Question about historical safari rifle batteries

[Professor Mawla]

1880s - 1890s :

Typical battery -

* Light rifle ( non dangerous game and thin skinned dangerous game ) - .450 Black Powder Express or .500 Black Powder Express
* Heavy Rifle ( all dangerous game ) - 10 bore or 8 bore double rifle ( or paradox gun , from 1893 onwards )
* Shotgun - 12 bore side by side shotgun ( with a fully choked left barrel for firing shot shells and a cylinder choked right barrel for firing ball shells ) or Paradox gun . 16 Bore was popular amongst the Continental European hunters . 10 Bore was popular amongst American hunters .

1900s - 1910s

Typical battery -

* Light rifle - .303 British sporting Lee Enfield ( among British hunters ) or 7x57 mm Mauser sporter ( among Continental hunters ) or .30-06 Springfield ( among American hunters ) . Among wealthier hunters , the .333 Jeffery or the .318 Westley Richards had a following .
* Heavy rifle - .450 Nitro Express or .470 Nitro Express or .500 Nitro Express or .577 Nitro Express double rifles . Some Americans opted for a .405 Winchester , but most hunters perceived it as too underpowered for thick skinned dangerous game . A few English and Continental hunters began to opt for bolt action rifles such as the .404 Jeffery or the .416 Rigby or the .425 Westley Richards .
* Shotgun - 12 bore side by side shotgun ( with a fully choked left barrel for firing shot shells and a cylinder choked right barrel for firing ball shells ) . Quite a few Americans opted for a 12 bore pump action shotgun ( such as the Winchester Model 1897 or 1912 ) or even the Fabrique Nationale Browning A-5 semi automatic shotgun .

1920s - 1930s

Typical battery

* Light rifle - 303 British sporting Lee Enfield ( among British hunters ) or 7x57 mm Mauser sporter ( among Continental hunters ) or .30-06 Springfield ( among American hunters ) . Among wealthier hunters , the .333 Jeffery or the .318 Westley Richards had a following . Many Continental hunters began to prefer the 8x57 mm Mauser or the 9.3x62 mm Mauser
* Heavy rifle - .500/465 Nitro Express , .470 Nitro Express or .500 Nitro Express double rifles . Most visiting hunters were slowly shying away from the .577 Nitro Express , although it remained popular among professional ivory hunters and white hunters . Among bolt action aficionados , the .404 Jeffery or the .416 Rigby was almost always the standard . Those who were of limited means , opted for a 10.75x68 mm Mauser ( which was quite a popular calibre in the German colonies of Africa and the Portuguese parts of India ) .
* shotgun - 12 bore side by side shotgun ( with a fully choked left barrel for firing shot shells and a cylinder choked right barrel for firing ball shells ) . Quite a few Americans opted for a 12 bore pump action shotgun ( such as the Winchester Model 1897 or 1912 ) or even the Fabrique Nationale Browning A-5 semi automatic shotgun . Over & Under shotguns begin to achieve popularity among Continental European hunters and Americans , as well .

1940s - 1950s

Typical battery

* Light rifle - .30-06 Springfield had almost universally become the standard , by this point . This was followed by the .270 Winchester and the .300 Holland & Holland Magnum . Due to the aftermath of World War II , most German calibres ( barring the 7x57 mm Mauser ) were practically non existent during this time .
* Heavy rifle - .375 Holland & Holland Magnum had almost universally become popular ( especially among American hunters due to the Winchester Model 70 ) during this era . Some of the wealthier British hunters opted for .500/465 or .470 Nitro Express double rifles . The .404 Jeffery and .416 Rigby were popular amongst admirers of bolt action rifles .
* Shotgun - 12 bore pump action shotguns ( where legal ) or over & under shotguns . The side by side shotgun was slightly less popular than before . Those going on short safaris may have opted for a 20 bore instead , but they typically had to rely exclusively on the ammunition which they brought with them ( because 20 bore ammunition was not locally available in Africa , back in those days .

1960s - 1970s

Typical battery

* Light rifle - .30-06 Springfield or .308 Winchester or .300 Winchester Magnum or .338 Winchester Magnum
* Heavy Rifle - .375 Holland & Holland Magnum or .458 Winchester Magnum . The bolt action rifle had now almost completely eclipsed the double rifle , in terms of popularity . British sporting calibres were completely dead at this point ( barring the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum , which survived and thrived due to American and European companies continuing to manufacture factory loaded ammunition for this calibre . )
* Shotgun - 12 bore pump action shotguns ( where legal ) or over & under shotguns . The side by side shotgun was no where as popular as before . Those going on short safaris may have opted for a 20 bore instead , but they typically had to rely exclusively on the ammunition which they brought with them ( because 20 bore ammunition was not locally available in Africa , back in those days .

