A SAFARI RIFLE . . . what would I choose?

“. . . . what would I choose?” I’ll not pretend to know what you should choose. I can only tell you what my first choice of several would be, and why.

I’ve been to Africa once, and got in a single hunting day at the expense of our eldest son, Brent, who was a missionary in Senegal. Through a lot of hard work, experience, finances and Government red tape, he eventually became a licensed resident big game hunter – including for both buffalo and lion – no elephant in the area. He sponsored me and provided a local guide. I saw and experienced Africa in the raw – in the “outback” where civilization had advanced insignificantly over the past 2000 years.

So the first hand experience of African bush, villages made up of mud huts and thatched roofs, with wild and hazardous game roaming freely has left an indelible impression. But I never carried a rifle. Instead, my firearm was my son’s 12ga pump shotgun loaded with Brenneke slugs. The only rifle was in Brent’s hands: his single-shot .22 LR as he walked behind me, as I followed the guide with a stick in his hand. Brent had slain dozens of warthogs with that single-shot, braining them through the ear-hole as they drank from a local pond. With that same single-shot .22LR, he killed a wild cow that was holed up in a mud-brick vacant school house with a consort wild bull. He was asked by the elders to kill it because it was a danger to the residents, especially the children. The building had two openings, a window and a door, neither of which had doors or closures. He asked his friend, the guide, to stand at the door with his shotgun and one Brenneke slug. Brent approached the window, and the cow (with long horns typical of “Long Horns” in Texas but not as heavy) stood up facing him. He nailed it between the eyes with a single solid from his .22. The cow went “SPLAT” with all four legs pointing in 4 directions. The bull took off through the other side making a new “door” – it didn’t get that final Brenneke. The Brennekes where very expensive and they had to be bought in Dakar when he was able to make that trip in the mission’s plane. Yep, I did manage to “harvest” some fresh-lean pork with his 12ga.

None of that makes me any sort of advisor on African safaris, however. Yet my son’s lengthy experience in killing wild game in African bush country, points out the fact that $15,000 rifles aren’t necessary for killing African game. However, in reading, research and watching multiple professionally made recent videos of African safaris, and in addition to considerable personal experience in the use of rifles and cartridges recommended and used in safari hunting, these have created some rather strong opinions in that regard.

< My Ruger No.1H in .458 Win, literally loaded for bear in 2020. That’s not far from where I hunted bear over bait in 2023 – 2024.

If you’ve been a follower of http://www.bigbores.ca, you already know my experience in making multiple handloads for .458 Winchester Magnums, as well as for several “mediums”, including .375 H&H’s that also legally qualify for the full gambit of Africa’s dangerous five, or whatever that number might be today.

So I have some definitive ideas of what I’d choose as an African safari rifle, given the chance and being a few years younger.

As mentioned: In the late evening hours (9 pm to 12 am) of these winter months I’ve been watching and listening to more recent and new videos via YouTube on African hunting safaris. I’ve learned a lot. . . and still learning.

One thing I’ve noted in particular, that contradicts Internet chat, is the increased number of late edition rifles with the, so-called, brakes on them! And PH’s are not objecting to them! No negative comments have been made by any so far! Three of the four big-game rifles left in my gun cabinet, have muzzle brakes! Now it’s two as one – the 9.3 x 62 – has gone to our eldest son, now retired in eastern Canada (the former missionary previously mentioned).

In former times, I never liked muzzle brakes, that is until I reached +75 years when some relief was wanted/needed from the recoil of my .458 Winchester Magnum due to arthritis in my shoulders and hands. The Ruger No.1H in .458 Win came with the Mag-Na-Ports so that was and is a help in that regard. I had a brake installed on my Tikka T3 Lite in 9.3 x 62 as it was indeed very “lite” and with my handloads was producing recoil in the 50 ft-lbs range. I’d owned it for a dozen years before having the brake installed. But apart from my arthritis needing some relief at that stage, it was destroying scopes! The Traditions G3 OUTFITTER in .35 Whelen was bought with an integral brake – good thing because it’s a light thing with a recoil number of ~33-ish (from my hunting loads) even with the brake!

