The ideal number of cartridges to carry while hunting.

[SStomcat]

To all the respected AH members out there , how many rounds do you carry while hunting (DG or else) ? For me it would be about 40 rounds for non-dangerous game. For DG it would be 7 in the rifle , 6 in another magazine/ stripper clip and 15 on my ammo belt. Do you guys think that is enough? your opinion would be valued.

Holy cow! But each to their own — no harm, no foul. I believe you mean when going out to the field to hunt dangerous game. Also, which rifle of yours holds seven rounds, or are you referring to chamber capacity plus a butt-stock ammo strip together?

Carrying 7 + 6 + 15 in a belt could be a bottleneck in terms of weight and a hassle on long walks or crawling through thick bush. Again, this is a personal thing. For example, I like to go light, both flying and hunting. I carry two in my .470 NE chamber and five in my ammo belt. My PH uses the same caliber and always keeps extras in the truck (factory loads that my rifle shoots fine).

So unless I get into a firefight with poachers or smugglers — which hasn’t happened yet , I believe I should be OK.

 

[Flipper Dude]

4 in the rifle. 5 in the belt slide. 1 each in 4 pockets. So 13. I ain’t skeered.

 

[grand veneur]

To all the respected AH members out there , how many rounds do you carry while hunting (DG or else) ? For me it would be about 40 rounds for non-dangerous game. For DG it would be 7 in the rifle , 6 in another magazine/ stripper clip and 15 on my ammo belt. Do you guys think that is enough? your opinion would be valued.

A lot also depends on the type of rifle that you use and its caliber. For example, someone using a bolt action rifle caliber 375 H&H Magnum will certainly be able to carry more cartridges with him in the field than someone using a double rifle caliber 600 Nitro Express. The weight of the cartridges on the belt must also be taken into account.

As for me, when I hunted with my bolt action rifles caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum or 500 Schüler, I always had 3 cartridges in the rifle, 10 cartridges on my belt, and about 20 cartridges or a little more in my backpack, depending on what is left of the 40 rounds I always took with me for a hunting trip. So far, I have never had problems regarding the number of cartridges I carried.

 

[MS 9x56]

I carry 10 or 12 depending which belt shell holder I am wearing. For calibers I have stripper clips for 5 in the rifle and 2 full stripper clips worth.

 

[uplander01]

I make it a point to have enough to fully load my rifle 3 times. Most of my bolt guns hold 3, so usually a 8 or 10 round cartridge slide, maybe a loose round or two in a pocket

 

[gcbailey]

Whenever I have a firearm, I carry as much ammo as possible, whether when concealed carrying, hunting, or working. I know there is a slim chance I'll ever need all the ammo I have on me, but I also would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it, as the adage goes. There's no reward for the ratio of ammo consumed vs targets hit, so if I can comfortably carry it, I will.

 

[mark-hunter]

Whenever I have a firearm, I carry as much ammo as possible

Army training engraved and in the blood, I guess?

 

[Odinsraven]

I have a full mag if using the Enfield a full spare mag ....I cull so usually stop off at the gun store as what I can fly with does not do it ..I don't do DG but only once on culling was caught out.....rest stays in the truck

 

[gcbailey]

Army training engraved and in the blood, I guess?

Guilty. 210 rounds basic load feels REALLY light sometimes.

 

[SStomcat]

Whenever I have a firearm, I carry as much ammo as possible, whether when concealed carrying, hunting, or working. I know there is a slim chance I'll ever need all the ammo I have on me, but I also would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it, as the adage goes. There's no reward for the ratio of ammo consumed vs targets hit, so if I can comfortably carry it, I will.

True, but there’s a difference between hunting with enough firepower, carrying for self-defense, and just hitting the range. Each calls for something different.

 

[Red Leg]

I am not of the firepower tribe. When hunting buffalo, I will have one in the chamber and whatever the magazine will hold (all SPs). That is typically three + 1 if my R8. My Murray belt holds an additional ten. Two of those will be solids. That is a total of 14. I don't schlep around a pack in Africa. I do not believe that I have ever fired more than four or five shots in a single day. To date I have never taken more than 40 rounds and have only gone into the second box once due to a second sight-in of a rifle. The second box and remains of the first are left with the PH.

 

[coreydb]

Depends on the game package. DG I carry 20 rounds for the entire hunt AFTER I confirm zero. Plains game, I bring in the max allowed but daily, I carry only eight; initial load and one reload.

 

[Doug3006]

To all the respected AH members out there , how many rounds do you carry while hunting (DG or else) ? For me it would be about 40 rounds for non-dangerous game. For DG it would be 7 in the rifle , 6 in another magazine/ stripper clip and 15 on my ammo belt. Do you guys think that is enough? your opinion would be valued.

