First Timer Rifle

[chashardy]

If you really want a double, look for a nice second hand Chapuis at ChamplinArms.com. They swear by the Chapuis brand and they often have very nice doubles in the $10,000 range. I bought a Chapuis Double in 375 H&H, second hand from William Larkin Moore in Phoenix and got a really good deal It's a sweet shooting rifle and I took my buffalo and a couple of plains game species with it on two different hunts. Second rifle on both hunts was a 300 win mag. FYI, Chapuis is a small French company making really fine, hand made rifles and was recently acquired by Beretta.

 

[Cam Moon]

Take the 375 H&H, and the 28. If your 28 ammo gets lost, just use the 375. I read it was originally designed for PG anyway. Just make sure you have a couple loads for the 375.

I think this makes the most sense, especially since you said you'd really like to use your 28.

 

[bruce moulds]

the 28 nosler is a fine cartridge, albeit a specialized one, but like the 7mmstw nosler does not have a bullet for it that can be used as an all rounder.
or maybe they now have a mono exoanding?
swift and barnes would be the 2 best choices for shots that might be close or far, on in between.
bruce.

 

[perttime]

A double would certainly mean learning another set of gun handling skills under pressure. Lots of repetitions to get where you don't need to think about it.

 

[mark-hunter]

This is going to be long, heated, and passionate thread - what I can see.
I have done two safairs so far, on plains game - and I am / was in similar doubt.
So, after my thoroguh theoretical reasearch:

Its a team work, on the ground - each member his own tools:
- I came to conclusion that trophy hunters job is first placing a well placed shot on DG.
- PH job is to bring hunter in position to make that shoot.
- Trackers job is is to track the animal, before or after the shot.
- 2nd PH job is to stop the charge if it comes to that, but all things before had to be done in advance not to get to that point.

DG hunt is team work, and each team member duty is desrcibed.
So, in my view double rifle - is for PH, bolt action for hunter should be OK.

If a hunter is man of "wealth and taste" (as the song goes), then he will buy bolt action, plus double. Use them as neccessary: possibly first shot with bolt action, follow up, tracking on spoor with double (as back up to PH....)

Since I am the man "of taste" but not of too much "Wealth", i am now looking for bolt action in 375 HH caliber, on mauser 98 control round feed system.

Then, when there is a question of classic bolt action, or linear bolt action such as blaser 08:
It is not a question of what is better (debate is endless), but it is a question are you conservative (by chosing classic bolt action),
or are you modern type, who fancy modern solutions.

O BTW, we, the conservative types - pro mauser 98, are on this forum, also known as "ludites"...
explanation of term:
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Ludite


If you are modern type, go for blaser 08, if you are old fashion, go fo mauser 98 type rifle. If you can afford, make addional duble, in 470 NE, just in case you may need it on a blood spoor and have something to show in your gun room

If you will costum build - make a rifle without engravings, go to africa, make memories, go back to gunsmith and make engravings as per your experiences. I beleive this is great idea!

Good luck!

 

[One Day...]

If a century of popular wisdom helps...

The ideal African Safari battery is often identified as:

From about 1912 to 1950:
- Light: 30-06, 7 mm Mauser, 8 mm Mauser, .318 Westley Richards, .300 H&H, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H, .350 Rigby, 9.3x62, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Heavy / stopper: double .450, .465, .470, .475, .500 (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).

From about 1960 to 2000, after Kynoch stopped loading the classic Nitro Express calibers:
- Light: .300 Win/Wby, 8x68 S, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H/Wby, 9.3x64, (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Heavy / stopper: .458 Win/Lott (take your pick, they are essentially the same and you can safely ignore the 1960's .458 Win horror stories*).
* unless you shoot 1960's ammo...