So I’m no longer negative over muzzle brakes, and some comfort is also garnered from the latest African safari videos where hunters are showing up with braked rifles!

Apart from all that, what would be my primary and secondary considerations for a safari rifle, capable for a full bag of African game from small to large and dangerous?

The Cartridge: There are several to choose from, depending on the African country. Also, this would be a single rifle for anything and all things.

• .375s: .375 H&H (or AI), .375 Wby, .375 Ruger, .375 RUM, and .378 Wby.

Of those my choice would be between the H&H and Wby (not the .378 Wby).

• .416s: Ruger, Remington, Rigby and Wby. Or perhaps the Taylor.

Of those my choice would be the .416 Remington.

• .458s: Winchester, Lott and Weatherby:

Of course, how could it be anything other than the .458 Winchester Magnum?

• 500s: Personally, I have no interest beyond the .458 Win Mag.

The RIFLE: Obviously, my Safari Rifle would be chambered to the awesome .458 Winchester Magnum!

But there are several makes and models, as well as styles, including custom or semi-custom.

I’ve owned three that were all distinct in their looks, feel and handling:

• a Ruger 77, bolt-action, magazine repeater with tang safety and a 22″ barrel. OL = 42″, wt unknown – my guess in hindsight, about 8.5 lbs starting out bare bones.

• a CZ 550 with a full-length Mauser action, 25″ barrel, and a magazine that held 5 plus one in the chamber. It also had a single set trigger. Wt. with 4x scope and 4 cartridges at 10.65 lbs. OL= 45″

• Ruger No.1H, single-shot falling-block Farquharson type, no magazine, 24″ barrel, integral barrel scope bases and rings, plus open sights. OL length = 40.25″, weight with 3-7 x 32mm scope and a single cartridge = 10.3 lbs.

As a single rifle for African hunting of any and all fauna, none of the above would be “perfect”. The Ruger 77 would be the closest in it’s fit and weight as a bolt-action repeater. But I’d want a longer action to allow longer bullet seating for more versatility.

The CZ 550 is too long and heavy. I’d want shorter with less weight.

The Ruger No.1H is the best that I’ve used, but it’s not perfect. Ideally for Africa, if I did much hunting there, I’d want a repeater with a little less weight. However, it is ideal in OL, balance and LOP. And not having a magazine that determines COL, best ballistics are possible from its 24″ barrel. Another plus is fit and finish. It’s handsome in my view, and fits like a glove.

In essence then, I’d want a repeater with an action and magazine long enough to allow a COL of up to 3.6″ (My Ruger No.1 permits a COL of 3.68″), 3+1 cartridges, 22 – 23″ suitable wt. barrel, all metal SS, adjustable trigger pull, tang safety, integral scope mounts, sturdy stock of carbon fibre, 8.5 lbs bare bones, and accuracy of 1/2 moa with a suitable and best load! And since this would be a custom deal, I’d have to go back to work! Or sell my wife as a slave. . . .

Oh, really, really, I think I’d best be content with my Ruger No.1H in .458 Winchester Magnum, so then I wouldn’t have to sell my wife, and could live happily in my real world!

But the latest African safari video I’ve watched was of an American man in his 40s or 50s, well built, in great shape who’d built his own rifle (or put together parts he had others make plus some of his own handiwork). And he’d booked a hunt with the well known CMS Safaris. I’ll call him “John” because through the loud background of rock music, that’s all I could make out. (loud raucous music added to a safari hunt video that is outrageously out of place! And that’s not to say I’m against some appropriate background music that doesn’t drown-out talking, even in wispers.)

His rifle had a deep box magazine that would hold 5 cartridges. And everything was somewhat non-conventional including the cartridge that was a wildcat: a .338 Lapua opened to .458-cal. that made it a .458 Lapua Magnum Imp., because it was given a sharp shoulder. He gave the numbers ~ 2500 fps for a 500gr, but he reduced that load to 2450 fps for the hunt. And the projectiles were premium 500gr Swift A-Frames. I watched the vid until he’d first taken a trophy Bush Buck, and later a Cape buffalo at around 40 yds. That was interesting because the buff ran off about 50 to 60 yds (they said) before expiring, about the same as one shot by a .375 H&H, perhaps. Of course, we all know about bullet placement and angles, etc.

