Reccomendations on big bore rifles for field guides

[SBB]

Lastly try go on an animal behavior course of some sorts or try get someone to teach you. Reading animal behavior is far more important than rifle type or caliber, charge stopper or whatever.

[Redhawk75]

Purely as a backup, while lugging camera gear, I would definitely go the large bore revolver route! Fact is 44 magnum & up has been used successfully to hunt all game, not the best charge stopper but certainly the best compromise under the circumstances!

[RakerX16]

I have only shot a friend's 30-06 once or twice on the range hence call for advice from those who have the experience. Unfortunately not all the shops give you good advise as their interest is sales hence my request for advice so i can make an informed decision bases on a consensus of knowledge. As a professional photographer hosting professional photographic safaris with paying clients (local and international) you have to take the charters safety in mind hence my movement towards buying a rifle for SD purposes. I am willing to invest the time and effort to learn to shoot large bore rifles shoot them properly - actually i have no option in this regard as with some of the venues i am working with, this is mandatory for a guide to have the required competencies etc.

[thereaper]

So you are the guide and not the photographer in this thing? If so that changes things. Then I think you should ignore the handgun advice and go for a rifle. A big one. But that is just my opinion, and not based on any experience with dangerous game.

[Stefan K]

I am also not an expert but here is my opinion. I will add my vote for animal behaviour course as first and foremost. Kruger Park rangers give soldiers assisting with anti poaching a very valuable lecture regarding exactly this and it takes about a day to learn enough to keep yourself out of trouble.

For a novice shooter I would consider a 7.62 semi auto. Yes it lacks the power to stop a charging elephant but a novice shooter with a 375 does not stand a much better chance at stopping a charge in any case. The semi auto does provide a great advantage for dealing with predators (again especially for a novice who isn't sure of getting a good hit with every shot and a quick, correct cycle of the bolt under pressure).

Having done an animal behaviour course you can easily go a lifetime in the bush without getting threatened by any large herbivore. One does not always have the choice of avoiding the attention of the large predators.

That being said, if you are commercially guiding the ball game changes. Minimum legal calibre is 375 and the FGASA SKS course is a requirement. This is not a quick fix and takes a long time to complete the courses prerequisite to the SKS qualification.

Like I said, this is not an expert opinion and I would appreciate any corrections by the experts.

[Clint357]

I have only shot a friend's 30-06 once or twice on the range hence call for advice from those who have the experience. Unfortunately not all the shops give you good advise as their interest is sales hence my request for advice so i can make an informed decision bases on a consensus of knowledge. As a professional photographer hosting professional photographic safaris with paying clients (local and international) you have to take the charters safety in mind hence my movement towards buying a rifle for SD purposes. I am willing to invest the time and effort to learn to shoot large bore rifles shoot them properly - actually i have no option in this regard as with some of the venues i am working with, this is mandatory for a guide to have the required competencies etc.

Now things make more sense, with clients you would have to have a nature guiding, trails guide and advanced weapon handling, qualification and be registered with castheta(spelling?). Then you would have the knowledge to get the photo and avoid having to use a rifle, caliber stil a .400+ due to proximity to the animals. 375 will get the job done but is marginal imo. Unless a local guide is there for backup.

[458Exp]

A charge stopper ? Forget about a 375, yes it will maybe get the job done .... With pin point accuracy (can you hit a bouncing tennis ball coming at you from 20 m?) Get a 458. Ammo is every where, "short" bolt stroke for fast follow up shot. And a CZ550 holds 5 of them in the mag.

You'll have to practice with the rifle when not on safari, will be carried more than used, but WSHF then it will have to be fast instinctive shooting.

[RakerX16]

In the .458 I know there is the .458 Lott vs the .458 Express. Is my assumptioin correct that with the express, the recoil will be less as the case is larger and the pressure lower?

[Pirate]

From what you describe this sounds an awful lot like "guiding", and taking your experience with rifles into account, I'd strongly suggest you rather get an experienced field guide/PH to accompany you on the photographic safari. IMHO all the gun-guy should carry is his rifle... you shouldn't be weighed down with a bunch of Canons and Nikons while trying to maneouvre a rifle onto your shoulder, get a bead on an animal in a vital area and firing without flinching. Just "getting a rifle" isn't sufficient... you have to know how to use it, be comfortable with it and operate it safely with clients in your immediate vicinity. Bump your clients' day fee with a bit and contract an experienced guy.

Now I'll never DISSUADE someone from buying a firearm, so by all means do your competencies (all of them!) and then start learning about them and buy want and need. But just jumping off and buying a "458" because bushwalk is not the answer.

:- P

[Socrates]

Get propper training in guiding and then go from there. I know nothing about guiding but common sense tells
me that avoiding a charge is better than stopping a charge. Also, I take it that things that charge can cost you an arm and a leg whether or not you stop the charge, so it may be prudent not to get into a scrap in the first place.