How much ammunition for plains game hunting trip to South Africa?

[Gatorhunter1313]

Sorry but I wouldn’t trust that case on an airline. Why not spring for a decent pelican case?

I looked at a lot of cases and got the bass pro case in orange. It’s built like a pelican case and bright orange is easy to find

 

[mcaustin]

I hunt with a .300 Win Mag and take 80 rounds with me, even if I'm hunting 3 animals. My lock boxes hold 2 boxes of ammo, each. I put one box in my luggage and one box in my wife's luggage. If a suitcase becomes lost along the way, hopefully, the other will make it through and I'll still have 40 rounds of ammo to hunt with.

Would you mind PMing me a pic of your lockboxes? I need to pick up a couple for a trip this June (which seems to be coming quickly!). I plan to split 60-80 rounds between mine and my wife's luggage as well.

Thanks!

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

Would you mind PMing me a pic of your lockboxes? I need to pick up a couple for a trip this June (which seems to be coming quickly!). I plan to split 60-80 rounds between mine and my wife's luggage as well.

Thanks!

my biggest concern so far is that my hard case is a little too big to fit into my luggage. i am going to need to downsize

 

[curtism1234]

What PH’s will tell you is that the guy with 2 guns always has the wrong one for what you run across. I did take 2 guns on my last safari but I was specifically hunting a rhino with my .470 and then all small cats and small antelopes with my Ruger 5.56. For the average guy on most safaris one gun is a far better choice. I believe it’s a meatier of overthinking it.

I think it depends too on what rifles you own / prefer. The key is for both rifles to be adequate for all game.

I have a 8 pound 7mm rem mag --- perfect for just about anything short of Eland.

If someone owned a lightweight 7mm-08 and a heavy 300 win mag, I can totally appreciate not lugging a 9+ pound rifle all week. While not ultimately preferred, you can still shoot a zebra with the 7mm-08 if you stumbled onto one. Or for that matter just let him go if he's not going to cooperate and its going to use up the entire morning while you had your heart set on something else that day; you should get a chance again later on with a very common animal like that. But then again, I am a planner...

 

[Philip Glass]

I looked at a lot of cases and got the bass pro case in orange. It’s built like a pelican case and bright orange is easy to find

Good deal. There are now a lot of pelican copies that would work fine for ammo.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Going OT here but a consideration applying to cases is how much room do they use in your checked bags? YMMV but I don't want to be shipping extra plastic and foam padding. Smallest that I can fit in maximum ammo for two rifles is a Pelican 1200.

 

[Red Leg]

Going OT here but a consideration applying to cases is how much room do they use in your checked bags? YMMV but I don't want to be shipping extra plastic and foam padding. Smallest that I can fit in maximum ammo for two rifles is a Pelican 1200.

All the more reason to dump the 2 rifle redundancy and all but forty rounds in our enlightened and modern age. Packing light really is a good thing.

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

All the more reason to dump the 2 rifle redundancy and all but forty rounds in our enlightened and modern age. Packing light really is a good thing.

I found a smaller case that will easily hole 60 rounds of 30-06 and will still fit in my duffel bag. I just have to order it and make sure. On top of that I’m going through my list of what to bring and make sure I can fit everything. I have also ordered new foam for my rifle case. I’m going to set it up to hold my rifle and shooting sticks and a few other items I can throw in there to save space

 

[Hogpatrol]

All the more reason to dump the 2 rifle redundancy and all but forty rounds in our enlightened and modern age. Packing light really is a good thing.

For sure agree with you on the one rifle when the mission calls for it. I always double up to do some night time critter and varmint hunting, the 28 Nosler is a little big for crows.

I have one carry-on and one small checked bag with my ammo case in it plus the guns. I guess I could leave my clothes there and go even lighter yet.

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

For sure agree with you on the one rifle when the mission calls for it. I always double up to do some night time critter and varmint hunting, the 28 Nosler is a little big for crows. View attachment 384576 I have one carry-on and one small checked bag with my ammo case in it plus the guns. I guess I could leave my clothes there and go even lighter yet.