It had a “normal” looking 22″ barrel in contour and length for .458-cal, but without a muzzle brake and the “kick” was very noticeable on a very muscular man of over 6′. In using some math, based on the 12 lb rifle, I calculated the recoil at ~75 ft-lbs. The question I asked myself was: Why not just buy a .460 Weatherby Magnum? No, that would not be my choice as an “all-purpose” African Safari Rifle, nor would the custom of that gentleman with his oversized .458 Lapua Magnum Improved. It’s not so much the recoil (I’ve experienced that amount of recoil from my former Ruger No.1 in .45-70 LT) at that stage of life (a well built +6′ at an est. 220 lbs, perhaps 45 – 50 y.o.) but the cost of getting it together and feeding it, and later trying to sell it in getting back investments.

I almost had my former CZ 550 in .458 Win rechambered to .460 Wby Mag! But usually I don’t let emotions dictate actions without a full investigation of needs, wants, costs and usage! Often that slams on the brakes! My gunsmith, who did the improved throat on my Ruger No.1 .45-70, would have done it for less than $100, but that would not have been the full expenditure . . . what about dies, brass, powder and bullets, plus a scope to handle that level of recoil? Thankfully, I followed good sense that time! There’s really nothing a .460 Wby can do that a .458 Win Mag can’t do! Ditto for a .458 Lapua Magnum IMP! Neither the bush buck not the Cape buff died quicker than if shot with a .375 H&H! The Cape buff, as mentioned, still ran 50 to 60 yds till it fell over!

Make mine the legendary .458 Winchester Magnum, please!

As always in all of life’s issues: “Too much is still just TOO MUCH!”

From a current down-to-earth reality perspective, if I were going tomorrow, I might take both the .375 H&H repeater and my Ruger No.1H in .458 Win Mag. . . then I’d not have to loose sleep over it! Actually, I like ’em both with a bent in favor of the .458. Also, I’m content that they’re distinct. I wouldn’t want those two to be identical in form or function, all apart from their chamberings.

<For Africa’s largest: L to R: 600gr Barnes Original, 550gr Woodleigh Weldcore SN, and 500gr Hornady DGX-Bonded. Yes, I’ve shot them in my Ruger No.1H.

Note: from the three owned .458s, I said they were “all distinct in their looks, feel and handling”. That could train us to be versatile in our outlook on things that matter to us in life. They each had a flaw or two, none of which kept me from using them as hunting tools. Also, they all reveal flaws in ourselves, some of which we may not like, if we’re honest. Is it the rifle that needs fixin’, or ourselves?

I’m sure you’ve observed Craig Boddington (famed writer and African hunter) firing right-handed bolt-action rifles from his left side. . . . he’s done it his whole life. And that’s due to being a left-handed person, and the scarceness of suitable left-hand bolt-action safari-grade rifles. I have done the same most of my life – not because I’m a lefty, but because of blindness in my right eye due to a childhood accident (at age six). So not only have I had to handle bolt rifles made for right handed shooters from my left side, but my left arm and hand are weaker than my right (as a right-handed person) in adapting to a left-handed bolt-action rifle such as my current .375 H&H. And Craig and I are not alone. The African PH made famous in Robert Ruark’s book, The Horn of The Hunter, was Harry Selby who also is/was a lefty who used RH bolt-action rifles – making the .416 Rigby famous, and later in life a right-handed Winchester M70 in .458 Win.

All that to highlight that a perfectionist view of :”everything must be perfect or right in any rifle, particularly for dangerous game” – when we consider that view in the glaring light of such famed men who overcame the significant disadvantage of using “wrong-sided” bolt-action rifles – we should come to understand that a rifle’s “perfection” has limited impact on success when ~90% of that depends on the hunter and not the rifle! Just ask our son, Brent! In life, nothing is perfect in marriage, work or play! Yet we overcome much of it by accepting some imperfections!

By the way, “John”, the .458 Lapua Magnum guy, got a forehead cut from his scope in shooting a baboon with his super-duper .458 Lapua Magnum Imp. Quite embarrassing! Really!

Till the next. . . .

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL