I will be heading to RSA next June. I have a Sako Deluxe in 375 with the gloss stock. I was wondering what to expect in terms of abuse on the stock?

For plains game? Unless you bang it getting on or off the truck you shouldn't expect any problems. It's not like sheep hunting.

no I don't think africa is as hard on them as other places like alaska. there is a couple of points though. when riding around in the cruiser the guns are usually in a rifle rack in back & bouncing around in them does wear them in the 2 points where they rest. you can do a couple of things, bring a soft case, & bring a bit of duct tape (necessary stuff anyway) and a piece or 2 of scrap leather and tape the leather around the grip and forend where the rifle rests. you just need a couple of inches in each place, so it really doesn't effect shooting at all

Definitely bring a soft case for the truck rides.

Is one of the roll-up soft cases enough?

I doubt the soft rollup (refered to as gun socks) would do. Last year I used a cabelas soft case and the case had deep wear marks. I would think the very soft rollup would wear thru in a week or two.

I think soft cases with near full length zippers on top are best. Easiest and quickest to get rifles into and out of and the case remains in the rack. Good padding is important too.

JPK

Get a good quality soft rifle case (gun rug). Look at the padding on the inside. You DO NOT want one with the foam as it will tear easier. I took one with a Browning label on it, Probably made by Boyt, and it held up well and protected the gun. I sell quite a few of these over a years time, cheap is bad.

Follow the advice above and get you a soft gun case for the hunt. If you are careful, you should not have any problems with your stock. Furthermore, it also depends on how you personally take care of your rifle and how you treat it.

All good advice above. Buy a Boyt case or similar.

http://www.boytharness.com/

The rough ride in the back of your Land Cruiser is tougher on your scopes than on your guns. Quality optics prove their worth in situations like this. The dust is also an issue, so keeping your guns protected in their soft cases while riding back there is very important.

Buy a padded soft case with a full length zipper

It will protect the gun from scratches and dings and most importantly, dust

You might have to cross public roads where they are a necessity.

Although you probably won't have this trouble with glass stock, the urethane on my wood stock was affected by DEET on my hands.

You will have to assume that your rifle and stock are probably going to get scratched (shooting sticks, stones, truck, falls, tree branches, etc.), even if you try to babysit it all the time... The staff in Africa does not particularly care when handling expensive rifles, nor do sometimes the PH´s themselves. For them it´s just a tool, not an investment or a work of art...

If you have in your mind the concern of not damaging your rifle, you won´t be able to concentrate 100% on the hunt, and in the worst case might get into trouble...

Hunt with a rifle which does not get that obsessive-compulsive little voice inside you go ballistic with every ding and scratch it gets...


Antonio

If your truck isn't full, your rifle will likely be held by trackers in the back. THAT can be hard... but it is the scopes rather than stocks to worry about. Trackers take better care of you if you don't make them work -- make all your shots count They will think your rifle is special.

If your truck gets full (you have more people in it), you might end up carrying your own rifle in the cab. You may discover that rough driving bounces your gun around a lot -- this will give you a chance to guess what was happening in the cag...

Dust -- depends on where you're going. Some places have these little round rocks just about the right side to twist your ankle on. That can screw up your rifle when you fall on it.

Dan

The rack in the truck, the thorn bush, the trackers, the rocks, etc., will rough up your rifle's wooden handle. But as Antonio said, don't obsess over it.

It can be refinished.

BTW, in the truck, make sure that your rifles, when racked, don't come into contact with each other. A bolt knob can damage a wood stock even through a soft gun case.

I always leave my soft cases with my PH when I leave...they appreciate them too and I don't have to lug them back to the States!

I had the game scout carry my extra rifle for 18 days last hunt. He did not scratch it at all, although he lost the front sight hood. No big deal.

quote:

Originally posted by Ezra4570:
I will be heading to RSA next June. I have a Sako Deluxe in 375 with the gloss stock. I was wondering what to expect in terms of abuse on the stock?

Your rifle will collect a few dents and scratches every trip, but, that just adds to its character.

Besides that it can get a rough ride while in the trucks rifle rack, I don't feel that Africa hunting scratches up guns any more than hunting at home.