From about 2000 to 2020:
- Light: .300 Win/Wby/RUM/Blaser/Norma/Nosler/etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H/Wby/Steyr/Ruger, 404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby/Rem/Ruger/etc. (take your pick, they essentially all do the same thing, although the .40+ DO hit them harder).
- Medium without a budget: 450/400 double.
- Heavy / stopper on a budget: 458 Win/Lott, .500 Jeff, .505 Gibbs (take your pick, they essentially all do the same thing).
- Heavy / stopper without a budget: double .450, .470, .500 (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).

A few additional thoughts...

• No game animal will ever notice (assuming reasonably similar bullet weights and speeds) whether you shoot them with a .280, .300, 8 mm or .338. Use your favorite.
• The same goes for 9.3, .375, .404 or .416 (although DG will show a difference between a 300 gr and a 400 gr bullet).
• The same goes for .458, .470, .500.
• No game animal will ever notice whether you shoot them with a bolt action or a double. A double is NOT mandatory. Yes it has an "instant" second shot capability, which is nice, but many (most?) successful hunters manage well without it. A quality bolt rifle is far preferable to a low-cost double. There is a gentleman on AH who never took his S2 - which is NOT a low-cost double - back to Africa after he bought his R8.
• The type of bullet is vastly more important than the caliber. Quality mono-metal (Barnes, North Fork, Peregrine, etc.) or best quality bonded (Swift, Nosler, etc.), take your pick they all work.
• Practice from the sticks. 5,000 rounds with a .22 lr at 100 yd on a 6" steel plate before your first safari will do wonders...
• Shot placement - with a quality bullet - supersedes everything else. Note: I had better results on an entire PG safari with my .257 Wby shooting 100 gr TTSX (100% one-shot-kill, dead-right-there, drop-on-the-spot, reliability on 17 animals, all the way up to Roan) than I did the year before with my .340 Wby (100% kill on 19 animals, but a few required follow-up shots). This, I attribute to #1: no practice from the sticks the first year (we all know how to shoot from the sticks, right? wrong!) combined with #2: the .340 Wby is objectively more difficult to shoot well than the .257 Wby.

My own African Safari battery...
...has evolved...

- Light: .300 Win Browning Mauser.
- Medium: .375 H&H Dumoulin Mauser.
- Heavy / stopper: .450 #2 double pre-WWII Jules Bury.
This battery never went to Africa. The 2001 "great recession" hit just as I was about to book, and the rifles had to go in order to feed the kids...

- Light: Mark V .257 Wby (maybe just a bit too light for the heavier PG from any angle).
- Medium: Mark V .340 Wby (technically illegal for DG, although no buff, lion, leopard would ever know the difference).
- Heavy / stopper: .458 Lott.
This was my Western/Alaskan North American battery enrolled in the African Safari role...

- Light: .300 Wby on "upgrade #3" CZ 550 (with either 130 gr TTSX - shoots as flat as .257 Wby; or 180 gr TTSX - hits almost as hard as .340 Wby), depending on what I hunt.
- Medium: .375 H&H or .416 Rigby, both on "upgrade #3" CZ 550's, depending on what I hunt.
- Heavy / stopper: .470 NE Krieghoff.
This is my current and likely last African Safari battery as I pain to imagine how it could be better, and to be honest there is likely one too many rifle in it, as I am unlikely to ever be able to afford a 3 month full bag Safari that would justify 3 rifles... I know, I know, I should jump on the R8 bandwagon, but my misplaced pride refuses to pay $7,000 for their Professional Big Bore on Tupperware stock, plus $2,000 for another barrel alone (Man! plastic and steel pipes must be expensive in Germany these days!), and I LIKE my old double square bridge, controlled round feed, magnum length "Mauser." It is as African, as apple pie is American...

PS: keep also in mind that if anything goes wrong with the R8, you are SOL and you can use that spare barrel as a catheter. I like the redundancy of two rifles, whether they be .300/.375 or .300/.416 or .300/470...

