Thoughts: A rifle battery for a 28 day Safari hunt...

[Royal27]

There must be thousands and thousands of "inexperienced" hunters around who have taken tons of DG and plains game then.

Next, you will be saying anyone who doesn't just use a 30-06 for all North American game is an inexperienced hunter.

Totally agree. There are countless examples of the MOST experienced hunters, meaning those who do it for a living, having and using more than one rifle. To say otherwise can be nothing but an attempt to troll, or total and utter ignorance.

I've done the one rifle safari (although I took a shotgun as well), but never will again. Here is why.

For me personally, it's very important to attach my memories to my rifle. That's actually more important to me than to attach the memories to taxidermy or a photo. In retrospect it's probably also why I really only hunt with a few rifles ironically.....

So if I only take one rifle and it breaks down I'm out of luck. Yes I can borrow a rifle but I wont bring it and those attached memories home. Thus, I always try and bring two somewhat over lapping rifles, with definite usability of both on my primary target.

If my 458 craps out I can use my 375 on DG. If my 375 craps out and I have to hunt PG with my 458 and shorten my range then what a great story and memories added.

Now if you dont care about hunting with your own rifle as much as I do and dont want the extra weight and inconvenience of lugging a second or third rifle around I totally get it, but it sure as hell has nothing to do with level of experience.

 

[bassasdaindia]

1. 416 (Rem or Rigby )
2. 375
3. either a .270 or a 300 for longer shots depending on the area you are hunting.

 

[Hearties]

If the choice was 3:
404 Jeffery
9.3x62 Mauser
7x64 Brenneke

If the choice was only 2 I’d (reluctantly) drop the 9.3x62.

If the choice was only 1 I’d have to go and buy a 375 H&H!

 

[WAB]

Bullshit

Hmmm, an insulting, demeaning post from BP4E. Who could have seen that coming?!?

 

[WAB]

After you have jumped the "POND" a few times you tend to get very minimum in your baggage. I have & will again take one rifle, 404 J or 416 Rigby. That will take care of anything from Ele. to Duiker.

I’ve been on 9 safaris but I almost always take multiple rifles. I know one would do but I just can’t help myself!

On the bright side, other than checked bags for ammo, guns, knives, I typically have all of my kit in on carry on backpack.

 

[spike.t]

Hmmm, an insulting, demeaning post from BP4E. Who could have seen that coming?!?

Yeah.... Standard me thinks....

 

[spike.t]

I’ve been on 9 safaris but I almost always take multiple rifles. I know one would do but I just can’t help myself!

On the bright side, other than checked bags for ammo, guns, knives, I typically have all of my kit in on carry on backpack.

Good to see you enjoy using your toys....in the days where I used have to travel with mine... it was always two gun cases with four...usually three rifles and a shotgun..... Never found it anymore of a problem than I could see traveling with one...only extra was having to show the four to customs etc than one.....and I can guarantee I am way less short tempered than most people... but was mostly no problem.... So never understand everyone moaning about how difficult it is...one or four not that complicated..... Now I will wait for the explosion of contradiction......

 

[Brent in Az]

.500 Nitro Double
.375 H&H
.300 Win Mag

 

[Tanks]

Good to see you enjoy using your toys...
.... So never understand everyone moaning about how difficult it is...one or four not that complicated..... Now I will wait for the explosion of contradiction......

I keep hearing people complaining about schlepping more than one rifle all the time on this forum. Tuffpak will hold two rifles under the weight limit, so will most two rifle cases. If one is traveling business, weight allowance per bag is 70 lbs (32 kg) as well if one wants to use a 3 or 4 rifle bag.

Most cases have wheels so weight is not an issue on the way to the counter. Paperwork takes a bit of extra time (minutes, not hours). When I am on vacation my sense of urgency disappears as long as I make flights. I register all of my big bores with the CBP so that is not an issue either.

I don't understand the vehemence of one rifle for everything guys. Plus I have mentioned it on other posts, two is one and one is none in case something goes wrong.

 

[Royal27]

and I can guarantee I am way less short tempered than most people...

You mean way MORE short tempered than most people.

 

[CAustin]

Well for that many days I might as well bring.........three rifles. 470 NE bottom ,375 H&H and my 300 WinMag top photo. Only problem is I would have to get a new Americase 3 gun case for the trip! Ha what an excuse to buy something new!

 

[One Day...]

What I find interesting....

...in some answers, is the blurring between categories. Most would think of the traditional 3 rifles African battery as a light, a medium and a heavy. The typical historical example being .30 / .375 / .470.

Of course, each of these can be replaced by something sensibly similar: for example, replace .375 with .404 or .416; or replace .470 with .500 or .458; or replace .30 with .280 or .300, .316, .338; etc. There are a number of such batteries in the thread. I understand them.

