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What a concept...a new single gun question

beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
edited February 2002 in General Discussion
This is not a post apocalypse world. You have arrived in Africa for a safari and the United African Republics have decided that safari hunters can bring only one weapon to shoot on their continent. It has to be good for gazelle to Cape buffalo. What do you pick? BeachP.S. I thought this might get us off the devisive track our little forum has been travelling for the last few days....Maybe a few of you can come up with some gun questions too. All the best, Beach
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Comments

  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    I`m gunna be real dissapointed if nobody says anything about bees!!.218
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  • guns-n-painthorsesguns-n-painthorses Member Posts: 6,462 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    HK 91 in .308 anything else is extra baggage! He He He!What do I know?
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  • concealedG36concealedG36 Member Posts: 3,566 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've never hunted Africa, but I still think my trusty 30-06 would do the trick. And hey, even if some of the big game animals don't go down with the first shot, I have a 4 round magazine!!
    Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A .812 Bee(ste), 150 gr. Cordite, 900gr solids.
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    300 H&H. Why take a wannabe when you can have the one that set the standard.Clouder..
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was thinking of a .375 H&H bolt gun. But that might just be tremendous overkill for anything smaller than a big cat. Don't know if I'd want to go after a lion or Cape buffalo with a .30-06 though....that might be too sporting for my blood. Clouder may have the best compromise so far. BeachP.S. Since I've never hunted animals in Africa(only Somalis) some of you guys who have actually done a safari might help out. What did the professional guides have with them?
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  • AntiqueDrAntiqueDr Member Posts: 691 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    .375 H&H is the ideal gun for that situation. Just use expanding bullets for the thin-skinned stuff, solids on the buffs.If you REALLY wanted to go traditional, that .375 would be a Holland & Holland or Rigby bolt gun.
    We buy, sell and trade quality guns and scopes!Ask us about Shepherd Scopes!Visit our website at www.ApaxEnterprises.com
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  • gap1916gap1916 Member Posts: 4,977
    edited November -1
    I would like a radio with VHF and UHF capability and close air support. Or bring a friend with a second rifle for all around fun.
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    AK-47What?
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  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    Well, assuming this gun is going to be used for large animals and not long-range human interdiction, I'd probably take a Remington 700 custom-shop stainless-barrel in .458 WinIf I didnt have to carry it around and get it all dusty and whatnot: Custom-built Blaser-Jagdwaffen R93 LRS-2 in .338 Lapua. Will kill anything that walks, swims, or slithers (and that includes Skinnies), and a bargain at ~$9,500. But a PSG-1's about $14,000 if that gives you any perspective.Speaking of Skinnies, I've got a question for you, beach.Have you experienced any of the trouble with the effectiveness of the slap 5.56 rounds on the locals? I've heard from more than a couple sources that taking a frenzied Sammie with a cheekful of khat down with an M4 took quite a bit of effort, especially being that they were often teflon-slap rounds instead of normal FMJS.
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    338 Win Mag. 310 grain Woodlieghs for heavy stuff and 165 Barnes X for lighter things.
    AlleninAlaska
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'd probably select a Weatherby in a big game rifle caliber, anywhere from .300 to .460. If we're talking anything like rhino or even elephant, and I'm no expert, I wouldn't want to go too light. I'd probably have the sense to inquire which caliber would cover gazelle too, without destroying the trophy. .458-460 might be a bit heavy for gazelle. (!)
    "The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Allen, You suck, you beat me to it, thats why I bought my .338, to cover the world in a one gun situation, ESPECIALLY Africa, except for the minimum cal. rule some countries have over there. Col. Craig Boddington's book turned me onto it. Where did you find a 165gr. Barnes, I thought they only went down to 160, and didnt see the 165?? Hey we finally agreed on something, sort of
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    You're finally right about something Ryan, they are 160 Barnes X. Or could I have mistakenly hit the 6 when I was trying to hit the 7.