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

A bolt operation rifle with interchangeable barrels is certainly a good tool for a first time Shikari.
I would recommend a .30-06 Springfield barrel for the plains game and a .375 Holland and Holland magnum barrel for dangerous game .
Of course , if you opt for a bolt operation rifle ( for plains game) and a double barrel rifle ( for dangerous animals) instead , then that is perfectly acceptable as well . Make the bolt operation rifle a .338 Winchester or a .300 Winchester magnum or a 9.3 millimeter mauser calibre one . Make the double barrel rifle a double barrel .375 Holland and Holland magnum calibre one , or a .400 bore , if you prefer ( I personally had good experience with a .400 bore Nitro Express double barrel rifle built by the English firm , Jeffery and brought by a client ) . However , on a double barrel rifle to be used for dangerous animals , the following features are requisite :
Two triggers
Barrels not longer than 26 inches .
NO automatic safety mechanism
Ejectors .

On a personal note , since you are a first timer , l would not recommend you to take a double barrel rifle ( just yet ) for securing dangerous animals , unless or until you have had some experience with them . Please do not misinterpret what l say. I am an avid fan of double barrel rifles , but one needs a considerable amount of practice to be proficient with them . For your first Safari , l would highly recommend that you go after your dangerous animals with a .375 Holland and Holland magnum calibre bolt operation rifle and suitable munitions . My personal favorite would be such a rifle built on a French Brevex magnum mauser mechanism . After you have had some experience with a bolt operation rifle and dangerous animals , then you may " graduate " to a double barrel rifle if you so prefer. All the best .
I am also of same view as @IvW . Clients need not worry about stopping charging animals , as that is the White Hunter's concern , should things go wrong ( though it is always nice to take it into consideration ) . Practice on placing the first bullet in the correct region and it will prove to be a comfortable and enjoyable Shikar.

PS : If you opt for a .375 Holland and Holland magnum calibre rifle / barrel as your tool for dangerous animals , then do not get a 9.3 millimeter mauser calibre rifle / barrel for your plains game. This is because both the cartridges have little difference between them and the 9.3 millimeter mauser cartridge will not afford any significant advantage over the .375 Holland and Holland magnum cartridge . Instead , let your plains game rifle be something a bit more more ballistically different like a .308 Winchester , a .30-06 Springfield or a .300 Wimche magnum calibre bolt operation rifle . It will offer you greater versatility.

 

[Major Khan]

Kawshik , in the last 57 years you and l have disagreed on very little and even now most of the things you say are 100 % practical . However , if the original poster wants to use a double barreled rifle , l see no problem with him doing it , provided he goes only for the most unambituous of shots ( namely , the double lung shot ) . He must do exactly what the White Hunter says he must do. If that means passing up on certain shots which could be afforded with a bolt rifle , then he must pass up on those shots . However , take a gaur or a buffalo , for example. If the White Hunter gets him to stalk the brute and reach a perfect broadside position at reasonably close range ( close enough not to miss with that double barrelled rifle , assuming that he practiced with it beforehand ) , then a good shot could easily take out both the lungs , assuming he is using one of those modern expanding bullets .
That said , l overall agree with you , old friend . I would be much happier if a first time client hunting dangerous game , came to my outfitter with a good bolt rifle , like a Winchester Model 70 in .375 Holland and Holland magnum .

 

[mikecatt13]

A double would certainly mean learning another set of gun handling skills under pressure. Lots of repetitions to get where you don't need to think about it.

This isnt typical for most, in my case I have no reservations about new platforms. As a competition shooter, I know what it means to practice efficiently, turn new skills into muscle memory, repeat until it becomes not only automatic but very fast and do it at a high level. Again, not typical of everyone going on safari but I would certainly take DG serious enough to do that for this application

 

[Mike Van Horn]

the 28 nosler is a fine cartridge, albeit a specialized one, but like the 7mmstw nosler does not have a bullet for it that can be used as an all rounder.
or maybe they now have a mono exoanding?
swift and barnes would be the 2 best choices for shots that might be close or far, on in between.
bruce.

