One gun or two? On safari

[Red Leg]

I have hunted a lot of places besides Africa where a plane ride was involved. Like me, the vast majority who also do that don't drag multiple rifles to North American locations, Europe, South America or Central Asia. If an elephant isn't on the menu where you want to use that special double rifle, there is no need to do it on a modern short excursion to Africa either (actually isn't necessary for the elephant either.) Back between the wars and shortly thereafter when a full bag and a month in the bush was normal, then an African battery made sense. But today? It is just extra unnecessary weight. More than anything involving travel, I hate schlepping a single unnecessary pound.

If hunting buffalo and plains game I bring a .375 with 300 gr A Frames and a few 300 gr solids (Hydros shoot to the same POI in my current favorite .375). The A Frames are for everything except the tiny ten which is the purpose of the solids.

If hunting just PG then I have used a .338, 300 WM, and .275 - one at a time.

 

[Safari Dave]

If I travel to hunt over 200 miles from home, I always take two rifles.

I take much pride in my rifles, spend way to much time with them, always want to hunt with them, and never want to use a borrowed or rented rifle.

I have had a couple loose zero after a flight or a 2,000 mile ride in a truck.

The first time I ever flew to hunt, I flew to New Mexico and had to test fire my rifle in the dark using the beams from headlights. One of the baggage handlers must have "body-slammed" my gun case into the tarmac multiple times because the case was beat up and my rifle was off by at least 6 inches at 100 yards.

I had to borrow my lady guide's 7mm Remington Magnum to hunt the next morning...

I was ready to go after I got back to camp at noon the next day!

(I'd take the .375 and the .308)


My .375 has a 1.5-5X scope on QD bases, my .308 wears a 3-9X.


I had to make a fast, 300 yard shot on a kudu with the .375 at 5X at sundown.

We found it the next morning, but if I had to do it again, I would have rather made a better placed 300 yard shot with a quality .30 caliber bullet at 9X with a scope that is good in low light conditions.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Outfitter can provide a rifle for the one off hunt for your buddies wife.

Dragging an extra rifle along for that chance. No way. She would not know the difference.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

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?)

I’ve shot everything from Dik-Dik on up with a .375. You’re could easily do with just that fun.

I will personally never travel to Africa without a .375 since having one with me afforded me the opportunity at a PAC hunt in Namibia.

If i was going to bring a smaller gun, .308 is good (I've done that combo), if there was a lot of focus on smaller stuff I’d look smaller. If I was hunting somewhere that was more open and offered some longer range shot options (eastern cape, Karoo, etc) I’d look at something a little better suited for long range hunting/shooting.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

The less I carry the happier I am. Never met an animal that is killed better by a 308 than by a 375.

Your buddy's wife will almost assuredly be happier with a borrowed suppressed 6.5 Creedmore or similar than any rifle you'd bring along for her.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Take just the 375
One and done

 

[Ridge Runner]

Hhmmm.....I'm thinking of taking 2 maybe 3 guns with me in 2025. For sure my 458WM for buff and as sort of a comparison test. The second will be my 30-06 or 340 Weatherby for the bigger PG I plan to hunt. And the third will most likely be 22 Hornet or maybe a 22 mag for the smaller cats, porcupine, and jackal.

Then again I'm planning a 35 day trip, 4 different outfitters, 19 animals of all different sizes.

 

[Houston Bill]

The 375 can definitely can take care of everything on your list. If you are worried at all about the extra weight and or hassle of taking a second gun then just go with the 375. However, I am attached to my guns and I have several so it seems when I travel to Africa I always take 2 rifles except when I hunt elephant then I just take my double.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Traveling with firearm. I am not going to say this will always work, but it always works for me.
First, I use all aluminum cases, they are marked fragile handle with care PRECISION OPTICS, at the counter they put a fragile handle with care airline tag before it goes for inspection. Being marked fragile those bags are usually are loaded on top and are the first bags unloaded, (I have them do the same thing on my checked bags). 40 years no damage.
You be the judge.

Lon

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Majority of my hunting was plains game so I took my 30-06. When hunting buffalo, I rented my PH's 375. Now I take both my 30-06 and recently built 404 Jeffery. I can fit them both in a Pelican Vault single gun case with scopes removed in my carryon. When hunting buff, the 06 is in the vehicle in case something special plains game is spotted that's shootable.