    AlleninAlaska
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  • WyomingSwedeWyomingSwede Member Posts: 402 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'll put a fastball by all of ya... from what I have read most african hunting is under 200 yards, especially dangerous game. I'll just grab my 45-70 guide gun with the really loud ports to scare off everything after I shoot. A 400 gr cast bullet at about 1600 fps should be adequate for anything I might luck into.regards swede
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Well, I'd have to go with something really big... I'd rather have overkill on a small animal than be faced with a dangerous, wounded Cape Buffalo.
    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conference in 1899.
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  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    375 H&H or since I'm a tough old sob I may just take a good hickory switch and beat the suckers to death.
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bullzeye...when we were in Somalia the vast majority of our people had M16A2's shooting a standard 62 grain bullet. There were not a lot of CAR-4's that I saw. While I carried a Navy MKII Garand all of my guys carried A2's or 203's with 6 M-60's per team. There was some exotic weaponry(including early model CAR-4's) within the SEAL platoon with us; but aside from the sniper rifles the most exotic I saw was a special full auto M-14 with a pistol grip,cut down barrel, cut down stock and unusual 30 round mags that the platoon AOIC carried. The Somalis that I saw go down went down fairly rapidly even when under the influence of quat. Most of the Somalis that we blew away were victims of superb USMC fire discipline and rarely did they have less than 4 or 5 bullets in their bodies. Most spectacular kill was some idiot kid who standing of a ridge line about 100 yards from the road lit up a convoy with a "spray and pray" full auto sweep of a tanker and its 5 ton escort trucks. About 30-40 Marines lit the kid up and there had to be over 100 bullet holes in him when I viewed the body. The kid was the definition of "Somali burger".But I'll tell you those people did some really wierd stuff to get their quat. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it here before but one time two clashing factions were having a firefight at an outlying airfield that the Kenyan quat Cessna flew into daily....When the plane appered overhead there was an immediate cease fire on both sides to buy their drugs and then when the plane took off they went back to shooting at each other. Truly Somalis are the most f***ed people in the world. I think it was the Rangers and Delta that had a lot of the early CAR-4's there. If I'm not mistaken most of the 10th Mountain guys that I saw had M-16A2's....there may have been some special cadre bubbas in 10th Mountain with CAR-4's but I didn't see them.Bottom line bullzeye....when a Somali was hit they went down. Beach
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Allen and I slowly approached the buffalo, down wind and with waist high bushes between the two of us and the beast, we were creeping, knees almost scraping on the ground. I heard the click of Allen's safety as he pushed it off, man it sounded so loud. This would be an easy shot for Allen, he's done this a hundred times. The buffalo suddenly brought his head up from the water, a stream of it runnning from the corners of its mouth. As I stopped breathing, Allen quickly brought his firearm to shoulder. Before he could take the shot we saw movement from across the mud hole, not thirty feet from where the old bull was looking. Rosie slowly approached the bull, arm outstretched, fingers in the Crocodile Dundee fashion of beast communication through a meeting of the minds. Allen turned towards me, lowering his weapon, I turned towards him, mouth open wide, astounded. Rosie continued the approach, the buffalo's knees bent, and it went down to the ground, head low, eyelids non blinking, staring. Rosie approached, bent, picked up a weapon of choice, a 6' long stick about a 1/2" in diameter, continuing the approach, slowly drawing the swithch back, and then..... BAM!, KILLED that big old BLOW FLY, that was troubling that old buffalo so much. Knocked it right off the tip of the left ear of the old bull. The bull stood, glared at Rosie, then ambled off. Rosie walked over, grinning from ear to ear, took a look at Allen and I and said,'thats how you get 'em to like ya', ya' gotta do 'em a little favor now and then, 'eh mate?
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the .375 H&H is winning. Beach
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    Good one Ryan.
    AlleninAlaska
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I gotta go with Allen and Sgt. Roberts, probably because I've never fired a .375 H&H, but have spent a lot of time with the .338 Win Mag. Can I please bring along a 10 gauge double for wounded lions?????? Naw, that's cheating!
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  • pops401pops401 Member Posts: 616 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Allen, Ryan, and Timberbeast. Is there room for me in your group too?pops
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can I bring a Mark-19 mounted on a HumVee? It just feels so good.
