After a big game safari I might be able to do some bird hunting, so I just wondered what would be the right size to bring for general use?

32gr "5's

Have shot birds regularly in Namibia. PH and game farm owner uses British/RSA #6 (= US #5) for everything from dove to guinea fowl in his 12 gauge. I bring US #7-1/2 for dove-pigeon-sand grouse and US #5 or #6 for guinea fowl. All my loads are 1-1/8 oz. (= ca. 32 grams) Problem is weight, what with only 11 lbs of ammo authorized for air travel.

Suggest you check with your PH to see what's locally available. RSA and Namibia both have Rio shells, but most seem to sell/use the 35 gram load.

Regards

Remember too that a birdshoot in S.A. could include VERY HIGH volume dove shooting and that then it would be better to use 28gr 7.5's, so rather check with your P.H. as to what to expect. Rather arrange ammo in S.A.
Happy Hunting!

if you get a chance to shoot sand grouse. DO IT.
No. 5 on ginnie, and spur fowl
7 and 1/2 on everything else.

why bother to bring any? because of airline weight limits on ammo, you won't be able to bring more than 2 boxes of shells, after you total up the rifle ammo. not worth the trouble. your outfitter can get it and save you the hassle. the 2 boxes you might be able to bring with you won't save you $20.

My outfitter in Maun advised not to bring shotgun shells. They can be purchased locally.

All is very helppful, thank you. I will check if ammo can be purchased locally.

Just remember- South Africa uses Brittish sizes, not american, although Italian and S&B ammo is fairly common as well.

For the normal big game safari mix of francolin, sand grouse and guineafowl, I just stick to English 6's in a 35g load.

quote:

Originally posted by jeff h:
if you get a chance to shoot sand grouse. DO IT.
No. 5 on ginnie, and spur fowl
7 and 1/2 on everything else.

I think "shoot at" sand grouse is more appropriate... at least for me!

Last year I tried to "shoot" sand grouse at sunset along a creek bed. The little suckers would get below the tree line where you couldn't see them for crap and just "appear" zooming over my head at about 60 m.p.h. twisting and turning like a like John Kerry during a debate.

I'm a pretty decent wing shooter, but I think I killed six birds out of a box of shells.

What was fun was that about 10 elephants wanted to come to the waterhole where we were shooting. They just stood about 100 yards down the creek and occasionally gave a snort or two in impatience. As soon as we gathered up the birds and were walking back to the Cruiser, the elephants quit their grousing and came in the the water quite politely. We sat in the vehicle until it was absolutely dark, watching as long as we could, from about 40 yards, enjoying the family dynamics and pecking order of the group as they lined up like children at a water fountain and took their turns.

Cool!

Try number 6. It will work for everything that you come across, from sand grouse to guinea fowl.

I'm with Saeed on this. If you can't kill a bird with 30g of No.6 it is either too far away or you are too far off line.

Only if sky-high geese are o the menu will you need more or bigger.

I shot pigeons in Namibia by trap cartridges 7 1/2.This cartriges worked excellent,it will be great for partridge too.

What does you gun shoot well at home. Just arraign w/the PH to have plenty of what you like when you get there.

A word of caution, he had no trouble getting us 12ga. and 16ga. but 20ga was a problem. Not sure why...12ga. is universal and 16ga. has a big following in Europe???

All I brought (and left) was 2 boxes of buckshot.
In my Mod. choked 16ga. Model 12 Winchester, I found that 7 1/2 worked great on doves and sand grouse. Just like at home, it/or me don't do well w/ #6.

For guinea fowl, first shot of #4 then the next two were 7 1/2. #4 got them to get up and flying, instead of running. The 7 1/2 wouldn't get through their wings when we snuck up on them. Since I had a pump, and the two guys I went w/had doubles, I'd fire first. It was great fun, running (literally) and gunning! Tracker followed behind and picked up the birds.

Never hunted in Africa yet but I would have to say about any highbase #6 (lead) should do the job just fine.

Find out about the bird hunting seasons ... the main gamebirds in Bots are Francolin (for which American 6s or British 5s or 6s are fine), the season runs through the big game season, ie winter months; and Sand Grouse, for which American 7.5s or English 7s are good. The Sand Grouse season opens very late in the big game hunting season, I think in October. So you may miss out altogether on SG. There aren't too many Guineas in most areas of Bots ... these birds thrive in crop farming areas and most of Botswana is too dry.

this is the end results of 30 min. and 2 boxes of 12 g. #6's spent at a waterhole in the Kalahari west of Maun. used the same ammo on driven guinea fowl that afternoon. PH( who was from Maun) had no problem getting ammo in town.