Question about historical safari rifle batteries

[clockwork_7mm_gator]

Gents,

Back in the glory days of months-long safaris, I'm curious what a battery of rifles might have looked like. Are we talking 3-ish? (One for light plains game, one for heavy plains game, and one for dangerous game?) Or given the lavishness of those trips, would wealthy hunters have brought along more rifles? I'm specifically wondering about clients, not the PH.

Thanks!
M

 

[Red Leg]

Robert Ruark, on his famous first safari with Harry Selby in 1952, brought along a 30-06, a .375H&H, a Westley Richards .470 double, and a favorite SxS shotgun. I suspect that would be representative of most American sportsman headed to East Africa from the late twenties through the sixties for multi-week safaris. The big double might be replaced with a .458 toward the end of that period. Earnest Hemingway substituted a Westley Richards .577 for Ruark's .470 on his second safari. English clients would have covered the similar bases only a .300 H&H or .318 WR likely would have replaced the American small bore.

 

[Woodcarver]

As I recall, Teddy took a case of 1895s, along with an assortment of other rifles. But he went for a year. Might be a little excessive for even a 3-4 week safari these days.

 

[One Day...]

Robert Ruark, on his famous first safari with Harry Selby in 1952, brought along a 30-06, a .375H&H, a Westley Richards .470 double, and a favorite SxS shotgun...

And if memory serves, Ruark also brought a .220 Swift, with which he was very displeased. Apparently .22 bullets of the day launched at the Swift new blistering speed did not hold very well on plains game...

Interestingly, I also believe that he actually "hired" (rented) the .470 double in Nairobi for his first safari. He does not list it in the rifles he brought: "a Remington .30-06 rifle, a Winchester .375 magnum, a Winchester .220 Swift, a Churchill 12-gauge shotgun, a Sauer 16-gauge" (Horn of the Hunter p. 31). I am pretty sure he says so specifically in another book, maybe Use Enough Gun, I am not sure.

Having recently taken a .257 Wby to Africa (with superb 100 gr TTSX bullets that held together and worked superlatively well), I can see the logic of taking a quarter or so bore along ... when being "278 pounds over allowance" and bringing 16 pieces of luggage for 2 persons (p. 31) did not seem to be a major issue . I see great logic in the ~.25, ~.30-33, ~.35-375, ~.45-.475 progression for a 3 month full bag safari...

 

[Fabnosh]

I think, if memory serves, Teddy Roosevelt - who safari'd in epic fashion - carried a very limited selection comprising just a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester.

FN

 

[HWL]

Gents,

Back in the glory days of months-long safaris, I'm curious what a battery of rifles might have looked like. Are we talking 3-ish? (One for light plains game, one for heavy plains game, and one for dangerous game?) Or given the lavishness of those trips, would wealthy hunters have brought along more rifles? I'm specifically wondering about clients, not the PH.

Thanks!
M

I think you should precise your question.... blackpowder area? nitro before the Great War? between the wars? and after WWII?

Significant things may have changed in this periods.


HWL

 

[WebleyGreene455]

Excerpted from H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines:

There remained, when these questions were satisfactorily settled, two further important points for consideration, namely, that of arms and that of servants. As to the arms I cannot do better than put down a list of those which we finally decided on from among the ample store that Sir Henry had brought with him from England, and those which I owned. I copy it from my pocket-book, where I made the entry at the time.

"Three heavy breech-loading double-eight elephant guns, weighing about fifteen pounds each, to carry a charge of eleven drachms of black powder." Two of these were by a well-known London firm, most excellent makers, but I do not know by whom mine, which is not so highly finished, was made. I have used it on several trips, and shot a good many elephants with it, and it has always proved a most superior weapon, thoroughly to be relied on.

"Three double-500 Expresses, constructed to stand a charge of six drachms," sweet weapons, and admirable for medium-sized game, such as eland or sable antelope, or for men, especially in an open country and with the semi-hollow bullet.

"One double No. 12 central-fire Keeper's shot-gun, full choke both barrels." This gun proved of the greatest service to us afterwards in shooting game for the pot.

"Three Winchester repeating rifles (not carbines), spare guns.

"Three single-action Colt's revolvers, with the heavier, or American pattern of cartridge."

This was our total armament, and doubtless the reader will observe that the weapons of each class were of the same make and calibre, so that the cartridges were interchangeable, a very important point. I make no apology for detailing it at length, for every experienced hunter will know how vital a proper supply of guns and ammunition is to the success of an expedition.

On the one hand, this is fiction and specifically geared toward an exploration/treasure hunt, not your average safari, and it's set before the turn of the century when bolt-actions and powerful smokeless cartridges would've been more popular. On the other, they have three specific types of guns (plus the shotgun and revolvers) for different purposes (reasonable, you don't want to lug an 8-bore elephant gun around to shoot a Thomson's or something small), and from some of the other examples presented in this thread, it seems that three or four guns wouldn't have been uncommon.

 

[Woodcarver]

I think, if memory serves, Teddy Roosevelt - who safari'd in epic fashion - carried a very limited selection comprising just a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester.

FN

While those 2 calibers figured prominently, there where several others. And he took multiples in some, the 1895 in 405Win being one of them.
A Holland and Holland double in 500-450 is what was nicknamed "The Big Stick". (Although some have argued that was what he called his 405). He also had at least 1 Fox 12ga as well.