Note : Due to the velocity problems of the .458 Winchester Magnum ( at the time ) , the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum was chosen by most hunters as their heavy rifle of choice .

For an interesting bit of trivia ; here is the battery which living legend Peter Byrne opted for , when he moved to Nepal to begin his professional hunting career in 1948 .

In 1953 , he replaced the .470 Nitro Express with a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum which was built by Holland & Holland on a Pattern-14 Enfield action .


If anybody would like me to list the typical battery brought by visiting hunters to India ( between 1950 and 1970 ) or East Pakistan ( between 1949 and 1969 ) , please do not hesitate to ask .

 

[Professor Mawla]

I think, if memory serves, Teddy Roosevelt - who safari'd in epic fashion - carried a very limited selection comprising just a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester.

FN

@Fabnosh
We must not forget the .500/450 Nitro Express double rifle by Holland & Holland or the 12 bore ( 2 3/4 inch chambers ) Fox side by side shotgun .

 

[John Telford]

I think, if memory serves, Teddy Roosevelt - who safari'd in epic fashion - carried a very limited selection comprising just a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester.

FN

And a Holland .500 double that was gifted him by his mates...

 

[318AE]

Professor - Interesting insights as to how things developed over the decades. I appreciate you sharing this.

In light of the new cartridges than come and go, it’s interesting to reflect as to whether a hunter‘s choices today are really superior in performance, aside from better performing bullets.

 

[Professor Mawla]

Professor - Interesting insights as to how things developed over the decades. I appreciate you sharing this.

In light of the new cartridges than come and go, it’s interesting to reflect as to whether a hunter‘s choices today are really superior in performance, aside from better performing bullets.

@318AE
I am honored that you have enjoyed this breakdown . I just realized that I completely missed the 7 mm Remington Magnum during my 1960s - 1970s listing . How callous of me .

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Thanks for your replies, gents. Very interesting stuff.

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Professor -- I would love to hear about Indian and Pakistani hunts as well if you have the time!

 

[Cervus elaphus]

Gents,

Back in the glory days of months-long safaris, I'm curious what a battery of rifles might have looked like. Are we talking 3-ish? (One for light plains game, one for heavy plains game, and one for dangerous game?) Or given the lavishness of those trips, would wealthy hunters have brought along more rifles? I'm specifically wondering about clients, not the PH.

Thanks!
M

I suppose it depended on how many gun bearers you could afford to hire!.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

As I recall, Teddy took a case of 1895s, along with an assortment of other rifles. But he went for a year. Might be a little excessive for even a 3-4 week safari these days.

It's interesting to look at the old photos of truckloads of stuff like heavy canvas tents, crates of gin, a separate truck for personal gear (or oxcart going back earlier where the beasts of burden were probably eaten by lions along the way). Throw in the cooks cleaners servants, guides et al and you had a mobile city. Don't know about you but I like to travel light. If it can't fit on my back, it 'aint going.

 

[Professor Mawla]

The safari hunting ( Shikar ) industry in post independence India lasted from 1950 to 1970 and our very own @Major Khan Sir worked as a professional Shikari for Allwyn Cooper Limited ( India’s largest Shikar outfitters until the Indira Gandhi regime banned all forms of hunting in India ) . Most Americans who legally hunted in India , had done so during this time . India had a relatively lenient arms import regulation at the time , which allowed the visiting hunter to bring two arms and 250 rounds of ammunition into the country ( with the arms and the first 100 rounds being duty free ) . There used to be a game regulation ( in 13 states ) which mandated the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum as being the smallest legally permissible calibre for hunting Royal Bengal tigers and Gaur . .303 calibre arms were declared as “ Prohibited Bores “ , as were .450 calibre arms ( until customs began to permit the .458 Winchester Magnum through , from 1964 onwards until the hunting ban ) .

1950 - 1960

Light rifle - Almost ALWAYS a .30-06 Springfield .
Heavy rifle - Seven times out of ten , it was a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum ( especially amongst American hunters who almost always opted for a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 in this calibre ) . If the visiting hunter had a Gaur on his list of trophies to secure , then he almost always opted for a .470 Nitro Express double rifle .
Shotgun - Usually rented from the outfitters ( This was invariably an Indian Ordinance Factories 12 bore DBBL side by side shotgun ) .

Note : Many visiting hunters simply brought a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum as their sole rifle , and brought a 12 bore shotgun as their second firearm . The shotgun of choice was usually either a 12 bore over & under or pump action . Semi automatic shotguns had a small following and side by side shotguns had a following amongst older British hunters .