Bruce
Nosler loads their 160 AB, and 175 AB in the 28. Wouldn't one of these work for PG?
If a person reloads the 168 LRX or the 175 TSX would be my choices
Mike

 

[BeeMaa]

If a century of popular wisdom helps...

The ideal African Safari battery is often identified as:

From about 1912 to 1950:
- Light: 30-06, 7 mm Mauser, 8 mm Mauser, .318 Westley Richards, .300 H&H, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H, .350 Rigby, 9.3x62, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Heavy / stopper: double .450, .465, .470, .475, .500 (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).

From about 1960 to 2000, after Kynoch stopped loading the classic Nitro Express calibers:
- Light: .300 Win/Wby, 8x68 S, etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H/Wby, 9.3x64, (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Heavy / stopper: .458 Win/Lott (take your pick, they are essentially the same and you can safely ignore the 1960's .458 Win horror stories*).
* unless you shoot 1960's ammo...

From about 2000 to 2020:
- Light: .300 Win/Wby/RUM/Blaser/Norma/Nosler/etc. (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).
- Medium: .375 H&H/Wby/Steyr/Ruger, 404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby/Rem/Ruger/etc. (take your pick, they essentially all do the same thing, although the .40+ DO hit them harder).
- Medium without a budget: 450/400 double.
- Heavy / stopper on a budget: 458 Win/Lott, .500 Jeff, .505 Gibbs (take your pick, they essentially all do the same thing).
- Heavy / stopper without a budget: double .450, .470, .500 (take your pick, they are essentially all the same).

A few additional thoughts...

• No game animal will ever notice (assuming reasonably similar bullet weights and speeds) whether you shoot them with a .280, .300, 8 mm or .338. Use your favorite.
• The same goes for 9.3, .375, .404 or .416 (although DG will show a difference between a 300 gr and a 400 gr bullet).
• The same goes for .458, .470, .500.
• No game animal will ever notice whether you shoot them with a bolt action or a double. A double is NOT mandatory. Yes it has an "instant" second shot capability, which is nice, but many (most?) successful hunters manage well without it. A quality bolt rifle is far preferable to a low-cost double. There is a gentleman on AH who never took his S2 - which is NOT a low-cost double - back to Africa after he bought his R8.
• The type of bullet is vastly more important than the caliber. Quality mono-metal (Barnes, North Fork, Peregrine, etc.) or best quality bonded (Swift, Nosler, etc.), take your pick they all work.
• Practice from the sticks. 5,000 rounds with a .22 lr at 100 yd on a 6" steel plate before your first safari will do wonders...
• Shot placement - with a quality bullet - supersedes everything else. Note: I had better results on an entire PG safari with my .257 Wby shooting 100 gr TTSX (100% one-shot-kill, dead-right-there, drop-on-the-spot, reliability on 17 animals, all the way up to Roan) than I did the year before with my .340 Wby (100% kill on 19 animals, but a few required follow-up shots). This, I attribute to #1: no practice from the sticks the first year (we all know how to shoot from the sticks, right? wrong!) combined with #2: the .340 Wby is objectively more difficult to shoot well than the .257 Wby.

My own African Safari battery...
...has evolved...

- Light: .300 Win Browning Mauser.
- Medium: .375 H&H Dumoulin Mauser.
- Heavy / stopper: .450 #2 double pre-WWII Jules Bury.
This battery never went to Africa. The 2001 "great recession" hit just as I was about to book, and the rifles had to go in order to feed the kids...

- Light: Mark V .257 Wby (maybe just a bit too light for the heavier PG from any angle).
- Medium: Mark V .340 Wby (technically illegal for DG, although no buff, lion, leopard would ever know the difference).
- Heavy / stopper: .458 Lott.
This was my Western/Alaskan North American battery enrolled in the African Safari role...

