Cape Buffalo Hunt-Bring or Rent a rifle?

[Jim Golden]

I spent nearly $7K, over 10 years, building my rifle. I couldn't even fathom "renting" one. My super custom .375 Weatherby clocks in at 2889 ft/s on the chrono with a 300gr. That's knocking on the .378's door. Built her on a Model 1917 Enfield action with a 30" Douglas barrel and an A-Square stock. It's a monster. It's sister is being built right now....also on an Enfield action....a .460 Weatherby with a 26" barrel (the carbine.....ha ha). I want to drop a cape buffalo with both of them

 

[Flbt]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I have decided my next African hunt to be a CB in Moz or Zim, and I have a question: Should I be dead set on buying a rifle for said hunt? Or should I just rent a rifle in camp?

My reasoning for wanting to rent a rifle is that spending thousands for a .375/.416 that I will only get to use a handful of times, as well as spending hundreds on ammo, doesn't seem too economically savvy. However, I know how useful it is to get some practice in with said rifles above so I can hit the ground running in camp.

Would love some suggestions/advice.

Thanks

I have not hunted Africa.
But a dangerous game hunt I would want my own rifle.
I would not carry a unknown handgun.
For defense.
So I would not want unknown rifle for dg.

 

[steve white]

I spent nearly $7K, over 10 years, building my rifle. I couldn't even fathom "renting" one. My super custom .375 Weatherby clocks in at 2889 ft/s on the chrono with a 300gr. That's knocking on the .378's door. Built her on a Model 1917 Enfield action with a 30" Douglas barrel and an A-Square stock. It's a monster. It's sister is being built right now....also on an Enfield action....a .460 Weatherby with a 26" barrel (the carbine.....ha ha). I want to drop a cape buffalo with both of them

30 inch barrel, are you serious? Not a typo?

 

[steve white]

I have done it both ways and couldn't tell a real difference. My first safari was a fly by the pants because I had the cash kind of affair. Shot the camps' 375 H&H Remington push feed with no problem. Only practice prior had been 30'06 with 220 gr. Noslers. You never feel the recoil when shooting Cape buffalo. Never even occurred to me there could be a problem.
Second safari, same model gun, even same projectile, only it was mine, and I had to lug it through the airports. Had a three gun travel case that could have been a deal breaker if I had taken a charter flight.
Second the idea that side trips are easier not packing a firearm. I left my firearms in a hotel safe while touring Ngorogoro crater. Might have been a risk, but it turned out OK.

 

[Bandera]

What would Charles Remington have to say about this?

 

[wesheltonj]

Depends on the gun the outfitter is renting. Garbage gun, bring your own. Not garbage, it does not matter. I’ve taken my 375 each time. But I could just a well rent too. I would love to shoot a big buffalo with a double, however I can’t justify spending 10k + to use a gun once.

Now, if you’re looking for a reason to buy a new gun, then absolutely your need to take your own gun.

 

[sgt_zim]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I have decided my next African hunt to be a CB in Moz or Zim, and I have a question: Should I be dead set on buying a rifle for said hunt? Or should I just rent a rifle in camp?

My reasoning for wanting to rent a rifle is that spending thousands for a .375/.416 that I will only get to use a handful of times, as well as spending hundreds on ammo, doesn't seem too economically savvy. However, I know how useful it is to get some practice in with said rifles above so I can hit the ground running in camp.

Would love some suggestions/advice.

Thanks

Get a 375 for your own self. A little heavy on the recoil for white tail, but if you're handloading, you can always down-load some 270 gr non-bonded (Hornady Interlock is a decent choice) to 2300-2350 fps, great white tail, black bear, and hog medicine at a modest and tolerable 30-ish ft lbs of recoil.

My white tail load for my 9.3x62 is 285 gr Oryx at about 2250. Wonderful game getter.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I have decided my next African hunt to be a CB in Moz or Zim, and I have a question: Should I be dead set on buying a rifle for said hunt? Or should I just rent a rifle in camp?

My reasoning for wanting to rent a rifle is that spending thousands for a .375/.416 that I will only get to use a handful of times, as well as spending hundreds on ammo, doesn't seem too economically savvy. However, I know how useful it is to get some practice in with said rifles above so I can hit the ground running in camp.

Would love some suggestions/advice.

Thanks

Totally up to you. I didn’t own a big bore rifle for many years, which prompted me to hunt with camp rifles quite extensively for many of my African safaris. Then, I got a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Remington Model 700, which I’ve been taking with me to safari ever since.

 

[bakerb]

Rent one. Show up to camp with only a backpack and they’ll love you

I have taken a bow twice. I’ve rented a rifle twice. And I’m renting next year for Cape buffalo. I do enjoy the hassle free travel of no checked bags and no rifle or bow.

