Gentleman

I was wondering if anyone on this forum has had an bad experience with his wildcat Big Bore dangerous game rifle to Africa?

An example would be not having the ammo arrive with the gun and being unable to purchase any ammo in Africa because this was a wildcat caliber. I always read that you should use a standard caliber "because the ammo might get lost" but have never talked with anyone that this has happened to.

Another example would be that customs would not allow your ammo into the country because the headstamp on the brass did not match the caliber on the rifle?

Thanks

ronl, I have hunted with wildcats in Africa, and have only had a problem one time, and it wasn't because it was a wildcat, but because the customs man in Zambia did not understand why I was takeing empty brass home with me. Handloading was a word that was lost on him. He was angry that he couldn't charge me duty on the ammo because I was takeing it out of the country, though I had shot it there. ??????????? Who can figure the thinking of the average customs man in Zambia.

As far as headstamp not matching the rifle stamping, I've never had this problem because I use the smoke colored ammo boxes sold by HDS and lable them with my own lables, sealing the boxes closed, with clear postal tape. I have never had them open the sealed box, because they can count the rounds right through the box. The boxes aren't clear enough to read the headstamp, however. Where I usually hunt it wouldn't make any difference whether the ammo were wildcat or not, because it would be hard to buy "ANY" kind of ammo. This is why I always take a 375 H&H, most any PH in Africa has one, and usually has ammo for it!

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also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

Not that this necessary counts, but I take my .338Dakota, .416Dakota and .450Dakota about every where I go. In 15+ hunts in Africa have I only been separated from my ammo once. On my second trip to Africa my bags did not show up. My gun bolts, scopes, and ammo were in a separate soft-sided bag. I used my PH's rifle for three days till my bags arrived. I changed the type of bags that I carry and purchased a TuffPak. No problems since.

No matter what type of cartridge you shoot, you can generally make a plan with your PH. Just because you shoot a wildcat or proprietary cartridge, you are not necessarily at a disadvantage. I certainly would not select a hunting cartridge based upon universal ammo availability.