One gun or two? On safari

[CZDiesel]

Two, at least for me lol A 375 H&H and a 300 H&H will be going with me next year!

 

[Altitude sickness]

My wife and I are taking 4 rifles. We all know that her model 70 .375 H&H would work.
But what fun is that.

How would I justify big bores over .500 down to .30 cal

So to help justify buying and owning. I want to get some red dirt and dust on as many as possible. Not just look at them and shoot targets.

So, I am taking a .505 Gibbs and a .416 Taylor

My wife a .375 and a .308 giving the rifles their African bonafides
So they don’t feel like posers in the gun safe

 

[rookhawk]

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?)

Always, always have a spare rifle. Always ensure that spare rifle is a 375HH because it can legally harvest any animal in Africa.

Going elephant hunting with a 470NE? Bring a spare 375HH.

Going duiker hunting with a 22 hornet? Bring a spare 375HH.

 

[RayAtkinson]

Back in the day when I spent 30 to 60 days in various camps, I took my 404 or 416 and even a 9,3x62 or 375 H&H, they all worked just fine for PG and DG, a big bore with tough bullets kept off the heavy bones does not ruin much meat, and sometimes due to tough jackets the game will make a long run, but leaves a good blood trail. Also if hunting in DG areas a light rifle can get you in trouble i more ways than one.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

375 is the best all around Safari rifle from the bigest to the smallest of game, but if your going to be in an area where the shots on the plains game tend to be further 250+ I would take the 308 as well you never know when that dream kudu might step out at 400 yards across a canyon.
Good luck on the trip.

 

[hoytcanon]

375 is the best all around Safari rifle from the bigest to the smallest of game, but if your going to be in an area where the shots on the plains game tend to be further 250+ I would take the 308 as well you never know when that dream kudu might step out at 400 yards across a canyon.
Good luck on the trip.

Shooting at 400+, you would be better served by a 7 RM or a .300 WM, than the .308.

 

[Wiley64]

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

I want to read this story

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

All I can tell you is what happened to me from personal experience.
I hunted Limpopo in 2014 for plains game and took two rifles......a 30-06 and a .338 Win. mag. I was planning on taking ALL my game with the .338. First critter I shot was a blue wildebeest, and when I went to reload for my second shot, the gun jammed! Seemed that when I reloaded the ammo, I left the bullets just a tad too long. When I tried them at the range, I would load one round at a time (from the magazine), but when the magazine was full, for some reason, the next round would jam. All it took to fix the problem was to seat the bullet one milimeter deeper, but it was enough to cause the jam. I took the next 4 head of game with my 30-06 that I brought along as "back up".
I suppose the other alternative is to rent a rifle from your PH if necessary......................

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I would always take two guns that are both suitable for the largest animal on my list. This way if something happens to one of my guns, I am not forced to borrow/rent a gun.

Agreed. With most gun cases suitable for airline travel it's just as easy to take 2 guns as it is 1. Three is a different story. I've done that once as one of the rifles was for my son and he wasn't old enough to take it as his. If I ever do 3 again, it'll be a 2nd case and because the wife or my now older sons can take one as their own. And one of the two I take for myself will always be my 375HH M70.

 

[IvW]

But....but.... I would like to have the head for full body mounts on the smaller cats, Porcupine and badger.

.22 is not the way to go for Honey Badger.......both would be perfect for the smaller cats and other night critters......

 

[IvW]

A 22 Hornet/12ga would be the ultimate small cat and night critter rifle.....

 

[LWPhunt]

As mentioned, two is better than one, Stuff happens, if you like your guns, like creating the memories and stories you can share with Grandkids or friends. I find it much fun when I open up my safe and grab a gun, reliving what I have done with that gun. Take two, shoot different animals with different guns. Make this about memories, don't let anyone talk you out of it due to hassles. We don't do this stuff for no hassles, it's about the journey. So I split using different guns when I've been to RSA. 375 H&H, 300 WSM, 270 WSM, and even borrowed while there 308. and again, shoot em where it counts and they all expire rapidly.

 

[IvW]

I can get a 222 rem/12ga now but it is a hammer job 1 trigger thing.....

 

[IvW]

And the 222 barrel has strange long holes at the muzzle.....blinding devices for night hunting it seems....

 

[Wiley64]

Just reading this thread I keep bouncing back between my next safari bringing 1 gun or two. There’s great points to both arguments!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

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?)

Unless it's a local day trip I always take two rifles. On my last Africa trip, I took my .458 WM and my .300 WM. Before that it was the .458 and .30-06. It's not really any more difficult to take two than one. What would you do if you had a rifle malfunction with.only one gun? You could borrow or rent one probably, but where's the fun in that?

 

[hoytcanon]

Most of the time, when I travel, I take one rifle with two loads. One load will be heavy for caliber with a heavy load charge, the other will be a light for caliber bonded bullet with a velocity load. Usually one rifle will cover two scenarios. A .375 of some sort is a good middle ground. When you have two extremely divergent pursuits, as in small antelope and elephant, you must resign yourself to two rifles.

 

[Ridge Runner]

.22 is not the way to go for Honey Badger.......both would be perfect for the smaller cats and other night critters......

According to the outfitter/PH I contracted with for the night critters he purposed I use their loaner 22 mag to shoot everything. Everything being cevet cat, genet cat, caracal, porcupine, honey badger, and bushpig; and possibly a hyena and jackal. The hunts will be conducted from blinds around 100 yards from and around pre-established bait areas.

Personally, although the 22 mag can be effective, I'm not in favor of using a 22 mag when I have a 22 Hornet or 32-20, 38-55, 30-06 or 458WM (with select loads) for bushpig, hyena and jackal.

 

[btheis13]

I'm new to this site, but I've been thinking about this same thing. My plan is to take 1 rifle (the biggest I need for the plains game I plan to hunt). If my wife decides mid hunt that she wants to havest an animal I will rent something smaller from the PH (likely a 6.5).

 

[hoytcanon]

According to the outfitter/PH I contracted with for the night critters he purposed I use their loaner 22 mag to shoot everything. Everything being cevet cat, genet cat, caracal, porcupine, honey badger, and bushpig; and possibly a hyena and jackal. The hunts will be conducted from blinds around 100 yards from and around pre-established bait areas.

Personally, although the 22 mag can be effective, I'm not in favor of using a 22 mag when I have a 22 Hornet or 32-20, 38-55, 30-06 or 458WM (with select loads) for bushpig, hyena and jackal.

I'd be using a .223 in that circumstance.