I , like many of you, suffer from obsessive/compulsive gun-buying behavior. I am looking to go on my first safari in 2007. I want (not need) to take 3 rifles. This way, I can justify buying at least one more and will have exactly what I want to shoot.

I know nothing about safari trips but I could carry, I think, 3 rifles in a Tuffpak. There must be good reasons why everyone takes only two rifles; what are they?

Thanks

Most if not all, airlines limit you to two rifles in a case and the case counts as one of your two allowed checked bags.

You may also want to check the laws of the country where you plan to hunt. Botswana, for instance, only allows two rifles and one shotgun. At least that's my understanding.

If you are traveling with your Wife, or another hunter, they could possibly bring your third gun in.

Think about the logistics before you go. You no longer have gunbearers toting your rifles. You carry your own. That means that when you get off the truck you will only be carring one gun. Which one do you want? The choice between your heavy rifle and your mediun rifle would be pretty easy, for elephant take the 470, plainsgame the 375. The light versus the medium is a little stickier. If you take the 243 for the steenbuck you are stalking what will you do when you see the Zebra that you've always wanted?
I'd suggest that you stick with two.

TerryR

I would take 3 if I had a DR. You could have the big bore DR for close work, something around a 416 for further shots on DG and maybe a 338 for PG. You could definitely get by with two rifle though.

What and where do you plan to hunt?

If I had to choose between taking 1 rifle and 3 rifles, I would take 1. The perfect number is 2.

Karl S.

Plans not made yet because I am waiting on a business deal to close and free up my time. At this early date, I would probably say plains game and buffalo.

I know I don't NEED three rifles.

Talk to your ph beforehand. I've had them tell me not to bring 3 rifles. Too much bother toting around and at least one of them will probably be too specialized for everyday use anyway.

I carried 3 in my Tuffpak last year to Tanzania. Most of the plains game and a leopard were shot with a .300WM, with the larger ones hunted with a .375. For buff, I used a .470NE. This assortment worked really well, but was also largely precipitated by the fact that my son was with me and we felt that there might be times that both of us needed to be armed.
We had no trouble taking 3 guns on the airplane and the total weight in the Tuffpak stayed below the limit, even with a some other items packed inside of it.

Oldcoyote

Most people take 2 rifles because 2 is enough for any hunt. You'll also find less is more as far as luggage goes and taking 3 cuts back the amount of ammo per rifle you can have. Eleven pounds is the limit regardless of the amount of guns you bring.

Book that hunt ASAP as most of the best hunts and dates are taken for '07 already.

Regards,

Mark

Take a bottle of asprin for your PH.

The very first night of my very first Safari I learned that you only need one rifle with you in Africa. That rifle should be the most all around rifle you own. To wit a .375 H&H as you never know what you are likely to encounter at any given moment. I to succumbed to the 3 rifle safari and was rudely reminded that a .257 AI was not a Buffalo rifle when just after dark returning from a leopard blind that evening walking along the dry riverbed known as the Chewore. Apparently we were not the only traffic on the bed that evening... Too many other species of LARGE DANGEROUS GAME live in the same space as your intended plains game, act accordingly! Good hunting and good luck.

In that case Oldcoyote, I would reccomend a true heavy (.458 Lott and up), open sights, a .375 H&H or simmelar, and something like a .30-06. Your true heavy without scope will give you the oppertunity to try getting real close to your buff, but if for some reason something happens to it, or all shot you ever get, is more than 50 yards away, you have the .375, which BTW will be great for most plains game. The light rifle can be used after you have consentrated on your buff, and have shot it. 2 Rifles does make more sense, though, but if it tickles your fancy, bring 3. With a question like that, I suspect you already have 3 in mind... Care to share?

If three rifles were reasonably possible, I think Karl S has the right general rifles. I would swap out my DR for the 458 Lott though. A tracker will carry a second rifle for you no issues.

To go down to two rifles just drop the 30-06 on a DG hunt, the DR/Lott on a PG hunt.

When in elephant country, I like to have a 375H&H loaded with a soft on top and solids below if you have shot your buff and/or elephant, no matter what you are after at the moment. Lots of Zim is elephant country.

JPK