- Light: .300 Wby on "upgrade #3" CZ 550 (with either 130 gr TTSX - shoots as flat as .257 Wby; or 180 gr TTSX - hits almost as hard as .340 Wby), depending on what I hunt.
- Medium: .375 H&H or .416 Rigby, both on "upgrade #3" CZ 550's, depending on what I hunt.
- Heavy / stopper: .470 NE Krieghoff.
This is my current and likely last African Safari battery as I pain to imagine how it could be better, and to be honest there is likely one too many rifle in it, as I am unlikely to ever be able to afford a 3 month full bag Safari that would justify 3 rifles... I know, I know, I should jump on the R8 bandwagon, but my misplaced pride refuses to pay $7,000 for their Professional Big Bore on Tupperware stock, plus $2,000 for another barrel alone (Man! plastic and steel pipes must be expensive in Germany these days!), and I LIKE my old double square bridge, controlled round feed, magnum length "Mauser." It is as African, as apple pie is American...

PS: keep also in mind that if anything goes wrong with the R8, you are SOL and you can use that spare barrel as a catheter. I like the redundancy of two rifles, whether they be .300/.375 or .300/.416 or .300/470...

@One Day... Have you heard the expression "Brevity is the soul of wit"?

Your battery will certainly get it done in spades, but you should not be so harsh on the Blaser.
Tupperware hardly describes the synthetic stock of them.
Don't get me started on what you really invested in the CZ's to get them the way they are, the R8 isn't unreasonable.
And, I wouldn't cast stones on the R8 until you produce some ACTUAL data on failure rates on CRF vs R8.
Let's face it, we are clients who can hunt with bows and arrows if we want.
As long as it's reliable, use it.
CRF, push-feed, R8, CZ, Winchester, long bow....doesn't matter as long as it works for you.

 

[Philip Glass]

That's what I'm leaning towards actually now. I will always want a custom (maybe r8) but I've found some very nice R8s that I could go something like 300WM and 375HH and have a double, for less than an extravagant custom

This was supposed to be a long term research and browse type thing. But I MAY have a chance at this S2 and am having a hard time not jumping on it, just trying to research price (taking into account availability because I havent seen many doubles with the engraving and bluing). $17k ish...View attachment 317289 View attachment 317290

The double gun is a very personal decision. This one is very cool and if you like it get it! The R8 is also a lifetime gun with endless possibilities. My dream has always been for a big Tanzania Safari with an R8. Now as it gets somewhat closer to reality the dream is to take the double gun and the R8. Fun to dream

 

[AZDAVE]

As a competitive shooter use to many different firearms, you will have developed the discipline to practice till you are comfortable and shoot each proficiently is a base statement of skill as I see them. So with that in mind I will throw out a couple ideas.
1. If possible shoot at of the platforms side by side and form a idea in your mind what you want. Each platform has it plus's and minuses.
2. For you first safari just take the 300 and 375 you currently have and have a great time, shoot your bucket list plains game and talk to the PH's in camp. That way for your buff and elephant safari's you can take the a custom with all the bells and whistles in you you want.

I am a double guy through and through, and shoot all the other platforms and use a bolt or single shot where the double just isn't the best platform. Understand that with a iron sighted double you must have the discipline to accept that you will be limiting yourself to not making some shots that would be easy with a scoped bolt gun.

I like rifles of 40 cal or larger on DG. Doubles in 450/400 and 450NE are my favorite. Bolt gun 416 rigby, 404 Jeffery, and 458 Lott would be my choice. Take your 300 or 375 and pick out the 40+ and go hunt.

I have no experience with the R8 system but having the ability to change out barrels on the fly is very appealing. I haven't been bit by that bug yet

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

As a PH my recommendation to a first time client hunting Zimbabwe plains game and dangerous game. Bring 1 100% dependable rifle that the client had really done a lot of practice with (not off of the bench), caliber .375 H&H or .404J. If a person wants to use a double again it must be 100% dependable, again with a lot of practice (not off of the bench). Caliber .450-.400, .470 Nitro. I have two reasons for recommending those calibers. 1. If your ammo does not make it with your rifle, I have those calibers in camp Reason # 2. Maybe you will forget to take your ammo with you! Oh, I would highly recommend a backup scope, pre sighted for whatever rifle it might need to be used on. That scope would go in my carry on.

