OK, so I did not get any tags this year in CO or WY where I hunt, and I'm singin' the blues. Besides, with Covid-19, the forum is slowing down a bit I believe.

I used the 'find' function for the above topic, and got a (3) thread result. Two by me, and none were this specific topic.

Wanna' play? Remember, this is a safari with BOTH DG & PG on the list.

Here's my pick: 458 Lott & 375 H&H

The Lott can shoot both Lott & WM rounds.
The 375 H&H is probably the best 1-rifle battery out there for Africa. What a duo they make together! I use an open sighted Lott and a scoped H&H. I have taken Buffalo, Eland and Lion on one end, and Puku and Jackal on the other with my H&H. It's a great backup to the Lott if it were to go down on safari for some reason, and it's DG legal. The 375 Weatherby, which can also use H&H rounds, wouldn't be a bad choice either, except I don't own one! And finally, ammo for these two calibers are no problem to find in Africa if it doesn't show up on your flight.

My second choice would be: 404 Jeffery & 338Mag. or 9.3x62, for all the reasons already stated above, with the 9.3 being the best backup to the 404 for DG.

OK, your turn!

I wholeheartedly agree with your choices. Those are my go to calibers when I go.

470 NE and 375 H&H. Served me well so far ....

Depends.

If it’s get the trophy at almost any cost and DG is on the list, I usually take my .416 Rigby and .375 H&H. Both scoped.

If cruddy weather/rain forest the .416 gets swapped for a stainless .416 rem mag.

For elephant the .375 gets swapped for a .470 NE. For long range likelihood I usually swap the .375 for a .330 Dakota or a .300 RUM. Africa is if anything, more diverse than NA for terrain, and the game is likewise more diverse.

Having been to Africa a few times, shooting a few hundred game animals, and having used a variety of rifles, 25-06 Remington, several 270 caliber wildcats, several 7mm caliber wildcats, 338, 375 and 416.

I settled on 2 rifles, same caliber.

375/404.

Served us all so well, in so many years, I have no wish to change anything.

We have shot animals from elephants to duikers.

Range from almost barrel touching to 500 yards.

Worked every time.

No idea how many of us have used this combination, and no complaints whatsoever!

One rifle.

One bullet.

One load.

I take my 470 NE and a 9.3x62 on my mixed bag. If just dangerous game the 470 NE and either a 404 Jeffery or 416 Rigby. On Plains game my 9.3x62 and my 375 H&H.

From a UK perspective I would take a 375 H&H and a 7mm or 30 cal that I had and shot well with. In the UK you can get a 375 to be licenced for use on deer so you can get real life practice with it. Anything bigger, and little chance of you be allowed to use it for anything other than zeroing. To be honest, with embuggerance of getting a big calibre in the UK and then transporting it to Africa, I would probably just use a rifle over there.

My combo for many years now has been a .500 A-Square partnered up with a .375 H&H Mag.

If buffalo only, 416 Rigby (open sights) and scoped 375 H&H.

If elephant is on the hit list as well, 500 NE and 9.3X74R, both doubles, the 9.3 being scoped.

Cats? I've done it several ways, and with both above described combos. I'm probably done with the cats after 2 each, lion and leopard, but if doing another cat hunt, I'd choose:

Leopard - 500 NE and 300 H&H. Took my 2011 leopard with this combo with CMS
Lion - 500 NE and 9.3X74R. Took my 2012 lion with this combo with CMS

On my first trip to Africa in 1971, I took my Krieghoff double rifle in .458 Winchester Magnum, with an extra barrel set in .375 H&H, plus my pre-64 Model 70 in .300 H&H. I used the .458 for thick skinned dangerous game, the .375 for cats and large plains game and the .300 for all the rest. I never had cause to regret it.

My two gun has been a .416 Rigby and .338 Win Mag for almost 30 years.

On my next trip I am taking two new rifles: Model 70 .416 Rem with Skinner aperture sights and a Chapuis 375 Flanged Magnum with open sights.

