Not to piggy-back Cal Pappas' thread, but to piggy-back Cal Pappas' thread, anyone using single shot rifles in Africa? I occasionally see the "Team Wild" guys on Youtube shooting a Ruger No 1 (.450-400) in Africa, and I know Maddog has used his Ruger No 1, .375 in Africa. Anyone else us a SS for plains and/or dangerous game?

I did for my first trip in 2008 - #1 in 45-70. PG only and no problems.

My wife and I are taking my two collage age nephews with us for this years annual trip to Namibia. They've never been exposed to firearms or hunting before, Decided to go with SS for their simplicity and safety of operation. I've purchased them H&R Handi Rifles in 45-70 and have had compensators installed. They will be coming to our house for two weeks of extensive firearms safety training, range time and animal identification and shot placement before we leave. My wife and I are also going to use a couple of H&R Ultra hunters in 45-70 with them. So, this year will be an H&R singles only African PG hunt.

Hunting load will either be Rem 405's at 2000 or 350gr TSXs at 2300 or 300gr TSXs at 2400. We've used all those loads in our bolt action 45-70s and bolt action 450 Marlins for PG up to the body size of mountain zebra with no problems at all. I've played with the H&R's enough over the years that they can easily handle these loads. I put the compensators on their rifles because with the camo synthetic stock and scope they only weigh 7 lbs or so and with those loads are a handful for even an experienced shooter. With the compensators the recoil with those loads is like shooting a 308 Win. The Ultra's my wife and I will be using don't have compensators, but have the heavier laminated wood stocks with an extra 1.2lbs steal weight in the buttstock and scopes bring their weight up to a little over 9.5 lbs.

Lastly, since the terrain is rocky/mountainous (NW Namibian highlands) and it being their first time hunting and carrying a rifle ever, I'm packing a spare synthetic buttstock and scope. Inside the hollow synthetic buttstock I've put a small plastic bag with parts for a complete trigger repair/rebuild.

For a plains game hunt I would have no problem with a single shot rifle. Hunting dangerous game I would want a repeater.

Here's a link to a thread about No.1 Big Bores in Africa from a little while ago that might help...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...s/5142927/Ruger_No_1_big_bores_in_Africa

Stump

I havent...but can certainly see no reason not to.A PG hunt with a #1 in 300 H&H would be the bees knees.

A #1 in .270 Win. would be cool too.

Wouldn't mind using a Ruger No.1 in 450/400 3" for buffalo,leopard or even lion. The thing is,there's a PH who might/can (depending on the situation) back up your shot.

Is it just me, or did anyone else see that one coming from a mile away???

Yup.

Ingwe is reliable.

I have shot two buffalo, a leopard, and plains game with a Number One. It is definitely not ideal, but works fine.

As with any rifle just make the first shot count.

However no matter how fast you can reload a single shot it will never be as fast as a bolt gun, so you will give up some capability for a quick second shot.

If I could go back, I'd use one again in a heartbeat. Almost got to take a 450/400 NE 3", on that trip in 2011, instead of the 375. I'd use either one, and yes for dangerous game.


maddog

I was thinking that I'd take my Boddington Leopard when we all go on the Ingwe Farewell to Africa tour. I had a line on a M77 African but it's a .270, so I didn't want to risk it.

Get the .270,but don't tell Ingwe.

Guess I'm gonna have to miss the "Ingwe farewell tour of Africa."

Personally a think of nothing better than the idea of hunting elephant with turn of the century (19th) era British single shot rifle chambered for maybe the .577 black powder express.....or even better a 4-bore single.

really would like one of those...have since they came out

Not me,until I read Craig Boddington's book "Safari Rifles II" last month (for the umpteenth time ) I got the idea of getting one instead of a .416 Rem/Rigby.

Have a .375 H&H on lay away in El Paso,but still have the itch for a Ruger No.1 in 450/400 3". Maybe late this year I can get one,IF I can convince the wife.

I used a Dakota Model 10 in 30-06 for Leopard and plains game. For follow-up of the Leopard I used a bolt action 416 Rigby - he was found dead. A single shot is a great rifle for leopard.

I can't see the point in using a single shot for hunting anything, especially for hunting dangerous game.

If you only need one shot, either a bolt action or a single shot will do equally well.

If you need two shots, you could be in real trouble with a single shot.

Dangerous game commonly needs more than one shot, to "pay the insurance" if for no other reason.

I'm not sure I could stand it. No doubt he'd find out at some point. Maybe I should just buy it and have it rebored to .280 or 7x64 or something like that.