 

[Red Leg]

And if memory serves, Ruark also brought a .220 Swift, with which he was very displeased. Apparently .22 bullets of the day launched at the Swift new blistering speed did not hold very well on plains game...

Interestingly, I also believe that he actually "hired" (rented) the .470 double in Nairobi for his first safari. He does not list it in the rifles he brought: "a Remington .30-06 rifle, a Winchester .375 magnum, a Winchester .220 Swift, a Churchill 12-gauge shotgun, a Sauer 16-gauge" (Horn of the Hunter p. 31). I am pretty sure he says so specifically in another book, maybe Use Enough Gun, I am not sure.

Having recently taken a .257 Wby to Africa (with superb 100 gr TTSX bullets that held together and worked superlatively well), I can see the logic of taking a quarter or so bore along ... when being "278 pounds over allowance" and bringing 16 pieces of luggage for 2 persons (p. 31) did not seem to be a major issue . I see great logic in the ~.25, ~.30-33, ~.35-375, ~.45-.475 progression for a 3 month full bag safari...

You are correct with respect to the .220 - forgot about that episode - and just looking again, I do believe that the .470 was a loaner.

 

[Fabnosh]

Thanks for correcting me. I had always thought it was a lightweight selection given that budget nor having to lug them around was an issue! It's make sense carrying multiples of the same gun though given the duration.

FN

 

[Woodcarver]

He wasn't worried about lugging around a few extra guns. There was a LOT of help on that trip. Been too long since I read his book, but some 80-110 involved over the course of 11 months, give or take.
It would have been quite the caravan to be seen while moving from camp to camp!

 

[One Day...]

From Craig Boddington's book Safari Rifles, here are a few recorded batteries:

 

[christiansaudeau]

Having three rifles on a safari is not very convenaient.You usually start hunting the bigger animales at the beginning
So if you encounter a lighter game, you take it with what you have in your hands.
In Mozambique last octobre 2020, I only brought a 375 HH as there are places with open plains but as I only shot my buffalo the fourth day, I shot an eland, a sable and a reedbuck with this rifle. You now have in every hunting camp rifles to borrow in lighter calibres, it was more seldom when I started hunting mainly in western Africa in the eigthies.
One rifle is now enough for me.

 

[spike.t]

In historical times last century on long hunt I used a 308...a 416 rigby...470 NE Rigby double and a 24 inch sxs 12 bore that was a boar gun set up for slugs and buckshot with sights...worked fine with birdshot as well....then refined it for future hunts back then to 22 win mag in win 9422m...300 win mag restocked and worked on by rigby .....a 416 rigby rifle and a 12 bore pump action...mossberg 500 or rem 870 either with 20 inch barrels...this combination worked very well back then in the day.....

 

[One Day...]

You are correct with respect to the .220 - forgot about that episode - and just looking again, I do believe that the .470 was a loaner.

Yep, loaner or renter, but not his own. I am looking too. It might be in the collection of articles compiled by Michael McIntosh and published as Robert Ruark's Africa.

In the meantime I found the part where he talks about the rifle's sears being "tricky" in Use Enough Gun p. 242 and 243. The writing leads us to believe that he used the same rifle (Westley Richards .470) in subsequent safaris after his first safari, because the following hunt takes place in the first hours of the first morning of the first day of this safari, and he obviously already knows this specific rifle well...

We know from later writing that Ruark bought a Jeffery in .450/400 for his godson, Mark Selby. The rifle had been previously owned by W.D.M. “Karamojo” Bell. Ruark used this rifle on his last safari with Harry Selby, the horse and camel back "Kwaheri Safari", because it was lighter and more adapted to ridding in a saddle scabbard...

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/2/26/the-kwaheri-safari-part-i

 

[318AE]

I understood TR had 15 crates of Winchester ammo and rifles delivered directly to his steamship. Can you imagine the Customs form 4457 for that!

 

[One Day...]

Ah, the good old days...

Robert Ruark in a picture from Use Enough Gun

 

[HWL]

Having three rifles on a safari is not very convenient. You usually start hunting the bigger animals at the beginning
So if you encounter a lighter game, you take it with what you have in your hands.
In Mozambique last October 2020, I only brought a 375 HH as there are places with open plains but as I only shot my buffalo the fourth day, I shot an eland, a sable and a reedbuck with this rifle. You now have in every hunting camp rifles to borrow in lighter calibers, it was more seldom when I started hunting mainly in western Africa in the eighties.
One rifle is now enough for me.

The thread starter asked for a "months-long safari"..... not for a quickie.



HWL

 

[IvW]

Non quickie...
500NE
9.3x74R or 9.3x62mm
7x57mm
7x65R or Brenneke
12ga

And gun bearers to carry whichever I do not have in my hands...

 

[Happy Myles]

My first long safari fifty years ago was 40 days on African hunting grounds,excluding travel. I took an 06, 375, and a 416 Rigby. They worked great. I took plains game large and small and four Cape buffalo. Thirty years or so ago I dropped down to two rifles, they vary depending on what and where I am hunting. Plains game and buff, a 300 WM and a 416 Rigby. Elephant, a 416 and another In 470 Nitro, or 500 Jeffery, or 500 Nitro, or 450 Ackley. My favorite for elephant has been the 450 Ackley. Hunting in jungle in Cameroon or C.A.R. I take just a 416 for everything. Only plains game, no buff, a 300 Mag. If it is a really dicey area I borrow a rifle there and it is always a 375. Just one mans thoughts that have worked all over Africa pretty much annually for fifty years. Kindest Regards