Safari without Sling?

[Green Chile]

Hi, Bryan, what year (roughly) is your Purdey? And you say you have no qualms using jacketed bullets? I used to have a .450 BPE double from roughly the late 1880s and loaded it with hard cast bullets. But definitely using jacketed would expand the usefulness of the rifle.

What weight jacketed do you use?

Good question. I never lettered it. I should post a topic on it with more photos...don't mean to derail this fine topic.

Hawk bullets are 350s with the thinner .025 jackets for about 1900 fps. Hawk did not recommend thicker jackets for this mild velocity. They did ask if I wanted a custom cannelure and I did not.

 

[Philip Glass]

All ~

I have just returned from an inebriating SCI show, where among other ineffable pleasures, I have scored a rifle I had ogled online for at least two years:

View attachment 662559

It's an Alex Henry falling block (circa 1885) in .450 BPE, which I'm very much planning on taking to Africa. It has all the characteristics I love in a safari rifle--classic, beautiful, British, easy-to-reload chambering... and most importantly, it's a single shot, which as I realize, it has very much become "my thing." Oh, and it fits me like a glove.

As you can see, it has no provision for sling attachments. In a brief moment of temporary insanity, I flirted with the idea of adding a pair of classic British sling eyelets, but I soon discarded this proposition as quasi-blasphemous. I don't want to alter the rifle from its original configuration--especially since, in its amazing condition, it looks like it just rolled out the Edinburgh factory.

Since in my safaris--as well as all my other hunting adventures--I have made ample use of the sling while walking, stalking, following game trails, etc., my question here is who of you have completed a safari without a sling with which to carry the rifle? And what mode of carry did you mostly employ? Port-arms, African carry (which I actually don't like for several reasons), on the shoulder...? I will be hunting in the Karoo, where it's rather thick with acacia bush.

I'd love to hear your experiences.

All of the above. When planning a DG safari with my double I will work on several different grip exercises. This way my arms do not tire from days of carrying in the bush. The first time I employed this new effort my double felt like a .22! Be prepared as the scouts say!

 

[AZDAVE]

Tom congratulations That is a fine rifle. I have only used a sling on one of my 7 safari's. I mostly carried double, single, or bolt guns switching carry between my left and right hands. On occasion carried at port arms when following up.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If you do decide to hunt with a mega expensive work of art, I strongly recommend you learn to handle your gun wearing gloves. The salts from sweat on your hands will strip bluing and devalue your masterpiece significantly. Personally, I can't do anything wearing gloves. So I hunt with guns that are more "disposable."

 

[Tom Leoni]

If you do decide to hunt with a mega expensive work of art, I strongly recommend you learn to handle your gun wearing gloves. The salts from sweat on your hands will strip bluing and devalue your masterpiece significantly. Personally, I can't do anything wearing gloves. So I hunt with guns that are more "disposable."

Too late for that... I've hunted with "works of art" for decades now. But I always have my Ballistol wipes handy, and none of my guns is any worse for wear.

 

[Russ16]

If you do decide to hunt with a mega expensive work of art, I strongly recommend you learn to handle your gun wearing gloves. The salts from sweat on your hands will strip bluing and devalue your masterpiece significantly. Personally, I can't do anything wearing gloves. So I hunt with guns that are more "disposable."

Funny I’m the obvious I feel weird picking up a gun without shooting gloves on. Probably comes from years of shooting SxS shotguns in hot weather. Barrels heat up quickly.

I picked up a pair of chamois gloves from the beretta store a while back. Very thin and easy to manipulate things like reloading and safeties.

 

[degoins]

Thank you, guys! I forgot to mention, the rifle weighs only 7.6lbs. So not a really substantial weight to carry for 3-4 hours at a time.

I haven't used a sling in 20 plus years and the last use I had of them was for when I hunted out of climbing stands. You won't even notice the weight of that slim, trim beauty.