Seriously I love a quality double and I have become really fond of the .404J caliber, always loved the .450-.400 double.

If I lived in the states I would think about a matching set of factory M-70s one .375H&H and a matching factory .375H&H, rebored to .404J. Now that I think about it maybe just the .404J.

 

[mikecatt13]

I am a double guy through and through, and shoot all the other platforms and use a bolt or single shot where the double just isn't the best platform. Understand that with a iron sighted double you must have the discipline to accept that you will be limiting yourself to not making some shots that would be easy with a scoped bolt gun.

I have considered this, especially the first safari or two I wouldnt want to limit myself too much. Also, I would want to get the most use out of the investment in a double and use it on whatever I could. One thing i like about the Blaser double is the ease of which it can be scope using quick detach. Was thinking it would be worth having a compact 1-4 or 1-6 on a quick detach mount that could be taken off quickly or put on quickly so I could easily place precision shots at 100+ yards, or run irons in the thick stuff. Could even take PG with it I imagine, I would have to research 470 ballistics etc but from what I can tell, the barrel you zero to your scope is 1moa, and the 2nd barrel would be fine for a follow up if needed.

Of course, this wouldnt be primary for PG, but a possibility if needed or to enjoy the double more.

So many thoughts and so much research left to do!

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Do not rule out some of the reflex sights! I have not gone to one on my double or my old .416 Rigby, but I love it on my .404 CZ 550. I say it is because of my old eyes, but if I had young eyes and one of those sights, watch out! I have 100% confidence in mine (Kahles) out to 100 meters and almost never shoot past that distance.

One PH that I work with has a trijicon mini on his old english double .470 he loves it, I have never asked him, but I doubt if he ever uses it at over 75 meters.

 

[Major Khan]

Do not rule out some of the reflex sights! I have not gone to one on my double or my old .416 Rigby, but I love it on my .404 CZ 550. I say it is because of my old eyes, but if I had young eyes and one of those sights, watch out! I have 100% confidence in mine (Kahles) out to 100 meters and almost never shoot past that distance.

One PH that I work with has a trijicon mini on his old english double .470 he loves it, I have never asked him, but I doubt if he ever uses it at over 75 meters.

From the perspective of a fellow professional hunter , how do you feel about the .416 Remington magnum calibre , Tokoloshe Safaris ? I was reading a little about it last night , but l have no experience with it. I am rather intrigued by it.
During my career as a professional shikaree in Nagpur , India until 1970 , the most popular large game calibres brought by my clients was .375 Holland and Holland magnum and .458 Winchester magnum .

 

[One Day...]

@One Day... Have you heard the expression "Brevity is the soul of wit"?

Unquestionably true. I always find it difficult, and regularly fail, striking the right balance between explaining coherently to first-timers, which is how the OP describes himself, and boring old-timers. My bad... Although I am regularly told by old-timers that they too pick up a thing or two in my detailed explanations here or there

@One Day... Tupperware hardly describes the synthetic stock of them.

I meant it as "injection molded plastic," which it is, as opposed to kevlar, aramid, etc. fibers. This is a fact

@One Day... Don't get me started on what you really invested in the CZ's to get them the way they are, the R8 isn't unreasonable.

