Rifle drills for Cape Buffalo

[wesheltonj]

SAAM has a shooting drill. Ammo pouch on your right. Shoot three standing, while your gun is still shouldered pull two from your pouch load and shoot again keep repeating until out of ammo. Load another pouch and start over. Best to wear a shoulder pad.

 

[Fatback]

I will be using my 404J for my buffalo hunt and it is a Winchester model 70. I am thinking about using my 7x57, also a model 70, for some of the practice sessions, just to save on ammunition and also my shoulder. Comments or suggestions?

I do the same thing but instead of a 7x57 I use my 270 Win. Seems to work for me. In a typical practice session I’ll shoot the big/ buffalo caliber half as much as the 270 Win. I feel like this gets me the best of both worlds, plenty of trigger time without shooting up all if my larger caliber ammo prior to my safari.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

If you reload, maybe just lighten your 404J loads for initial practice. I'm a firm believer in eventually using the real ammunition that you plan to hunt with to get used to the recoil, weight of the gun and being competent in handling and all all the functions of the actual gun you are going to be using.

Yes, I do reload. The problem is obtaining bullets, as I use 400 gr Swift A Frames and they are scarce. I probably have enough Hornady factory ammo for early practice sessions and maybe 80 rounds of handloads with the Swift AF for final tune up practice, right before the hunt.

My thinking on using the 7x57 for early practice is the muscle memory should be the same or close enough, while shooting off of the sticks, cycling the bolt and performing reloads. And 7x57 ammo is plentiful.