Which carry method facilitates fastest speed going into action?

[steve white]

Was reading an old article (no. 6 of 2008) in African Hunter wherein Brian Marsh described passing a termite mound which had an old buffalo cow asleep on the other side. She immediately gave charge. She only had to A. get up, B. take about five steps to reach her antagonists, C. give a swipe of her horns! Brian states that he was carrying his rifle in his right hand and "only had time to throw it into both hands and snap off a shot from the hip. I then jacked in another round from the hip and put one in her shoulder" as she swerved past. Wow. I won't delve into why he stayed at the hip to manipulate the bolt. He survived.
Allow me to ask--what would have happened if he had been using the "Africa carry" with the right hand on the barrel and the rifle resting on right shoulder? Would he have likely been alive to tell us the story?
I am asking our bloggers--given the method with which you normally carry, HOW MANY MOTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO COME INTO BATTERY? And how long do YOU say it takes you to do it?

My answer: my personal carry is rifle slung downward, held on the left side by the left hand. I rotate the rifle upward (coming into hasty sling) into the right shoulder pocket, my right hand coming to the grip/trigger, and the whole lifting process bringing the rifle to my cheek/shooting eye. Time required--2 second plus however fast my eye comes to focus in the scope itself, which can vary by eye box, etc. on a given rifle. But this also means I am using a sling, so...some may take issue with that and factor in the occasional snag?

Ready to defend your practice? Go....

 

[Hunter4752001]

I used to use a "Safari Sling" for local hunting. Very fast but I wasn't comfortable with the fact that you would risk 'covering' your hunting companions. Not as much as 'African Carry' but more than I was comfortable with.

As to what is actually fastest, I suspect our subjective impressions are not that reliable. I can remember back in the early days of IPSC there was a fad for cross draw speed holsters. Everyone thought they were much faster. That is till someone put a video camera on the line and was actually able to compare times by objective measurement. Turns out that conventional strong side hip holsters were significantly faster,

In those days few people had video cameras, these we all have them in our phones. Get it setup on a tripod at right angles to the shooter and have yourself filmed using various carry methods. This will give you some objective data to work with.

 

[Russ16]

I don’t know that I’m going to be “defending” anything on my preference it is just my preference.

I use a method similar to your except on my right side. When pulling the gun up I grab it with my right had at the pistol grip and as it comes up the left grabs the fore end. I’ll give your left side carry a try to see how I like it. My guess is I won’t be as fast. I’m a very right hand dominant individual my left hand is far less quick and accurate.

The fastest is obviously going to be some version of port arms. Or how bird hunters carry with dominant hand on the grip and but resting on the hip or thigh.

Bottom line is you need to be able to put your hands right where you need them with little repositioning.

I remember reading Taylor’s book on hunting and he always had a gun bearer walk in fri t if him in African carry. He could reach forward and grab the pistol grip and pull the gun straight back to his shoulder grabbing it with the offhand on the way. Of course that requires a gun bearer and one who’s willing to walk in front and prepared to get out of the way in a hurry if things get sporty. Probably a lot more realistic 100+ years ago.