OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
-
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1302
- Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:25 pm
- Location: Indiana
OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Why do so many professional hunters in Africa carry their rifles over their shoulders with barrel pointed forward and hand around barrel? Is that barrel sometimes pointed at people in front of them? What if the safety is off, chamber loaded and a limb pulls the trigger?
To me this method of carrying a rifle seems cumbersome and unsafe.
Don
To me this method of carrying a rifle seems cumbersome and unsafe.
Don
- kimwcook
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 7978
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:01 pm
- Location: Soap Lake, WA., U.S.A.
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Someone other than me will have to answer your question, but personally I think it would be awkward and tiring on the shoulder. I'm sure Joe can tell us why and there are other's here that have hunted Africa too.
Old Law Dawg
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
I carry that way now and then, just to break up the monotony and get a change of muscles being used. It isn't a problem with pointing it at anyone, I'm usually by myself. I don't know if they have the chamber empty when carrying that way. Mostly carry in hand, once in a while by sling, mostly barrel down on the left side, which I believe is quicker to get going than any other sling methed that I know of for regular slings. Ernie Lind, the exhibition shooter, said that it took him about 1/2 second to get a shot off with a Winchester 71 when slung that way. I'm not quite that quick, but its faster than other ways I've used.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 6747
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:30 am
- Location: Lower Central NYS
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Any loaded weapon(or unloaded for that matter)being pointed at another person is just plain wrong period.
Wouldnt use that guide, or hunt with anyone doing that. Same with somtimes you see people with the butt of the gun on the ground and the guns muzzle is being used to prop a part of their body on????
Those type people must have missed basic Hunter Saftey class?
Wouldnt use that guide, or hunt with anyone doing that. Same with somtimes you see people with the butt of the gun on the ground and the guns muzzle is being used to prop a part of their body on????
Those type people must have missed basic Hunter Saftey class?
- AJMD429
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 32291
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
- Location: Hoosierland
- Contact:
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
That's why I have a strong aversion towards 'horizontal carry' shoulder holsters. The only time I used one was working as a night-shift pharmacist in bad neighborhood sores.madman4570 wrote:Any loaded weapon(or unloaded for that matter)being pointed at another person is just plain wrong period.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
I was a Rhodesian Gov. hunter from 74 to 1980, and I can tell you when you hunt all day long, that the eases' way to Carrie a heavy rifle and that's why it's carried that way.
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
First off it is the easiest way to carry a heavy rifle all day. The Mauser type safety disengages the trigger and firing pin. If you do it right the rifle always points where you are looking. You keep a hand free for moving brush, balance, etc. A sling is not good where dangerous game may lurk due to slow deployment and potential snagging. Also noise flopping around. The trackers and staff can tell instantly where the muzzle is and are trained to avoid it. You can keep hold of the rifle while using binos, gps or radio. I do not whole-heartedly agree w/ the method but I have been trained in proper execution of the method and I understand it.
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
I'm assuming that they carry the rifle fully loaded?slow2run wrote:I was a Rhodesian Gov. hunter from 74 to 1980, and I can tell you when you hunt all day long, that the eases' way to Carrie a heavy rifle and that's why it's carried that way.
I've read some books about Africa and the strangest thing to me was that they said their rifles were always unloaded while in camp. That's something that I can't imagine.
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Having never used a Mauser action, I was unaware that it disengages the trigger.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
- AJMD429
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 32291
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
- Location: Hoosierland
- Contact:
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
I've not carried that way, hunted in Africa, nor even practiced 'quick shots' from a left-shoulder muzzle-down position, but I just can't visualize how a gun carried over the shoulder muzzle forward (or backward, for that matter) could truly be easier to bring to the shoulder than a muzzle-down left shoulder carry, or a 'single-point' sling carry. I'd love to see a video of the differences.86er wrote:A sling is not good where dangerous game may lurk due to slow deployment and potential snagging.
Fortunately I doubt I'll ever have to carry a gun 'at the ready' or in conditions of rugged terrain, for longer than my muscles would fatigue with just carrying it without a sling using both hands.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
-
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1053
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:12 pm
- Location: Bushwhacker Capitol, Missouri
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Stories I've read said, that's the way the gun barer carries while walking in front of the hunter.
-
- Levergunner 2.0
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:38 pm
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
Its an easy way to carry a heavy long barreled gun, try it sometime, balances just perfect atop the shoulder. I often carry a shotgun in this fashion. I mostly hunt alone so no danger ahead of me to harm. .DT
Marlin Owner....Henry Owner....Winchester Owner
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
I re-read John "pondoro" Taylors "African Rifles and Cartridges " recently. A hunter would carry his "medium bore" rifle himself as a rule, and would have his gunbearer carry his heavy double rifle in front of him on his shoulder, muzzles forward, so it was easily reached in the event it was needed. Alot of hunters would carry no rifle, and only take over the rifle when game was sighted, but Taylor indicates this was a dangerous way to operate, but that is the reason the rifle was carried muzzles forward on the shoulder.I carry mine that way sometimes, and it is in fact very comfortable. As far as safety is concerned, well I'll leave that up to you, but I amalways wary of where my muzzle is and where it is pointed.
Bill Nowicki
Headed "upta camp"
Headed "upta camp"
-
- Levergunner 2.0
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:19 pm
- Location: Western ND
Re: OT--Rifle carry in Africa
It has something to do with being located south of the equator, you know like how the whirlpools are reversed!!!
Behind every sucessful rancher is a wife with a job in town.