Best gear you’ve found

[curtism1234]

Gold Bond anti-friction stick. Sort of like deodorant for your junk.

Large hip pack with detachable shoulder harness. I like the weight riding on my back and find hip packs go through brush so much better. Badlands or cabelas

 

[Red Leg]

I also track with what many others list. A few other can't live withouts:

Rand Hats - They are perfection
Leica 10x42 rangefinding binoculars
Filson feather cloth shirts for Africa
JB Hill boots for almost anything but hunting
Dubarry boots for shooting or hunting in the damp places (Wexford is the best)
Courteney's for most of Africa / Danner jungle boot (sadly discontinued) for the Caprivi and Zambezi Delta.
Microfleece jackets and sweaters - don't care who makes them

And wait for it ........

The Blaser R8

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Beat me to it. I was just about to list the R8 just to keep the thread lively!

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Swarovski optics
M1951 wool field shirt ( Got mine for $2.50 twenty years ago. Still a bargain at the current $20 asking price)

 

[Rare Breed]

I have an agent in the US so I can get anything that is available there sent to me.

I just got my first pair of Courtney Boots. While they fit my foot well with no slippage I get blisters after my first three mile walk with them on my pinky toes. Hope that will go away once I break them in

 

[bruce moulds]

there is a way to avoid blisters.
if you wear a pair of thin socks under a pair of thicker socks, you get sock on sock rubbing which protects you.
also be aware that boot fit changes as you walk.
as your feet work and get warmer, they swell, so getting a boot to fit your feet in this condition is valuable.
some boot designs are less prone to blister development as well, and this comes down to design.
good boots do not need to be broken in.
i have a pair of scarpa attak boots that are very old, and have never even looked like getting a blister in them.
scarpa no longer make the attak, probably because they were too good.
bruce.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Stay away from that gorilla tape if you may ever need to remove it. Thats some sticky stuff.

'Had issues w/ the gorilla tape, but Gorilla Glue was my savior on safari in Zim once (broken luggage, stock, etc. the natives were looking at it like it was a gift from god, so i replaced their coke bottle with it!)

 

[Rare Breed]

Coming from the land of the merino this is heresy but for African hunting I prefer cotton socks and the best are the Thorlo Tennis socks the long ones. Great cushioning and you feet stay drier on those long tracking hunts.

I bought a set of Courtneys on my last trip to Africa, they do look nice but they are heavy and offer no support. I actually prefer my Merrells MOAB with Gore Tex not as quiet but OK & cheap.

Zeiss Victory Binos in 7 x 42

Model 70 Winchester action then a custom rifle built around it

Leather Safari Ching Sling

Talley QD rings on custom bases

Swarovski Circle dot reticle illuminated - like an electronic peep sight. S&B have one too but the Swarovski one is nicer. PV 1.24-4 x 24 Swarovski

I used to hate them but for big game hunting a FFP scope is the way to go- the Europeans got it right! You want that reticle to magnify so much quicker acquisition on big game.

I just got my Courtney’s. Yes heavy and yes had to add a support liner. My half price boots do much better. Big disappointment

 

[Rare Breed]

there is a way to avoid blisters.
if you wear a pair of thin socks under a pair of thicker socks, you get sock on sock rubbing which protects you.
also be aware that boot fit changes as you walk.
as your feet work and get warmer, they swell, so getting a boot to fit your feet in this condition is valuable.
some boot designs are less prone to blister development as well, and this comes down to design.
good boots do not need to be broken in.
i have a pair of scarpa attak boots that are very old, and have never even looked like getting a blister in them.
scarpa no longer make the attak, probably because they were too good.
bruce.

Thank you. Will get the thin socks for under my thick socks

 

[C.W. Richter]

Talley and Timney

or Jewell. lol

 

[C.W. Richter]

A properly accurized rifle. Not an out-of-box factory non-custom stocker. Bedded/action trued/cross-pinned if DG/scope rings aligned/talley rings/quality trigger/quality scope/best ammo you can buy or make! Read Kevin Robertson's books, paying specific attention to bullet selection. Best binos you can afford (not overly heavy-not much long shooting.) Best socks, footwear as mentioned above. (i prefer to stray away from those resembling an overpriced re-treaded truck tire as so many PHs in that country wear running shoes instead, and 'once made the mistake of bringing overly broken-in (worn out) good boots and quickly had foot issues. New, broken-in Kenetreks will never let you down (Desert, Safari, uninsulated-all good.)

