The shoulder carry

[ZG47]

Carrying a rifle (or shotgun) with both hands, across the chest, when following another is dangerous as, should you trip or stumble, your instinctive reaction will result in the muzzle pointed more or less straight ahead (just as you are falling forward and reflexively putting your hands out to catch yourself). Best is to cradle it in your off-hand arm, pointed to the side, or the other arm, pointed toward the ground.

I read it as a description of carriage at high port. I do not, with all due respect, see any problem with that.

 

[Desert Dog]

I use a sling for every hunting rifle. Realistically, it never gets caught in thick brush and makes going through it easier because my hands are free to move vegetation out of the way while I stalk.. I sometimes put the rifle on my shoulder when crouching or stooping down to look at tracks or a blood trail, but immediately take it off my shoulder when I stand back up. Slings just make a ton of sense and have honestly never prevented me from hunting in any terrain (in fact they make it easier). When in the final phase of a stalk or while tracking blood, I carry the rifle in my hands (port arms style).

I cringe when I watch the hunting shows on TV and everyone decides that it is time to look "Cool" by carrying in such an unsafe manner when they go to Africa. The same guys have the same rifles slung on their shoulders when they hunt North America and New Zealand, but for some reason take their slings off and go full-retard when they get to Africa. Even Boddington seems to believe that the rifle he has slung while hunting pigs in Central California, needs to be carried "Africa Style" while on a ranch in RSA. This leads me to believe that most American hunters do it for nothing more than looks.

As for speed; if you are practiced, mounting the rifle from a sling is JUST AS fast as mounting the rifle from over-the-shoulder carry. So that argument just doesn't hold water for me.

As to PHs in Africa; I watched one episode where Ivan Carter probably muzzled everybody 10 times in a half hour show. He stood there talking into the camera with the muzzle of his loaded 600 Nitro Express pointed right at the cameraman's heart! American guides would come unglued if a client was so blatantly careless with a firearm.

 

[brettp]

I use a sling for every hunting rifle. Realistically, it never gets caught in thick brush and makes going through it easier because my hands are free to move vegetation out of the way while I stalk.. I sometimes put the rifle on my shoulder when crouching or stooping down to look at tracks or a blood trail, but immediately take it off my shoulder when I stand back up. Slings just make a ton of sense and have honestly never prevented me from hunting in any terrain (in fact they make it easier). When in the final phase of a stalk or while tracking blood, I carry the rifle in my hands (port arms style).

I cringe when I watch the hunting shows on TV and everyone decides that it is time to look "Cool" by carrying in such an unsafe manner when they go to Africa. The same guys have the same rifles slung on their shoulders when they hunt North America and New Zealand, but for some reason take their slings off and go full-retard when they get to Africa. Even Boddington seems to believe that the rifle he has slung while hunting pigs in Central California, needs to be carried "Africa Style" while on a ranch in RSA. This leads me to believe that most American hunters do it for nothing more than looks.

As for speed; if you are practiced, mounting the rifle from a sling is JUST AS fast as mounting the rifle from over-the-shoulder carry. So that argument just doesn't hold water for me.

As to PHs in Africa; I watched one episode where Ivan Carter probably muzzled everybody 10 times in a half hour show. He stood there talking into the camera with the muzzle of his loaded 600 Nitro Express pointed right at the cameraman's heart! American guides would come unglued if a client was so blatantly careless with a firearm.

Try hunting elephants in really thick cover and then tell me how slings don't get caught on thorns or bushes. Even when carrying the rifle in your hands.

 

[cagkt3]

go full-retard when they get to Africa.

 

[Desert Dog]

Try hunting elephants in really thick cover and then tell me how slings don't get caught on thorns or bushes. Even when carrying the rifle in your hands.

Never hunted for them, just around them, and in the thorns. Nope, no problems with the sling. Also no problems in the thorn-infested desert thickets of Sonora (which are worse than Africa), Texas scrub country, thorny California chaparral forests, rain forests, or dense boreal forests of the mountain west.

 

[Red Leg]

Try hunting elephants in really thick cover and then tell me how slings don't get caught on thorns or bushes. Even when carrying the rifle in your hands.

Several PH's with vast experience do it all the time (I have already mentioned Len Taylor as one of the better known). He hunts the Zambezi Valley of Zim - it is pretty thick there. It has never been a problem for me - anywhere in Africa or anywhere else - though technically I haven't hunted an elephant - merely dodged them while hunting buff and everything else. And I don't have an issue with someone determined to drag a heavy rifle around Africa without one. It is the muzzle forward, "African Carry" with chambered rounds which seems to me to be negligence personified. And I reiterate, it is a practice which no North American guide would tolerate.

 

[Desert Dog]

I don't have an issue with someone determined to drag a heavy rifle around Africa without one. It is the muzzle forward, "African Carry" with chambered rounds which is negligence personified.

This sums it up nicely.

 

[WAB]

I think you can get a clue to the origin if you study pics of the Boer war. The lines of Boers trekking over the Drakensburg mountains to thrash the Brits were using this carry. Note that they all carry the rifle slightly crossing so that it is actually not pointing at the fellow in front. The PH's I've hunted with have a round chambered but the bolt is not closed. There is a natural stop on the Mauser and M70 actions to do this. In mucking about with my rifles (unloaded), I don't believe that rifle can fire unless the bolt is fully closed, however, I'm an engineer not a gunsmith. I agree with the comments above, I was trained to carry a rifle differently. Africa is the only place I've seen this done.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Carry your rifle anyway you want so long as you follow the rules below.