And as Saeed mentions, a few dents and scratches just adds character to the gun, and shows that it's actually used, and not just a showpiece to hang on the wall or keep in a safe.

If it's going to worry you why not have a spare synthetic stock fitted? No telling how much character my M700s would have if they weren't wearing HS-Precision handles.

I've never had any problems other than normal wear and tear on safari. The trackers when carrying my rifle(s) have always been very careful. I think they know clients might get upset if they are careless.

I've hunted twice in Africa w/ wooden stocked rifles & no padded cases. They take the normal handling just like hunting here in the states. A padded case makes sense though, especially for your extra rifle.

You will need to worry more about the blueing than the finish of your stock. Especially if the trackers or game scout handles you gun. Their sweaty hands will rapidly rust the finish of your gun unless you wipe it down each evening.

Perry

My Custom stuck on my .458 got a few thorn scratches and a nasty rub mark where it was rubbing against a clip on knife I had in my pocket. I did not realize it was scraping on it until it was already pretty bad.

I love it just like it is. It's a hunting rifle. MY African Dangerous Game Rifle and those scars came from my buffalo hunt!!

I can't wait to see what happens next time.

quote:

Originally posted by Antonio:
You will have to assume that your rifle and stock are probably going to get scratched (shooting sticks, stones, truck, falls, tree branches, etc.), even if you try to babysit it all the time... The staff in Africa does not particularly care when handling expensive rifles, nor do sometimes the PH´s themselves. For them it´s just a tool, not an investment or a work of art...

If you have in your mind the concern of not damaging your rifle, you won´t be able to concentrate 100% on the hunt, and in the worst case might get into trouble...

Hunt with a rifle which does not get that obsessive-compulsive little voice inside you go ballistic with every ding and scratch it gets...


Antonio

I have to agree with Antonio and Saeed. If you don't want it scratched you better leave it home. I would add however that I found hunting in SA easier on guns and equipment than either Tanzania or Zimbabwe, mostly because hunting there is similar to hunting the big ranches of west texas. Your gun won't get destroyed like it can in Alaska and the Rockies.If a few scratches don't bother you then take it.

Get some camo bow tape and tape her up. It will protect the gun and eliminate the flash of the gloss stock.

I just got back from Zimbabwe where we hunted in the very thick jess. My gunstock took a bit of a beating. If you have something super nice, I'd be careful with it in that stuff. However, on a hunt of a lifetime, some of those marks are part of the memory

imho if you are worried about your rifle you are focused on the wrong thing

solutions...

consider the dings and scratches as badges of honor that safe queens will never have

use a cloth tape to cover it. ugly but would work

have two stocks for the rifle...the kick around one and the original

pray that nothing happens

get it refinished when you get back

bang it up before you go so you will keep both eyes on the horizon for game

You can tell the rifles I like by their scratches and bruises. I take good care of them, but won't get upset about a mark. It just makes them into a hunting rifle rather than a safe queen. From my experience, Africa is hard on rifles, even plains game hunting. Everything has thorns, and the dust is constant.

You know anytime you take a rifle into the field it will get some wear on it. If you have a safe queen that will hurt your feelings if dinged, stained, scratched or other wise given character. leave it at home.

In the "stuff" happens category I've an acquaintance whom happens to own John "Pondoro" Taylor's old .450 #2 I believe it is a Rigby but could be wrong, in any case it is one hell of a spectacular old British double with an needless to say unbelievable history. In any case several years ago he was hunting buffalo with Ridge Taylor in Ta during which he shot the SCI #5 bull in the world with J.T. s rifle.

But during the hunt at one point a tracker grabbed the rifle which was soft cased off the truck. The case was not zipped and the said gorgeous historical old rifle slipped out of the case and clattered to the ground.

Len's comment (Len was the hunter and owner of said rifle). "Shit happens."

PS

Said rifle looks great today I'm not sure if it was damaged in the fall and repaired or not but the rifle can be viewed by asking permission of the owner, Len, at The Firing Line gun store in Aurora Colorado.

Moral of the story if you are neurotic about your rifle leave it at home. It should be considered a tool not an artifact. And with that in mind keep your tool protected anytime you are hunting. Leave it in a soft case on the truck. I use Boyt, SKB, or the Cabelas brand soft cases for my fine rifles while in use in the field. If you are really worried about the rifle you could carry it while hunting on foot in any of the above mentioned cases as they all have slings attached for just that reason.

