Dakota 404 & 450 Rifle

[Doug Hamilton]

Exactly. All of my big bores other than my newly acquired .500 NE are wildcats (I consider .375 H&H medium bore). I hear precautions of people mentioning not being able to find ammo if it gets lost. How often does it happen?

Heck, does the local shop in the bush in Zim stock .416 Rigby or .375 H&H or .458 Winchester? I live in Southern CA. I wanted to get some factory 300 grain 375 H&H ammo to chrono a few months ago. No one within a 100 miles had it, not Bass Pro, not Sportsman's warehouse, not Turners. I went to web sites or called just about every shop.

If one can't find it in a metropolitan area of 10 million+ people I doubt it would be locally available easily unless the PH has some saved.

I take about 4 international trips a year. Probably a few hundred over the course of my lifetime. Never had luggage not make it. Once, my TuffPack was late as it was put on a later local flight in 2016 for a sheep hunt in Turkey.

Actually, these things happen more often than you think. One time in South Africa, I had checked into a room and went out to get a quick meal. While I was out, someone got into my room and went through my stuff. They got a couple of knives and 2 boxes of .30-06 ammo. Fortunately I had checked my rifles and a bag with most of my hunting gear and ammo with the front desk. I didn't need it but if I had, my PH could have come up with some shells for my .30-06 or my .458 WM. I didn't have a .375, but he had shells for that too. So what would have happened if I had brought a .479 Eargaschplitten Thunderboomer Magnum? Would anyone in Zimbabwe have had ammo?

 

[Tanks]

Actually, these things happen more often than you think. One time in South Africa, I had checked into a room and went out to get a quick meal. While I was out, someone got into my room and went through my stuff. They got a couple of knives and 2 boxes of .30-06 ammo. ... So what would have happened if I had brought a .479 Eargaschplitten Thunderboomer Magnum? Would anyone in Zimbabwe have had ammo?

Guess, it all depends the precautions you take. In my case when I am at J'Burg I stay at Afton house and they put all the rifles and ammo in their safe. Rest of my stuff is in a Pelican bag with 2 locks. I also usually have a cable that I attach the case to something and lock. So, unless someone has tools etc. and plenty of time they won't be able to do a smash and grab. That has worked for me not just for hunting but other travels for decades. I also don't leave anything in the room other than clothes anyway.

 

[Ray B]

Regarding getting ammo & guns through to a hunt, several years ago Bill Steigers went to Africa to hunt Cape Buffalo. He took his wildcat 375 Imp. the ammo made it but the rifles were held by the govt. So he had to rent a 375H&H from the PH. He wanted to use his BBC bullets, however they were loaded in Imp cases. So with virtually no reloading equipment other than some machine shop tools they pulled the BBCs and loaded them in some local H&H cases. Had he had a standard H&H the rifle probably wouldn't have been held by the govt and if it had, the ammo would have fit the PHs rifle. A point in favor of common cartridges.

 

[spike.t]

Regarding getting ammo & guns through to a hunt, several years ago Bill Steigers went to Africa to hunt Cape Buffalo. He took his wildcat 375 Imp. the ammo made it but the rifles were held by the govt. So he had to rent a 375H&H from the PH. He wanted to use his BBC bullets, however they were loaded in Imp cases. So with virtually no reloading equipment other than some machine shop tools they pulled the BBCs and loaded them in some local H&H cases. Had he had a standard H&H the rifle probably wouldn't have been held by the govt and if it had, the ammo would have fit the PHs rifle. A point in favor of common cartridges.

Any idea why the rifles were held and which country?

 

[Ray B]

Any idea why the rifles were held and which country?

I think it was Zimbabwe because he was hunting along the Limpopo river. It's a guess but I think it was because the authorities were unfamiliar with the chambering. The rifles were released but they were on about day 5 so the hunt was basically done at that point. He did get to take a great Cape Buffalo, but the horns never made it back to the US. As far as I know he never did learn what happened to them.

 

[spike.t]

I think it was Zimbabwe because he was hunting along the Limpopo river. It's a guess but I think it was because the authorities were unfamiliar with the chambering. The rifles were released but they were on about day 5 so the hunt was basically done at that point. He did get to take a great Cape Buffalo, but the horns never made it back to the US. As far as I know he never did learn what happened to them.

Ok...bit strange