I know people who have been to africa 7-8 times and never had a minutes problem with their luggage. I on the other hand had to wait a day for my 450-400 ammo to catch up going in and United lost my double rifle for two days coming back. A friend of mine took a 300 weatherby to Zim. His rifle got there but his ammo didn't. He spent 6 of his 10 days hunting with a borrowed rifle and ammo because there was not 300 ammo to be found anywhere.

If you were going on an elephant or buffalo hunt what adequate rifle would you be most likely to find ammo for if your ammo didn't make it or most likely to find a gun to shoot your ammo if your rifle didn't arrive? ( trust me 450-400 is not the right answer)

Plains game. What calibre do you think would be most likely availible if you got there with no ammo. What calibre would you be most likely to find a gun to shoot your ammo in if you got there with ammo but no rifle. ( 300 weatherby is not the answer to this one)

.375 H&H and 30-06 are the two most common cf rifle cartridges worldwide.

quote:

Originally posted by els:
I know people who have been to africa 7-8 times and never had a minutes problem with their luggage. I on the other hand had to wait a day for my 450-400 ammo to catch up going in and United lost my double rifle for two days coming back. A friend of mine took a 300 weatherby to Zim. His rifle got there but his ammo didn't. He spent 6 of his 10 days hunting with a borrowed rifle and ammo because there was not 300 ammo to be found anywhere.

If you were going on an elephant or buffalo hunt what adequate rifle would you be most likely to find ammo for if your ammo didn't make it or most likely to find a gun to shoot your ammo if your rifle didn't arrive? ( trust me 450-400 is not the right answer)

Plains game. What calibre do you think would be most likely availible if you got there with no ammo. What calibre would you be most likely to find a gun to shoot your ammo in if you got there with ammo but no rifle. ( 300 weatherby is not the answer to this one)

Els, I feel your pain, but I can't quite reach you! I don't think I would go to Africa with only a 450/400 double rifle. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong witha 450/400 NE 3", or 3 1/4" for hunting Africa's Buffalo, or Elephant. As you found out, however, if the ammo is lost, and the rifle arrives, or vice-versa, you may be out of luck in matching up with a rifle or ammo which ever way it happens. Your friend picked the hardest thing in Africa to find, 300 WBY MAG ammo!

You should have taken a 375 H&H bolt rifle along, with your double rifle. in this case the 375 H&H is common all over Africa, and is legal in all countries for DG. It also will double as a plains game rifle as good as anything you could want. Your buddy could have used your 375 if your double came over OK, or you could have used his, if your rifle didn't come accross.

For a rifle that ammo will always be available for is a 375H&H, and/or a 458 win mag. If only plains game is on the menu, then the 300 Win Mag, a 9.3X62, a 375H&H, rifle or ammo will always be available, and all will suffice! On the big bore side if you have a 458LOTT, 458 Win Mag will be available if your ammo doesn't show up, but if you have your 375 H&H with soilds and softs, you can make do!

Loboga has it right, I've heard that over and over again... and I suppose in Africa the .458 Win would have to be the #1 most commonly found in the large bores...

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a 375 or 458 along as a back up next time. one question though has the 308 win/7.62 x51 nato superceded the 30-06 as most common cal??

quote:

Originally posted by loboga:
.375 H&H and 30-06 are the two most common cf rifle cartridges worldwide.

Yes, that was my first idea, too!

.375 H&H and 30-06.

Dave

Easiest: 7.62 x 39

2nd easiest: 7.62 x 51 nn NATO (.308)

Once again, .375H&H, and 30-06, 270 or 7x57, all are readily availabe in Africa.

Cheers, Dave.
Non Illegitium Carborundum

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Easiest: 7.62 x 39

2nd easiest: 7.62 x 51 nn NATO (.308)

Sean

Els,

Easy take a 375 and a 458 Lott...I also split my ammo between my bags..If Lotts lost you will get 458 wins and any ammo is better then no ammo...This happened on my first safari...No ammo bought 375's with a special dispensation from police in Durban...

Mike

My two safaris were located at a permanent safari camp (well until Uncle Bob had his way). At the end of both safaris I left all my remaining over ammo with the resident PH. He kept a collection of different ammunitions in case someone showed up short and whereas my .30-06 ammo was usually used up I generally had a box plus of .338 Win. Mag. left over.

My motives however weren't that altruistic, he didn't like American cartridges much, except the .30-06, and hated Weatherby's and put all them down at every opportunity. Among the few things he told me to my face was that my .338 wasn't enough gun for Eland (one shot kill) and that the bullet velocity from my .338 would blow the hair off a sable while exiting (it didn't, 30 yard shot). Fortunately, I had the other PH and my hunting partner had to deal with his prejudices.

Big Bores that you should be able to get ammo for in Africa (DG countries):

375 H&H
458 Win Mag (take a 458 Lott)
470 NE


For the small stuff, you can't go wrong with a 30-06.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Easiest: 7.62 x 39

2nd easiest: 7.62 x 51 nn NATO (.308)

As long as the airline doesn't object you can put your ammo in your rifle case. Consequently I put 20 rounds for each rifle in the case with the rifle/rifles and the rest in my checked bag. On a DG hunt 20 rnds will usually get you by very easily. If your rifles don't make it the ammowon't do you much good anyway unless thPH has rifle of the same caliber. Check with the safari company to see what caliber rifles will be available if your rifles don't make it and take some ammo in that caliber just in case.


465H&H

At our camp in Australia, I went through the ammo hunter have left behind. 100's of 30-06, nearly as many .375 H&H and a smatter of everything else. .270,.308,.300WM,.300WSM,.338WM,.375RUM,
.416REM.,.416Rigby,.458WM,.470NE

303 or 7.62x39 depending on country
308
22
12ga

"other"
heh

I took a 300 H&H thinking that was a African gun....phooey...the .30-06 is what they use...

That and the .375 H&H reign.

Even the 300 win mag was more available in Port Elizabeth than the 300 H&H.

Unfortunatly because I have only one checked in bag that has my ammo and also the bolt in it, it would not matter how much ammo i could get my hands on to.
Most of the time my rifle also fits in the same bag so i would be in real trouble there. I try to have one day spare before the hunt to get over jetlag,do some shopping, an afternoon's "Dove shoot" and if luggage is delayed,hopefully to arrive on next days flight.

For elephant hunting the 375 H&H and 458 Win would be your best bet...

Ozhunter,
I would not seperate my rifle from its bolt..rifle in gun case and ammo in luggage is the requirement and the best way to go...

In Australia the law is that the bolt and ammo have to be kept separate from the rifle.

IMHO .308 (7.62 x 51) would be the ticket for Plains game animals....worst case there is plenty of 146 gr. FMJ floating around Zim / Africa. The stuff will kill damn near anything if you are a disciple of bullet placement ideology; e.g Can shoot worth your salt!

For Ele / Buff....375 H&H would be my choice....Plenty of that stuff on the continent as well - should you and your ammo get separated.

JW

Thanks for the replies.
I sure hope to go back soon. Being a full scale rifle looney I will have to take one odd duck cartridge/rifle. Will just have to have a back up. For plains game I think the 7.62 x 51 will be the ticket. That's what our game scout had.

For DG will take a 375 and another big bore.

I'll also try packing in a way that if any bags get there I will have some ammo for each rifle even if it is only a handful. That is one of the down falls of going alone. If you go with a group every body can put some ammo in their bags so that Chances of everybody have some ammo when you get there is very high.

Now I've got to quit spending money on guns and get busy saving for another trip over