• .416 purchase $900 (used as-new on Gunbroker)
• .416 upgrade $550 (tuned-up action & feeding, bolt-mounted safety, straighten & fill bolt handle, Timney trigger, barrel swivel band, NECG bead front sight, hard matte blue)
• .375 purchase $750 (used as-new on Gunbroker. Admittedly I was surprised to get it at that price. Sole bidder. Lucky timing!)
• .375 upgrade $550 (tuned-up action & feeding, bolt-mounted safety, straighten & fill bolt handle, Timney trigger, barrel swivel band, NECG bead front sight, hard matte blue)
• .300 Wby $1,950 (built from scratch to match the two others)
• Bell & Carlson brown stock $300 (kevlar/aramid with full length aluminum bedding block)
• Bell & Carlson green stock $300 (kevlar/aramid with full length aluminum bedding block)
• Bell & Carlson tan stock $300 (kevlar/aramid with full length aluminum bedding block)

---------------------------------------------------------
Three fully complete, top-notch rifles $5,600

One does not necessarily have to pay premium $$$ to a celebrity to get the right things done. Example: your CZ 550 AHR upgrade #2 .375 H&H rifle is functionally identical to a $15,000 Rigby Big Game rifle and you sure did not pay $15,000 to get it done. It likely cost you $1,200 (rifle) + $1,800 (AHR #2) = $3,000. If you had done it three times (.300, .375, .416) that would have been $9,000 for three new rifles. Still a lot less than one R8 Professional Big Bore + 2 additional Selous barrels ($12,000), which is still one single rifle (albeit with three barrels).

I shaved $3,000 because I started from used as-new CZ 550's (and I do some of the parts install, and action smoothing work myself), the same way you shaved $2,500 because you started from a used as-new R8. I guess we are both smart

@One Day... ... you should not be so harsh on the Blaser. And, I wouldn't cast stones on the R8 until you produce some ACTUAL data on failure rates on CRF vs R8.

I did not. All I said is "if anything goes wrong with the R8" (exact quote). I did not say "failure," "CRF vs R8," or anything like that

My point is that two (or three) full rifles offer redundancy. A single rifle with two (or three) barrels does not. This too is a fact

Things that can go wrong could have nothing to do with the reliability of the R8. Examples: it gets stolen; the truck backs up on it; you loose the detachable trigger mechanism; you strip a barrel screw nut thread; etc. etc.

@One Day... CRF, push-feed, R8, CZ, Winchester, long bow....doesn't matter as long as it works for you.

I completely agree

I guess the R8 bug bit you hard and deep my good friend. It is great to see you taking pride of ownership

 

[Deleted member 43267]

Take the .375 and any reasonable caliber from among your existing rifles. Put your time and money into lots of practice with different loads, and shooting off sticks and other non-comfortable positions.
You do not need a custom rifle, unless you want one for the fun of hunt planning and to create memories regarding a romantic and classic African caliber (my story).
A premium bullet placed well from your workhorse CZ will be far better than a bad shot from a ______________ (insert caliber and expensive rifle brand here).
Have fun, and we want a trip report!

Jeff

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Kawshik , in the last 57 years you and l have disagreed on very little and even now most of the things you say are 100 % practical . However , if the original poster wants to use a double barreled rifle , l see no problem with him doing it , provided he goes only for the most unambituous of shots ( namely , the double lung shot ) . He must do exactly what the White Hunter says he must do. If that means passing up on certain shots which could be afforded with a bolt rifle , then he must pass up on those shots . However , take a gaur or a buffalo , for example. If the White Hunter gets him to stalk the brute and reach a perfect broadside position at reasonably close range ( close enough not to miss with that double barrelled rifle , assuming that he practiced with it beforehand ) , then a good shot could easily take out both the lungs , assuming he is using one of those modern expanding bullets .
That said , l overall agree with you , old friend . I would be much happier if a first time client hunting dangerous game , came to my outfitter with a good bolt rifle , like a Winchester Model 70 in .375 Holland and Holland magnum .

Poton
That is also true . If he is passionate about using a double barrel rifle , then so be it . His dream safari should be enjoyed with the weapon of his choice . It is just that ( as you already know ) novice client hunters on their first Safari typically need a good deal of thorough practice , to be proficient with a double barrel rifle , as opposed to a bolt operation rifle ( comparatively speaking ) .