Question about Professional Hunters, big bore rifles, and ammo

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

In your experience, are PHs loading their own big bore ammo, are they buying it off the shelf, or do they have partnerships/sponsor type deals with ammo manufacturers? Just curious based on the prices and potential obscurity of some of these cartridges... but also have no idea what the situation is like in various parts of Africa, re: acquiring gun powder, etc.

Thanks!

 

[mark-hunter]

My PH is buying factory ammo, but considers to start reloading.
375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 300 H&H, 300 win mag, 223 rem - calibers i saw in camp.
Not all the ammo is always available in local shops.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I can only speak to South Africa, having just returned last THU.

I attempted to purchase 200 primers (LR, LP, SP, MR), as they can only purchase 200 rounds per licensed weapon/cartridge. Then that was stopped as I was not permitted to buy any ammo or primers. Carrying powder in my luggage was obviously a no-go. I did score a sack of 50 Norma made .458 Lott brass for a not insane price. Since they are unavailable back here I bit the bullet and paid the stiff price there.

My PH currently bought factory. With .458 WIN, he could find it OK. He has not had the $ to get set-up to reload yet. Not guiding for all of 2020 due tot he scamdemic really crushed him financially.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I can only speak for the PHs I have hunted with my last 3 trips. They all have reloaded there own ammo. I have taken brass or bullets all 3 trips over to them.

 

[Luvthunt]

My last two trip PHs had a friend that reloaded for them. Took what I could find for them. Both wanted Barnes bullets.

 

[Shootist43]

Re large bore / obscure cartridges, the last time I was in Safari and Outdoor in J-berg, they had a bigger selection than Midway, Cabela's, Brownell's and maybe several others COMBINED. Price however was another story. Remington Core -Loc in 375 H&H was over $150.00 a box. However it was also 2016.

 

[fourfive8]

Trying to remember details so I’ll give it a shot

Simple list as used by PH’s I’ve known and as I remember:

375 HH factory with 300 gr Woodleigh RN Weldcores- well “verdigri’d”

458 Lott unknown factory 500 gr softs and solids

458 Express reloads 450 gr GS Custom Flat Point Solids using unk RSA powder and reloaded soft points using unk RSA powder.

375 HH factory 300 gr Norma softs

416 Remington unk factory 400 gr TBBC softs and unk factory solids

500 NE Norma factory softs and solids.
(we priced some factory 500 NE ammo while in Durban. At that time it was POR… if you had to ask price, you couldn’t afford it!)

450 Watts reloads with mostly 500 gr softs and solids, unk powder

450 Ackley reloads with mostly 500 gr softs and solids, unk powder

 

[chashardy]

My PH in South Africa used a combination, some hand loads in some rifles and some factory ammo. Client hunters, including me, gave him unused factory ammo after the hunt.

 

[Tanks]

In Zimbabwe one needs a special license to reload that costs a few thousand dollars. Most either buy reloads or factory rounds including donations

 

[PeteG]

Only factory ammo in Zambia that I’m aware of.
No partnerships or deals on ammo supply, although that would be wonderful considering the cost of ammo.

 

[spike.t]

Only factory ammo in Zambia that I’m aware of.
No partnerships or deals on ammo supply, although that would be wonderful considering the cost of ammo.

But here you can get most calibres up to 600NE ..including some pretty obscure ones in the shop pete and me use...can be expensive but having done some comparison of prices in USA for the big cals possibly not that much more with the shortages over there these days....but as I have said in the past at least you can get it here...mind you I did the comparison when the kwacha was bit over 30%weaker than it is now ....so now things have rocketed up in price if you get your money in usd or gbp...as no prices for anything have come down yet....

 

[IvW]

Load my own. 375 H&H 340 gr softs and solids and 380 gr softs.
500 Jeff 570 solids and softs
12ga solid brass cases
As well as all the other calibers I use apart from 7 1/2 12ga and 22lr

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Thanks, gents. Really interesting stuff. What got me curious is that when everything disappeared in 2020, the big bore stuff was still largely available (albeit very expensive), but if it ever wasn't, seemed like a PH that didn't reload could be in a tight spot. I didn't realize some of the African locales had such strict/specific rules for ammo/component possession for licensed guides.

 

[IvW]

Yip and no reloading in Botswana. 100 rnds per rifle

 

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Are the restrictions on ammo and reloading components just part of a different culture of gun control or, at least in some places, are they rooted in government instability? I.e., not wanting a particularly well-armed populace in a state with government instability. (Yes, I know that's a continent-sized can of worms!)

 

[John Telford]

Reload my own .375,458lott 404,505.
Except for Pmp factory ammo the rest is rather pricey.

 

[Tanks]

Are the restrictions on ammo and reloading components just part of a different culture of gun control or, at least in some places, are they rooted in government instability? I.e., not wanting a particularly well-armed populace in a state with government instability. (Yes, I know that's a continent-sized can of worms!)

Actually, the restrictions on firearms, ammo and reloading (including components) are even worse in some of the European countries. In Asian countries almost impossible.

One doesn't realize how lucky we are due to the 2nd Amendment.

 

[spike.t]

Yip and no reloading in Botswana. 100 rnds per rifle

Same but 150 per rifle per year, and max of 50 in possession at one time..handguns 50 rounds per year per gun..shotgun 250 per gun per year....so need two of each calibre really....to assist the situation.......maybe you can DHL me some 500 reloads

 

[IvW]

250 shotgun????? Holy crap....I can get throught 400 a day hunting doves and pigeons...

Will have to rather use a single shot....

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hi tjere
We teload most of the calibres ammo we use a lot of
So 30-06, 375hh , 375ruger, 9.3x62 and 243
Restwe buy for now as dont use that much of it

I wish a sponsorship type
Deal would be available for ph’s or outfitters
That would be great