Best gear I could ever work out (with a 455 c.i. 550 Hp engine punched out .030" to 480) was 4.30:1. The 4.11 and 4.56 kept the times down, but with the aforementioned (and $12,5K c. 1980s engine build chock full of Kenne-Bell of Upland, CA parts) a 3,660 lb. Buick GSX could clock in at 10 sec as a teen. The speedo and gas gauges moving at the same speed in opp directions, while looking briefly at the clouds upon takeoff, was amusing! 129 MPH top speed in that acceleratory setup. lol I've heard PHs talking about drag racing in SA (even though they were partial to the available fords-cough, cough.) lol It was a beautiful thing. 'Cannot understand why my Dad allowed it in his garage (though he did promptly tell me to take it away when i moved out.) LOL 9 Second Buick GSX Stage2 GS Stage1 9.51 @ 140 - YouTube

 

[bruce moulds]

i use jewell on a m70, a dakota76, and some other rifles.
they have never missed a beat.
this could be partly due to the fact you clean them with lighter fluid, and that is also the recommended lubricant.
all my jewells are set at the same weight, so which ever rifle i use the triggers are quality , same feel and same weight.
when i got my jewells, i rang the factory, and got arnie jewell who then owned the business.
had good talks with him, and the triggers came in the mail from the states.
getting stuff like that to oz now is almost impossible since 9/11 and the port arthur massacre.
bruce.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Hmmm...best gear I’ve found...money enough to pay for all this stuff!

 

[C.W. Richter]

Look at, research, and test out the Products, not the Ads or what salesmen say to you...

 

[C.W. Richter]

Hmmm...best gear I’ve found...money enough to pay for all this stuff!

I've found that the lack-o-wife program is a great assist, though a long-term GF is beginning to run offense on that strategy.

 

[C.W. Richter]

i use jewell on a m70, a dakota76, and some other rifles.
they have never missed a beat.
this could be partly due to the fact you clean them with lighter fluid, and that is also the recommended lubricant.
all my jewells are set at the same weight, so which ever rifle i use the triggers are quality , same feel and same weight.
when i got my jewells, i rang the factory, and got arnie jewell who then owned the business.
had good talks with him, and the triggers came in the mail from the states.
getting stuff like that to oz now is almost impossible since 9/11 and the port arthur massacre.
bruce.

They are fantastic-best ever! Sometimes in short supply so people buy the Timneys (i have done it on less important rifles.) The Timney Calvin cannot be beat for targets or varmints. A bit light for big game hunting.

 

[C.W. Richter]

i use jewell on a m70, a dakota76, and some other rifles.
they have never missed a beat.
this could be partly due to the fact you clean them with lighter fluid, and that is also the recommended lubricant.
all my jewells are set at the same weight, so which ever rifle i use the triggers are quality , same feel and same weight.
when i got my jewells, i rang the factory, and got arnie jewell who then owned the business.
had good talks with him, and the triggers came in the mail from the states.
getting stuff like that to oz now is almost impossible since 9/11 and the port arthur massacre.
bruce.

I have to think that for $5K+ RIP Don Allen's design does not include a factory trigger. ??? Surely it's been worked over, pull adjusted? No??? lol That's the most elementary/Watson gunsmithing improvement.

 

[Buffalo1]

Smartwool Merino 250 items- neck gaiters, beanies and gloves. Great warmth and protection against wind.

KUIU Peleton 240 vest in black- great for casual wear and worn over base layer underwear.

KUIU Snap Button Shirt- great for casual wear and hunting. very light, warm and folds small for a back pack.

 

[bruce moulds]

I have to think that for $5K+ RIP Don Allen's design does not include a factory trigger. ??? Surely it's been worked over, pull adjusted? No??? lol That's the most elementary/Watson gunsmithing improvement.

the dakota trigger was worked over by a master, and goes in the hunting kit as backup.
however such a simple trigger cannot compare to the likes of jewell, as is simply has less levers.
it is the same design as the original m70 which is strong on simplicity, but so simple you have a limit on the quality of pull achievable.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I have to think that for $5K+ RIP Don Allen's design does not include a factory trigger. ??? Surely it's been worked over, pull adjusted? No??? lol That's the most elementary/Watson gunsmithing improve

I have to think that for $5K+ RIP Don Allen's design does not include a factory trigger. ??? Surely it's been worked over, pull adjusted? No??? lol That's the most elementary/Watson gunsmithing improvement.

i know, i know-now owned by Remington. Perhaps they put the "killer" x-trigger in it? A great gun and not a 700 action!!!