 

[grand veneur]

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?)

The cartridge 375 H&H Magnum is quoted as universal, so it's enough to take just one rifle of this caliber with you for all game.

The question arises especially for those who use a big bore rifle for hunting big and dangerous game, a rifle that is not always suitable for plain game hunting. However, I hunted in Africa mainly with big bore rifles with scope so that I was also able to shot smaller game with this rifles. Perhaps anyone who above all uses a big bore double rifle with open sights should to carry a scoped bolt action rifle with.

 

[Fixfire]

Taking 2 in May. Original plan was to take my M70 375HH for both buff and PG, unfortunately it’s carries a 1.5 -5x scope. Outfitted suggested something with a little more visual reach for my tired eyes for where we’ll be hunting PG. Therefore, also bringing the 300WM which is scope out to 14x.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Taking 2 in May. Original plan was to take my M70 375HH for both buff and PG, unfortunately it’s carries a 1.5 -5x scope. Outfitted suggested something with a little more visual reach for my tired eyes for where we’ll be hunting PG. Therefore, also bringing the 300WM which is scope out to 14x.

I doubt you will need 14x. Lots of game. You should be able to do well with half that magnification. Hopefully you're PH is not expecting a client he's unfamiliar with to be shooting into next zipcode. I usually hunt with my 3-9x set at around 5x or 6x.

 

[Fixfire]

I doubt you will need 14x. Lots of game. You should be able to do well with half that magnification. Hopefully you're PH is not expecting a client he's unfamiliar with to be shooting into next zipcode. I usually hunt with my 3-9x set at around 5x or 6x.

oh, no my point was I would need something slightly higher than 5x. I usually use between 7x - 9x max when hunting out west for elk and mules. My first safari for PG, I never shot anything over 275 yards. Not comfortable that far with 5x.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

My last two trips I have taken 3 rifles. This June 3 again. 300 win, 375 HH 458Lott

You can get buy with just 1 rifle the 375 HH, I did my first two trips. But as my safaris get longer and diversity of what I am hunting each trip I seem to take more rifles. 375 will always go. The 458 Lott only when Buff is on the list.

 

[BeeMaa]

There’s a lot to be said for traveling light with just one rifle. I refuse to burden myself with anything more than that for trips including airline travel.

The 375H&H is the perfect one gun solution. Bring premium expanding ammo like the Barnes TSX or Swift A-Frame in 300 grain pills and you’ll be sorted out for nearly everything. Maybe 10 solids that shoot to the same POI as the softs for use on the T10 or when directed by the PH.

 

[WAB]

There’s a lot to be said for traveling light with just one rifle. I refuse to burden myself with anything more than that for trips including airline travel.

The 375H&H is the perfect one gun solution. Bring premium expanding ammo like the Barnes TSX or Swift A-Frame in 300 grain pills and you’ll be sorted out for nearly everything. Maybe 10 solids that shoot to the same POI as the softs for use on the T10 or when directed by the PH.

Or for an unexpected chance to hunt elephant! Just saying, it happened to me. Sure glad I had solids along!

 

[Bert the Turtle]

The cartridge 375 H&H Magnum is quoted as universal, so it's enough to take just one rifle of this caliber with you for all game.

The question arises especially for those who use a big bore rifle for hunting big and dangerous game, a rifle that is not always suitable for plain game hunting. However, I hunted in Africa mainly with big bore rifles with scope so that I was also able to shot smaller game with this rifles. Perhaps anyone who above all uses a big bore double rifle with open sights should to carry a scoped bolt action rifle with.

When I went on my buffalo/hippo/elephant hunt, I took only my 404. Shot at least 6 plains game animals, never once felt my rifle handicapped me.

 

[Philip Glass]

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?)

I recommend one gun unless Hunting DG with a double. Once you are familiar and proficient with a .375 you will see there is no reason for another gun for most of Africa. If you take two guns you will never have the one handy that you need!

 

[uplander01]

Anything 375, 404, 416,....one rifle for everything, I prefer to travel as light as possible. Of course something can go wrong with one gun. But if you've really done the work with the rifle and proved to yourself it works and you trust it the chance of that is slim.