I’m seriously considering taking my 338 win mag and that’s it. I have Barnes 200gt ttsx bullets I can load.

 

[375Fox]

Instead of a pelican case for ammo maybe consider this. I just use a sentry steel lockbox. I throughly duck tape it before I leave so it can’t accidentally pop open, but for a $20 box it has served me very well. Doesn’t take up much room in a bag and I’ve had no issues when I’ve checked it separately.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have read this thread and I guess I am a over packer. I have a 26 day trip this year with the same PH the entire time. I have a mixed plains game and 3 DG animals planned to far.
I am packing 3 rifles. CZ 550 458 Lott, CZ 550 375 HH, Winchester Pre 64 Model 70 300 HH.
I have my ammo calculated at 35 458 Lott, 20 375 HH ( with 20 more of same load PH already has in camp) 40 300 HH.
Could I get by with only 1 or 2 rifles, Yes I could. But I want to take these three and am going too. Flying Qatar Business so weight on rifle case is not issue. It’s under 70lbs. Ammo I am carrying comes is at 10.70 lbs with case and locks. This is me. I always pack heavy for long trips.

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

I have read this thread and I guess I am a over packer. I have a 26 day trip this year with the same PH the entire time. I have a mixed plains game and 3 DG animals planned to far.
I am packing 3 rifles. CZ 550 458 Lott, CZ 550 375 HH, Winchester Pre 64 Model 70 300 HH.
I have my ammo calculated at 35 458 Lott, 20 375 HH ( with 20 more of same load PH already has in camp) 40 300 HH.
Could I get by with only 1 or 2 rifles, Yes I could. But I want to take these three and am going too. Flying Qatar Business so weight on rifle case is not issue. It’s under 70lbs. Ammo I am carrying comes is at 10.70 lbs with case and locks. This is me. I always pack heavy for long trips.

That’s a long trip though. Better to pack heavy for a trip like that. I’m looking at 7-10 days oh hunting for my first trip

 

[TTundra]

I took 60 on my first PG hunt, left 2 full boxes there. Took 40 on my second 10 day 6 animal hunt, left 1 full box there.

PH emailed me a few months later that my extra ammo that I left came in handy with a client that lost theirs in transit. I like to think that little extra we leave behind can and does help out somehow down the road.

 

[WAB]

I found a smaller case that will easily hole 60 rounds of 30-06 and will still fit in my duffel bag. I just have to order it and make sure. On top of that I’m going through my list of what to bring and make sure I can fit everything. I have also ordered new foam for my rifle case. I’m going to set it up to hold my rifle and shooting sticks and a few other items I can throw in there to save space

If you are connecting in Africa, be aware that you will have to take your ammo box out of your duffle and check it separately on the connecting flight. Make sure it is big enough not to get lost, lockable, tagged, and stout enough to be thrown about separately.

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

If you are connecting in Africa, be aware that you will have to take your ammo box out of your duffle and check it separately on the connecting flight. Make sure it is big enough not to get lost, lockable, tagged, and stout enough to be thrown about separately.

That’s why I got the hard case from bass pro. It’s the same size as a pelican 1200

 

[Hogpatrol]

@Gatorhunter1313, May want to read up on luggage restrictions in RSA. IIRC, standard duffel bags are not allowed.

 

[Gatorhunter1313]

@Gatorhunter1313, May want to read up on luggage restrictions in RSA. IIRC, standard duffel bags are not allowed.

I’ll have to look into that and make sure I get a bag that’s legal

 

[Red Leg]

If you are connecting in Africa, be aware that you will have to take your ammo box out of your duffle and check it separately on the connecting flight. Make sure it is big enough not to get lost, lockable, tagged, and stout enough to be thrown about separately.

Sometimes. I have yet to be asked to do so.

 

[Philip Glass]

my biggest concern so far is that my hard case is a little too big to fit into my luggage. i am going to need to downsize

All the more reason to dump the 2 rifle redundancy and all but forty rounds in our enlightened and modern age. Packing light really is a good thing.

I am a fan of packing light! I think many get there after overthinking it a few times. I won’t go with less than 4 boxes of ammo however (1 gun safari).