One gun safari.

Ok you've finally convinced yourself that hunting in Africa is more important than JR.s college education. You've got a picture of the old lady with the pool boy. She's all for sending you off to the dark continent at this very moment. The window of opportunity is here and it's a small one so you'd better jump know or never.

The only kick is you'll only be allowed to hunt with one rifle. A one gun safari.

You'll be hunting all the common and royal anteolope. From the bush buck to the eland. You'll be hunting lion, leapord, buffalo, elephant, hippo and crocodile.

what rifle are you going to bring, it can be anything you desire but it has to meet the .375H&H minimum diameter and energy requirment?


I have narrowed it down in my mind to four choices from most practicle to least. Here goes..

1. A .416 Rigby in a bolt gun (CRF) of course topped with a 1.75X6 leupold.

2. A .404 Jeffery sane configuration as above.

3. A .375 same configuration as above (I already own this one so it would probably be the one.

4. A 458 Lott configured the same but with quality QD's for dangerous game.

what would you bring?

If you want to book in this season I can supply a pool boy for you...

my Army and Navy .470 and my custom Mauser .375 (scoped as you said)

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Gordon,

I'll be in Zimbabwe in the Dande North this summer for a month up in the Zambezi right on the Zambian border.

Guess what rifles I'll be taking.......

Yup my Searcy .470 and my scoped .375H&H. I like the way you think.

We'll be hunting buffalo and possibly doing some elephant croping as well. They've got like 500 cropping permitts due to crop damage and over population problems in that area. we'll also be hunting some antelope and I am taking a couple of first timmers over who want a "full bag".

I any case back to the thread subject.

I agree with you on the .416 on smaller antelope but I believe that it's a pretty good comprimise when you throw the thick skined stuff in. Pretty hard to argue with a well set up .375H&H though isn't it.

H&H, for your elephant cropping, what are permissible trophies to bring home? I would think it a waste to have to give up the ivory, but I hear there is still an international ban on its transport.

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Meek,

I keep having people advise me of this "law" about not being able to transport ivory. It is totaly and completely false! I am a memeber of the American Association of Professional Hunting Consultants. I assure you that not only can you bring your ivory home but it's done with great regularity. It just requires the correct permitt known as a CITES.

Now there are some countries that you can not import your ivory from. I'd recomend you don't hunt elephants in the Sudan or Somalia anyway.

As far as importing elephants taken on a cropping licenese. No can do, the elephants belong to the local tribal area you're cropping in and are not available for trophy export. That's ok though. I'm not doing it for trophies I'm doing it for the experience and as a help to my buddy. He'll have clients in all summer and asked if I wouldn't mind taking a few elephants so he doesn't have to do it all himself at the end of the season. Also the natives love to have the meat skin hair and bones for local consumption and artcrafts.


The only thing I'm trying for on export license is a really top notch buff. I'm shooting for something in the 45" range. we'll see.

Gordon, I hear you loud and clear.......

Monard,

I have killed a bloody big 39" gemsbok bull with my 30-06 using a 165gr trophy bonded. Broke both shoulders at 150 or so yards.

Your .280 will be fine for everything up to eland. I feel that the .375 is better eland gun.

Here's my advice to you, bring your .280 using the heaviest premium bullets that shoot well from it like a 165 or 175gr bullet. And stick your .375 in the case as well.

I shoot just about everthing with a .375H&H. But when it comes to springbok and such that require a little sniperability in open country. I like my .308win better.

Bring both of them and shoot what you shoot best. And if you feel the need for more gun on a certian day plunk out your H&H and go into the field with the confidence only a good .375 can provide.

And just by the way a .375 will do less meat damage even on small antelope than any of your hot 7's or 30's in case that was a factor in your decision.

PS

Where are you going to be hunting.

If money was no object I think a Chapius or Wm Douglas & Sons in that 450/3inch or 470 would suffice nicely for pachyderms.

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Dr Rob,

I'm curios to know why you'd choose these two makers over a kreighoff, Blaser, or a Searcy. All of which can be had for less money or about the same in a double.

I am not dissagreing with your choice just curious as to why those two.

Dr Rob,

I think a modern load in .458 win is just fine for elephant. All the hopla we heard about the .458 and penetration problems stemed from the old comopresed and powder caked loads. I think that problem is history.

Merkle makes a SxS in .470NE I've played with one. I do not like them at all. I find the engraving to look like a 4th grade animal drawing contest. And I just don't trust the action. I've spoken to several double gun smiths who feel the same way.

I like the Kreighoffs except that they do not offer ejectors due to the decocking sear system. I think the Williams looks like a great rifle I've never shot one. And as far as the H&H goes well no comment different stratisphere........

I agree with you on the Blaser it may well be the most astetically unpleaseing double ever built.
The Chapui I like them except that they are French....

Hank B,

You hunt buffalo with a fixed 6 power scope? I hope that you are doing your hunting in open country. In the grass of Tanzania or any tight cover that's a recipie for disaster.
Just out of curiosity why don't you put a a 1.75X6 on that rifle. It's the same sized scope.

Hank,

If it works for you.............

You and I have very different ideas about what constitutes a dangerous game rifle!!

Nothing wrong with that, just a difference of opinons.

I can't use a 6 power scope on close up fast moving targets my brain is just not calibrated for that.....