Traveling to Mexico next month on a muley hunt. Any advice from those who have traveled on a couple things. Ammo with rifle or no, and when do you lock your case? Have received different answers on the ammo, even from the airline(delta). Am thinking I lock it once it is checked at first airport and keep the keys. Ammo can go in checked luggage and should be ok there? Planning on putting reloaded ammo in factory boxes...Thanks
traveling abroad with a firearm
- Thread starter Cowman
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
No ammo with the rifle! The last time I traveled I asked for a TSA agent (not sure if you can do that at the airport your flying out off) to check my rifles at the check in counter, then I locked it with non-TSA locks.
Yep!
ask your outfitter about ammo. when traveling within US checked bag is ok don't know about mexico. when I go to Canada every couple years I call Canadian customs just to double check. it cant hurt to try and call them. why chance ruining your hunt
I have been to Mexico hunting MANY times are here is what I found:
1) It is FINE to pack your ammo in your rifle case. Go to this TSA link and you will see under "Ammunition", point #2 where it states this. It is fine to do the same in Mexico.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition
Print out a copy of these TSA regulations and take with you. Often times you get a rookie TSA agent or airline agent that does not know their own rules and having a copy to show them makes all the difference in those cases.
2) Go to your airline on line and look at their requirements, they may differ from TSA but most of the airlines are the same as TSA. Print a copy and take it with you in case you get someone that does not know what they are doing.
3) Make sure your outfitter in Mexico has all your paperwork in order and has your gun permit for you when you land. If you have all this, it is a breeze. Your outfitter should have had you fill out this paperwork already and submit 3 passport type photo's for your gun permit. One mistake and it will cost you a lot of time getting it fixed. Make sure you declare the number of rounds of ammo you are taking into Mexico on your paperwork and DO NOT TAKE ANY MORE THAN THIS. If you show up with less, that's fine but more, no es bueno.
4) Make sure you get your CBP 4457 filled out and signed by US Customs before you leave for your firearm AND your ammo for your return trip to the USA. The regulations do not state that you have to have your ammo on this form but as of late, Customs has been picky about wanting to see the ammo on the 4457 just like the rifle and scope, etc. even though you cannot purchase ammo in Mexico.
5) I am guessing here that you are flying in to Hermosillo? If you are, here is some advice that your outfitter probably won't tell you. The flights to Hermosillo are almost always overbooked during hunting season in Mexico. The airlines do not guarantee you a seat on your flight until you check in and get a seat assignment. Having a seat assignment alone is not being checked in. This usually cannot be done until 24 hours before your flight. Check in on line as soon as you can to insure you have a seat. They WILL bump you in Phoenix if you have not checked in, the flights WILL be oversold. This also holds true on your return flight. You will be at a camp somewhere and will not be able to check in so have someone back home do it for you 24 hours before your flight. Be sure they have all your information including your passport number, in order to check in for you.
6) Another thing to watch out for if you do not get on your flight. The airlines will commonly book you to another city and bus you back to Hermosillo. Let them know you are meeting your outfitter at the Hermosillo airport and he has your Mexican Gun Permit and this is not acceptable. A group of hunters that I know got flown into another city and was getting bussed back to Hermosillo and when they landed, their gun permit was in Hermosillo with their outfitter. Their outfitter had to drive down and get them and it ate up a day of their hunt.
I have been into Mexico to hunt many times, in many ways it is easier than the US and it is a BLAST to hunt there! You will be wanting to go back!
Shoot me a PM if you have any other questions.
1) It is FINE to pack your ammo in your rifle case. Go to this TSA link and you will see under "Ammunition", point #2 where it states this. It is fine to do the same in Mexico.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition
Print out a copy of these TSA regulations and take with you. Often times you get a rookie TSA agent or airline agent that does not know their own rules and having a copy to show them makes all the difference in those cases.
2) Go to your airline on line and look at their requirements, they may differ from TSA but most of the airlines are the same as TSA. Print a copy and take it with you in case you get someone that does not know what they are doing.