I would just take either a .375 (H&H or Wby) or a .416 Rem

The only reasons that I would take a second rifle would be:
- a spare (like Saeed)
- if the PG and DG areas were very different in terrain, i.e. longer range plains game
- if I wanted to use a double on DG

404 Jeffery and 9.3x62 for bolt guns and 500/416 and 9.3x74 if taking doubles

You really need a 3 barrel/caliber set. See my add in the classifieds. These would have you in fine form.

Assuming the rifle is done, I'll be taking one Bradshaw rising bite double rifle with two sets of barrels to Africa next July: a scoped .300 H&H flanged magnum set regulated for the 200 grain Swift A-Frame, with an extra set of barrels in 450-400 regulated with Hornady factory ammunition.

Regards, Tim

Depends for me.

If ele is on the DG ticket. If so:

Scoped M70 Win in .458 WM and .500 NE double

If no ele but buff on ticket or the mix of cats and ele:

Scoped M70 .375 H&H and .500 NE double

If Cats were the only DG:

The .458 & the .375

Ok since I like to be different and basing it on what is in my collection I pick the 416 Ruger and 300 WSM. They both pack a decent punch, the 416 will handle any dangerous game and the 300 WSM with a 180 grain is suitable for any plains game. They are both compact and carry well through the bush.

I also load all my own ammo but if my ammo didn’t make it to Africa probably screwed then. If I wanted to not worry about ammo then I would just take a 375 H&H and 30-06, old classic rounds, can always find ammo somewhere.

Take just one gun. Either a 416 or a 404 Jeff. Take a spare mounted scope sighted in. I never had a rifle crap out but scopes are a different issue.

Saaed of the two rifles do you prefer one over the other. Just wondering!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Having been to Africa a few times, shooting a few hundred game animals, and having used a variety of rifles, 25-06 Remington, several 270 caliber wildcats, several 7mm caliber wildcats, 338, 375 and 416.

I settled on 2 rifles, same caliber.

375/404.

Served us all so well, in so many years, I have no wish to change anything.

We have shot animals from elephants to duikers.

Range from almost barrel touching to 500 yards.

Worked every time.

No idea how many of us have used this combination, and no complaints whatsoever!

One rifle.

One bullet.

One load.

All mentioned are good choices for the reasons mentioned by the owners. In my case My one rifle choice would be a 375 H&H with scope mounted in quick detach bases with return to zero if there is a need to remove the scope for any reason, and good iron sights. However that is not my best choice with a full bag list, dangerous game and planes game list My choice would still be a 375H&H set up the same way as before, and my 470NE double with both softs and solid ammo.
The 375 H&H or 470 are easily found if my ammo fails to make it to my final airport or camp.
I have never gone to Africa, Canada, or Alaska and have my ammo miss arriving, but never say never!
.......................................... MacD37

....................

My 2-gun battery for DG/PG is my .416 Hoffman & .338 Win Mag. Both are Model 70’s. I can’t think of anything that pair can’t handle.

somehow my above post was double posted!
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sorry

I'll take a Model 70 .458 Win Mag with 1x4 Leupold scope in QD mounts and either a Model 70 30-06 with Zeiss scope or my wife's 7x57 Ruger No. 1. I like her Ruger. It's short, light and easy to carry.
kh

A friend has 3 Dakota Traveler rifles (take-down, switch barrel) he'll be selling, if someone wants two rifles in one :-)

Dense bush like Zimbabwe:

.577 NE and light Lott. Loaded with 300 g TSX accurate to 300 y and obviously backup for .577 - never been a problem though with .577 VC.

My one son likes our 30-378 for PG and longer reaches so that is the second when he comes. Just shot a mule deer at 500 y with it in CO.

My other son likes our 45-70 double as second.

If longer distance open bush like SA or Namibia, I d take my Gibbs .505 for DG and the Lott for longer walks although I ve used the .577 for buffalo.

