One gun or two? On safari

[BeeMaa]

What countries count your brass ?
I was planning on leaving my 375 ruger ammo behind when I return + probably my .270win Norma oryx 150gr .

I know a person who went to Zim and had their brass counted going in and out. You should check with your PH and may also want to contact @riflepermits.com for even more detailed information.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

No.

You can only bring ammo that matches cartridge of the rifle you bring. And the ammo needs to have the same headstamp.



Also, some countries will require you to have all of your brass when you leave. They document how many cartridges you take in and it needs to match when you leave.

I went through South Africa and Hunter in Zimbabwe the year before last. No one checked anything except to be sure that I was not taking in more than the 5 kilo limit. I could have taken ammunition for any rifle. Nobody looked to check the head stamp on the cases, counted shells or cared what I brought out. It may depend on what country you are hunting in, but those two countries really don't care. My.PH in Zim uses a .450 Ackley Magnum. There is no commercial ammo for that rifle and he has a loader in the US that loads it for him. Clients bring the loaded shells in to him.

 

[BeeMaa]

I went through South Africa and Hunter in Zimbabwe the year before last. No one checked anything except to be sure that I was not taking in more than the 5 kilo limit. I could have taken ammunition for any rifle. Nobody looked to check the head stamp on the cases, counted shells or cared what I brought out. It may depend on what country you are hunting in, but those two countries really don't care. My.PH in Zim uses a .450 Ackley Magnum. There is no commercial ammo for that rifle and he has a loader in the US that loads it for him. Clients bring the loaded shells in to him.

Relying on the enforcement of laws to be negligent, lazy or bribable is not a good plan. You are welcome to do as you wish, as I'm unlikely to suffer because of it.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Relying on the enforcement of laws to be negligent, lazy or bribable is not a good plan. You are welcome to do as you wish, as I'm unlikely to suffer because of it.

Having read the laws on bringing ammo into Zimbabwe before I went, I saw nothing regarding counting the number of cartridges going in and comparing that to the number coming out. They go by the weight. I am also white certain that no one would expect a hunter to pick up every empty case fired while hunting and bring them.out. Your "facts" do not match my experience. In short, I do not be!ieve that what you have stated as fact is accurate. By stating these details as facts, will inconvenience others planing a trip.

 

[rbros]

375 H&H Improved and 30-06 Improved are what I’m taking this trip. The ackley chambers will allow me to use factory ammo should mine go missing. Buff and plains game are on the agenda.

 

[steve white]

Make sure you check to see that a semi-auto shotgun would be legal. I hear most countries will allow O/U’s and SxS’s but not semi-auto.

The auto 12 ga was a camp gun. This was in Dande South, Zim

 

[grand veneur]

As for carrying cartridges is concerned, I would also be very careful and would rather advise people to make sure that everything matches, means to have ammunition that matches the rifle they you are carrying and, if possible, to have the largest number of empty shells with you on the return flight.

I went hunting in Africa a lot of times and that in different countries. In most cases everything went well with rifle and ammunition, but I can remember a few cases where the officer wanted to see the ammunition, looked at the cartridges and checked everything very accurately. In some cases I also had to explain on the return flight why I no longer had all the cartridges with me.

In Africa, as in all countries in the world, there are laws, but some things are often depending on the person who is at the checkpoint. I would therefore advise every beginner with hunting in Africa to stay on the safe side as possible if he don't want that his first hunting trip start with a disaster.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

375 H&H Improved and 30-06 Improved are what I’m taking this trip. The ackley chambers will allow me to use factory ammo should mine go missing. Buff and plains game are on the agenda.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[sgtsabai]

I'm a new guy and this will be my first and unfortunately probably only trip. My main objective is Cape Buffalo. As of now the 416 Rigby that is being built on a CZ 550 action is the only rifle I will carry. I do have a couple of plains animals in the hunt, Kudu and Impala. Now to you guys this may be a stupid question but what do you carry your ammo in?

 

[grand veneur]

During hunting, especially when it comes to dangerous game hunting, it is advisable to carry the ammunition on a belt, preferably in a bag that can be covered so that the cartridges are not directly exposed to the sun's rays.

When traveling, I would always recommend transporting the ammunition in a small lockable case, for example like those that are suitable for transporting handguns. In most cases, this suitcase can be stored in your luggage, but it can also happen that at the last moment someone demands that the ammunition has to be transported separately from the other luggage. It is also advisable to store the cartridges in the original boxes so that there is no doubt about the correspondence between the ammunition and the caliber of the rifle that you brought with you, even if it is reloaded ammunition. Otherwise it is also very advisable to label the ammo boxes as to the contents. This way you are well prepared for any eventuality and avoid unpleasant last-minute surprises that could ruin a planned hunt.

I speak from personal experience after 40 years of hunting worldwide.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If you are hunting South Africa, you will need a separate locked ammo container. I bought a cheap one at Harbor Freight and it has survived four safaris. It is inside my checked baggage except the flights out of Joberg where it must be loaded separately.