Uhhh…are you expecting to get into a firefight? A couple of boxes in the truck is all well and good. On your person? I’ve never needed more than a full magazine and (at most) 6 rounds in a belt slide. So long as you don’t mind hauling all the weight, go for it.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

It’s a bit of a loaded question. It would really depend on what hunting you are doing, something that may eat or stomp you would be large calibre so probably up to a dozen, medium calibre probably 20, small calibre (308 and down) anywhere from 20 to 100 depending on the target species. When culling roo's down here it is possible to fire off 70-80 rounds a night, but we also target rabbits, foxes and cats, but we are also vehicle based.
As mentioned before, it’s better to have more than you need than run out, I have (when younger and able to walk distance) carried several 458 wind bag rounds in pockets as well as what was in the rifle, as I wandered up and down gullies chasing deer, if I couldn’t carry the weight of the ammo the I shouldn’t have been out there.
Gumpy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Sorry there pardner, you’re drawing some conclusions that I can’t agree with. On our recent elephant and buffalo hunt, technically all I needed were all of 2 rounds. However, being changed by an elephant and being around some angry elephants, it was comforting to have 22 rounds total. Really not many more than most here are carrying in the field and to me the extra weight of 5-6 cartridges is insignificant. Granted, if I wasn’t hunting elephant and just buffalo, I’d just have 10 cartridges on my belt and 5 or 6 in my 458 Lott.

One doesn’t spray and pray or snipe elephant and buffalo. As to lacking confidence, well that’s not something I’ve ever been accused of.

I don't hunt elephant. For buffalo I carry fully loaded 404 Jeffery (4+1) with five on the ammo slide and maybe a couple in my pocket. PH is usually loaded up with more ammo. If I waste all my ammo (which has never happened ever for any animal), my PH can finish the job with his gun ... after he pulls his boot out of my arse. If I was a dangerous game PH, I'm not sure I'd be entirely comfortable guiding some dude who steps off the truck wearing twenty rounds. "Is that what it takes for this guy to drop an animal? Hmmm."

 

[Flbt]

Good gawd, I'm going hunting, not to war. I carry a full rifle and maybe a bit more than that in my pocket or daypack. My Springfield holds six 30-06. A dozen rounds is more than enough for a day hunting. Really, if I can't kill an animal with five rounds, I need to give up and go home! Last year I shot at a buck four

I don't hunt elephant. For buffalo I carry fully loaded 404 Jeffery (4+1) with five on the ammo slide and maybe a couple in my pocket. PH is usually loaded up with more ammo. If I waste all my ammo (which has never happened ever for any animal), my PH can finish the job with his gun ... after he pulls his boot out of my arse. If I was a dangerous game PH, I'm not sure I'd be entirely comfortable guiding some dude who steps off the truck wearing twenty rounds. "Is that what it takes for this guy to drop an animal? Hmmm."

I have not really hunted dangerous game. Hog can hurt you but I and most would not classifie them as dangerous.
But most people I know that go in after them especially where large sounders are found and you are hurting to get them gone. ( ie every live animal is a rarity)
When I could walk in I used a 44 rifle 9 +1
I had a but cuff that would hold 9 full length cartridge that had a flap that made it into a pocket so I could get 18 in it.
And my pistol belt had another 18 loops
And that was my go to hog rig.

Just every day hunting like deer I normally just used the but cuff
Most of mine carry 9
But I hunt really close to the house so I don’t really carry more.
If I go to the forest I will trough a box in the trunk.

 

[Daveboone]

Deer hunting...Usually just three loaded, and a cartridge wallet with a few more. If I dont have a shot I am going to make...I dont make it. Bear (I have only hunted baits in Canada)....Black bear that is, my 45-70 is a single shot, and I have three more on the carry strap. I have a wallet with a few more in it in my day pack. Same for moose. When I was in Africa, I used my guides rifle. Other than the four that he had in the magazine, not sure what he carried...(plains game). The more practice you put in at the range, the fewer ..within reason...folks tend to carry.

 

[deewayne2003]

Zim 24 tuskless hunt I brought….

.470ne - 12 solids & eight softs; canvas culling belt with 10 solids + 2 for the rifle with another 2 softs on opposite side just encase we came upon something.

.300win - 30rnds, 3 in the rifle and ammo slide with 10 more.

After sighting in and getting tuskless, bushbuck and impala I had ammo left over.

I do like magazine capacity, that’s why I went with BRNO 602 for my .375H&H it has a 6rnd magazine.

 

[M70375!]

To all the respected AH members out there , how many rounds do you carry while hunting (DG or else) ? For me it would be about 40 rounds for non-dangerous game. For DG it would be 7 in the rifle , 6 in another magazine/ stripper clip and 15 on my ammo belt. Do you guys think that is enough? your opinion would be valued.

Are you saying you actually carry 40 rounds when hunting and what DG rifle do you have that holds 7 rounds. I think the amount of ammo you are talking about is insane.

 

[Datchew]

It’s a bit of a loaded question.

I see what you did there