Only one gun. Either Lott or Gibbs .505, both have PG option to 300y.

quote:

The 375 H&H or 470 are easily found if my ammo fails to make it to my final airport or camp.

Funny story on that. While hunting the BVC, BVC Manager Blondie Leatham told me a story of a man who had his 470 double, but no ammo. He was able to contact someone in Bulawayo (name withheld) who sold him a box and had it delivered for 1K.

My two would be: 450-400 and 375 H&H, although I've killed just about everything with the 375 H&H.

It would kind of depend on what I was hunting but I have a 458 WM that has served me well and a 375 WBY that will handle near and far targets.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by reddy375:
Saaed of the two rifles do you prefer one over the other. Just wondering!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Having been to Africa a few times, shooting a few hundred game animals, and having used a variety of rifles, 25-06 Remington, several 270 caliber wildcats, several 7mm caliber wildcats, 338, 375 and 416.

I settled on 2 rifles, same caliber.

375/404.

Served us all so well, in so many years, I have no wish to change anything.

We have shot animals from elephants to duikers.

Range from almost barrel touching to 500 yards.

Worked every time.

No idea how many of us have used this combination, and no complaints whatsoever!

One rifle.

One bullet.

One load.

I prefer the second one, as I built it myself.

The first one was built by my good friend and safari partner, Dwight Scott.

It worked so well I decided to give up taking two different rifles, so I built the second one here in my workshop, using the same reamer.

I use the same load for both.

Makes life so much simpler.

I was asked how many I have shot.

I have no idea.

I stopped counting a long time ago after I got to a 100!

Between them, these two rifle must have accounted for several hundred animals, from elephants to impala.

Used by many hunters.

As my old friend, Roy Vincent, said.

These rifle just work!

Love this topic and it comes up every year or two.

Saeed's approach of two rifles of the same calibre makes a lot of sense. I've gone a little bit different direction. I have a .416 Rem. that's my go to rifle. I've taken a .375 H&H, a .300 and a .30-06 as my light rifle. Finally settled on the .416 and the .30-06 as my battery. Both are topped with a Z6 1x6 Swaro scope. .416 is illuminated. Carry a spare scope that fits the .416 and will fit the .30-06 with a few adjustments with a few tools if needed to adjust the rings for the light rifle. Likewise, the scope on the .30-06 could be made to work on the .416 if necessary.

The .416 is used much more than the .30-06 because that is generally what is in my hand. It's good for everything from dik dik to elephant and from point blank to 300 yards. The .30-06 gets used occasionally, especially in Masailand. But I don't carry a lot of ammunition for it. In my view, 300 yards is far enough.

7 x 57 & .375 H&H. Two hunters that can shoot both.

Nice pic you two!

Is Africa calling you back?

M70 in 416 Rem Mag shooting 350g Swift A Frames. Krieghoff double in 470 shooting 500g Woodleighs.

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
Nice pic you two!

Is Africa calling you back?

Whispering as compared to shouting.

On my last safari to Mlele and Monduli Tanzania I took a 460 Weatherby and a 280 AI, both scoped. I also took a 470 double but never pulled it out the leather. Normally I carry a 375 H&H in place of the 280.

As Saeed has designed himself the most adequate calibre and ammunition for all game he is not allowed to comment on the two gun battery.

I am a fan of the .404J and would probably twin that with a 7X57 or something similar.

I believe the (4) safaris I've taken with Andrew in Zambia, I've used my 404J as my heavy.

It's always nice when your PH is shooting the same caliber as yourself for ammo backup!

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
As Saeed has designed himself the most adequate calibre and ammunition for all game he is not allowed to comment on the two gun battery.

I am a fan of the .404J and would probably twin that with a 7X57 or something similar.

On the Mozambique trip the luggage with the 7 x 57 ammo was delayed and I was shocked the PH said he had NEVER had someone from the states arrive with a 7 x 57.

That's because there this is this thing called the 7mm Rem Mag...