I find it interesting to see batteries such as .300 / .375 / .416, or .280 / .366 / .404, etc. or on the other end of the spectrum .300 / .458 / . 500 where there are essentially two mediums or two heavies. I do not understand those as well.

My own three rifles battery in open bush would be:
.300 Wby
.375 H&H
.470 NE

and, in dense bush:
.300 Wby
.416 Rigby
.470 NE

As to bringing more than one rifle, whether the Pelican 1750 contains two assembled rifles, or the Pelican 1700 contains two disassembled rifles, does not cost a dollar more or one additional sheet of paperwork, and weight is not really an issue because there are wheels on the cases... so I find it no issue whatsoever to always bring two rifles.

I personally take the center layer of foam out of the Pelican 1750 and carry the rifles in thick Boyt padded cotton gun cases. The protect the rifles just as well as cut-out foam during the flights and are very useful to protect the rifles in the hunting truck...

Truth be told, if the 50 lbs weight limit, and two checked luggage limit, did not exist, I would likely take three rifles for a dream full bag month long safari...

As to experience, if memory of Bob Ruark's writings serves, Harry Selby used a .256 Mannlicher, a .416 Rigby and a .450 #2 double...

 

[Newboomer]

375HH with Barnes 235 gr TSX for pg and Barnes 350 gr TSX for dg. If i would opt for 2 guns the second would be Win 70 7RM and Barnes 160 gr TSX. Max weight in ammo. 375HH and 7RM can double for pg. I've used this battery before and it works fine.

 

[WAB]

Well for that many days I might as well bring.........three rifles. 470 NE bottom ,375 H&H and my 300 WinMag top photo. Only problem is I would have to get a new Americase 3 gun case for the trip! Ha what an excuse to buy something new!
View attachment 342879 View attachment 342880

That 470 looks too heavy to me. Perhaps you should just drop it off at my place with a bottle of pappy to compensate me for looking after it for you?

 

[spike.t]

You mean way MORE short tempered than most people.

Fkn .... Correct

 

[spike.t]

Fkn .... Correct

Can show Nancy that one.....

 

[spike.t]

What I find interesting....

...in some answers, is the blurring between categories. Most would think of the traditional 3 rifles African battery as a light, a medium and a heavy. The typical historical example being .30 / .375 / .470.

Of course, each of these can be replaced by something sensibly similar: for example, replace .375 with .404 or .416; or replace .470 with .500 or .458; or replace .30 with .280 or .300, .316, .338; etc. There are a number of such batteries in the thread. I understand them.

I find it interesting to see batteries such as .300 / .375 / .416, or .280 / .366 / .404, etc. or on the other end of the spectrum .300 / .458 / . 500 where there are essentially two mediums or two heavies. I do not understand those as well.

My own three rifles battery in open bush would be:
.300 Wby
.375 H&H
.470 NE

and, in dense bush:
.300 Wby
.416 Rigby
.470 NE

As to bringing more than one rifle, whether the Pelican 1750 contains two assembled rifles, or the Pelican 1700 contains two disassembled rifles, does not cost a dollar more or one additional sheet of paperwork, and weight is not really an issue because there are wheels on the cases... so I find it no issue whatsoever to always bring two rifles.

View attachment 342882
I personally take the center layer of foam out of the Pelican 1750 and carry the rifles in thick Boyt padded cotton gun cases. The protect the rifles just as well as cut-out foam during the flights and are very useful to protect the rifles in the hunting truck...

Truth be told, if the 50 lbs weight limit, and two checked luggage limit, did not exist, I would likely take three rifles for a dream full bag month long safari...

As to experience, if memory of Bob Ruark's writings serves, Harry Selby used a .256 Mannlicher, a .416 Rigby and a .450 #2 double...

I am so so totally amazed and shocked at how short your response is....................

 

[Royal27]

Can show Nancy that one.....

I did. And she laughed!

 

[One Day...]

I am so so totally amazed and shocked at how short your response is....................

A long business executive's life has led me to always ask the "execution questions" (what, who, when, how, why, how much, etc.) rather than just take people's statements at face value. Amazing actually how many people have not foundation whatsoever for what they say (be that in business, or any other field for that matter...) so I guess that it has formatted my brain to systematically provide the "why"
Which is anyway too long of an answer

PS: your Selous battery made total sense to me

 

[spike.t]

That 470 looks too heavy to me. Perhaps you should just drop it off at my place with a bottle of pappy to compensate me for looking after it for you?

Nope I think Charlie should take it and a nice brisk 10 plus...plus...depending or so mile walk after ele in the wild bush would be enjoyable.... Especially when the ele isn't any good and hopefully the walk back to the vehicle is in a shorter straight line ....then you do again the next day.....