So How Much Does Cartridge Commonality Matter?

[TheRealMikeAllen]

Hi all,
As a new African hunter, I purchased a 375 H&H Winchester Model 70 Safari Express (I have no idea how I found one brand new). A substantial part of my reasoning for purchasing this caliber is 375 H&H's commonality on the dark continent. Considering all the wonderful dangerous game calibers out there (wildcats and all), my question is, how much should I factor in cartridge commonality when I eventually step up to a larger caliber for the larger dangerous game? Thanks for your input!

-Mike

 

[AimSmall]

It's only a problem if it's a problem.

 

[JimP]

It only matters if you depend on the market where you are hunting.

For my African plains game hunting rifle I use a 340 Weatherby. Ammo for it is hard to find here in the US much less some remote store in Africa. I just make sure that I have plenty before the flight over.

 

[Tra3]

If it will ruin your hunt to not use your own rifle, then cartridge commonality matters a lot. If for some reason you can’t use your own rifle and that is ok and you can roll with it, then no problem.
The reality is that missing ammo doesn’t happen that often.

Edit: it is also nice to be able to leave excess ammo.

 

[grand veneur]

Hi all,
As a new African hunter, I purchased a 375 H&H Winchester Model 70 Safari Express (I have no idea how I found one brand new). A substantial part of my reasoning for purchasing this caliber is 375 H&H's commonality on the dark continent. Considering all the wonderful dangerous game calibers out there (wildcats and all), my question is, how much should I factor in cartridge commonality when I eventually step up to a larger caliber for the larger dangerous game? Thanks for your input!

-Mike

I would not bother with this question or would only buy rifles caliber 375 H&H Magnum or 458 Winchester Magnum and then it is not certain that you can buy ammunition in all African countries.

You buy a rifle of a certain caliber because you need it, but also and maybe sometimes especially because you like it. In the last case it can happen that the caliber is not that common and that you can therefore be sure in advance that you will not find any ammunition in Africa. What the heck, in over 30 years of hunting in Africa I have never had any problems with losing ammunition. The danger is much greater that the rifle will not arrive or even disappear during the travel. Ultimately, if you are worried about such things, all you have to do is to buy the cheapest rifles that you can find in the two calibers cited above, but for many people some of the fun of hunting in Africa can be lost.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I generally just take one firearm my 30-06 for Plains Game. When going for Dangerous Game and the larger PG animals then I will take my 375H&H and 44 mag. However this next trip I'll be taking my 458WM for a buff, 30-06 for PG, and maybe my 22 Hornet for small night critters.

Since airlines only allow 11 pounds of ammo its nice to know the 30-06 is a common caliber in Africa in case I run out of ammo before running out of animals on my list.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

If it will ruin your hunt to not use your own rifle, then cartridge commonality matters a lot. If for some reason you can’t use your own rifle and that is ok and you can roll with it, then no problem.
The reality is that missing ammo doesn’t happen that often.

Edit: it is also nice to be able to leave excess ammo.

I can only speak about Zimbabwe laws and “policies”. The last two or three years if you come into the country with 100rds of loaded ammo they expect you to leave with 100rds of brass loaded and empty brass. Be forwarned, I know we always have xtra boxs of MT brass in case someone “loses” some brass.

 

[CBH Australia]

Hopefully it's never a problem that matters.

But it comes up here now and then. If you are happy with common cartridges, no problem. There are some benefits to common cartridges like availability and keeping the price down. That's a knock on affect for components and dies too.

There is a reason they are common and it's because they are proven or work.

It's nice to have something unique or that suits you if that's what you want but otherwise the common stuff works for the majority

 

[grand veneur]

Anyone who is satisfied in Africa with cartridges they are proven their working, theoretically does not need to take their own rifle with them.

Rifles for rent caliber 375 H&H Magnum are almost always available in the camps and sometimes even big bore rifles. At home you need eventually a cheap rifle to practice with, and that only if you plan to hunt with a big bore. Otherwise, every hunter who hunts in his country with a rifle caliber 338 or 9,3mm can handle a rifle caliber 375 H&H Magnum.

Something like that is but not an option for aficionados of African game rifles, let alone double rifles.

 

[BeeMaa]

I’m in the 375H&H camp for the versatility of being able to hunt everything on the planet with the bonus of ammo availability in most remote camps.

Another thought is if you are going on a hunting trip with friends that they have the same chambering in their rifle. Have some friends who went to Alaska for a caribou hunt and they all had 6.5PRC rifles. Made it comforting for them to know that there would be ammo as long as their rifles arrived.

