Two rifles: .22LR, and .458WM If I were a resident. Otherwise, a .308 and .416

If I ever go back, I now have a matched pair of custom 09 Argies in .375 H&H and .318 W.R. I have used both calibers before in Africa with complete satisfaction.

I think a .30 and a .40 would do nicely.

I'd take a scoped 9.3x62 and a 458 Winy.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
If I ever go back, I now have a matched pair of custom 09 Argies in .375 H&H and .318 W.R. I have used both calibers before in Africa with complete satisfaction.

I’m curious about your 1909s. I’ve got a cavalry model that’s all matching and I’m looking for ideas, maybe. I don’t have a problem with the 7.65x53, but it’s pretty heavy even in the cavalry model. I want to keep the crest, as Argentina is my second home.

Who did the work? Was it a Texas smith?

I like my .404J and 7x57 as a two rifle battery. But beware the man with one rifle!

I believe Natasha Illum-Berg as “one and only” rifle - a 458 Lott

I would take a pair of Sharps. One in 45-70, and one in 45 2 7/8. I doubt that I would have to use the 45-110.

Another to use one rifle was Fletcher Jamison.
He ended up using a 500 Jeffery!
For all his hunting.

9.3X62 and .458 Lott both with detachable scope mounts and good iron sights.
I always carry two rifles that could each do it all if necessary..

DCS, I did the barrel and chamber work, my late friend Tom Griffen did the Oberndorf bolt handles, custom scope bases and Lapour safeties. The late Tommy Kaye did the engraving and Winston Elrod stocked them in matching 30 year old Russian circassian with ebony tips and 24 lpi checkering, Silvers pads and rust blueing.
Rather than stripping a collectable rifle for the action, I would talk to DPCD about a suitable action for a custom as he has many. Lee.

I've never hunted big game in Africa.

If I had a chance, I would take mu VC 470NE & My Simson M98 9.3X62

I would love to see photos of those rifles Pleeeeeses

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
DCS, I did the barrel and chamber work, my late friend Tom Griffen did the Oberndorf bolt handles, custom scope bases and Lapour safeties. The late Tommy Kaye did the engraving and Winston Elrod stocked them in matching 30 year old Russian circassian with ebony tips and 24 lpi checkering, Silvers pads and rust blueing.
Rather than stripping a collectable rifle for the action, I would talk to DPCD about a suitable action for a custom as he has many. Lee.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
DCS, I did the barrel and chamber work, my late friend Tom Griffen did the Oberndorf bolt handles, custom scope bases and Lapour safeties. The late Tommy Kaye did the engraving and Winston Elrod stocked them in matching 30 year old Russian circassian with ebony tips and 24 lpi checkering, Silvers pads and rust blueing.
Rather than stripping a collectable rifle for the action, I would talk to DPCD about a suitable action for a custom as he has many. Lee.

Lee, it sounds like you have some very nice 1909s there. Yes, it does make more sense to just build up from a bare action and leave this as original.

Sorry for the hijack.

I would take--and did take--a .375H&H to Zim for buff, plains game, and also hippo, elephant, lion. No second caliber is necessary or, in my opinion, particularly useful.

One rifle is probably all I will take on any further Africa hunts.
On some hunts I have taken and used both 30.06 and .375 H&H barrels but overall have found it less fuss to just use the .375 H&H for everything. On my first Africa hunt in 2016 this is what PH Rich Tabor recommended and if is fitting advice. On two hunts now that is all I used and it worked perfectly although I also took the 30.06 barrel. Taking only one calibre vastly simplifies the documentation, ammo and packing procedures and the .375 H&H is easily versatile enough to do it all, except for possibly really big game such as elephant.

I have a 20 day, 4 buffalo (two consecutive 10 day hunts) scheduled in TZ later September. I will take a custom Dakota 76 in .375 Dakota (with spare scope) and a little Mod 10 Dakota in 300 WinMag. (and yes, I've shot buffalo with the 300 when that was what was in my hands, without problem).

As Boddington has written, "One rifle is simplicity itself", and there is a lot to recommend such a spartan battery.

However, from my point of view, there is a lot to reject it as well. Any rifle/scope can go 'down' on a hunt. That is the main reason I always take two rifles when I hunt, whether it be NA or Africa.

I was an AKC field trial gunner for bird dogs for 25 years, and my mentor insisted each member of the team take two shotguns to a trial. I did, some did, some did not. Almost all of us over the years had a gun go down at some point, usually a failed ejector or a separated case stuck in the chamber, or some other gremlin. Those of us who had a backup shotgun in the pickup carried on. Those who ignored the mentor's advice and had no backup, were 'dismissed' from the team; permanently!