1960 - 1970

Light rifle - Almost always a .30-06 Springfield or sometimes a 7 mm Remington Magnum. Occasionally a .308 Winchester . In hilly regions ( like Siliguri ) , the .300 Winchester Magnum had a very serious following .
Heavy rifle - A .375 Holland & Holland Magnum was pretty much the standard during this era . From 1964 onwards , quite a few Americans ( and even British or Continental Europeans ) began to prefer the .458 Winchester Magnum ( especially when they intended to go after a Gaur ) .
Shotgun - Usually rented from the outfitters ( This was invariably an Indian Ordinance Factories 12 bore DBBL side by side shotgun ) .

Note : Many visiting hunters simply brought a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum as their sole rifle , and brought a 12 bore shotgun as their second firearm . The shotgun of choice was usually either a 12 bore over & under or pump action . Semi automatic shotguns had a small following and side by side shotguns had a following amongst older British hunters .

In East Pakistan ( now People’s Republic Of Bangladesh ) , the safari ( Shikar ) industry lasted from 1949 to 1969 and virtually all visiting hunters hunted in the Sundarban mangrove forests . Game animals consisted of Axis deer , Bengal bush boar , salt water crocodile and the Royal Bengal tiger . Winged game comprised almost exclusively of the red jungle fowl and the golden snipe . All service calibres were considered “ Prohibited Bores “ back in those days ( such as the .30-06 Springfield , 7.62x51 mm NATO and the .303 British ) . There used to be a really odd game regulation in the Sundarban mangrove forests , back in those days . You were forbidden from hunting Axis deer , unless you applied for special permission ( although most sympathetic forest guards looked the other way , when a local hunter shot an Axis deer for the larder ) . However , you could hunt as many Royal Bengal tigers as you liked . In fact , generous rewards were doled out to those hunters who managed to dispatch marauding Royal Bengal tigers or livestock killers ( as long as you delivered the hide to the local forest office ) .

1949 to 1959

Light rifle - .270 Winchester or 7x57 mm Mauser or 9.5x57 mm Mannlicher Schoenauer
Heavy rifle - .375 Holland & Holland Magnum bolt action rifle or .470 Nitro Express double rifle
Shotgun - 12 bore over & under or pump action was the most popular , followed by semi automatic shotguns . Quite a few visiting hunters preferred side by side shotguns , as well .

This was Gohar Ayub Khan’s battery , when he visited the Sundarban mangrove forests in 1956 and 1959 . Today , Gohar Ayub Khan is a retired politician in Pakistan .

For his first trip ( where he intended to only hunt Axis stags ) , he brought :
Rifle - 9.5x57 mm Mannlicher Schoenauer
Shotgun - 12 bore ( 2 1/2 inch chambers ) FJ Baker side by side shotgun
Handgun - 9x19 mm Parabellum Luger P08 semi automatic pistol .

For his second trip , he added a .470 Nitro Express side-lock ejector double rifle ( for the purpose of hunting Royal Bengal tigers) , which was built by John Rigby & Co. in 1937 .

When Pakistani military officer , Tahawar Ali Khan visited the Sundarban mangrove forests in 1960 ; he brought along :
Light rifle - a Birmingham Small Arms Regent bolt action rifle in 7x57 mm Mauser
Heavy rifle - A pre 64 Winchester Model 70 in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum
Shotgun - A Birmingham Small Arms 1933 built 12 bore ( 3 inch chamber ) side by side shotgun

The last Caucasian to formally hunt in East Pakistan ( before Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War ) , was Mr. Sean Flynn ( a French journalist ) in the winter of 1968 . Mr. Flynn is in the centre of the photograph . On his right hand side , is his local Shikari and guide ; Pachabdi Gazi ( East Pakistan and Bangladesh’s most famous professional hunter and the slayer of 57 marauding Royal Bengal tigers ) .

For his Shikar , Mr. Flynn had brought along :
Rifle - Fabrique Nationale Browning Mauser model 98 in 10.75x68 mm Mauser ( pictured )
Shotgun - 12 bore ( 2 3/4 inch chambers ) blued steel Remington Model 1894 box-lock ejector side by side shotgun

 

[Muskox]

I think, if memory serves, Teddy Roosevelt - who safari'd in epic fashion - carried a very limited selection comprising just a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester.

FN

He had some sort of double rifle 450 NE I beleive.

 

[Muskox]

A month long safari.

To comply with the 50 pound limit this is what I would bring.

