if you are not travelling with a rifle.

The big full length cases are a pain on a number of levels. Firstly they make getting round an airport with one on the baggage trolley a real mission. they are also prone to being banged about by baggage handlers as the wheel them around.

A take down case the dimensions of a traditional oak/leather case is far easier to get around with. The smaller take down cases are also a lot easier if you are using a hire car. Big cases fit in the back of a bakkie (most of the time) but small ones are a lot more efficient.

Lastly a cleaning rod, copper brush and a stiff paint brush is a must in Africa for a shotgun. You are shooting a lot of shells in a dusty environment. Dust and oil make for the type or grime that get's into all of a guns nooks and crannies, so a stiff paint brush is the ideal tool the keep it clear and help avoid failures.

Rgds,
K

I've just booked my flights for next week so I will be at the Southern with Dig. Look forward to seeing some of you guys there and talking about this in person.

Rgds,
Kiri

Thank you very much Kiri for spending your valuable time answering this novice�s questions. This thread and your input has been very helpful.

Trebling
I have 3 Tuffpak tripod cases and one is at least 20+ years old and has being all over the world. http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9869/dsc09290of.jpg
http://www.nalpak.com/Tuffpak

No real difference in airlines in my experience, baggage handlers at airports are all the same regardless of what plane you fly on.

I use a Boyt hard plastic case, which is indestructible despite having suffered some pretty extreme bashing!

I have use a hard plastic Beretta double shotgun case, clothes and accessories packed on side, a shotgun the other. This works fine too.

I went to Botswana with a shotgun in a leather leg-of-mutton case. It was handles well and arrived in perfect shape. Seems they took care of it rather than throwing it around.

Regarding a gun, I always take my old Thompson hammer 12-bore. Never had cause to regret it.

Take a gun you use a lot, so you know it is reliable, that you are comfortable shooting it and that you will not discover after a lot of shooting that it doesn't really fit you.

Kiri made the mistake of taking a Browning he just bough on trip. He shot really badly for a few days, until he stopped concentrating on what he was doing wrong, and suffered a bit of a crisis of confidence, which spoiled a good part of the trip for him.

When going overseas, take guns, boots and clothes that you are used to and comfortable with.

This has turned into quite an information well.

Hi guys,

I just thought I would put an update on here as we are about a week away from our fist game bird trip of this season. Vic Venters will be along as part of the shooting sportsmans readers and writers shoot and Dig and I will also be doing our hosting bit.

From a logistics point of view here is some more information for the update of the thread .

We have arranged the importation of a semi auto this year for a lady client that doesn't want the recoil issues associated with high volume shooting. It was completely straightforward and as easy as applying for a double gun.

We have managed a limited supply of 16b shells this year from Eley. With a bit more notice we could have secured a better supply. The same applies to 28b and 410. With the 20bore we can get a heap of shells if needed.

The seasons weather patterns seem to have a big impact on the species available especially the concentrations of waterfowl. Last year was very wet so waterfowl were spread all over the place and difficult to get under. This year the season was very dry so the waterfowl should be easier to find. Fingers crossed!!

I will be posting updates on the Athina Hunting Tours Facebook page but I will try and get some updates posted here and on AR, the difficulty will be with the photos.

Lastly it looks like we will have a videographer with us in September for two weeks so we should have a heap of video and instructional/information content out through the winter.

Rgds,
Kiri

Great stuff Kiri!!!
We'll be looking forward for those videos.