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| One of Us |
Check out the carry method used by the chap in the beret at 1:01 to 1:07 on the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw_FutaEd08 | ||
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As for the guy carrying the gun, I don't do it that way but I know what he's doing. With a couple of quick movements he can have the rifle up on his shoulder and be wrapped tightly in the carrying strap to add stability to the rifle for a shot. The second question was answered presuming the firing pin was really resting on the primer. With most guns this wouldn't be safe. With an inertial type firing pin with the rifle uncocked, it would be safe. Three rifles safe to carry in this manner would be the Thompson/Center Encore or Contender and the Blaser R93. | |||
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I shoot righthanded. When just walking I carry muzzle down, sling on my left shoulder, round in the chamber, magazine full, safety on. When getting close, I wrap the sling around by left arm and point the barrel muzzle down, at a low ready so to speak. It's quick and eliminates any overhead movement of the barrel, swapping of hands etc. When in the truck, bolt down on empty chamber, full magazine, safety off. Robert Robert If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy. Thomas Jefferson, 1802 | |||
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A magazine published in South Africa (Magnum?) had an article about 10 years ago in which the author dropped several types of rifles on the butt with the action not cocked, but closed on a live round. They fired. JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous. | |||
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If you don't wear a beret it won't work....period. I wish I could catch fish this easy when I go offshore!  Gary DRSS NRA Lifer SCI DSC | |||
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Hey that's Peter Capstick isn't it? | |||
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I too have used that carry on occasion, when the bush was tight, and we were getting close to Buffalo, or elephant. Your left hand already has the forestock griped, and with a twist, the rifle is off the shoulder, and in fireing postition, without even lowering the barrel below head hight of anyone in the party. That is not a carry that one can use for long periods of time, nor I would make a habbit of carrying that way all the time, but it is safe, and and efficient, when things get real close while using a bolt rifle. I didn't not vote because there is no correct answer to that question! The carrying of a bolt rifle with the fireing pin down on the primer of a live round, bolt handle up, or safety on is only safe if the barrel is carried at port arms, and only when aproching a dangerous game animal at close quarters. SO I didn't vote for or against either question, because it all boils down to the cercumstances. The safest way to carry a rifle when closeing on dangerous game in tight cover, is LOADED, and ready! Anything else if a fool's game!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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That's Capstick alright from Hunting The African Cape Buffalo video of the sportsman on film series. I use slings on my rifles and muzzleloaders. I frequently track and still hunt deer in Ohio where I live, so quick shots are common for me. This method of carrying a rifle/muzzleloader allows me to only use one hand to control my gun while having it close and quickly available. My other hand is free to glass with binos, move brush out of my way, or anything else. If I feel a shot is eminent I take the gun off my shoulder and hold it. If I'm walking without any expectation of shooting I use a sling like everyone else. I don't use this technique all the time, but it has its place. Brett DRSS Life Member SCI Life Member NRA Life Member WSF Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick. And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too. May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep. May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip. -Seth Peterson | |||
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I just finished watching the DVD made from Robert Ruork's 1953 African safari. I loved the film, but was horrified by the continual use of the "African carry", where the gun is carried horizontally on the shoulder and grasped by the forward facing muzzle. This carry was used by everyone including Ruork himself, Harry Selby and assorted trackers and gun bearers. I'll swear on numerous occasions, an AD from the last guy in the line would have killed the entire hunting party with a single shot. Next to that, Beret Boy looks positively benign. | |||
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Carrying a rifle, with a loaded round in the chamber, and the firing pin resting on the primers, is very dangerous, and sooner or later, it is going to go off. | |||
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I am very traditional carrying weapons, supported on the shoulder and finger away from the trigger. I do not usually carry insurance, but if I go very attentive to everything around me and I make sure that a lot of what I'm going to shoot is an animal that I can hunt. The weapons are very serious and over-confidence can result in an accident with serious consequences. Oscar. I am Spanish My forum:www.armaslargasdecaza.com | |||
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Personally, I think the "Capstick Carry" is the silliest thing PHC ever came up with. If there's any reasonable chance I will need to take a quick shot my rifle is in my hands; if I'm in or entering brush it's in my hands with the sling removed. "If you’re innocent why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”- Donald Trump | |||
