Africa Rifles

For many hunters Africa has been a “one of these days” destination. The current pandemic with its restrictions on travel mean we don’t — at least I don’t — take such things for granted. The wise proverb “it’s later than you think” has never seemed so appropriate. When and if travel becomes routine again, do the things you always planned to do. If hunting in Africa is one of them, a few reminisces may help.

Stay Safe

The safety aspect is just common sense. The guide doesn’t want you to shoot him, or his tracker or driver. He doesn’t want you to shoot yourself either but that’s a bit further down his list of worries. I carry my rifle with magazine loaded, chamber empty. I load the magazine the first day at the range, top it off as needed and don’t unload until it is time to pack the rifle away for the trip home.

The PH’s word is law on whether or not to shoot; and when. I would never chamber a cartridge until the PH gave the go-ahead. I remember setting the rifle on shooting sticks and chambering a round but the game, a blesbok I think, stepped partly behind a tree. While waiting for it to reappear I set the safety on my Ruger 77, probably the only time I used the safety in Africa. Maybe it was an excess of caution, but who knows, I could have had a heart or panic attack from the excitement and dropped the rifle. Better safe than sorry.

Actually the strict rules from years of handgun practical shooting competition have become ingrained. Muzzle control is monitored by range officers. Any laxness in muzzle control, even during a fast-moving stage of fire, results in immediate disqualification. Regardless of whether you compete or not, practice muzzle control until it becomes a subconscious skill.

At a match before a firearm leaves the line, it will be viewed by both the shooter and the range officer to ensure it is unloaded, the idea being two sets of eyes are better than one. When returning to the truck after a walk, I would always have someone confirm the chamber was empty before sliding the rifle back in its scabbard. I remember the PH liked the idea and planned to make it a practice with future clients.

The Big Discussion

Cartridges for African plains game is an endless topic. PHs in my experience don’t care much about cartridges. They do care a great deal about bullets. They prefer to see their clients using tough, heavy-for-caliber bullets that won’t blow up on the surface and which usually provide an exit hole. Personally I’ve shot most of my plains game with a .300 Win. Mag. using Black Hills factory ammo loaded with Barnes TSX bullets and have seldom needed more than one shot.

Several PHs have told me they see more problems with too much gun than too little. One PH said when a client shows up with something like a .416 he knows he is in for trouble. For big and dangerous game, yes, but not for plains game where you may be firing two or three shots a day. Even if the client doesn’t flinch on day one, he probably will by day three.

What they recommend is a .30-’06, .308, 7mm or .300 Mag. A PH told me the best shooting he had ever seen was by a client using a 7mm-08 Rem. If I was going back tomorrow I’d take my Brno ZG 47 in 7×57 Mauser, although I reserve the right to change my mind!

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