Why are most ammo holders seen in Africa open top style?

[IvW]

Flaps get in the way when you need to top up or reload at speed....

 

[RLL]

I have never understood the reason for making your ammo harder to get to on a DG or any other hunt. I have hunted for many, many years with Murray Custom Leather cartridge holders that are all leather and open top. I will be reading for someone to answer why the flap is a good idea.......

Texan to Texan, because Dick made mine too!

Practically, I’ve not had an issue using either style in the heat of battle.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You have to buy a bigger ammo holder, everything fits in mine and it was very cheap, like all of my equipment, except the rifles. I don't spend a lot of money for hunting clothes. In Africa I use my old cotton trousers and shirts that I also wear for hunting at home. Hats you can get cheaply from military surplus. Camo is out of question, I am hunting in Africa, I am not on a combat mission.

The open top buffalo hide ammo holder for my 404 is only five rounds. Originally made for 375 I stretched the pockets to accept 404. Quite snug.

I also wear the same clothes hunting here and Africa ... except no hunter orange in Africa. Yay! My fleece jacket is camo from Columbia. Great quality, good fit, tough, and just the right insulation vs breathability. I've had it for twenty years and it's about worn out. Camo was not necessary. Just happened to be what was avaiable. Green work pants are good enough for me.

I've not had any issues with ammo in my 404 carrier damaging my gun's stock. I suspect likely that's is more of a problem with large capacity cartridge holders. Five capacity can be easily and comfortably pushed out of the way for slinging my rifle.

 

[Rare Breed]

On my last African hunt, I scratched up my rifle stock pretty good slinging my rifle the stock made contact with the exposed rounds, just one time. Of course crawling though the acacia thorns added a few scratches too! I subsequently shoved the ammo carrier to the rear behind my back. It was easy enough to slide it back to access the ammo. Having a total of four 416 Rigby rounds including one in the chamber, I never felt handicapped so I would be fine with a covered ammo pouch like the one Rigby makes with no exposed metal to scratch the rifle stock.

Fair points given you hunt with a four in the magazine rifle. If you had a need to reload quickly you might find yourself in trouble with a charging DG animal

 

[BJH65]

Fair points given you hunt with a four in the magazine rifle. If you had a need to reload quickly you might find yourself in trouble with a charging DG animal

True enough. I concede the potential need for a quick reload with a single shot and a double, less so with a magazine rifle. My CZ 416 Rigby as mentioned holding a total of four and my Custom Brno 458 Lott holding a total of 6! Unless on a culling operation, I cannot envision needing more than that.

However, that said, with practice, one could become very proficient reloading from a covered cartridge holder. Nothing at all wrong with putting in the practice to reload quickly, however, I suggest more time spent practicing on placing that first shot precisely into the vitals so as to not need a speedy reload from an empty gun.

 

[meigsbucks]

I use both. If after DG or using a singe shot, I use an open top Murray leather slide. But I also a carry closed top, so I have approximately a dozen extra rounds. I don’t want to be five miles from the truck and run out of ammo.

 

[Philip Glass]

On my last African hunt, I scratched up my rifle stock pretty good slinging my rifle the stock made contact with the exposed rounds, just one time. Of course crawling though the acacia thorns added a few scratches too! I subsequently shoved the ammo carrier to the rear behind my back. It was easy enough to slide it back to access the ammo. Having a total of four 416 Rigby rounds including one in the chamber, I never felt handicapped so I would be fine with a covered ammo pouch like the one Rigby makes with no exposed metal to scratch the rifle stock.

I see your point. It is frustrating to scratch up a nice rifle! I just think back to my last elephant hunt which was a tuskless cow and the tense situation after the shot in a herd. I was fumbling ammo trying to reload. I wouldn't want anything extra to think about in that situation. Scary!

 

[BJH65]

I see your point. It is frustrating to scratch up a nice rifle! I just think back to my last elephant hunt which was a tuskless cow and the tense situation after the shot in a herd. I was fumbling ammo trying to reload. I wouldn't want anything extra to think about in that situation. Scary!

I see your point as well. My only African DG experience has been buffalo and hippo on land. Did not consider a herd of angry elephants wanting to end you!

 

[CBH Australia]

I see your point as well. My only African DG experience has been buffalo and hippo on land. Did not consider a herd of angry elephants wanting to end you!

With Zero experience but a fascination for Dangerous Game I’m sure many experienced hunters considered the options.
I have a bit of hunting experience and a fair bit of pest management behind me.
It’s not a perfect science and wwe need to assess each situation.
I have been out with a rifle and cleaned up a sounder of pigs and run short on ammo for a return trip. Wasn’t planned, I could head out and whack a few, maybe more and on many occasions none.
But the day/s I drove past pigs with no ammo heading home were because I misjudged what might present on the day

 

[Frederik]

Except for the easy access it looks cool open top convertibles are cool so is open ammo pouches.