 

[CBH Australia]

I’m in the 375H&H camp for the versatility of being able to hunt everything on the planet with the bonus of ammo availability in most remote camps.

That's something that has come up often when researching chambering options for hunting rifles.

.375H&H is a good example of that as it's often been said you can easily find it in Africa, Canada and Alaska. It can be found in back country stores and mom and pop store's.

It can also be found in Australia so it seems to be pretty universal.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

If you don’t hand load, then cartridge commonality is quite an important factor. And yes. 50 years of experience going on African safaris, has taught me one thing:

The calibers of sporting ammunition which you can find most easily in African countries… are .30-06 Springfield and .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

I saw this in the 1970s. I saw this in the 1980s. I saw this in the 1990s. I saw this in the 2000s. I saw this in the 2010s. And I’m seeing it now.

It’s also no coincidence that these are the two calibers which I’ve been using on my African safaris the most over the years.

I hate to sound pessimistic, but I fear that we are entering into another “Dark Ages” for big bore rifle calibers. The first dark age was in 1970, when I.C.I Kynoch ceased manufacture of all centerfire ammunition. Since they were the only manufacturers of big bore rifle ammunition at the time (barring the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .458 Winchester Magnum which were being loaded by Winchester and Remington), practically all big bore rifles in traditional safari calibers (like .416 Rigby or .470 Nitro Express) literally fell into disuse until 1983 when B.E.L.L (Brass Extrusion Laboratories Limited) began to load ammunition for these calibers again. I went on four African safaris between 1974-1983, and I never once saw any big bore rifles in use except those chambered in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .458 Winchester Magnum.

Based upon the patterns in ammunition availability which I’m seeing in recent years, factory loaded ammunition for many big bore calibers is once again getting very difficult to find. In such times, my money is on the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for which cartridges will be the easiest to find.

 

[grand veneur]

That's something that has come up often when researching chambering options for hunting rifles.

.375H&H is a good example of that as it's often been said you can easily find it in Africa, Canada and Alaska. It can be found in back country stores and mom and pop store's.

It can also be found in Australia so it seems to be pretty universal.

It depends on what you mean by universal.

I have hunted worldwide, but I would not have been able to find cartridges caliber 375 H&H Magnum in the majority of the countries. You also have to take into account the laws in many countries that do not always allow a foreigner to purchase ammunition and when it comes to shooting at game at long range, what is unfortunately often necessary in Central Asia for example, this cartridge is no longer so universal.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Commonality of caliber is more than what caliber is common in the NATO and other countries primarily hunted by NATO clients.

The possibility of finding 308 and 50 BMG in Russia is a good chance but probably not available to hunters without a connection. I would say 30-06, 338 LAPUA, would be almost not existent. However, 7.62x54R and 7.62x39 would be the common proven hunting cartridges. And any caliber over 375H&H is most likely non existent.

In Asia, ie China and several other countries, most likely the same thing as with Russia.

So yeah, common caliber is important because one NEVER KNOWS if the roll of the dice, or coin flip is going to be in their favor and their ammo arrives during their alloted hunt days when your ammo box has to be separated from your check baggage as in Africa.

IMPO: I just traveled thousands of miles, cooped up in a crowded plane, spent thousands of dollars to hunt and relax; Should my ammo or firearm(s) not arrive with me; To Say The Least I'm going to be pissed !!! and that's an under statement!! But my contingency plan is to rent a rifle, or purchase the ammo for my rifle locally... and enjoy my hunt. Oh I'll still be pissed off because my firearms and/or ammo didn't arrive!! I'm just not going to let the suddenly bad situation interfere with my pleasures of hunting to an area/country for game not native to NA.

Triffely long winded, BUT then again I'm about to turn 67, and ever since I was 19 and in the U.S. Army "wear many different Hats"/ occupations, ......Plan For The Worst, Accept What Can Be Changed, Change What Can Be Changed To Your (One's) Favor; Continue On!!!

Bottom line is: IF you want to travel and hunt with a "wildcat" or non common caliber, Always be prepared for the worst!!!". Accept the current situation, adapt and enjoy, even if it is as a bit more expense, which you planned for.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

I’ve been thinking of this a bit since it was mentioned in the 45-70 dg thread in response to the hunters who had successfully used specialized hand loads on buffalo.

I suspect the concern, like the crf/push feed debate is over stated for the average overseas hunter. Like feed type, there are far more threads discussing the theory than there are threads validating the concern.

