One gun or two? On safari

[Skeet]

When I talk about a second rifle in addition to a bigger one, I am primarily thinking of a rifle caliber 375 H&H Magnum or maybe 9,3x64 Brenneke, the latter because I have never own a rifle caliber 375 H&H Magnum, but a few rifles caliber 9,3x64 Brenneke. This keeps the option for hunting big game with such rifles wildly open, which is not the case with rifles in caliber smaller than .375 or 9,3mm.

I too have several 9.3x64 brennekes and that caliber always amazes me!!

 

[IvW]

If I was doing a 30 day mixed bag hunt it would be

500 Jeff or 404 Jeff(probably the 404 Jeff first choice)
375 H&H
12ga/22 Hornet combination.

12ga ammo I would arrange with the outfitter or buy myself on the way out.

 

[CamoManJ]

One trusted gun per safari for me, .300 WSM for PG & .458 B&M for DG. I purposely plan my safari around the gun & ammo.

 

[IvW]

So you never hunt pg on dg safari?

 

[CamoManJ]

No not yet. I’d like to be focused, but you make a great point!

 

[BeeMaa]

No not yet. I’d like to be focused, but you make a great point!

Targets of opportunity present themselves in mysterious ways. Sometimes they are a "once in a lifetime" chance at a trophy too good to pass up.

 

[CamoManJ]

Targets of opportunity present themselves in mysterious ways. Sometimes they are a "once in a lifetime" chance at a trophy too good to pass up.

Very true…

I will add that I’d like to be disciplined to stay within a planned budget. That said and by only taking 1 dedicated PG rifle, would be an extra firewall to keep from going over budget by shooting an unplanned & expensive DG. The wife would perhaps be angry & threatening future safaris, I won’t let that happen. lol

 

[CamoManJ]

So you never hunt pg on dg safari?

When I go on my DG safari, perhaps ‘25 or ‘26…heck yeah, I will supplement with PG & hunt them with DGR.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Boringly proficient, boringly accurate and boringly deadly.

I’ll take boring to the bank.

You can only be accurate with one gun? I own a variety of rifles and have used alk of them to take a variety of animals. I am familiar with each of them, which is a good reason not to rent/borrow one from the outfitter.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Pick a gun, learn to shoot it like a master and that’s all your need.

That's all you need until something goes wrong with your one rifle.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

You rent one from the outfitter. If the outfitter doesn't have any rifles (doubtful), then yes take two rifles. I took two rifles on my first safari and took one rifle on my second safari.

Rent one? Where's the fun in that? I would not hunt anything with a rifle that I was unfamiliar with. Anyway, what's the point in owning several good rifles if you're only going to use one?

A guy just can't own too many good rifles.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Rent one? Where's the fun in that? I would not hunt anything with a rifle that I was unfamiliar with. Anyway, what's the point in owning several good rifles if you're only going to use one?

A guy just can't own too many good rifles.

Yeah, I've said thatafore than a few times. And then there is range day 3, 4, 5, 6, different firearms 50 to 100 rounds each, come home, and the cleaning begins....1 to 7 hours later.....Damn! I own too many guns. Because if I only had 2, 3, 4 guns instead of 40+ guns:

1. I wouldn't have to clean this many guns right now.

2. I wouldn't have to reload all this spent ammo.

3. I wouldn't have to be searching the internet for hours looking to replace all of the reloading supplies I just used up.

4. I wouldn't have to buy more firearms cleaning supplies.

5. Just kidding. I need more guns, ammo, reloading components and firearms cleaning supplies so I can spend more time at the range and not wear out these firearms' barrels.

 

[hoytcanon]

Rent one? Where's the fun in that? I would not hunt anything with a rifle that I was unfamiliar with. Anyway, what's the point in owning several good rifles if you're only going to use one?

A guy just can't own too many good rifles.

Owning many rifles and traveling with many rifles are two different things... I own and shoot and hunt with many, but traveling via air, I do with one that is well chosen. Now if your game ranges from Duiker to Elephant on the same trip, your hands are tied and two rifles it is... but that is not a common scenario... generally one well chosen rifle with two loads can cover the gamut.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Makes sense to have two rifles for a DG and general game safari. I carry two rifles and have two sighted scopes for each rifle fitted with Talley QD rings.

You could do well with just a single rifle in .375 H&H, provided that you have thoroughly vetted the rifle and it's fitted with an extra scope on QD rings if needed.

 

[HWL]

When I go on my DG safari, perhaps ‘25 or ‘26…heck yeah, I will supplement with PG & hunt them with DGR.

.416 Rigby!!!

HWL

 

[sgtsabai]

Having sold all my pistols and rifles when I moved to Thailand, no guns allowed (disregard the daily shootings), I have no "2nd rifle" to carry. If, big if, my son in the states has held on to the BSA .308 and the custom ammo for it I may consider bringing it. The chamber is longer than American and therefore the bullet has to be seated further out for any accuracy. I am having a 416 Rigby on a CZ550 action built for Cape Buffalo which is the main objective. Package includes Kudu and Impala and I guess if PH can get us close enough the Rigby will certainly do. So if I do take a 2nd rifle or not, it's the Buff that counts.

 

[Challer]

Decide what you can't kill with a 375 along your PH for backup in a tough spot. Then you know if you need a different caliber. For me that answer is never in Africa. 300WM and 7mmRM for when I really have to reach out there, although I never shoot pass 200 yards in the field anymore.

So it's one R8, spare bolt, mag, and trigger group. Two scopes or scope/RD

How do the bowhunters go through this drill?

 

[Ridge Runner]

Decide what you can't kill with a 375 along your PH for backup in a tough spot. Then you know if you need a different caliber. For me that answer is never in Africa. 300WM and 7mmRM for when I really have to reach out there, although I never shoot pass 200 yards in the field anymore.

So it's one R8, spare bolt, mag, and trigger group. Two scopes or scope/RD

How do the bowhunters go through this drill?

I haven't bow hunted Africa, but when I'm traveling far from home and going to be aways from an archery shop I take two bows that are setup for using the same arrows. I also have a variety of choices of tips with me to use for the different types of game available to hunt in the given area.

 

[Altitude sickness]

My bows always went in a soft sided case like a Badlands Terraglde and as compounds got shorter in checked suitcase. My wife used a Excalibur crossbow. The limbs come off and it also fits in a suitcase. It was nice to grab bags off the carousel and go. No firearms special room or paying people off to get through the long lines.

last trip was a take down recurve

 

[meritman]

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?)

Well I have an experience where having a spare saved me from driving 300 miles back home so it’s not necessary but wise !!