If the OP or anyone else wants to take a single shot, by all means take one. The two shot stuff for DG is baloney. You will have plenty of time to reload if necessary. You will have a PH and he will keep you out of trouble.

Have to absolutely agree with you sir! I have never encountered or heard of a Buff that charged straight after the first shot. Even with a single shot, unless the first shot did not find it's mark, I still can't see the PH coming into play. The PH should only be there as a last resort.

Every PH I've known or experienced are trained professionals and will keep you out of dangerous situations. Yes they will back u up if necessary. It is their job to guide you to have a successful and safe hunt.

At some point, this one needs to shoot a buff:




So far I have the 500 Woodleighs up to 1975 fps. I'd like to try for 2100 fps, which is sho'nuff .470 Nitro territory

Nice!

If I might ask, Who makes those rings?

The problem is not (usually) with the buff charging. The problem is with the buff escaping. The difference between a single shot and a repeater can be an extra day or two tracking, or a lost animal.

As for PH backup, have you ever seen a PH miss a complete elephant? I have. Twice.

I could see using an SS if there were some advantage to outweigh its deficiencies. But there is not. It is no more accurate and no more powerful.

Ruger

http://shopruger.com/searchscoperingresults.asp?dept=245&txtsearch=4BO*

How did I miss those?

Thanks!!

Do be warned, they are solid steel, and not especially lightweight, but #1's normally aren't light rifles, anyway.

Unless I have an unusually long scope, that's about all I use on #1's

I have Warne QDs on it now. I don't think the weight will be an issue.

Yup.

Except, the PH won't likely have a single shot.

Merkel K1, 7mm Remington Magnum



Eland (2 shots)
Zebra (1 shot)
Blue Wildebeest (1 shot)
Black Wildebeest (4 shots - bad first placement)
Red Hartebeest (1 shot)
Springbok (1 shot)
Warthog (1 shot)

At 6.5# fully loaded and slinged, it was an absolute delight to carry the miles I put down each day.

This thread needs more pics, like the one posted above. These have been posted a few yrs. back, but WTH it's cold and it's Feb.....


My son and I with a pair of Ruger No.1s 375 H&H mags for our 2011 DG hunt in Zim.














My son in South Africa with his Handi Rifle 30-06

and a few more of Dan with his single shot 06.


















maddog

Yup,most likely a bolt action,with a few having double's.

I think I'd be sending those pictures to H&R! Great pics. Love the bloodhound, by the way. He doesn't look very old. Tracker?

Is that the .375 you had listed in the classified?

RevMike, Those H&R pics were taken in July 2008, while we were on our plains game hunt in SA. We hunted the Limpopo with Cruiser Safaris. The bloodhound was a 3 month old pup, they were going to make into a tracker dog. His name was Rico, and he was a cutey.

No good sending the pics to H&R, they are going to stop making the Handi rifles.

Yes that is the 375 I listed in the classifieds. Been really torn about selling it, but I know I'll never be going back to Africa. No takers, but I only bumped it twice. If I find somebody that's really interested, I sell the gun and all the supplies listed with the gun, for $1,000. Anything less, and to heck with it, it can be my "safe queen"


maddog

I doubt PHs see very many H&Rs on safari. I think a lot of us probably cut our shotgunning teeth on them.

That's the gun with the Decelerator, right? Did you lengthen the factory LOP or return it to factory specs? It's a nice looking setup.

I wonder how successful they were at keeping Rico from baying on the track. One thing about bloodhounds: they do like the sound of their own voices.

It still has the decelerator pad on it. It only increased the LOP maybe 1/4-3/8", but it sure tamed the round compared to that crappy factory installed pad.


maddog

Selous shot 100s of Buffalo and many others of the big 5 with various Farquarson single shots. 7x57, .303, 450/400, .577? and others.

In one incident he had a mishap after literally running into the middle of a heard of Buffalo and a cartridge jammed after his first shot, he extracted it with his sheath knife just as a bull decided he had had enough. I think he dropped three and chased them on the run and dropped two more. I would doubt this from most writers but not Selous.

I have been to Africa three times, and carried a Shiloh 1874 Sharps on each trip. The first two times, a 45-110, and the third time a 45-70. A classic American single shot rifle from the buffalo era, and it was more than adequate. Frankly, the South Africans had never seen anything like it. After the word about the rifle's performance got out, people were asking me to hunt on their properties so that they could see the rifle work and shoot it themselves.

I've seen Sharpsguy's videos. IMPRESSIVE kills, including a springbok@ over 500 yards!

I plan on taking a Ruger #1 9,3X74R this May to Botswana. My wife is taking a T/C Contender carbine in 375JDJ. I have never felt handicapped by single shots.