One year ago today, I was out for opening weekend of rabbit season. I walked up to the edge of a big rivine that was cut by rain run off, and I can usually jump a bunnie or two out of there. What I didn't know was that the bank had been deeply undercut since last season and when I walked up to it, it gave away and I took about an 8 footer to the rocks below.

My shotgun clattered around, and got a big chuck of wood gouged out. The metal got hammered too. It's an old Weatherby with really exceptional finish.

Or was.

Oh well, that's hunting. I only have one show piece and it really doesn't give me all that much enjoyment.

You can tell the guns I like by the amount of use they get..though NONE of them get as much as they should!

Great question - the first trip, I took exceptional care of the stock, to the point I was too careful. The guns came back dinged up. I was a little upset, but no big deal.

On the second trip, I did not even look at the stocks or worried about them. They came back marked with battle scars. I am proud of the dings now.

I am no longer into keeping things "as new". Heck, I even took the seat covers off my 1966 Impala.

Have fun and use your guns as they were intended. They are not the "Mona Lisa".

Yes, my late father-in-law's adage about a new car was: "Take it to an intersection and park it in the middle of it and come back an hour later and pick it up and drive it. You won't worry about a small ding after that." I have had custom rifle stocks dinged up in Africa even after being careful, but I always take as much care as I can to prevent the same if at all possible. I can relate to dogcat's post very easily. Had an 89 Ford F-250 that I finally did the very same thing to when it came to the seat cover.

quote - "I will be heading to RSA next June. I have a Sako Deluxe in 375 with the gloss stock. I was wondering what to expect in terms of abuse on the stock?"

Short answer - some. As so many have said already this depends on various factors, some in your control, most not, but I think Saeed's advise is sage. Sounds like this is your first trip. If so, things such as the scratches on your rifle will be as likely to prompt memories as your trophies hanging on the wall. I've always come home with light rust on the floorplate (from carrying) and a couple new scratches to the wood. I my own case during most motor transport the rifle is cased (required on public roads) or in my hands.

If your .0001% concerned about your stock its the wrong gun to take hunting, you need to concentrqin on what your there to do, its not really important on a plains game hunt in terms of safty but who wants the distractions of worring about a gun while hunting? either use a different gun or accept the fact your gun might look different after the hunt.

I hunt with a gun with a great piece of wood on it, i rememb er when i first took it out years ago I had the attitude I didnt care if I scratched it, its scratched from one end to the other now and still looks good, i do have gune i woulndt huny with because i wouldnt want any scratches on them, so make up your mind before the hunt

I took a brand new M77 .458 Lott to Zimbabwe with me this year and it got hammered. In all honestly, I kind of like the hammering, because that's what it's for. Don't take anything you don't want to get scratched.

yes the stock will get beat up just through the normal day to day wear. What I concentrate on is when i get back to camp, is to clean the dust, grit, thorns, and whatever else out of the action. After a couple days without attending to it, it will seem your bolt is riding on sand paper.

I take my bespoke English 12 bores everywhere I hunt birds. Friends and acquaintances are often surprised to see me busting brush with one but that is what I had them made for. IMO they are tools to be used. It just so happens they please me greatly when I glance down and admire their engraving and wood. That's part of the pleasure they give me. If I broke a stock on one I'd just get it repaired. I have no closet queens.

Just to be contrary, my lone high-powered rifle wears a McMillan synthetic stock. How can that be? Different aesthetic; just as beautiful ... to my eye anyway.

If your really worried about protecting the gun while hunting.

Gun Chaps work. Just make sure you take them off the gun every night, and let them dry out.

Wipe the gun down with a light oil and put them on again in the morning.

Kane used to make great gun chaps but I've had trouble finding them recently. I wonder if they are still in business.

SGraves155 makes an EXCELLENT POINT. DEET will react with a number of finishs and plastic parts. It can destroy plastic watch faces and make sunglasses unwearable in a hurry. Be careful what you touch with DEET on your hands unless you don't mind leaving a permanent fingerprint on it.