I cannot take just one rifle on any hunt. Been trained out of me. In Africa, one may say that there is always a rifle in camp that the PH can loan you. However, I do not like using an unfamiliar rifle, especially when I have to pay the trophy fee in the case of a wounded and lost animal, at perhaps anywhere from $500 to $15,000 depending on what I'm hunting. I know where my rifles will shoot, but not where a loaner will shoot. It may be perfectly fine, and then again it may not. LOP may be too long or too short. Some stocks are difficult to get low enough of a cheek weld to use the scope. Trigger may be good, or not, etc.

I also like the saying, "One is none and two is one". This is especially true when it comes to hunting or field trial shooting with firearms. So, the OP's original question is a fair one IMHO. For me, a two-rifle battery for Africa is a Large bore & Medium bore, where the medium is capable of standing in for the large bore if it were to go down. Hence, my first choice I mentioned earlier, a 458 Lott and 375 H&H. Not as good, but still a favorite of mine is a 404 Jeffery with a good medium like a 9.3x62, or what I took a couple of times with the 404, a 338WM or 35 Whelen. All three of those mediums can shoot 300 grainers.

For strictly PG hunting, I still take two rifles for all of the aforementioned reasons, but in this case, it's a medium and a small bore, but not too small. The small rifle still needs to stand in for the medium if it happens to fail.

While the 1-rifle battery truly is simplicity itself, I will never succumb to it's siren call. Besides, I am too far gone as a rifle looney to not take two or even three rifles to Africa to 'test out'!

surefire7: Agreed

My first rifle would be a M70 .375 H&H and my second rifle would be a backup M70 .375 H&H. You can only carry 1 rifle at a time. There is plenty of cover on Mokore and the Duckworths will get you up close and personal. I would be more concerned about the two types of bullets your gun will need to shoot into the same group. A quality expanding like a 300gr TSX and a flat nose solid if you can find them. TSX in the pipe backed by solids for buff and eland. TSX for larger plains game. Solids for the little guys. If Barrie is in camp, you will learn his opinion if you show up with any Weatherby. I've seen some of the stuff that walks around on the Save and I don't think I'd be completely comfortable carrying much under a .375. If I had to take a second caliber, .338 WM with heavy bullets.

And in some countries, two rifles of the same caliber is not allowed.

I have always hunted with a partner. For the first seven safaris, my wife hunted with me. I carried the large bore and she carried the medium, so I always had the luxury of choice. On my latest safaris, I've taken a friend along and he has performed as my backup gun bearer as my wife did. I carried a 404 Jeffery and he carried my 35 Whelen or my 375 H&H. If hunting in this way, one can have his big & medium bore at the same time, and I always carry the large bore. The big bores are open sighted for close range shooting, and my mediums are always scoped for longer range, mostly with a Leupold 2.5-8 or occasionally a 1.5-5 variable.

Works for me.

Our next trip the wife and I are taking 2 double rifles: A Merkel 30-06 and a VC 450/400.

Safe shooting.....Larry

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
And in some countries, two rifles of the same caliber is not allowed.

I have always hunted with a partner. For the first seven safaris, my wife hunted with me. I carried the large bore and she carried the medium, so I always had the luxury of choice. On my latest safaris, I've taken a friend along and he has performed as my backup gun bearer as my wife did. I carried a 404 Jeffery and he carried my 35 Whelen or my 375 H&H. If hunting in this way, one can have his big & medium bore at the same time, and I always carry the large bore. The big bores are open sighted for close range shooting, and my mediums are always scoped for longer range, mostly with a Leupold 2.5-8 or occasionally a 1.5-5 variable.

Works for me.

Only country I am aware of is South Africa.

I never take anything less powerful than a .375 H&H Mag. these days.

The .375 is my plains game rifle that can do double duty for dangerous game as well, although not ideal for buff and thick skinned beasts.

So, I have lately taken strongly to the .416s. Great caliber as a minimum.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I never take anything less powerful than a .375 H&H Mag. these days.

The .375 is my plains game rifle that can do double duty for dangerous game as well, although not ideal for buff and thick skinned beasts.

So, I have lately taken strongly to the .416s. Great caliber as a minimum.

First ever safari I had I used a 375 H&H Magnum.

Shot an elephant, two buffalo and many other game animals.

Next I used a 416 Weatherby Magnum - Roy was carrying a 460 Weatherby Magnum, and kept complaining I was using a "small" caliber.

Next I built a 416 Rigby Improved, and hunted with it.

Shot elephants, buffalo and lions.

Roy still complained.

Next I built the 375/404.

And have been hunting with it ever since.

Killed many elephants, buffalo and lions with it.

Roy stopped complaining.

I asked him why?

He said "it works".