3) Make sure your outfitter in Mexico has all your paperwork in order and has your gun permit for you when you land. If you have all this, it is a breeze. Your outfitter should have had you fill out this paperwork already and submit 3 passport type photo's for your gun permit. One mistake and it will cost you a lot of time getting it fixed. Make sure you declare the number of rounds of ammo you are taking into Mexico on your paperwork and DO NOT TAKE ANY MORE THAN THIS. If you show up with less, that's fine but more, no es bueno.
4) Make sure you get your CBP 4457 filled out and signed by US Customs before you leave for your firearm AND your ammo for your return trip to the USA. The regulations do not state that you have to have your ammo on this form but as of late, Customs has been picky about wanting to see the ammo on the 4457 just like the rifle and scope, etc. even though you cannot purchase ammo in Mexico.
5) I am guessing here that you are flying in to Hermosillo? If you are, here is some advice that your outfitter probably won't tell you. The flights to Hermosillo are almost always overbooked during hunting season in Mexico. The airlines do not guarantee you a seat on your flight until you check in and get a seat assignment. Having a seat assignment alone is not being checked in. This usually cannot be done until 24 hours before your flight. Check in on line as soon as you can to insure you have a seat. They WILL bump you in Phoenix if you have not checked in, the flights WILL be oversold. This also holds true on your return flight. You will be at a camp somewhere and will not be able to check in so have someone back home do it for you 24 hours before your flight. Be sure they have all your information including your passport number, in order to check in for you.
6) Another thing to watch out for if you do not get on your flight. The airlines will commonly book you to another city and bus you back to Hermosillo. Let them know you are meeting your outfitter at the Hermosillo airport and he has your Mexican Gun Permit and this is not acceptable. A group of hunters that I know got flown into another city and was getting bussed back to Hermosillo and when they landed, their gun permit was in Hermosillo with their outfitter. Their outfitter had to drive down and get them and it ate up a day of their hunt.
I have been into Mexico to hunt many times, in many ways it is easier than the US and it is a BLAST to hunt there! You will be wanting to go back!
Shoot me a PM if you have any other questions.
Note that my post above is for MEXICO and the USA. Different countries have different regulations. i.e. in Canada, you cannot have your ammo in the same case as your gun and your ammo does not have to be locked so it can be in your other unlocked bag.
On when to lock your gun case:
When you check in at the ticket counter, before they even ask you, tell them that you have an unloaded firearm and ammunition to declare. They will give you a tag that you have to sign and put inside your gun case. Once this tag is in your gun case, you can close and lock your gun case.
The ticket agent will then send your gun on the luggage belt back to the TSA agents in the back room. You will need to hang around the ticket counter for 5 to 10 minutes once your gun case disappears while TSA runs it through their x-ray machine. They may or may not want to have you open the gun case. If they do, they will call up to the ticket counter and ask you for the key or have you come back to open it.
Once they have done their inspection and all is ok, they will let the ticket agent know and you can leave the ticket counter area. If you have not heard in about 10 minutes from checking it in, ask the ticket agent to check on it for you. They sometimes forget to let you know when they are busy.
When you get to your destination, rifles are not usually delivered with regular baggage. Normally they are in the oversize baggage area and they often make you show them an ID in order to claim it.
I just read an article by Craig Boddington in this months Sports Afield on the 10 commandments of traveling (flying) for hunting. It's a good accurate read of you can locate a copy.
When you check in at the ticket counter, before they even ask you, tell them that you have an unloaded firearm and ammunition to declare. They will give you a tag that you have to sign and put inside your gun case. Once this tag is in your gun case, you can close and lock your gun case.
The ticket agent will then send your gun on the luggage belt back to the TSA agents in the back room. You will need to hang around the ticket counter for 5 to 10 minutes once your gun case disappears while TSA runs it through their x-ray machine. They may or may not want to have you open the gun case. If they do, they will call up to the ticket counter and ask you for the key or have you come back to open it.
Once they have done their inspection and all is ok, they will let the ticket agent know and you can leave the ticket counter area. If you have not heard in about 10 minutes from checking it in, ask the ticket agent to check on it for you. They sometimes forget to let you know when they are busy.
When you get to your destination, rifles are not usually delivered with regular baggage. Normally they are in the oversize baggage area and they often make you show them an ID in order to claim it.
I just read an article by Craig Boddington in this months Sports Afield on the 10 commandments of traveling (flying) for hunting. It's a good accurate read of you can locate a copy.