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Robert Ruark,s Video was full of rifle handling errors with muzzles pointing everywhere. Not just in the use of 'The African Carry' over the shoulder. Capstick, the unit in the beret was pure showman and not much more. | |||
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When the rifle is on your shoulder it does not point straight ahead, but out and down. So if the rof;e is on your right shoulder it naturally points off to the right, and vise versa for the left shoulder. JPK  Free 500grains | |||
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I more than often carry my rifle the same way as the guy in the green tee shirt, over the shoulder with the barrel pointed up. | |||
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JPK is absolutely correct, the so-called PH carry is not unsafe at all, and the only time I use a sling on my bolt rifle is for very long treks in open country. I almost never carry a double rifle with a sling, and I do carry PH carry most of the time,with a double, but I do not point my rifle at anything I don't intend shooting! It makes absolutely no difference how you carry your rifle, as long as you do not point it at other people, or yourself!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith | |||
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And this is surely the case! Free 500grains | |||
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The advantage of the African carry is that you know exactly where the muzzle is pointing. If you choose to practice safe gun handling, that's up to you. I prefer to carry at port arms whenever tracking because I think it's fastest to get on target. Your mileage may vary. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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PHC's carry method is my favorite. Easiest to carry, easiest to bring up for use. I would not use the firing-pin down on a live-round deal. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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my tracker carried mine last week. He and my PH both carried them over the right shoulder with the muzzle pointing forward. Insisting on carrying your rifle before the game is sighted and the sticks are being set is idiocy and the sign of a first-timer. You simply cannot pack a 10+lb rifle up and down all day and be able to react quickly on game. My tracker had the rifle of the right shoulder and the sticks on the other. When Myles said "sticks" the tracker handed me the rifle and set the sticks up for the shot. When I asked, I was informed that the horizontal carry is standard in Africa. I was also informed that triggers did not fire themselves, it took human intervention. Rich Buffalo Killer | |||
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Carrying your own rifle while hunting is certainly not idiotic. If you can't carry your rifle and get on target when the time comes, you should probably consider another pastime. | |||
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Carrying your own rifle while hunting is certainly not idiotic. If you can't carry your rifle and get on target when the time comes, you should probably consider another pastime.[/QUOTE] ..............Amen! I'd be interested to know what would happen if this guy had to carry a 13 pound 577 double rifle, plus a loaded ammo belt in the hilly country of Zimbabwe's elephant country up north! ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith | |||
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Triggers can be pulled by more than human hands: holster straps and tree branches/limbs come to mind quickly. Robert If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy. Thomas Jefferson, 1802 | |||
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Where Idaho Sharpshooter was hunting, Charlton McCallum's Makuti concession, is very hilly (actually mountanous, but they call them hills), very rough terrain right at the Zambezi Valley Escarpment, with lots and lots of elephants. But it is relatively open country and bumping into an unseen elephant herd or a bull or two would be unlikely, unless maybe you were walking some of the rivers. I am a proponent of carrying your rifle. Ain't no good when you need it and it is disapearing, along with the tracker. But, I'll admit that for a couple of decents down some of the steep and slick, grass covered rocky slopes in Makuti, I turned it over to one of the trackers and used a stick to avoid damage to myself and my rifle. JPK Free 500grains | |||
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I would have to say I don't "agree" with most of the "carries" I saw. My personal preference is to have either my left hand on the fore-end or my right hand on the pistol grip. I'm right handed. The position of the sling isn't important to me. If I had plenty of time I might take a wrap, in a pinch I wouldn't. On sticks I don't. No one carries my gun for me, anywhere, unless I'm climbing through / over a fence. If I'm too old or infirm to carry my gun, I'm done. | |||
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I prefer to carry my rifle slung over my right shoulder. The barrel points a little to the left, allowing me to rest my right arm on the buttstock, and guide it somewhat. I find it very easy to transition to firing position. Usually my trackers indicated we were coming up on game, so I came to port arms. I carry my Model 70 with a round in the chamber and safety on the "third" position. That's so a branch or twig does not lift the bolt. When I come to port arms, I push the safety to the second position. I don't like the African carry. Most of the time I was fifth in line--three trackers and the PH ahead of me. When they lose the track, the four of them "fan out" and it's virtually impossible to not cover one of them with the muzzle. Indy Life is short. Hunt hard. | |||
