How do you organize your ammo wallet?

[Rare Breed]

For those who hunt cape buffalo using an ammo wallet on their belt, how do you organize your rounds for the most efficient and effective reloading?

I will be practicing all summer and I would prefer to start with a proper set up and develop the correct muscle memory.

For example, do you carry only solids for follow up shots?

If not, do you put soft points on one end and solids the other, or do you putba soft and solid side by side throughout? Or do you carry two wallets, one for softs and one for solids?

Also, how many extra rounds do you typically carry (Ive seen video of buffalo taken with one shot, and others still going after seven)?

For example:

I group 2 together skip 1 then 2 together etc. This helps you grab two at one time speeding your reloading.

 

[Rare Breed]

I want to say @AZDAVE taught me this after my lion charge video posted to AH after I struggled to reload fast. Please forgive me Dave if I am wrong

 

[Flbt]

For those who hunt cape buffalo using an ammo wallet on their belt, how do you organize your rounds for the most efficient and effective reloading?

I will be practicing all summer and I would prefer to start with a proper set up and develop the correct muscle memory.

For example, do you carry only solids for follow up shots?

If not, do you put soft points on one end and solids the other, or do you putba soft and solid side by side throughout? Or do you carry two wallets, one for softs and one for solids?

Also, how many extra rounds do you typically carry (Ive seen video of buffalo taken with one shot, and others still going after seven)?

For example:

I have never hunted there so my post is more of a question.
For other hunting or some tactical training
Have you ever used side saddle or butt cuffs
To carry ammo and or used one of those methods?
I don’t think sidesaddle would work
But maybe the butt cuffs if your usto them all ready.
I have them on the every one of my rifle’s
I have used them for so long it’s muscle memory to go there for a reload.

 

[coreydb]

Don't get hung up on bullet combos; bullet placement with appropriate DG bullets is the key. For Cape Buffalo, the hunter never knows how many rounds it will take to drop the beast, because they are bullet sponges. You just shoot and shoot until it drops.

 

[sgt_zim]

For those who hunt cape buffalo using an ammo wallet on their belt, how do you organize your rounds for the most efficient and effective reloading?

I will be practicing all summer and I would prefer to start with a proper set up and develop the correct muscle memory.

For example, do you carry only solids for follow up shots?

If not, do you put soft points on one end and solids the other, or do you putba soft and solid side by side throughout? Or do you carry two wallets, one for softs and one for solids?

Also, how many extra rounds do you typically carry (Ive seen video of buffalo taken with one shot, and others still going after seven)?

For example:

Check with your outfitter. A lot of them will tell you to just bring A Frames or TSX for buffalo.

On @Red Leg advice, I bought 10-rd open tops for 404J, 375H&H, and 9.3x62.

Very reasonable prices from this guy, very nice leather.

Jacques Tredoux Leather Crafter

I was born and raised in the southern region of Namaqualand, South Africa, with a love for gadgets and the great outdoors from a very young age. While attending agricultural high school, I learned to manufacture articles from wood and metal. After school I studied marketing, advertising and...

tredouxtrading.com

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hi, @franzfmdavis
I prefer bullet belts like this, which hold ten cartridges. And I keep six more in each pocket of my safari shirt. Plus the four (three in the magazine & one in the chamber) loaded inside my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. That gives me a grand total of 26 rounds on a Cape buffalo hunt. I’ve never fell short for Cape buffalo till now, fortunately. Although I once did have to expend more than half of my ammunition during a hippopotamus hunt on land that went horribly wrong (but that’s a story for another day)…

Ever since 1993, I’ve exclusively preferred to keep premium grade expanding cartridges in the entire magazine for hunting Cape buffalo. Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, Swift A Frames, Barnes TSX… stuff like that (I’ve got two boxes of Federal Premium 300Gr Swift A Frames for my next Safari). I do however still keep four solids (I’m currently using the excellent Cutting Edge Bullets 300Gr flat nosed monolithic brass Safari Solid loaded to 2530 FPS by Hendershots Custom Loaders) as an insurance if we’re hunting in elephant country.

