How Do You Choose Which Rifle to Take on Safari? (Not Caliber)

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?
I'd be interested in hearing not only which rifle you'd choose, but why.

The Don said:

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?
I'd be interested in hearing not only which rifle you'd choose, but why.

Click to expand...

The one I shoot best. Accuracy counts and I feel more confident.

What he said

The Don said:

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?
I'd be interested in hearing not only which rifle you'd choose, but why.

Click to expand...

Yes. I have done all three for the reasons you listed and have yet to regret the choice..

I spend a great deal of time at the range practicing so carrying, pointing and shooting feel second nature.

For me after cartridge and fit, knowing the trigger is most important.

It’s changed over the years, but most recently if I’m bringing two rifles I bring one I have utter confidence in and one with a little more panache, usually a double. The first one gets used more, but I enjoy it more when the stars align for the other. This is supposed to be safe and fun….

The Don said:

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?

Click to expand...

The game you’re paying to hunt, IMO, drives the choice of chambering, and necessarily then, the type of rifle. Reliability, accuracy, handling, and portability over distance (in case of long stalks) are some criteria to consider.

If, say, it’s purely a multiple PG hunt, I think you have more flexibility in your choices. It helps quite a bit if your PH can tell you beforehand the sort of distances at which PG is typically taken in his concession.

In thick bushveld terrain, for example, shots are rarely more than 150 meters - and frequently inside 100-yds. For this type of PG safari, prolific So. African writer and long-time hunter Gregor Woods has advised clients to bring lighter, more compact rifles in a medium-bore chambering. (See his wonderful 2003 book, Rifles for Africa).

If DG is on the menu, whether solo or mixed in with PG, you’re restricted by the legal minimum cartridge for DG in the particular country. So generally that means a .375H&H rifle if you’re only taking one. While configurations can differ, .375H&H rifles (with wood stocks) typically weigh 9.5-10lbs and come with 24” barrels.

While I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, over my last four safaris I "chose" what rifle / rifles to bring based upon the animals that I intended to hunt. Question like this completely stymie me !!

Great topic. Although I probably have better calibers for some of the larger plains game, I will be taking my new Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby to Africa. Probably for a dumb reason - it's a Rigby and there's just something romantic about taking a Rigby to Africa.

Honestly, for me, its just about what "feels right".. for example, I bought a Christensen 300 PRC a few years back... theres nothing about it that screams "africa".. its not a traditional caliber.. its not a walnut and blue rifle.. its not particularly old.. I have zero sentimenal attachment to it..

but its probably what I'll take next.. if for no other reason than its not hunted abroad yet.. and I'd really like to see how it does on an eland hunt..

Several weeks ago I took delivery of my Rigby Shikari in 500 NE. I took it on my most recent African hunt for all the obvious reasons. Going forward, if I am hunting the big DG critters in Africa it will be going with me, primarily because of the sentimental value that it is a Rigby, because it fits me perfectly, because it is comfortable for me to shoot and I shoot it very accurately so I have a lot of confidence in the rifle. My Trijicon red dot helps with the accurate shooting. This is probably the only rifle I own that has significant sentimental value to me.

As for my bolt actions, I have taken the following calibers to Africa, 243 Win, 270 Win, 7MM PRC, 308 Win, 300 WSM, 338 Win Mag and 375 RUM. All of my rifles shoot 1 MOA or better so I am confident with all of them so the chocie usually comes down to I want to take this one to Africa for this particular hunt. For my last 3 hunts in Africa I have taken my Tikka T3 in 338 Win Mag so it seems to be my favorite for the time being.

I did have a special reason to take the 243 Win though. I wanted to prove to @Bob Nelson 35Whelen that one could shoot some of the bigger plains game critters like blue Wildebeest with the 243 WIn and proper bullets. I ended up culling 3 blue wildebeest with the 243 and 100 grain Norma Oryx bullets.

I have one 30-06 I hunt with (for last 62 years) and a 404 Jeffery I built three years ago for the big stuff. They get chosen to go to Africa by default. Not much of a contest.

The Don said:

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?
I'd be interested in hearing not only which rifle you'd choose, but why.

Click to expand...

I love taking rifles in classic African calibers. 275rigby and up.

I keep it simple. Match caliber to game I will be hunting and the the rifle in that chambering that shoot the best and I have confidence in

The Don said:

This topic may have been covered before, so if it has, please forgive the repetition and point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd enjoy hearing everyone's thoughts.

We all have rifles that we love, or that hold sentimental value. Maybe it's the rifle Dad gave you, or the one Grandpa used to put food on the table years ago.
These rifles deserve to be taken out and used. After all, they're more than just firearms. They're memories, and memories deserve to see the light of day.
What could be more exciting than taking some of those memories on an African safari?

So, here's my question to the group:
Assuming caliber isn't an issue and all the rifles you're considering are suitable for the game you're hunting, how do you decide which one to bring?
Do you choose the rifle you shoot best? The one you trust the most? The one with sentimental value? Or perhaps the one you've always dreamed of taking to Africa?
I'd be interested in hearing not only which rifle you'd choose, but why.

Click to expand...

Type animals and distance. If a PG hunt I know I will be walking a lot and a smaller lighter caliber like my Rigby HS in 275 only weighs 7.5 pounds so I can walk all day with it and it will take anything with my 175 grain bullets. On the other hand on a DG hunt I also. ay walk 10-20 miles per day so I want a larger bore rifle that while it has the proper weight for caliber it is not overly heavy. A great example was in my DR days my 470-500 NE weight between 11.5-12 pounds was very hard on me. Today I now take my 404 J on those type hunts with the weight at 9 pounds which over the miles is much easier and equally effective knowing I have a PH behind me with more if a stopping rifle which the 404 is not

Which ever one your head and heart both agree on.

If that decision is a tie…then toss a coin.

They speak to me…

Haha! No. I match the rig to the job. I have sentimental favorites that will go. Eventually. But for now I need experience. So, I go with the rig needed that I’m good with.

For me, the game I plant to pursue drives my choice of what new rifle to buy.

Since you specifically said “not caliber” I’ll tell you how I decide. I open the safe, look at the guns, then I think about the gun case I have to lug through the airport, and I reach for the R8. Every time. Then pick a caliber according to the biggest game I might take.

What a great question and one I thought thru for my first safari earlier this year. I ultimately chose to use a rifle from the outfitter to “simplify” my first trip, but had put a lot of thought into it and got to the point where I had completed all the required forms so I had options.

I didn’t put much consideration into what rifle I shoot the best .. because if a rifle doesn’t shoot well for me then I would get rid of it in the base case.

What I struggled with is one the OP points out of taking a sentimental rifle. As funny as it might read, I was worried about my rifle getting lost in transit or something happening to it once I got there. In retrospect that is likely unfounded.

For my next safari I’ll be taking my most sentimental rifle: a 300 Win Mag my dad gave me as a West Point graduation gift over 30 yrs ago. I think the sentiment and satisfaction of hunting with it in Africa (it’s been on many NA hunts) would be pretty special to me.