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I personnaly liked the question posed in the video: "Well Peter what is the best way to stop a Buffalo" Peter replies "the best way to stop a Buffalo is to shoot him" Classic! | |||
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I recieved a compliment from Justin the video guy at the end of my hunt.He said it is rare that he hunts with someone who never points the muzzle at anyone.I carry my rifle,most of the time, like the first guy on the video.When I get tired and there is no bush to walk through,I rest it on my shoulder with my hand on the pistol grip,and muzzle pointing to the sky.I've been carrying my shotgun this way for years and developed the habit of doing it this way. | |||
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Right again, Mac.  | |||
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Absolutely. I trained for six months prior to my last hunt and will shortly begin training leading up to a July hunt. If somebody's going to drop my rifle on the scope and screw it up, it'll be me. If you're in such bad shape you can't carry a ten pound rifle ten miles, then ranch hunting might be an alternative. And I'm 66 years old, not some spring chicken. Of course, if someone is partially disabled, then there's a viable exception. | |||
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When I am hunting, I always carry my rifle, and I carry it with a round chambered, a full magazine and the safety on. To do otherwise is to risk being unprepared when an opportunity or the need arises. As to method of carry, to plagiarize the title of an old (and pretty awful) Clint Eastwood movie, I carry it "every which way but loose." I believe that the key principles to follow are the time-honored ones: 1. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to kill or destroy. 2. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. It's really not that complicated. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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+1 mrlexma! There are those that do, those that dream, and those that only read about it and then post their "expertise" on AR! | |||
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Anyone that doesn't carry their own rifle on safari is a FOOL!!!! I have carried mine for over 10 miles a day and fully capable of MOA upon sending shot. My safari rifles weigh 10 lbs plus. Here are the REAL rules: COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY RULES 1. ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED! 2. NEVER LET YOUR MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY! 3. BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET! 4. NEVER TOUCH THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE! | |||
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YES, I damn sure would use the carry method of the MAN in the beret. I have and will again! | |||
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+1 I have more hours carrying my shotgun while pheasant hunting then anything else so I'm in the habit of carrying my own gun across my body or with the barrels in the air with the gun on my shoulder. When hunting pheasants and partridge you never know when one might go up so you learn to always be ready to shoot quickly. | |||
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shit, most of you guys couldn't pack a gallon of milk around the grocery store for an hour without having to set it down a couple times. Buzz Charlton and Myles McCallum are well respected PHs and have been at it for a dozen years. They concurred that a man who packs his own rifle all day is a detriment to a successful shot or a quick followup shot. I tend to take their word over the group here. I will carry an empty gallon milk jug to Reno with me, and hope to meet one of you who will fill it and carry it for ten minutes without having to set it down. Rich Buffalo Killer | |||
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As far as gun safety do what you're used to and comfortable with. If you don't normally use the African carry then don't! Do what you know and are safe with. As far as having someone else carry your gun to each their own. If you let someone else carry it be prepared to lose shots at animals that you would have shot had you carried the rifle yourself. As far as getting tired carrying my own rifle that's why they invented slings and why I stay in shape. Some of us have grown up hunting on our own and carrying our own guns. It would feel weird to me to have someone else carry for me. Idaho Sharpshooter, if it works for you fine, but I hardly think you have any right to call the rest of us idiots. Brett DRSS Life Member SCI Life Member NRA Life Member WSF Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick. And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too. May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep. May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip. -Seth Peterson | |||
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Rich, It sounds to me like you were well managed by Myles. Congratulations on shooting your buffalo. | |||
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The man who said that was not Peter Capstick, but was Gordon Cundill manageing dirrector of Safari South! Capstick is the one in the beret, carrying his rifle forward on his left shoulder muzzle up! ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith | |||
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Rich, your anti-malaria...is it Larium by chance? Seriously, every hunt and every hunter is different. And good PH's will tell you exactly what you need to hear, when you need to hear it. Makuti us rough country, the most difficult I have hunted in, in Africa. Lots of ups/downs and rocks, and having your rifle carried by somebody on the death marches was probably the prudent thing to do. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting POLL: Method of Carrying Rifle While Hunting
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