 

[steve white]

What would Charles Remington have to say about this?
View attachment 723889

Well, they did take me out to shoot it first. Then after shooting at 50 yds, had me shoot at 100yds and in the middle of it asked if I needed to take a break due to recoil. I told them, no, I was fine--which was true. It wasn't that much different than sighting in for 12 ga. slugs, I thought at the time.
No, nothing went "click" unexpectedly, like in the movie. Good one, though!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Buying and owning a beautiful rifle is part of the rich experience of your African hunt, or any hunt for that matter.

 

[Wheels]

I have taken rifles for dg and used camp rifles.

Just clarify with the ph as to the camp rifle you would use. I have only used camp rifles I am familiar with. ie: M70 or Cz/Brno. I can practice at home.

You don’t want to show up on a dg hunt used to a slide safety on your Remington 30.06 and find out you will be using a Brno or early model CZ where the safety works in the opposite direction. Also know your outfitter. Are they the type to keep their guns cleaned and serviceable. I have used a camp shotgun and 308 that hadn’t been cleaned or serviced in over a year. Those were two different outfitters. You don’t want that on a dg hunt.

All the best on your decision.

 

[FG8JMW]

I planned to take my own on a buffalo hunt last year but airline issues ended up with it being delayed so long that I never had it in camp. I used a 375 camp rifle which was obviously well used, but also was accurate and did the job for me. Accuracy was surprisingly good, but I wished their scope had the clarity of my Leupold VX-6HD when one shot was being considered on an animal in between some trees. We passed on that animal but found another one two days later with a clearer shot and the rifle put him down in one shot.

For a buffalo hunt, you will want to practice a lot. Using even a 300WM will not replicate experience of a 375, never mind anything above that. Even if you do decide to use a camp rifle and not travel with your own, I would recommend purchasing one and training with it. Once you do, you will know how comfortable you are with it and if you want to to take yours or if you feel generally good enough to just use camp rifle. Do though ask your outfitter what their camp rifles are, so you know what to expect.

 

[Warbeast]

I prefere traveling light and would rent a rifle.

I am not picky with the tool at hand, so what works for the ph would surely works for me.

Saves me the hassle of schlepping around a gun case and worry about it and only would travel with my handluggage as i always do.


But havent participated in a afrucan hunt yet.
So thats obly theoretical so far.

 

[Ridge Runner]

For my first DG hunt I got lucky by finding a deal here on AH. I ended up buying a 375 H&H and a 458WM from him.

I shot my first buffalo in Zimbabwe with my 375H&H and my second buffalo in the East Cape, RSA with one of my 458WMs.

As has been mentioned the 375H&H can be downloaded or lighter bullet ammunition can be had for use on big game here in the states. The 458WM can be downloaded to a heavy 45-70 also for use in the US for big game.

Also as mentioned should you decide to sell your DG rifle you can sell it on the forum and recover most if not all of your money spent.

It's your choice as to whether or not purchase a big bore rifle for a DG hunt. The choices we make in life are full of pros and cons.

IMO The best adventures are always the ones made when using my own gear. And using that same gear more than once.

 

[uplander01]

Buy a ruger or Winchester 375 modern production rifle and 5 boxes of shells. Shoot 3 boxes of shells during 6 range sessions off sticks. Take your rifle that you have practiced with over on your hunt. Kill a buff. Bring the rifle back home and sell it, or leave it there for a tip.

I’m a rifle guy and have used a lot of different rifles on hunts. A rifle doesn’t have to be an elaborate expensive affair to get the job done. The aforementioned rifles aren’t that costly,…in comparison to going into battle with an unfamiliar rifle, choice is easy for me. Hell even if you had a buddy that will loan you his375 or 416 for the hunt. You just need to handle it and practice with it a lot.

 

[Jim Golden]

30 inch barrel, are you serious? Not a typo?

No Typo. She's got a 30" tube! I was going to go 29", but the guy at Douglas laughed and said "We can go to thirty, so you might as well!" So that's what she is. With the big ugly A-Square stock, the longer barrel actually looks about right

 

[Jim Golden]

I should add that my KY flintlock I built when I was 13 has a 42" barrel....so this one is the shorty

 

[skydiver386]

If Outfitters had double rifles to rent, the responses might be different.

Let the flame war begin.

 

[Mountaineer]

The camp rifles I have seen for rent were high quality and ready to hunt, but nothing is as good as a gun you know. An example of this was my son wanted to kill a wart hog with our PH’s 458 Lott when he graduated high school. So the summer after graduation we went to Namibia and took our guns. First up he shot Phillip’s 458 and everything on the range went great. The following day while stalking into a pond the biggest warthog I have ever seen walked out of the brush 30 yards away and through an open area about 50 yards wide. Up came the 458 but then the fumbling for the safety started. The warthog made it across the opening before the safety was off and time to shoot was gone. Other than the lost trophy of a lifetime no big deal. What if this was a charging buffalo? One trip the family just took 1 gun. So happens a deprivation lion tag became available. So I rented another rifle for protection. I chose a 45/70 lever action. It was like a 30/30 I grew up hunting deer with. I feel familiarity is worth a lot.