Maybe too late to ask but have you shot a 416 Rigby before? It can be a shocking experience. I think it is interesting that when asked in an interview what he considered the ideal DGR rifle for clients, Harry Selby recommended 375 H&H, although his rifle during 39 years of world famous guiding was a 416 Rigby built on a standard action 98 Mauser.

 

[steve white]

I wonder if we are not overlooking one factor...practically all gun transport cases I have seen already have room enough for two guns--even if you bought the shorter Pelican for an R8, you can put extra barrel in easily. If you are already carrying a case which holds two, why limit yourself to one gun?

 

[M70375!]

I'm going for elephant, buff and lion and maybe some plains game if time permits . I see no reason to take anything other than the 375 H&H, with Barnes 300 gr solids and 300 gr TSX. I will have a Vortex Strike Eagle 1X8 with the horseshoe reticle which has a dot in the center and a hold over grid reticle, and it is illuminated, so I can know exactly where to hold at longer ranges for the plains game if needed. I think this is a very versatile combination, pleasant to shoot . I have never taken 2 rifles on my alaskan hunts and of course the conditions are much worse up there, so I think one rifle for this hunt is all I need. A friend of mine used his 375 for the tiny 10, he used 300 gr barnes solids and had very little pelt damage. Just my 2 cents worth

 

[bobdahunter84]

Never hunted elephant, and I'd think solids may be a good choice to have there. I don't think I'd be using solids on anything else though. I know my ph said no to solids on buffalo. Said I'd likely be paying for multiple animals with a pass through. I don't think you'll have any regrets using anything but the 300 gr tsx

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Never hunted elephant, and I'd think solids may be a good choice to have there. I don't think I'd be using solids on anything else though. I know my ph said no to solids on buffalo. Said I'd likely be paying for multiple animals with a pass through. I don't think you'll have any regrets using anything but the 300 gr tsx

I haven't hunted elephant either, but I have killed a couple of buff. 500 grain solids out of a .458 Win Mag works very well. My PH told me not to bring softs, and he's been doing it for over forty years. The last bull dived behind a clump of acacia at the shot. He didn't make it more than about 20 yards and piled up dead. The first one was a little slower to die and charged. I was glad to have solids for the penetration to reach the vitals.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I wonder if we are not overlooking one factor...practically all gun transport cases I have seen already have room enough for two guns--even if you bought the shorter Pelican for an R8, you can put extra barrel in easily. If you are already carrying a case which holds two, why limit yourself to one gun?

You're right. When traveling I take two rifles in a two gun case with wheels. I use straps to attach a large duffel that holds clothing and other gear to the case.. Now you can roll the case and large duffel more or less like a hand truck. A smaller duffel with a shoulder strap as a carry on lets you travel with two rifles as easily as one. You can still move through airports by yourself and not leave anything unguarded.

 

[sgtsabai]

@Ontario Hunter, yes I have. My gunsmith in New Mexico had one he built, a good push but not a sharp "jab" like I had with my 300 WM that I put quite a few rounds through off the bench and at critters. This will be my first to Africa but not my first rodeo with guns. I've plenty of time, I hope, for practice etc. as my trip is not until Aug. '25. At present I just want to make sure I've got everything correct for the travel. Looks like a good solid locked box for the ammo along with the list etc. will be the way I carry the ammo. All help welcome.

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[peacemaker]

Well having a back up just in case never hurts and they don't eat much.. .. I would opt to keep both.. I do however use my 336 for all my hunting needs here in PA.. for deer / bear ..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@Ontario Hunter, yes I have. My gunsmith in New Mexico had one he built, a good push but not a sharp "jab" like I had with my 300 WM that I put quite a few rounds through off the bench and at critters. This will be my first to Africa but not my first rodeo with guns. I've plenty of time, I hope, for practice etc. as my trip is not until Aug. '25. At present I just want to make sure I've got everything correct for the travel. Looks like a good solid locked box for the ammo along with the list etc. will be the way I carry the ammo. All help welcome.

​

Your 300 WSM must be a light rifle. This is the first time I've heard anyone make a favorable comparison to 416R. Don't cut the,weight on that build. My 404 on standard action 98 Mauser weighs just over 10 lbs with a #5 profile 24" barrel. In spite of the weight I can still feel my teeth moving in their sockets when shooting 400 gr from the bench. Balance is perfect. It holds very nicely. And actually not that bad to carry. In Africa I rarely have to carry my gun far anyway.

For my first safari I brought over a 416 Rigby in CZ 550 that was cut off to 20" for "portability." It was for my lodge owner. He shot half a dozen rounds and got rid of it. Recoil was really awful.

 

[EarlT]

I’m thinking about just taking the 375 for everything ( buff , eland, kudos , waterbuck , nyala)
then someone mentioned maybe I should take the .308 also for the smaller stuff just in case
I don’t think there’s a just in case? ( wife definitely doesn’t want to hunt for anything, buddies wife might?)

375H&H works for all