If my memory serves me correctly, you own two John Rigby & Co. rifles… right ? A Mauser in .416 Rigby and a California made sidelock ejector in .470 Nitro Express ? Which one will you be taking for your Cape buffalo ? Either will make for a fantastic choice.

 

[Tanks]

I use an Els cartridge carrier. Softs for buffalo and solids for elephant. Carry up front for easy access.

 

[AZDAVE]

@Rare Breed you are spot on.
I Use the els ammo carrier on my left hip. If buffalo use all swift aframes, and elephant has CEB or North fork solids.

 

[Beck]

When using a double: first barrel soft, second barrel solid, 80% solids in the belt, and 20% softs. I make the solids the easier access cartridges in the belt as well. I'd use exclusively TSX's if my gun would shoot them well, but it does not. With a bolt gun I just use TSX's.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Hi, @franzfmdavis
I prefer bullet belts like this, which hold ten cartridges. And I keep six more in each pocket of my safari shirt. Plus the four (three in the magazine & one in the chamber) loaded inside my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. That gives me a grand total of 26 rounds on a Cape buffalo hunt. I’ve never fell short for Cape buffalo till now, fortunately. Although I once did have to expend more than half of my ammunition during a hippopotamus hunt on land that went horribly wrong (but that’s a story for another day)…
View attachment 692928

Ever since 1993, I’ve exclusively preferred to keep premium grade expanding cartridges in the entire magazine for hunting Cape buffalo. Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, Swift A Frames, Barnes TSX… stuff like that (I’ve got two boxes of Federal Premium 300Gr Swift A Frames for my next Safari). I do however still keep four solids (I’m currently using the excellent Cutting Edge Bullets 300Gr flat nosed monolithic brass Safari Solid loaded to 2530 FPS by Hendershots Custom Loaders) as an insurance if we’re hunting in elephant country.

If my memory serves me correctly, you own two John Rigby & Co. rifles… right ? A Mauser in .416 Rigby and a California made sidelock ejector in .470 Nitro Express ? Which one will you be taking for your Cape buffalo ? Either will make for a fantastic choice.

Currently planning to take a 416 Rigby bolt rifle and a 500 nitro Heym double rifle. I’m not certain which I will end up being most comfortable with so I’m going to train with and take both.

 

[Wahoo]

Currently planning to take a 416 Rigby bolt rifle and a 500 nitro Heym double rifle. I’m not certain which I will end up being most comfortable with so I’m going to train with and take both.

Sounds like a serious buffalo battery! I took a .470 and a .375 HH. I bought a nice condition used Westley Richard ammo belt similar design to what @Hunter-Habib displayed.

I found that a better solution to keeping my different caliber ammo straight since I carried both rifles in the truck. It was also less fumbling around with swapping out slides on my ammo belt if I switched guns. I simply grabbed the corresponding belt and rifle and off we went. It seemed to manage my fear of having a belt full of .375 while holding a very nice useless .470 without ammo…

 

[Red Leg]

When using a double: first barrel soft, second barrel solid, 80% solids in the belt, and 20% softs. I make the solids the easier access cartridges in the belt as well. I'd use exclusively TSX's if my gun would shoot them well, but it does not. With a bolt gun I just use TSX's.

Nah. All TSX loads in my Blaser S2. From 25 feet to 250 yards the .375 barrels each shoot MOA and a composite four round group of around two inches at 100 yards. Using a scope, I sight in on the right barrel which gives me first shot accuracy to 250+ and an instant second round only a couple of MOA off.

 

[Beck]

Nah. All TSX loads in my Blaser S2. From 25 feet to 250 yards the .375 barrels each shoot MOA and a composite four round group of around two inches at 100 yards. Using a scope, I sight in on the right barrel which gives me first shot accuracy to 250+ and an instant second round only a couple of MOA off.