Great advice - take what works...

However, I like variety, hence my question to start this thread.

My next trip will be a .375 HH and either .300WM, .300HH, or 7x57.

. Pair of Model 70s for this trip with Mokore. 458 Lott for the ele. 375 H&H for the buff and plains game.

quote:

Originally posted by Flipper Dude:
. Pair of Model 70s for this trip with Mokore. 458 Lott for the ele. 375 H&H for the buff and plains game.

Very good choice! If the ele wasn't on the ticket the 375 H&H would take care of everything else on the list!

…...…...……………... MacD37

A long time ago Winchester mad a very few 338s in the safari classic trim. That would go nicely with a 458 win mag for an africa pair.

quote:

Originally posted by Flipper Dude:
. Pair of Model 70s for this trip with Mokore. 458 Lott for the ele. 375 H&H for the buff and plains game.

This picture makes me want to take a Winchester Model 70 375 HH and !odel 70 300 HH so bad.

I hunted the Save with a .375 and a 7x57. Used the .375 on buffalo and warthog and the 7mm on kudu and impala.

I did not see many places there where long shots would be a factor.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Great advice - take what works...

However, I like variety, hence my question to start this thread.

My next trip will be a .375 HH and either .300WM, .300HH, or 7x57.

.375 H&H + .300 WM is perfect. Easy to get that ammo here in the event yours doesn’t make it.

.375 H&H and 30-06, don't need the speed of the 300.

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Great advice - take what works...

However, I like variety, hence my question to start this thread.

My next trip will be a .375 HH and either .300WM, .300HH, or 7x57.

.375 H&H + .300 WM is perfect. Easy to get that ammo here in the event yours doesn’t make it.

Since we are hunting next year - that is what I will do!!!!

Lots of options, and they mostly all work fine, but you started with as good a pair as you could ever want or need, a 375 and a 300 H&H..and one Ive used many times..I also like the 404 and a 338 Win., a 416 and a 338 win or 9.3x62, like I said lots of good options out there..

The only real advise I can offer is your smaller caliber be capable of killing and injured or mad buff, Hippo or elephant that shows up unexpected and looking for a fight. it happens for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Ok, for some fun, if you could get a semi-matched set of two rifles for a hunt in the Save Conservancy for buff and plains game - what two calibers would you twin up?

I will start - .375 H&H and .300 H&H

What about you?

Speaking of 'semi-matched' two rifles, I was looking at my latest purchases of Ruger Africans from Lipseys, in 9.3x62, 275 Rigby and 6.5x55. These rifles are identical in all features, including barrel length (24"). They have all of the African 'bells & whistles', and what's more, they are extremely light weight. A true joy to hold and carry. All being made by the same manufacturer, they of course operate all exactly the same with safeties, etc., and weigh the same.

The 9.3x62 weighs exactly 8.0 lbs. WITH rings and a Leupold 2.5-8 scope. It weighed 6lb.15 oz. bare. As the 9.3x62 is very close to a 375 H&H power wise, and legal for DG to boot, it and one of the other calibers might make a fine semi-matched pair to take to Africa, especially to those who would take a 375 as their heavy rifle. I would still prefer a 40-something for thick skinned DG, but that's just me.

I weighed some of my African rifles from Dakota and AHR, and the lightest was my AHR 9.3x66, at 8lb. 14 oz., with rings and the same scope, very close to 9.0 lbs. All the rest (11 Dakotas and 5 AHRs) scoped (all Leu. 2.5-8) with rings, weighed at the minimum, 9.0 lbs. to a maximum of 9.0 lbs. 10 oz.

A pound to pound and a half doesn't sound like much, but boy can you surely feel it in the heft. I think the Ruger Africans from Lipseys, with their very slim contour, 24" barrels, are a hell of a great idea. And a perfect 'semi-matched' pair...

YMMV

quote:

Originally posted by Dangerous Dave:
9.3X62 and .458 Lott both with detachable scope mounts and good iron sights.
I always carry two rifles that could each do it all if necessary..

Voted for the 338 win mag and 416 Rem earlier, but this combo makes a Lott of sense to me also, both guns will work on the biggest game if need be in the Save

I would take my 404 and my 9.3x62
. I have taken buff with 416 Hoffman and 375H&H. My 9.3x62 has served me well on several occasions as has a 30/06.

quote:

Originally posted by 10generation:
.375 H&H and 30-06, don't need the speed of the 300.

The advantages of a 300 magnum only appear at 300 yards. Not needed in bushveld.

One other thing to consider. If DG is on the menu then the second firearm has to be able to fill in just in case there are issues. So, minimum would be a .375 caliber for the second firearm.

If going for a PG hunt then just about anything will work.