Ideal Jungle Rifle

[Happy Myles]

Philippe, bravo on that great sitatunga. I loved hunting sitatunga subspecies

 

[bwanamrm]

I planned to carry a custom HCR in .458 Lott rigged in a Mac stock and cerakoted metal for my forest hunt in Cameroon. Unfortunately, Air France left my rifle in Paris and by the time it caught up with me, I had shot my bongo with the camp gun, a Blaser .416 Rem mag with open sights. Best laid plans...

 

[Sideshow]

The blazer’s shorter overall length without sacrificing barrel length seems like a huge advantage. At a certain point, shortening barrels on conventional bolt rifles becomes problematic.

The Brits tried making the lee enfield into a “jungle rifle” with unsatisfactory results.

Yeah it was a bit of a problem....but it looked cool eh!!

 

[Sideshow]

Amongst bolt action rifles:
A Westley Richards Mauser (with the extended drop box magazine) in .425 Nitro Express with wide V backsights and an uncovered ivory bead foresight.

Amongst double rifles: A Heym Model 89B in .500/416 Nitro Express with 26” barrels, a non-automatic safety, wide V backsights and an uncovered ivory bead foresight.

Assuming that we’re talking about real jungle shooting, a telescopic sight is your worst enemy.

I'd lose the ivory for sight though as it will go yellow. Maybe some Pig bone might be better.

 

[BeeMaa]

Probably a surprise to no one...

Blaser R8 375H&H with aluminum receiver and 25" barrel with Swaro 1-8x in QD mounts and BUIS.

Because Blaser puts the magazine on top of the trigger group, it shortens the rifle by about 4" from a traditional bolt action rifle (all other things being equal). So this would be equal to a 21" barreled rifle. Weight is 7.75 lbs without the scope. The finish on the barrel is the most durable and weather resistant I've ever had on any rifle including stainless steel. Synthetic stock impervious to weather.

 

[IvW]

How do factory synthetic stocks fit all shooters?
I believe Swaro have had some quality issues...

 

[AES]

I have been pondering this question, as well. Obviously lots of good answers. If not shooting Ele, as an outlier, I have been giving some consideration to 450 Bushmaster. It’s essentially a ”better” 45-70 and short barreled. Also inexpensive rifles so no worries on destroying them while there. Not sure that I would do it but an interesting thought for conversation, I suppose.

My dream rifle for this hunt is likely Neptune drilling in ~9.3x74, 16ga, 22H. Would be a fun way to tackle the challenge and game.

 

[BeeMaa]

How do factory synthetic stocks fit all shooters?
I believe Swaro have had some quality issues...

All I know is that mine fits me...and if there are issues with my glass, I'll have to take care of it.

You are always so positive when something Blaser is posted.

 

[MLindsay]

I have hunted 61 days in the forest. I carried a Sako M995 in 450 Ackley with stainless steel barrel cerakoted. For me the most important thing was how to carry it. I used a Cabela's 2 inch wide safari sling, which allowed the gun to hang on my right side parallel to the ground. I held it by the barrel and guided it through the vegetation.

 

[318AE]

Amongst bolt action rifles:
A Westley Richards Mauser (with the extended drop box magazine) in .425 Nitro Express with wide V backsights and an uncovered ivory bead foresight.

Amongst double rifles: A Heym Model 89B in .500/416 Nitro Express with 26” barrels, a non-automatic safety, wide V backsights and an uncovered ivory bead foresight.

Assuming that we’re talking about real jungle shooting, a telescopic sight is your worst enemy.

You’re not alone…

This is “Jungle Jack” Grisham’s 425 Westley Richards. He spent decades in the jungle hunting all manner of beasts and even time as a scout for Merrill’s Marauders. It was his implement of choice…

 

[Badboymelvin]

I would buy a Zastava or a Winchester M70 in .458 Win Mag and put it in a Hogue stock (with the full aluminium bedding block) and cut the barrel down to 22"
I would then load either 480gn Woodleigh's or 450gn Hydro's at 2100 - 2250fps and feel confident hunting anything.

 

[Andrew62]

When I hunted bongo in the rain forest, 2 times, I did so with a Kimber Talkeetna, .375H&H rifle barrel cut down from 24" to 20". With scope, my .375H&H weighs 7lbs 12oz.

 

[BeeMaa]

I would buy a Zastava or a Winchester M70 in .458 Win Mag and put it in a Hogue stock (with the full aluminium bedding block) and cut the barrel down to 22"
I would then load either 480gn Woodleigh's or 450gn Hydro's at 2100 - 2250fps and feel confident hunting anything.

You forgot to ream it out to 458LOTT to avoid powder compression!

 

[geoff rath]

I've put a lot of thought into this: so many options. Customs, as already noted, Ruger 375 or 416, a D/R, one of Michael458s B&Ms. [there's a 458B&M for sale here, but I'm just SO broke ] In this day and age, D/G would rarely be taken beyond 100 yards, I suspect, current ammo would perform quite adequately...

 

[Badboymelvin]

You forgot to ream it out to 458LOTT to avoid powder compression!

And to stop bullets bouncing off animals!
Sorry… my bad

 

[geoff rath]

And to stop bullets bouncing off animals!
Sorry… my bad

If you're going to ream out a 458Win Mag, go the whole hog: 458 African (Express)

 

[BeeMaa]

And to stop bullets bouncing off animals!
Sorry… my bad

I believe Jack Lott experience this first hand. Probably with a good bit of "well aged" ammo...resulting in the creation on the 458LOTT.

If you're going to ream out a 458Win Mag, go the whole hog: 458 African (Express)

Well let's not go crazy there chap. No need for all that.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Yeah it was a bit of a problem....but it looked cool eh!!

I do have to give it that.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I would like an open sighted Mauser 9.3 62 with a 22” barrel. Open sight due to fogging. (I don’t care how expensive the glass is it will fog when humid enough.) and handling. A can rifle just handles better without a scope. If it needs to be bigger a win M70 458 win mag.
If there was nothing big and mean a Ruger scout rifle would do nicely as long as you used the peep and took off the ugly rail.

 

[steve white]

I read about the constant rainfall rusting chrome moly no matter how much you oil. Ditto for swelling of wood stocks. Sounds like stainless/synthetic stock time for bolt guns. A fine double? Not sure I could expose one to that climate....but would be ideal in terms of performance!