If My K gun would shoot TSX's well I would load them too.

 

[SRvet]

Five softs in a pocket carrier and 10 solids on a belt slide. Spares in the truck

 

[mark-hunter]

I took 40 rounds of swift a frames for a hunt, in a travel box, checked in luggage.
I did not need to plan for soft points here, or solids there. I just took one type of ammo.

During the hunt.
I put 10 rounds in a pouch.
I have high capacity bolt action rifle, 6 rounds in magazine, plus one in chamber. Never needed to reload the rifle from pouch during the hunt.

My PH for back up had Merkel double rifle, 416 rigby, with similar set up as red leg has, above. But his intervention was not needed.

Having said that.
I hunted only one buffalo till now. This means I am no expert. But this worked for me.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Currently planning to take a 416 Rigby bolt rifle and a 500 nitro Heym double rifle. I’m not certain which I will end up being most comfortable with so I’m going to train with and take both.

Nice choices !

Federal has 400Gr & 500Gr Swift A Frame factory loads for both the .416 Rigby and .500 Nitro Express, which are currently in stock.

Shop products in Rifle today | Federal Premium

Federal Ammunition

www.federalpremium.com

You can't go wrong with either, although most first timers would benefit from using a telescopic sighted .416 Rigby unless they get extensive training shooting double rifles accurately.

 

[Vintageguy]

I’ve always used a simple leather 12 loop carrier. I’ve switched to two 5 round flapped leather carriers. I put a cotton ball in the bottom of every other cartridge space so they stand above staggered across and are simple and easy to grasp during reloads. I’ve worked out this through drills for smoothness and speed with both dummy loads and live fire practice. I carry front of right hip.The flap is folded and tucked behind belt when hunting and it’s closed on the vehicle. These carriers are less obtrusive and protect the cartridges better making it less likely I’ll remove it. I shoot a bolt gun and the magazine is full with one for the chamber kept in my pocket and loaded/unloaded leaving and approaching the truck and my carriers are full also. I don’t carry extra garbage on my cartridge belt.

 

[Safari Dave]

When hunting with a DR, I use a "culling belt" that holds 10 rounds (I think).

Expanding bullets on the left (6), solids on the right (4).


(I shoot right-handed)

I carry an expanding bullet in the right barrel and a solid in the left.

(I've done drills with carrying 2 additional rounds between the fingers of my left hand while holding the forearm, but have found this to be more cumbersome that loading two rounds with my right hand directly from the belt into the rifle.)




When hunting with a bolt-action, I stage ammo to be shot in the following sequence, based on the rational provided by my PH:

1. Expanding
2. Solid
3. Expanding
4. Solid
5. Solid

In this scenario, I wear a cartridge "sleeve" on my belt, near my front right-side pants pocket holding 8 rounds (usually all solids). I like shirts or jackets with exposed cartridge loops and usually put expanding rounds in all of them.


I'm pretty good at keeping up with what cartridges are where, because I am fortunate enough to be able to shoot almost every day. (Of course, I would not recommend this for everyone.)

I guess we all carry what makes the most sense to us, under the situation we a facing at the time...

 

[franzfmdavis]

Nice choices !

Federal has 400Gr & 500Gr Swift A Frame factory loads for both the .416 Rigby and .500 Nitro Express, which are currently in stock.

Shop products in Rifle today | Federal Premium

Federal Ammunition

www.federalpremium.com

You can't go wrong with either, although most first timers would benefit from using a telescopic sighted .416 Rigby unless they get extensive training shooting double rifles accurately.

Thank you! The .416 does have a Swaro 1-6 illuminated scope (and the .500 has an RMR).

 

[franzfmdavis]

First of all, thank you all for your responses and great suggestions!

In reading these, some people suggest all soft points for buffalo and (it seems) that others suggest a mix of soft and solid.

Could I kindly ask of those who feel like responding again, would you explain the rationale for using, or not using, solids on buffalo?