Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why the "African Carry"? Rifle on shoulder?

The bottom line has always been, if a man doesn't feel he is safe caring a loaded rifle in his own two hands - he shouldn't do it. Hunting and the use of firearms has and will always have inherent risks. You have to be careful and observe everyone else in your party as well. Situational awareness is part of the game.

back to the original question - i read many years ago the "african carry" came about for two reasons. 1. guns were heavier and it was easier to carry said rifle on the shoulder as opposed to a rope (as a sling). 2. the gun on the shoulder could be brought to use quicker that were it on a rope/sling. slings get caught on stuff.

Your second point is the main thing. The African PH I hacve hunted with most (and who has the most experience of any of the PH's I've hunted with) says, "Hunting dangerous game with a sling on the rifle is suicidal."

This is because most dangerous game hunting these days (primarily buffalo and elephant) takes place in thicker cover. Since everything in Africa has thorns, a sling will catch on everything, whether or not is over your shoulder or not. It's stupid to have one on the rifle when you have to shoot very quickly in very thick stuff at something that may be coming your way from a matter of feet, not yards.

If anticipation of an encounter with dangerous game is the issue, in my view there is something better. A two hand hold in the forward "ready position" is lightning fast. Its what we used in no-knock entries or high risk encounters. The forward sling carry that the military uses also has the rifle poised for fast engagement and is safe when in front and close to your body.
The "African carry" looks like you are in "code green" - completey unaware of your threat level - be it a Cape Buffalo or an armed attacker. It looks like you are anticipating "Miller Time".

Never hunted Africa, but I would follow, what years of actual hunting experience has taught those that hunt there.

My experiences, hunting elk, deer, antelope and black bear, don't equate, with hunting cape buffalo and elephant in the thick stuff.

I would think a quick detachable sling would be ideal. When the thorns are so thick they are sticking my sling I would be wearing brush pants rather than the shorts that most of the photos show of hunters in Africa.

In general theory, I can entirely agree with this statement and sentiment by your PH. However, in practice and personal experience I would disagree.

While having the rifle at port arms and ready for an encounter with a dangerous animal (human or otherwise) is entirely the corrrect way to go, not all of your time afield, in fact a very small amount of time afield, will be spent in anticipation of a close encounter of the dangerous kind. In fact, much of your time, even in thick country, is spent tracking the animal and one knows in most instances when you are getting close and need to prepare for action. During the time spent tracking, I personally see no need to constantly be in a state of anticipation and 100% readiness and alert. I believe this would be extremely tiring and that no one could do this for very long, even the best of hunters. Yes, you need to be ready at all times to encounter your prey, but 99% of the time, I highly doubt you will need to face a charge or fire your weapon the instant you first see the animal.

In my experience hunting Cape Buffalo, although very limited, both myself and my PH used a sling on our DG rifles. When we encountered buffalo, we obviously had the rifles off the shoulder and at the ready, anticipating a shot. This happened many times and I don't remember a single instance when either of our slings were hung up on brush, trees, etc. and we were always in the thick Mopane. In addition, when following up a wounded buffalo and anticipating an immediate encounter with an angry bull, my PH, who was a veteran of the Rhodesian war, actually wrapped up in his sling in a manner similar to a hasty type sling arrangement. By the way he wrapped up, I could tell that he did not do this just to have the sling out of the way, but to provide a more stable off-hand shot should one present itself. If he felt the sling was in the way or useless, he had more than enough time before starting the follow-up to remove the sling from his rifle had this been the case.

My conclusion, FWIW, is that this is another instance of different strokes for different folks. What works for one and makes complete sense to him, may not work or make sense to another. I've used a sling on my rifles from the time I started hunting rabbits with .22's from age 10 on and find them useful. I've yet to be convinced that they are a hindrance. Likewise, with the African carry, I think as long as the person exhibits proper safety practices and muzzle control, I can see nothing wrong with this mode of carry.

Test

My PH friend (also a veteran of the Rhodesian war, in fact one of the original Selous Scouts) hunts more in jess than mopane, though he hunts in both. Even thick mopane is quite open compared to many of the places he hunts.

One of his points is that when hunting really dangerous game, you do not always have the choice of when an animal might take offense. Charges are NOT always the result of the hunter in question wounding the game; in fact many charges are from animals that have been wounded earlier (whether by hunters, snares or other animals), or by mamas with young. Carrying a rifle slung when in really thick stuff amid such unpredictable possibilities is not a good idea. Or he does not believe it to be, and most other PH's agree.

But as you said, different strokes for different folks.

I beieve there is a lot of room here the "different strokes" concept; in all ways, though, total and complete consciousness of the muzzle direction should be foremost in the carriers mind.

I've had my greatest problems in bird hunting in large groups in SD where you may get thrown in with many you don't know to form a small army of walkers and blockers. I've made more than a few comments through the years to this stranger or that who acted as if their shotgun barrel was a laser pointer. Of late, I avoid those situations. Many times I've used the "African Carry" in the bird fields when moving from area to area with my SxSs but always with the action broken so all could see it was unloaded and be and feel safe.

On my one trip to Africa - Namibia - it was so brushy you didn't know if you would come upon game at 30 yds or 100 so there was no place for a sling really and in practice at home a sling was problematic on the shooting sticks taking expensive seconds to get all cradled properly.

My PH walked just in front of me and requested my rifle to be loaded but not carried "high" (cradled) because of the sun glint (truly it wasn't shiny). I'm a lefty and he always seemed just ahead of my left shoulder. I ended up finding that if I carred it low in my right hand with the muzzle backwards I met my safety standards and could grab it quickly with my left hand at the grip and get into action effectively and quickly. Of course, this was for plains game and no dangerous game was involved.