Okay, just for fun I asked the question if you could only have one caliber for DG, what would you pick? Lot's of interesting responses. Now, let's change the equation a bit. Let's suppose that YOU are the GUIDE, the big dog B'wana responsible for keeping your client and trackers safe, would that change your pick? Here are the questions:

1. What type of action would you pick, double or magazine?

2. What would the caliber be?

3. What brand of rifle would you pick? Remember now, you are a working guy so money has to be part of the equation.

If it were me, I would pick and Empire Rifle in .458 Lott. Great rifle, great cartridge, and it will shoot .458 ammo in a pinch.

Now, you guys that actually ARE guides, feel free to weigh in here but but hang back a bit and let the citizen hunters make their picks and then give us your suggestions.

Dave

.458 Win Mag or bigger, bolt or double depending on the cartridge. If it could only be one and recognizing it is a working man's gun, I would go with a .458 Lott bolt action since I could also use Win Mags in it.

If it was African DG, probably a .470 Nitro double rifle.

If it was Alaskan DG, probably a Model 70 in .416 Rem. Mag.

George

.458 Lott in a synthetic bolt gun or a double in .470 or .500.

Wait...That's what I shoot now!

my 550 Gibbs, because if I have to shoot; we definitely got ourselves a serious situation.

780gr at 2300fps is the answer to any question.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knoweldge lost...

The rifle I shoot well.

Because if the chips are down, shot placement counts, not the size of the bullet.

Bolt action dakpta 76 in 375/404.

Between 6 to 8 hunters use these every year, they have been monotonously reliable, and everything hit in the right place dies.

..........For Africa ,,,,500 A-Sq. w/ GS HV or Barnes TSX expanding bullets in 535 grain wt @ 2600 fps .....GS solids for Pacaderms ........460 Whby for Alaska ....350 gr mono metal expanding bullets and a few solids onboard somewhere ...........Rifles built on a CZ550 magnum action ....

For Africa I would be happy to use my 450 No2 Double rifle, but for ease of ammo supply I would also consider a 470 double.

For Alaska if guiding brown bears in the thick then I would use a Synthentic Blaser R 93 in 416 Rem Mag, or the 400 H&H when it becomes available.

If guiding in more open country I would use the Blaser R 93 with a standard contour barrel, or even my 19 2/4" Tracker barrrel.

Be interesting to try and find 375/404 or 500A2 in a gun store in Zim, Tanzania, etc. I bet.

Probably a 375 H&H loaded with 270-grain Barnes TSX bullets.

458 or 500 AR in a bolt gun, 470 NE in a double ... no wait, that's what I said before

quote:

If it was Alaskan DG, probably a Model 70 in .416 Rem. Mag.

x2... with 400 gr barnes solids...

A Heym double in 470NE.

Even if all you get done is shoot some critters in the leg, the "guide" still gets paid, and also gets in some practice shooting and following up wounded animals.

Bring the .223!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
For Africa I would be happy to use my 450 No2 Double rifle, but for ease of ammo supply I would also consider a 470 double.
QUOTE]
Beat me to it. For general backup rifle, I would have no problem w/ my 404jeffery either.

For leopard I use a shotgun....

For Africa my Thys double rifle in 458wm. It has proven 100% reliable and you get two shots in any event. Ammo is ubiquitous. A bolt 458 Lott would be choice #2.

For Alaska, my Dakota 375H&H or on the nice days my A&S Farmars 375H&H double rifle.

Saeed isn't quite right on in a pinch "size doesn't matter." No one is 100% and everyone will miss at some point. You can turn the bad ones with a bigger bullet. Try reading John Taylor and other old time elephant hunter for confirmation.

JPK

After about a hundred rounds my Parker Hale converted to .458 Lott has proved to be 100% reliable. Quick repeat hits on 8" steel at 100yards from offhand are easy with the iron sights. That would be comforting when things went awry with scary creatures.

The abillity to sponge/buy/borrow .458 WM ammo would be nice if one spent alot of time in a country where they accept aid from Third World countries.

Guiding Saeed with his hammer of God rifle would be the most comforting of all.

For Africa, 470 or 465. Plenty of stopping power and lot's of class.

For Alaska I would choose the 458 WM, using 400 gr Swifts, or North Forks, or maybe some of the Federal or Remingtom factory loads using a bullet in that weight, or maybe up to 450 gr. I would use the same rifle in Africa, just a heavier bullet.

