Hi
there are plenty of swap barrel guns in the market. mauser 03, sauer 202, S&L, SHR, if i would buy a rifle with 2 barrels one in 7m rem mag and 375 H&H. whiich one would be the best gun ? quality , flawless function for Dg ?
regards
yes

None of the ones you mention.

You should get a sidelock double rifle with two sets of barrels, .470 NE and 7x65R.

George

hi
it is too expensive . and i don't like side by side rifles or shotguns . i do perfer o/u guns and bolt actions.
regards
yes

I'm a big supporter of the Blaser system. It is the best takedown system out there. It is getting expensive as are all the others.

Other than Blaser I'd go Mauser M03.

quote:

Originally posted by yes:
hi
it is too expensive . and i don't like side by side rifles or shotguns . i do perfer o/u guns and bolt actions.
regards
yes

Peasant.

Seriously, why don't you just buy two conventional rifles, like the CZ 550s? Combined, they'd be less expensive than the switch-barrels you mentioned.

Of course, this is all weighed against the odds of you actually going to Africa to hunt DG.

George

Dakota makes the Traveler in a couple of models. Pricy, though, and a long lead time for completion.

The two-rifle suggestion is a good idea.

Buy a Mauser-patterned .375 and shoot everything. Beware the one-gun hunter...

A switch barrel does not make sense on a multi animal safari that includes the Big 4 plus plains game. If you are hunting buffalo your not likely to stop to switch barrels when that 25" impala shows himself. The switch barrel has its place when you have a deer hunt, use your light caliber barrel and then a seperate trip for brown bear, elephant etc. Fooling around with switch barrels in the fiels seems a waste of time to me. Take 2 rifles preferably one that will back up the other in case of a malfunction.

Mark

Blaser R-93. If you can turn a hex key, you can change barrels.

What Mark says! Only I'd go with a .375 (solids for medium PG) and a varmit caliber for small "Pygmy" antelope. I use a .223 w/60 grain Nosler Partitions. I get a nice cape or full skin everytime.
Good hunting,
LDK

the merkel kr1 or the new pump action kreigoff

Another vote for Blaser R-93.

A Searcy double rifle like mine. Both are fitted for scopes as well as iron sights. 375 flanged magnum and a 450-300. Nothing is impossible with this pair.

I'd go with two rifles, both capable and legal for the largest game you intend to hunt. That way if your big rifle for your buff or ? goes tits up you have your "light" rifle as a back up.

Alternative is two rifles and have the tracker carry your light rifle for the unplanned opportunities.

But a 375H&H will do it all.

JPK

If I may offer my opinion- I have hunted Africa with the Blaser, the Sauer 202, the Mauser M03, and owned, then sold the Dakota Traveler in 300 H&H and 375 H&H,

The overall pluses of the switch barrel is the ability to travel with a take down size case. This may not be a big deal for some, but for me it is. I really like cruising through the airport with a handy little case, rather than clunking around with a big case on wheels. Also they are nice for loading in the truck etc.

I also agree with Mark Young that it never works out on a hunt to try and guess which caliber you will need on a given day, only to be caught looking at say a great buff when you have your 270 barrel on your rig.

That said:

Sauer 202: The plus side- they have the traditional turn bolt, detachable magazine, and are extremely accurate. The barrel switch takes more time than the others, but still is relatively simple, once you figure it out. For take down travel, you can take off the butt stock and get the rifle down to size for a reasonable take down case.

The negatives- they are not control round feed. Great caliber selection, but you are on your own for customer support, and you have to scrounge around the internet for extra barrels, mags etc. Some sight in required when reassembled after take down.

Mauser M03 The plus side, the African model is a balanced and traditional looking rifle, The M03 is also nice. They have a decent caliber selection in traditional calibers, and have a pretty good fit and finish. Their QD scope mount system is very nice, also has a detachable mag- which I like.

The Negatives- kind of a klunky rig, a long bolt throw, nice, but not super fit and finish. They are very heavy rifles. Worse, you can only get the calibers in 26 inch barrels, which is too long for hunting in Africa (in my opinion), and you don't get really good support from Briley on them, in my experience. Mauser has the best take down case, and I use it for my Blasers.

Blaser The plus side, easy switch capability, just about any caliber you can imagine, the best fit and finish, and you can spend your way from synthetic to pretty exquisite wood, with lots of extras on trim. Very accurate, comes back to zero after take down and reassemble. Best of all, a smaller overall package, shorter barrels and a dream to carry.

The negatives: blind magazine, plastic magazines, kind of klunky when you cycle the action, and non CRF.

Dakota: the plus side, nice fit and finish, CRF, and a great feeling rifle.

on the negative side- Nice, but I sold my take down because it was noticeably heavier than the standard Dakota. I am giving short shrift to them because I don't think they are in the same category as the others in terms of pure switch barrels.