Since rental rifles seem to be very common with outfitters in Africa, it seems reasonable to me to attempt to shoot what you want and just roll with it if your ammo is lost. Flexibility is an asset when hunting and one could also view it as part of the adventure. Take the weatherby and if you don’t get to use it, use the camp rifle and have a good time anyway.

 

[rifletuner]

I have travelled with a number of rifles chambered in wildcat or obscure cartridges. I have never had a problem, BUT I have had some close calls that could have been disasters.

I took my 450 Ackley on my cape buffalo hunt which was in Zambia. I flew Australia to SA, overnighted in SA, then on to Zambia the next day. Made it in no problem. On the way out, I repeated the route and got back to Sydney, Australia and waited at the baggage carousel for my rifle to arrive (in those days you picked it up yourself and took it to clear customs). Except baggage stopped coming off the conveyer, and my rifle case never appeared. After a lot of interaction with airline staff, I continued home to Melbourne, and the rifle was found still in SA and delivered to Melbourne airport a few days later. It was a bit of an inconvenience, but it it happened on the way TO my hunt, it would have been terrible.

Some years later I went to Namibia with a friend. My 4th African trip and my friends first. We arrived from Aus in SA, then caught a connecting flight to Upington to meet our PH and drive into southern Namibia for our hunt. I was travelling with 2 rifles, one in 9.3x64 and the other in 300 Baer (a 300 WBY improved case), and my friend had his 300 Win Mag. When we arrived at Upington airport, all our baggage was offloaded, EXCEPT my friend's checked case. Not only did this hold all his clothing, it also had all his 300 Win Failsafe ammo in it. There was a lot of discussion in Afrikaans between the airport official and our PH, and it turned out the flight was overloaded before take off from Joburg, so the baggage handling people reached in and removed random bags until it was back under weight. We "made a plan" and continued on to the hunting property and my friend was able to start hunting immediately as the PH had 300 Win Trophy Bonded ammo ready to go when we arrived. So it worked out well under the circumstances, but if it had of been MY case that they grabbed out, it would have been a totally different situation as I doubt I would have been able to get any suitable ammo for either of my rifles.

 

[rookhawk]

Hi all,
As a new African hunter, I purchased a 375 H&H Winchester Model 70 Safari Express (I have no idea how I found one brand new). A substantial part of my reasoning for purchasing this caliber is 375 H&H's commonality on the dark continent. Considering all the wonderful dangerous game calibers out there (wildcats and all), my question is, how much should I factor in cartridge commonality when I eventually step up to a larger caliber for the larger dangerous game? Thanks for your input!

-Mike

Good move @TheRealMikeAllen

You'll find me a huge fan of storied old British / Safari calibers and I've hunted with a bunch: 275 Rigby, 500 Nitro for Black, 318 Westley Richards, etc, etc.

What I NEVER do is fail to bring a "normal" caliber with me as well. If the ammo goes missing in transport, or if I run out of ammo, the only calibers that will save your behind are as follows: 30-06, 308, 375HH, 458WM, 470NE. Those are the "normal" ones where pile of whatsapp SOS messages roll out, a 4 hour drive ensues, and some fellow operator or PH saves your behind.

No safari is resilient nor failsafe unless you have a 375HH as a backup with a few softs and solids. No matter what happens to your other gun, no matter what animal you're hunting, you're not out of all your luck yet.

 

[Tanks]

I can only speak about Zimbabwe laws and “policies”. The last two or three years if you come into the country with 100rds of loaded ammo they expect you to leave with 100rds of brass loaded and empty brass....

I hunted in Zim in 2021, 2022, and 2023 recently. Left my .500 NE ammo behind and no issues at Harare. Maybe it differs from airport to airport?

 

[Puddle]

I can only speak about Zimbabwe laws and “policies”. The last two or three years if you come into the country with 100rds of loaded ammo they expect you to leave with 100rds of brass loaded and empty brass. Be forwarned, I know we always have xtra boxs of MT brass in case someone “loses” some brass.

Huh. So that must be why in videos here and there you see a hunter taking his eyes off the prize after firing and scrambling to locate their spent brass.

Could never figure that out...

 

[TTundra]

I hunted in Zim in 2021, 2022, and 2023 recently. Left my .500 NE ammo behind and no issues at Harare. Maybe it differs from airport to airport?

I was at least 2 cases short at Bulawayo and didn't have issues as well. Hopefully it's only the strict employees....