Gary Reeder
You can put as many guns on the form as you
Wednesday, November 23, 2022, 13:17

like but you can only take 3 with you. I usually put 4 or 5 guns on there and have them registered at customs. Then if something happens to one of my guns or if I decide to hunt dangerous game I can switch guns for one that is better for Cape Buffalo or lion or elephant or a gun for longer range like you encounter down on the eastern Cape. I try to have a handgun for each of those instances on my customs form, that way if necessary I can switch guns at the last minute, as long as I have no more than 3 guns total.

One other thing concerning your ammo. You can take up to 3 guns but you are limited to 11 lbs of ammo, max. I normally take 3 guns and 25 rounds of ammo per gun. If I can't take whatever animal I am hunting with 20 rounds I should have stayed home. But ammo for large calibers will add up quick and they will weigh your ammo. If you go over they won't let you take more that the regulations allow, so they throw the rest in the trash.

On one of my recent hunts all my guns and gear were stolen in Qatar, so I had nothing but the clothes I wore on the plane when we got to camp. I ended up borrowing guns from the guys for my hunts. I borrowed a custom 454 we did for Michael Mendes and hunted a Cape Buffalo with light loaded 454. I put him down with the first shot and kept him down with the second. I took my Golden Wildebeest with a custom G-2 in my 338 GNR borrowed from Erik Stenberg. So I took both my animals with 4 rounds total. The gist of this is you don't have to take 5 lbs of ammo with each gun. If you have a good PH, he can get you to within 50 yards of the animal, even if you have to belly crawl.

I have heard that there is a permanent 4457 but I haven't seen one yet. If so that would get rid of some of the problems we have had in the past with an old form that was not allowed. But either way you have to take your guns and your 4457 form to the U.S. Customs office that is normally near your airport and have them register the guns and sign off on the form. When they get that done make a couple of copies of it and staple the original form to the back page of your passport so you will have it handy.