In the end, for DG, if CRF is the determining factor then you only have the Dakota to consider. If you can accept no CRF, but worry about the reliability of the Blaser (no reason to, but foe some this is an issue that has been raised in other threads), then second choice is the Mauser 03.

I like the Blaser best because it is such a pleasure to carry, point and shoot. They are all fine, and none are clearly better than the others, just a matter of choosing which variables are most important to you , and which rifle "grabs" you, and go from there.

I would recommend the Blaser R 93.
I have had mine for several years and I like the system very well.

However I would take 2 complete Blaser R 93's.

You could take 3 barresl, say a 416 a 375 and then a smaller calibre if you are hunting some of the little stuff. Then you have an overlap of calibres incase something gets damaged or broken.

It is a great deal easier to travel with takedown rifles.

Mark, 404WJJeffery and NE 450 No2 have summed it up.

Best IMHO is to take two Blaser R93 receivers, each with its separate barrel, one in .375 or .416 and the other in a medium caliber.

I have done that and will probably do it again, because it is such a small and handy package and the rifles are so accurate and reliable.

Two complete rifles and scopes take up much less space than a single big rifle case.

Every time I go on a trip I have an almost irresistable urge to take one or both of my R93s. They are just amazing machines.

Like most curmudgeons, I have tried the switch barrel guns...very impractical and they just serve no purpose..You never have the right barrel on the gun at the right time..Its so much easier to just take two guns...

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I would recommend the Blaser R 93.
I have had mine for several years and I like the system very well.

However I would take 2 complete Blaser R 93's.

You could take 3 barresl, say a 416 a 375 and then a smaller calibre if you are hunting some of the little stuff. Then you have an overlap of calibres incase something gets damaged or broken.

It is a great deal easier to travel with takedown rifles.

Great point.

Doesn't an extra barrel count as an extra firearm any way?

Simply take a 375 H&H CRF bolt rifle, with a QD scope mount, and use it for everything! It will shoot flat enough to use for plains game, and will handle, and is legal for the big boys! I always take two rifles, but bioth are always legal for the big five, so that if one breaks in any way, I'm not handicapped, no matter which one breaks.

quote:

hi
it is too expensive . and i don't like side by side rifles or shotguns . i do perfer o/u guns and bolt actions.
regards
yes

You've got it right with the bolt rifles, except most take-downs are PUSHFEEDS, and you will always seem to have the wrong barrel on the action when something pops up that you really want.

The O/U double rifles, are most time fitted with a single trigger, auto safeties, and are too slow to reload, in a tight sittuation. All draw-backs on a DGR. They are not well suited to dangerous game hunting, any more than the PF bolt rifle,IMO! If however, you are set on a Take down with more than one barrel, then I'd take thae advice of 450, and Merlexma, with two actions, and three barrels, though it wouldn't be a PF Blaser, in my case. However, I have little faith that the right barrel will be in your hands at any given time during your Safari!


The only thing that is better than a CRF bolt, is a S/S double rifle with two triggers, and a manual safety,in a big chambering,or two S/S double rifles, with at least the smaller one scoped in QD bases, and in a smaller chambering, but still legal for the big boys, so the right rifle is in your hands either way!

Still your choice is your's, and is to be made, and lived with, by you alone! So if the PF switch barrel bolt, and/or an O/U double rifle, floats your boat, set sail! Most of all enjoy your safari! Good luck!

hi
thanks for the replies
i actually own
follwing
guns.
1- ruger 77 in 3006 with recnagel barrel band front sight and 2-7x leupold
2- an old husky model 640 in 8mm mauser. which is nearly new despite the age.topped with pentax 6x42
3- husky 1640 in 6,5x55 which is a real tack driver.topped with pecar 3-7x
and a few shotguns. my problem is i can only have licence for one more gun and no more.
i thught a swap barrel would be a good choice.
ok
then i may buy a crf 375 and bring either the 06 or 8 mm as light gun. i saw a brno 602 i 375 with a strange looking trigger at bargain price. I wonder if it is a good choice?
regards
yes

quote:

Originally posted by yes:
then i may buy a crf 375 and bring either the 06 or 8 mm as light gun. i saw a brno 602 i 375 with a strange looking trigger at bargain price. I wonder if it is a good choice?
regards
yes

The BRNO 602 is one of the strongest rifles one can come by! It is a CRF action, has very strong iron sights, and you will find it is one of the most common rifles owned by PHs in Africa, in 375H&H, or 458 win mag. The safety seems to work backwards on them, but i have owned several of them, over the yrs, and I never found the safety to be a problem. The magazine holds 4 rounds down, and one in the tube, without modification. The rifles are very well made, and with some dressing up, make fine looking rifles as well! IMO, the rifle will serve you well!