Bringing 2 guns on a dangerous game hunt?

[MT Griz]

I would take your 30-06' as your second, and shoot some plains game with it. Have a great trip!

 

[rookhawk]

I will be hunting in Zimbabwe on my first Elephant hunt. I will be using my Custom built CZ 550 .404 Jeffery but i was wondering what people think of bringing a second rifle for plains game? I will be hunting on the communal lands outside and around of Hwange National Park. I would most likely bring my model 70 9.3x62 or my KImber 89 .30-06 for any other game?
What is everyone's thoughts????

On a DG hunt you always bring two rifles. One of them is always a 375HH. It's the only backup rifle that doesn't end a hunt whether you're hunting tiny-10 or elephants.

 

[matt85]

Hunting in North America I always have a backup gun available. Two shotguns go with me to Montana but usually only the 30-06. A couple times in the past I've had to borrow my brother's rifle when something went wrong with mine. Not a big deal. In Africa the safari operator or PH will have rental rifles available. I don't see any need to drag backup rifles along if there's something else available should my gun break down.

One of the two times I've completely missed an animal was when I borrowed someone else's rifle.

I will not use a rifle that I have not spent extensive time practicing with.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'm normally hunting with my son so we end up taking multiple rifles and often a second barrel for the Blaser R8 in another caliber. It's been .375 and 300 Win Mag in the past but we are leaving in May on a large culling trip in Australia, it will be 500/416 NE and .375 for the buffalo and we will both have .308 for the donkey, camel and other game animals. As others comment, I like to have my own rifle as I feel very confident shooting a gun that I know well.

I would take your 9.3x62 as a second rifle, I really like the caliber but have never taken mine to Africa yet. Good luck in your hunt.

 

[1peggy]

I will be hunting in Zimbabwe on my first Elephant hunt. I will be using my Custom built CZ 550 .404 Jeffery but i was wondering what people think of bringing a second rifle for plains game? I will be hunting on the communal lands outside and around of Hwange National Park. I would most likely bring my model 70 9.3x62 or my KImber 89 .30-06 for any other game?
What is everyone's thoughts????

My first buffalo/tuskless hunt I took a 500/416 and 416 Rigby. I fell and broke the stock on the 500/416 after killing my buffalo but still had the Rigby and took my tuskless. I make sure on a big game hunt I can recover from a broken gun. I killed my Impala and warthog with the Rigby. I am going again in September and will take my 470 and Rigby. Mike

 

[Ku-winda]

As many have so aptly stated already, the 9.3x62 would be hard to beat for a back-up in a dangerous area. I fall into that camp as well, having just witnessed my son make nine one shot kills (including a nice Coutada 11 buffalo bull) in MOZ with his CZ 550 in 9.3x62, at ranges from 35 yards out to 250 yards. I left that safari as a big fan and a believer in the 9.3x62, finally understanding why the round was so revered by the German settlers. Ironically, I was carrying a 404 Jeffery and in addition to my buffalo bull also took sable, nyala, hartebeest and warthog and never felt the need for anything else. Consequently, if you are looking for simplicity and a single rifle, that's one hell of an option as well. The good news is that there is no wrong answer to your question and whether you decide to take just the 404J or combine that rifle with either the 9.3x62 or the venerable 30-06, you're going to be just fine. Good luck and look forward to your report!

 

[kdenn]

Limited knowledge and experience here so take with grain of salt, I went for Cape buffalo and PG on first safari, took 375HH and 416 Rigby. I knew if one gun had issues I’m still going to hunt. If ammo lost, I’m still good to hunt. As @Red Leg says taking 2 is a hassle but one I’m willing to tolerate. When hunting PG only, I have advantage of wife that hunts so we have 2 rifles, as @Altitude sickness said 2 is 1 and 1 is none. If you choose to only take 1 rifle I say check with what the camp provides.

 

[Red Leg]

Limited knowledge and experience here so take with grain of salt, I went for Cape buffalo and PG on first safari, took 375HH and 416 Rigby. I knew if one gun had issues I’m still going to hunt. If ammo lost, I’m still good to hunt. As @Red Leg says taking 2 is a hassle but one I’m willing to tolerate. When hunting PG only, I have advantage of wife that hunts so we have 2 rifles, as @Altitude sickness said 2 is 1 and 1 is none. If you choose to only take 1 rifle I say check with what the camp provides.

Or simply just take one quality rifle and not worry about catastrophes that do not occur. I hunt a lot of different places. I meet a lot of different fellow hunters in all those different places. The only location where anyone tries to make an argument for a "back-up" rifle is Africa. If hunting buffalo or elephant and civets, then sure, also pack a .22 Hornet with the .404. If spending thirty days in the Tanzanian bush for true full bag, then bring a battery. But, for the typical DG and the PG hunt through the tiny ten, I'll simply use a dependable .375 and spend my time worrying about other things.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I will be hunting in Zimbabwe on my first Elephant hunt. I will be using my Custom built CZ 550 .404 Jeffery but i was wondering what people think of bringing a second rifle for plains game? I will be hunting on the communal lands outside and around of Hwange National Park. I would most likely bring my model 70 9.3x62 or my KImber 89 .30-06 for any other game?
What is everyone's thoughts????

On my two buffalo hunts, I used a .458 Win for the buff. I took PG who a.30-06 with 180 grain Partitions on the first trip, and a .300 Win with 200 grain AccuBonds on the next one. On the whole I think the .300 worked better. Expansion and penetration are the two factors. You could use your .30-06 for most PG, depending on which PG you are interested in. If you are looking to take eland or giraffe I think I'd opt for the 9.3 x 62. Of course you could use the .404 on the bigger stuff if you want, but I still think the 9.3 would be a lot of fun.

 

[Canadian hunter]

I see you like eland...well, we got real lucky and took this eland near communal lands. Outrageous eland.

View attachment 672846

Fantastic Eland! I took a nice one last August in Namibia, although, not that nice! I took mine with 300 PRC

 

[Canadian hunter]

I will be hunting in Zimbabwe on my first Elephant hunt. I will be using my Custom built CZ 550 .404 Jeffery but i was wondering what people think of bringing a second rifle for plains game? I will be hunting on the communal lands outside and around of Hwange National Park. I would most likely bring my model 70 9.3x62 or my KImber 89 .30-06 for any other game?
What is everyone's thoughts????

I'm in the same boat as you, debating bringing a 2 rifle battery next year. I have a buffalo and hippo hunt booked, so Im taking my .416 Winchester M70.
But last year was my first hunt in Africa, in which I brought a 300 PRC with 190gr Hornady CX, and that duo was hitting plains game so hard, Id like to bring it along too!
In my opinion, your 30-06 and 404 would be a very nice caliber pairing.