South Africa Hunting with Select Safaris

In order to cover the shooting of a wide range of game, a rifle in the .30 calibre is recommended. Hunting the Big Five requires a minimum .375 which is also a great all-round hunting rifle if you only want to bring one rifle on safari. It is also suitable for the hunting of a wide range of species.. For large antelope it is recommended that you use a medium calibre rifle .270 to a 30.06 or equivalent and for small antelope a .222 to a ..243 is recommended. It is also advisable for the hunter to bring between 40 to 60 rounds of ammunition per rifle. An important fact to remember is that a client would have to pay trophy fees for wounded and lost animals

Sighting-in and Repairing

Travel and climatic conditions can effect the accuracy of your rifle. It is therefore advisable and recommended to check your equipment upon arrival in the safari camp. Most of the outfitters and professional hunting operation have all the necessary equipment for sighting-in of your rifles. It is recommended that your rifle be zero'd-in for 91 meters (100 yards), although some hunters prefer being 2.5 to 3.8cm high at 91 metros. Some of the bigger outfitters have fully equipped workshops that are able to facilitate most repairs. In most cases outfitters can substitute your rifle for a company rifle in case of emergencies.

Importation of Guns

Complete the temporary firearm import permit application (SAP520) in advance if possible and bring it with you ! It is important to note that the form must be completed in black ink and must remain unsigned until the document is finalized in front of the police official issuing the actual permit at the airport.

What you will need
Valid passport
Return Airline ticket
Letter of Invitation from your Hunting Outfitter
Proof of Ownership
Proof of export from country of origin
Letter of Motivation ( A letter written by yourself to motivate why you wish to import rifles)

Important information:

The following firearms and ammunition will not be allowed to enter South Africa:
• Any automatic or semi-automatic firearms,
• More than one firearm per calibre per person,
• More than 200 rounds of ammunition per person per firearm,
• Any pistol or revolver. (Unless specified for hunting)

Reasons why your application will not be approved:
• If you have any of the abovementioned firearms and/or ammunition,
• If any of the supporting documents as required cannot be produced,
• If you are less than 21 years of age,

Your application for a temporary import permit will be refused and your firearms and ammunition will be confiscated and will only be handed back to you when you depart back to your country of residence.

Please take note that only the Central Firearm Registrar in Pretoria, South Africa can authorize special applications for the above restrictions. These applications have to be made in advance and must reach them not later than 3 (three) weeks before arrival. You will need a special motivation letter for this. Please contact the PHASA office for more info and assistance.

On arrival at the Johannesburg International Airport: (This does not apply for passengers in-transit)

a. Disembark from aircraft and clear passport control in whichever Terminal the flight arrives. (Generally, SAA and its co-partners at Terminal 2, and all other airlines in Terminal 1).

b. Proceed to baggage claim at the respective carousel. Pick up general baggage.

c. For visitors with firearms arriving at Terminal 2:
Proceed to the SAPS Firearms Office. Look for office signage. Location of the SAPS Firearms Office – in Terminal 2 – in front of the Post Office.
For visitors with firearms arriving at Terminal 1:
Proceed to the firearm office that is situated in Terminal 2 in front of the Post Office.

d. On arrival at the SAPS Firearm Office collect your issued temporary import permit at the PHASA desk or have the necessary documentation available for inspection.

e. Your firearms and ammunition will be physically inspected to ensure the serial numbers match those of the licenses and the application forms. You will then be asked to wait while your application is being processed – if you are not in the possession of an already issued temporary importation permit.

f. When your application has been processed and your permit has been issued you will have to sign for the permit. If you are connecting to other flights, please make sure that you allow ample time for this process (at least 3 hours).