RE: FIREARMS FOR A FARMER IN TANZANIA

[Kavik]

This may have little relevance on this hunting site however:
I have hunted in Colorado, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska. Always for meat (moose, deer, elk, sheep, caribou, black bear and assorted fowl, grouse, dove, phesant and ducks).
I now live in Tanzania and have a parcel of land (through marriage) to farm. My hunting interests are not of "trophy" catagory although I am not opposed to that activity.
My question is toward a viable battery of furearms for meat (PG) and predators to domestic chickens and goats (a donkey actually protects goats to a degree).
I would think a 9.3×62 or a 30-06 magazine rifle (with 2.5-5×42 'scope), a 20 ga o/u shotgun and perhsps a S&W .22 revolver 6 in. would be enough--any thoughts?

 

[mark-hunter]

Do you have any DG trespassing your property? Lions, leopards, elephants?
Are you willing to assist local community or neighbors in problem animal control?
Do you have a meaningful supply of ammo in local gun shop? And in what calibers?
Does Tanzania have any limits in quantity of firearms to be owned?

After all these questions would be positively answered, my suggestion would be:
Bolt action 375 H&H
Bolt Action 300 win mag
Shotgun 12 GA (3 inch shells)
Bolt action 22WMR or 22LR
Pistol 9x19
Revolver 357 mag

 

[Kavik]

That is a bit of over-do, in my opinion and economic ability. A 375 H&H makes sense in ammunitiin availability. Also, it could do for all animals I may be allowed to shoot.
A shotgun over, say a 20 ga over a 22 Hornet plus a .22 l/r pistol should be plenty.

 

[mark-hunter]

I can understand your point: but my approach to the subject is you can not be overgunned in Africa, but also I dont know your local areas specifics, and what animals are around.

 

[Kavik]

I think for such animals as elrphant, buffalo, lion, hippo, or leooard, govt. Hunter needs to be called--although leopard, heyena and wild dog may be delt with WITH prior permit.
I cannot possibly see use of 357 revolver or 9mm pistol. Or really much more than 30-06.

 

[deewayne2003]

Well 3 guns every farmer needs….

.22 Rifle
12ga shotgun
308/30-06 with 3-9x40 scope

 

[Kavik]

Makes good sense, Ammunition availability and/or reloading componets Help decision. I prefer 30/06 to .308. I do, think 375 type power may be legally needed in sone instance. But for edible PG a 257 to 30-06 would do as you suggest

 

[Kavik]

12 ga could have multiple choke tubes and even be O/U a smaller rifle like 5.6x42R

 

[grand veneur]

I can understand your point: but my approach to the subject is you can not be overgunned in Africa, but also I dont know your local areas specifics, and what animals are around.

It's a bit like if we were to ask in Africa what rifle we need for wild boar hunting in our countries.

 

[WI-2021]

I think for such animals as elrphant, buffalo, lion, hippo, or leooard, govt. Hunter needs to be called--although leopard, heyena and wild dog may be delt with WITH prior permit.
I cannot possibly see use of 357 revolver or 9mm pistol. Or really much more than 30-06.

I'll admit to knowing nothing about gun laws in Tanzania but, if it can legally be carried, the pistol on your person is better than the rifle in your truck or on the tractor. A .357 in particular would give you options ranging from snake shot up to ammunition capable of taking smaller plains game or dispatching various predators. Assuming legality and availability of ammunition, of course.

 

[Kavik]

Yes, very regional. I suppose wild boar can be hunted by driven, by stalking or by stand-over-bait eavh could possibly use a different weapon

 

[Kavik]

I'll admit to knowing nothing about gun laws in Tanzania but, if it can legally be carried, the pistol on your person is better than the rifle in your truck or on the tractor. A .357 in particular would give you options ranging from snake shot up to ammunition capable of taking smaller plains game or dispatching various predators. Assuming legality and availability of ammunition, of course.

Akso require reguluar practice. My pistolario technique would need as much work as were it a bow/arrow. A.22 rifle would be better.
I think auto (semi auto) are restricted. And wearing a side arm in view is frowned upon.(I take it as a threat to local population) although Massi are permitted their belt knives as cultural identuty. But that western US cowboy image and I parted company sever decades ago(lol).

