Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Hornady just released a series of Africa hunt videos on YouTube

I bet those guys needed new underdraws!

Not at all uncommon IME that the newer FP solids many of us now favor, either hang up or fail to feed at all. Usually this is not a problem related to the CRF mechanism itself but rather the alignment of the bullet tip relative to the feed ramp. The most common cause I’ve found is a combination of the width of the feed ramp, the angle of the ramp at the corner, and/or the presentation of the cartridge by the bolt face before the extractor captures it, as the cartridge begins to exit the magazine box early in the feed cycle. That type of jam can be stubborn to clear rapidly, usually at the most inconvenient time.

Depending on the cause, especially if the action left the factory configured for a different cartridge than its current state, polishing the feed ramp, correcting the feed ramp width and/or angle will allow FP solids to feed without trouble. Sometimes modifying or replacing the follower and/or magazine spring may be necessary. If the problem of alignment is minor and follower construction allows it, modifying the shape of the follower surface might work.

Less frequently, but not unheard of, is the timing of the feeding cycle, due to the shape and/or width of the feed rails. This is especially sensitive as it’s very easy to ‘improve’ the feed rail configuration into dysfunction. Easy to do but difficult to correct except by an expert GS who understands CRF cycling very well. Attention to the shape, tension and extractor-to-rim fit are also important.

Many of the older CRF actions were not designed with blunt FP solids in mind and so some tweaking is necessary. I suspect a lot of the jams blamed on CRF or on the action are the result of operator error, inexperienced with rapid cycling of the bolt - especially H&H length ones - under stress. Practice, both dry fire and many practice loads, with a portion of full power loads, is the solution to the operator problem.

Although the double barrel DGRs are indeed faster for the 2nd shot, it takes a skilled and practiced operator, as Craig Boddington has pointed out, to find the 2nd trigger and extract that speed. Most of us are much more experienced with a bolt action rifle and investing the time and attention to improving cycling speed with a well tuned DGR pays off in the end.

BTW, our ingrained tendency to depend on 1-shot, DRT North American and PG experience serves us poorly in DG hunting. Shooting accurately, rapidly, and often rather than admiring our handiwork after the 1st shot is a good rule with DG.

In my case, I started out hunting elephants with a double DGR, enjoyed it and found it works. I realized however, that I was still more comfortable with a bolt DGR and after figuring out the quirks of the actions, fixing the issues mentioned and spending a lot of dry fire, practice load and full power load time on the range, have switched to bolts. Still a bit slower with the 2nd shot than the double, but fast enough for follow ups and, with either 3-down or 4-down magazine boxes beyond the chambered round, better suited to deal with that other elephant that decides to come out of the corner or move forward to protect its fallen herd mate. Such a bolt action DGR adds some subconscious peace of mind that the conclusion of the encounter will favor the shooter.

Those are just my conclusions based on a limited sample. YMMV.

I agree with your conclusions. But for dangerous game I just simply leave the gun alone and use ammo shapes that feed as is.

Not that comfortable with modifying just to get a heavy flat meplat to feed and then realize I should have been shooting barnes anyway. LOL.

Would have been fun to shoot a few with it though just to see how well it performed. Especially on a double guide hunt where I would have backup to my backup. In case.

I have a too heavy 458. But it shoots well enough. Cycles smoothly. Salt bath nitrided almost all of it and it just works. Wished it was 2 pounds lighter but it is what it is.

BUT, and there is always a BUT, if you don't find and cure that before you go hunting, you're a dope!

The rifle could be a borrowed camp rifle.Not being fully prepared will no doubt make for cheap hunting experience.

That said, life does not always play out the way we want it to.

To my way of thinking.
It’s easier quicker faster to clear a jam on a Push Feed action than a CRF action.
dave

Not really sure why they would release a goat rope like that. Don't really give a good testimonial to the ph ,the hunter,their guns or the ammo. I'll bet their hands shake on every memory of that.mb

some day you may eat those words ? if you ever are riding a mule on a rainy - snowy and cold weather hunt in the Mountains , i seen the eyes of a grizzly at close range with a frozen push feed rifle and never again will that happen on any hunt any place for me. i now hunt only with a single shot Ruger #1 or a Winchester model 70`s with a claw when my life could be endangered. and to be honest the Ruger #1 might be the best and the safest bet ?

CRFs can't freeze in poor weather?

This one froze solid. That's ice, not snow. Couldn't be brushed off. Had to thaw out inside over night. Left a nice pool of water. I couldn't physically cycle the bolt due to the rain that turned to ice/snow while hunting. I "leaned on it" as much as I dared before giving up.

Seems like someone should be carrying a Beretta 1301 with some Brenneke slugs[/quote]
Seriously. A shotgun on Cape buffalo? I wouldn't even risk a shotgun on a bear. Loco.[/quote]

My Afrikaner friend, who was a PH, but was a poor white South African during the Sanctions did. He had a double bbl 12ga with some kind of slugs made there ( like their R1 copy of the FN-FAL) those slugs were like armor piercers! He said they were very effective on Buffalo. Seems it was a modern concept of the old "Paradox" Gun. He showed me the gub, no rifling near the muzzle nor choke tubes, just Elmer Fudd ready! ha

i am sure any action can freeze up if your not a little careful where you set the rifle , mine was a Rem. 700 in my leather scabbard without top on , but that day all 3 - 700`s froze up that day for us, next day i took my Win. 70 no freeze up problem in the scabbard anymore, but the other guys 2 - 700`s still froze up had to put plastic bags on those two push feed rifles.

Here's my take away on this...

Yeah the b buffalo behind the target was most likely hit..

The "jam" of the clients rifle was due to him not being familiar with it, or with DG hunting ( as witness the fact he had to screw with his power ring when he got on the stix, and he had a sling on his rifle...)

He shouldn't have taken that first shot I think he wounded the second buff, and then his rifle was jamming up or the man was just nervous, great job by the PH though but the buffalo could have done some serious damage.

Did it jam?

Bolts that are fluted give water a in, into your action.

Our department (Michigan State Police) switched over to the Beretta 1301 this past year from the old tried and true Rem 870. The Beretta is one heck of a shotgun. One of the nice things is that the point of impact is the same for the slugs as the buckshot. Felt recoil is also noticeably less. They are a bit pricey but they are a great platform. I’ve seen zero issues with them so far. We’ve tested them before we purchased them and since they have been in the field there has been zero issues that haven’t been proven as user error. For home defense they’d be top of my list.

They can all freeze up in the right or wrong conditions. If it’s freezing rain or snow and I’m sitting somewhere exposed I’ll put put thee action in my coat best as I can or try to cover it the best I can.