Rifles - well I keep trying to find fault with my Ruger, as an excuse to use a Mauser, but so far the Ruger is great, and just keeps on feeding perfect. That's hard to fault. And to keep it simple, I haven't found fault yet with the Hoage stock for the Ruger, the one with the full aluminum insert.

I also like a 20 to 21" barrel in 458.

So, the question was about guiding as back up. I don't currently have a 458, nor do I guide others. Therefore, I feel pretty comfortable with my 375 H&H, or my 9.3x62, or my 35 Whelen.

But I consider the 458 WM a stopper, which is why I would choose it as a guide, plus that cartridge just keeps everything simpler, availibility, action, feeding, etc.

KB

A Merkel double in 500NE.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick R:
The abillity to sponge/buy/borrow .458 WM ammo would be nice if one spent alot of time in a country where they accept aid from Third World countries.

I finished an extended elephant hunt in Zimbabwe with 458wm ammo barrowed in the field in my ammo belt.

Zimbabwe accepts aid from thrid world countries.

JPK

It is a rifle carried all day and seldom fiered.
When fiered, almost always because the shit has hit the fan. One have to expect to be out of air(stupid client is not were he is told), in a funny position(stupid client is in the way)and a bit stressed on top(go figure).

Anything bigger than a .458WinMag would be wasted on most people.

Given the availability of ammo in Africa (regardless of cost), I'd go with either a .458 Lott in a bolt rifle or a .470 NE double rifle.

In Alaska it would be a .416. Would probably start with the .416 Remington but would carefully evaluate the forthcoming .416 Ruger.

I would have to go with my Empire Rifle in 500 Jeffery. All the power and accuracy you could want,plus it just flat out handles better than any other big bore I've used.

For Africa, I already own it.



My Duane Wiebe built .458 Lott with 2.5x Leupold scope in Tally mounts and with a Tally peep as backup. The rifle weights about 10.5 pounds with scope, holds 5 in the magazine plus one up the spout, and I am confident with it out to about 250-yards. My hunting loads are 500-grain Speer AGS solids and 500-grain Swift A-frames at 2250 fps.

For Alaska, I would build up a Stainless Synthetic on either a Model 70 or Montana 99 action in .358 STA with 24-inch barrel and a brockman Talley base with pop-up peep and a Kahles 1.5x6 scope with illumionated reticle. I would load it with 275-grain bullets.

I would have to use the most powerful rifle that I think is both practical and manageable. For me, that would be my .500 A-Square.

I believe that a PH should not shoot unless something has gone wrong - and that he must therefore be prepared for the worst.

In Africa, my 500 N.E. Heym, or my M70 458 Lott bolt 4+1.
In Alaska, my M70 in 416 Rem. mag. or again my 458 Lott both 4+1.

A 338 or 375 will work to perfection in Alaska

I would like an experienced good shot with ice in his veins backed up by a 500 Nitro Double for my guide so that is what I would pick.

This?


It's OK, it's a 45-70!

quote:

Originally posted by Collins:
This?


It's OK, it's a 45-70!

maybe the 510 kodiak express Marlin with a full length mag tube filled with 7 rounds like bigdoggy700's

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8721043/m/589100537

I'm not really playing the game but as Saeed said you should have something you can shoot regardless of caliber. Shot placement is always the most important factor. Also and not very romantic is the fact that Will has brought up before. Most PH's cannot afford 95% of the spendy cannons mentioned above. So if we were PH's we'd probably be shooting what we could afford. I'm sure a 375 or 458 in an out of the box something would be what you would be shooting. When I see a PH with a nice double I often wonder how much he had to give up to buy it. Of course some of these guys have been given these rifles as gifts.

Mark

I have a winchester 70 in 470 capstick that I am very happy with. If I had big money that I could spend a double in 577 would be very nice.

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
I have a winchester 70 in 470 capstick that I am very happy with. If I had big money that I could spend a double in 577 would be very nice.

for 2k you could have a 577 bolt action...see below right

45-70 1895gs.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:

quote:

Originally posted by Collins:
This?

It's OK, it's a 45-70!

maybe the 510 kodiak express Marlin with a full length mag tube filled with 7 rounds like bigdoggy700's

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8721043/m/589100537

I WANT TO BE YOU!

Blaser S2 in a 500 nitro.

Ed