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I believe the ordinary Tanzanian citizen can own four firearms. For your hunting purposes, I would highly recommend:
- A .22 Magnum (I really like the Browning T-Bolt)
- A .300 Winchester Magnum (I really like the Ruger Hawkeye Hunter)
- A 12 gauge ( a Beretta over & under or a Benelli semi automatic are some really good options available on the current market)

In Tanzania, the only local gun shop which I know of… is Tanganyika Arms Limited. And they mostly stock Sellier & Bellot brand rifle & shotgun ammunition exclusively.

 

[WI-2021]

If you feel like your pistol skills need more practice (mine do too) and the goal here is practicality, I think a .22 rifle would be the way to go. A .22 rifle is too useful to not have one. Maybe add the pistol later after more basic needs are covered.

From a practical standpoint, a shotgun is also almost a necessity. From my U.S. perspective, the 12 gauge is preferred for ammunition variety and availability, but I'd let locally available options guide your choice here. With slugs, the shotgun can handle some rifle tasks at short range.

Growing up on a farm in the U.S., everything that needed shooting got shot with either a .22 or a 12 gauge. That included hunting deer with shotgun slugs since rifles weren't allowed for deer hunting until more recently. Pretty much every kid's first two guns were a .22 rifle and a shotgun. I will note that almost everyone who could afford to switched to rifles for deer hunting as soon as they were able to do so. No one I know has gone back to slugs; rifles are just more effective for the task.

The centerfire rifle choice is more challenging. Most of your use will be plains game type things, so do you buy something ideal for that, or for the worst case scenario where you need something dangerous game capable? Presumably you could buy one of these immediately and add the other later if needed, and remember that the shotgun can cover some of this as well. Can you shoot a rifle in the 9.3x62 or .375 H&H class as well as you can shoot a .308 or 30-06? If so, that's points in favor of the bigger rifle. I can shoot a .375 pretty well, but I shoot my .308 better. The .375 goes to the range, but the .308 goes hunting.

 

[Kavik]

Very rational

 

[Luvthunt]

375 hh
30-06
22 or 22 mag
12 ga 3” Rem 870 with 18/20” barrel and various chokes

 

[Jack Stevens]

This may have little relevance on this hunting site however:
I have hunted in Colorado, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska. Always for meat (moose, deer, elk, sheep, caribou, black bear and assorted fowl, grouse, dove, phesant and ducks).
I now live in Tanzania and have a parcel of land (through marriage) to farm. My hunting interests are not of "trophy" catagory although I am not opposed to that activity.
My question is toward a viable battery of furearms for meat (PG) and predators to domestic chickens and goats (a donkey actually protects goats to a degree).
I would think a 9.3×62 or a 30-06 magazine rifle (with 2.5-5×42 'scope), a 20 ga o/u shotgun and perhsps a S&W .22 revolver 6 in. would be enough--any thoughts?

My thought - for what it’s worth - is what caliber(s) of ammo can you best or most-easily source in Tanzania? And can you source powders, bullets, and other reloading components for them?

That would drive the answer to your question of establishing a viable battery of rifles/shotguns/handguns for the purposes you stated: meat hunting and protection against predators.

Don’t know specifically about the ammo market in Tan, but elsewhere 30-06 factory ammo and handloading components are near-universally available, and the same is true of the ubiquitous .375 H&H. In Africa I would choose a 12ga over the same shotgun in 20ga.

 

[Kavik]

ThT m

My thought - for what it’s worth - is what caliber(s) of ammo can you best or most-easily source in Tanzania? And can you source powders, bullets, and other reloading components for them?

That would drive the answer to your question of establishing a viable battery of rifles/shotguns/handguns for the purposes you stated: meat hunting and protection against predators.

Don’t know specifically about the ammo market in Tan, but elsewhere 30-06 factory ammo and handloading components are near-universally available, and the same is true of the ubiquitous .375 H&H. In Africa I would choose a 12ga over the same shotgun in 20ga.

Akes sense. I wonder about a 12ga over a 30/30, 7.62x54R, or 5.6x52R I had at one time a Zoli 12ga over 22 hi-power(5.6×52R) and wish I had kept it. But maybe, like most compromises, they nake neither a good rifle or a good shotgun. Kind of like an amphibian aircraft is not a great boat or outstanding airplane combo.

 

[Rem280]

What can you get ammo for???? That would be my first question, then figure out the gun from there.

 

[Kavik]

458 Win
375 h&h
8x68S
30-06, 308
.22 r/f
12ga, 16ga