Rule 1 - Treat every firearm as if where loaded
Rule 2 - Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction
Rule 3 - Never put your finger on the trigger until your ready to shoot

If your carry method breaks one of these rules you need to find a new way to carry your rifle.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Members, I am carrying my 404 Jeffery rifle in the "shoulder carry method" I do close my bolt halve way , I do carry it on my shoulder, pointing at 15h00 on the clock..meaning the muzzle pointing to my right away from my guide walking in front of me or to the left while carrying on my left shoulder..I did pay attention this past week regarding the safety aspect while carrying on the shoulder...as pointed out, I was aware at all times that my rifle barrel/muzzle was not pointing at the guide walking in front of me..I used the reverse carry method as well where the barrel/muzzle point to the back when I carry the rifle stock on my shoulder , butt pointing to the front..the first day we walked thirteen kilometers while hunting for blue wildebees and impala...the second day we walked eleven kilometers and the third day eight kilometres ...all this time I carried my rifle on my shoulder ,the bolt closed halve way..at no stage did I perceive this method to be dangerous .... I do not use a shoulder strap/belt on my 404 Jeffery since it balances extremely well when carrying over my shoulder...

 

[Longwalker]

I find that when doing a very long distance walk with a heavy gun, in order to reduce fatigue I must shift how I carry it many times, and will alternate between sling on either shoulder, over the shoulder, cradled, two hand carry, side carry, etc. But I would never use over the shoulder while in a group and positioned anywhere but first in line. I believe there is no reliably safe way to do that. When in very thick brush I do remove the sling and carry in both hands. My favourite and most used method is carrying on a sling, muzzle down and under the left armpit, left hand on forearm. I am a right hand shooter and this method allows a very quick mount and shot if practised. If walking more than arms length away from the person in front, it is very safe.

 

[Adam Stevens]

Find it funny so many have never carried that way in NA. A scoped rifle I can agree with 100%. It wouldn't work very well.

I've grown up around shotguns mainly. Every type. And at some point or another most everyone I've hunted with have carried it africa style. And no one has hunted in Africa to know that's what they do.

Anytime we're walking to a pond or through our fields it is the best most comfortable way to carry. Albeit the guns are normally unloaded, or might have two in the tube. I can remember first as a young kid my uncle doing it with his 870. I probably carry that way 9 times out of 10.

But agree with most, treat it loaded. Never point at anyone, and never finger on trigger.

 

[Red Leg]

Find it funny so many have never carried that way in NA. A scoped rifle I can agree with 100%. It wouldn't work very well.

I've grown up around shotguns mainly. Every type. And at some point or another most everyone I've hunted with have carried it africa style. And no one has hunted in Africa to know that's what they do.

Anytime we're walking to a pond or through our fields it is the best most comfortable way to carry. Albeit the guns are normally unloaded, or might have two in the tube. I can remember first as a young kid my uncle doing it with his 870. I probably carry that way 9 times out of 10.

But agree with most, treat it loaded. Never point at anyone, and never finger on trigger.

I have hunted with SxS's and OU's for more than fifty years for all sorts of small game in at least twenty states and half a dozen countries and in all that time I have never ever seen a shotgun carried muzzle forward over the shoulder with the action closed. That would include four years where I worked as a waterfowl guide hunting every day of the season (worse ways to make a buck while in school). Were anyone to do that on any of those hunts he would be at the very least immediately instructed in the safe handling of a weapon. I have no doubt I would never see him again on one of our outings. Probably a major reason seeing someone do that with a loaded .470 makes my head explode.

 

[Abeln]

Probably a major reason seeing someone do that with a loaded .470 makes my head explode.

Interesting choice of words.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Interesting observation, Ivan Carter and other prominent PH in Africa mostly all use the shoulder carry method..it is just a practical solution according to me..I believe we all are responsible hunters when it concerns rifles/guns. To me it is just another technique I use when using a rifle.

 

[Velo Dog]

Carry your rifle anyway you want so long as you follow the rules below.

Rule 1 - Treat every firearm as if where loaded
Rule 2 - Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction
Rule 3 - Never put your finger on the trigger until your ready to shoot

If your carry method breaks one of these rules you need to find a new way to carry your rifle.

+1

 

[Red Leg]

Interesting observation, Ivan Carter and other prominent PH in Africa mostly all use the shoulder carry method..it is just a practical solution according to me..I believe we all are responsible hunters when it concerns rifles/guns. To me it is just another technique I use when using a rifle.

And Len Taylor, Jamy Traut, and Nick Nolte don't. Just don't do it behind me.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Red Leg, after this post was started I looked at a lot of videos where hunters/PH hunted elephant, buffalo ect..and most of them do use the carry on shoulder method..I do agree with you that it is every one`s prerogative to use or loose this method..every one has his own choice like you indicated you will not allow it while you hunt with somebody.

To me again it comes natural to use the carry over shoulder method since my 404 Jeffery rifle is light and it balances quite comfortable on my shoulders , in reverse carry as well..

 

[JakeH]

My daddy would've slapped me in the back of the head for carrying a rifle like that.

 

[Abeln]

A slap in the head beats a .470 in the head any day.