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1; a semi-automatic, clip-fed, gas operated shoulder weapon.I agree, marginal for Cape Buffs or Jumbo but the most dangerous game in Africa is the thousands running through the brush waving AK47's.
    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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  • smokepolesmokepole Member Posts: 34 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    beachmaster, thank you both for the service to our country and for the fascinating words. Amazing to read about what went on from people who were right there. Thanks again.
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  • cleve00cleve00 Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    How bout a .470 nitro express and a couple Claymores for visual effect. Ask Peter Capstick "Famous great White Hunter"
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  • Miss. CreantMiss. Creant Member Posts: 300 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Browning Ma Duece with a TRUCK load of ammo.
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  • semiwadsemiwad Member Posts: 14 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Gotta be .375 H&H for me too ..... probably one of the best all round choices.
    "UNITED WE STAND"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Never mind the dog - beware the owner""Growing old is mandatory, growing wise is optional"(aka Hollowbase)
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  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't hunt but....My custom made over/under is a .458 Winchester over a .30-06.Evil.....AK47?....you need mental help. Mudge the therapist
    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
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  • njretcopnjretcop Member Posts: 7,975
    edited November -1
    Maxim machine gun. -Charlie the poor shot.
    It's the stuff dreams are made of AngelNRA Certified Firearms InstructorMember: GOA, RKBA, NJSPBA, NJ area rep for the 2ndAMPD. njretcop@copmail.com
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  • varmit huntervarmit hunter Member Posts: 1,674 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    .375H&H.Then I can come home and play with toys.
    A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mr. Mudge:There is absolutely, positively, nothing that the AK-47 cannot accomplish!It has been used as an assault rifle since 1947. It has been fielded as a long range sniper weapons platform. Longest shot ever made from an AK-47 sniper platform was 2,500 yards. (I was the one who made that shot, by the way.)Mudge, it is also well-known that the AK-47 is the weapon of choice while hunting the elusive Bigfoot (AKA Sasquatch) here in my Pacific Northwest. If my AK-47 can handle a platoon of angry Bigfeet waving their laser rifles at me, then I'm sure it can handle a measly buffalo. Tutonka.Evil The Certifiable
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  • EZMZEZMZ Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    British .303 SMLE
    "BILLARY KLINTON" has Thunder Thighs!!!
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    After careful consideration, I'd go w/ the .375 H&H, also. I'd prefer two weapons, but the rules say one. I'd be none too comfortable facing an unhappy buff with one of them, and I sure wouldn't want anything smaller. And there some very good .375" slugs to use for thin skinned game.
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  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Evil....All that notwithstanding. I was in Botswana when the war in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe was going on. I've seen elephants and rhino that both sides in that war, used for target practice (with AK's) on the Rhodesia side of the "great, green, greasy" Limpopo river and have come across the river to bleed to death in Botswana. If you want to chop the big 5 to pieces and let them suffer while they bleed to death, go with the AK. I'd prefer a cleaner kill. (If I could ever bring myself to kill something.)Mudge the animal loverEvil...nothing personal. Just pointing out my position on using a weapon of that caliber for that purpose.
    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
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  • thesupermonkeythesupermonkey Member Posts: 3,905 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mudge as far as a 'clean-kill' goes that relates less to caliber than to overall shot placement. Ak or 30/06 it will still die slowly if you gut wound it...Munkey has spoken...
    Don't worry about the bullet with your name on it, worry about the fragmentation grenade addressed 'To Occupant'.
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  • cleve00cleve00 Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm sure that Safari a little different than staring through a scope at 150 yards at a Whitetail. I've never been afraid of a Whitetail goring my entrails from my body, or a turkey trampling me to death. While I was never "shaking in my boots" while beading in on Turkey's head, you can damn sure bet that my knees and teeth would be chattering when a Buffalo appeares 75 yards from me. Even if I could control the "fever", would I risk the first shot on a buff with a 06 or AK (at 75 yards)? HeLLLLLLLL NAH!!!!!
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