Blaser R8 375 H&H barrel and a 300 Win barrel (they share the same magazine and bolt face so this is less weight). 1.7-10x42 Swaro for the 375 and a 3-18x50 Swaro X5 for the 300 Win.

Krieghoff 500/416 NE double rifle with the same 1.7-10x42 Swaro mounted.

60 Rounds of 500/416 all Swifts 20 break away solids 40 softs
60 Rounds of 375's all Swifts softs
60 Rounds of 300 all 180 Nosler Accubonds (more accurate than Swifts Sceroccos in every rifle I have tried).

If I was only bringing two rifle calibers I would not bring the double rifle, and I would bring a 416 barrel instead of the 375 Barrel.

If you had unlimited weight and ammo concerns, I would choose a 3 rifle battery.

416 Rigby Heym Martini Express
500/416 NE Heym double rifle
30-06 Heym Martini Express
22 WMR Anshutz
12 Gauge Blaser B16

Or if you like Rigby better

416 Rigby
350 Rigby
500/465 NE double rifle
22 WMr Anschutz
12 Gauge Rigby side by side

 

[Cervus elaphus]

He had some sort of double rifle 450 NE I beleive.

H&H double in .500-450 Nitro Express,

 

[Tanks]

A month long safari.

To comply with the 50 pound limit this is what I would bring.

If going for a month you can afford to fly business and have a 75 pound limit.

 

[Scrumbag]

I suspect it might be (With a Bit of a British Slant)

6.5x54 MS - Light plains game and meat for the pot (Perhaps 275 Rigby, always found it interesting how popular the 6.5x54 MS was in UK circles in the interwar and post war period)
.300 H&H - General Plains Game that might be a bit larger
450/400 - "Heavy" double - punchy enough, but shootable. PH carries a bolt action for dangerous game, not you a the client, old boy

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[Cervus elaphus]

I suspect it might be (With a Bit of a British Slant)

6.5x54 MS - Light plains game and meat for the pot (Perhaps 275 Rigby, always found it interesting how popular the 6.5x54 MS was in UK circles in the interwar and post war period)
.300 H&H - General Plains Game that might be a bit larger
450/400 - "Heavy" double - punchy enough, but shootable. PH carries a bolt action for dangerous game, not you a the client, old boy

ATB,

Scrummy

I had a 6.5x55 Swedish which was good on deer-sized game and didn't spoil the meat.
For a battery I would choose my 30-06 with loads from 165gr to 220gr, and a .404J with loads from 300gr to 450gr. Just the two rifles and I believe factory ammo for both in some of those loads would be obtainable in Africa if I couldn't take my own over. The 300gr Hawk loads for the 404J has ballistics very similar to the 300gr H&H .375 but with a little more frontage. I think your 450-400 double would also be a good choice with ballistics close to the .404J. Horses for courses on that one depending on what sort of terrain the hunting takes place in. In heavy cover, tall grass etc I think I'd prefer a dbl like the .470NE. Cheers

 

[Tanks]

I think I started a thread very similar to this for a 28 day Tanzania trip.

My choices then (and has not changed) were:

.300 RUM as light and also for when one has to reach far.
.458 B&M that could be used for < 250 for plains game and also substitute for heavy depending on bullets.
.500 NE double for the heavy.

 

[Pondoro]

Two rather wealthy norwegians, Frantz Rosenberg and Arild Berg, hunted British East Africa from Dec. 1913 to Jul. 1914. They shipped out from Marseilles on 11th december 1913 on the german East-African Lines "Tabora". They organized their own porter safari and hunted more or less continous during this period.

They visited W.J.Jeffery in London on their way to Africa and each bought a .450/400 double rifle with ejectors, regulated for 60 grains of cordite/400 grain bullet.. They also shared a Krag-Jørgensen 6,5mm for lesser game, a british falling block rifle in .303 (probably a Farquarson), a 12 gauge shotgun and a Colt revolver in .38 special..

All ammo was packed in soldered tin cans as was the custom to protect it from humidity..
They dressed in khaki, had Wolseley pattern pith helmets and double Terai hats for the sun..shorts and puttees..

They brought a medicine chest from Burroughs & Welcome in London

They shot 200 + game during those months, from elephant and down including several crocs.
The .450/400´s performed splendidly on ele, rhino, buffalo and lion.

They occationally hunted with british officers and talk about one of them trying to hunt buffalo with a double in .577 blackpowder express...wich failed to penetrate and kill them..

 

[Ike85123]

 

[Woodcarver]

I've kicked myself several times for not picking up a couple sets of those 1895 Winchesters when they had some left and offered them to life members for $3200. Every now and then a single rifle, not the pair, will show up on GB for $2-$3k.