Why are most ammo holders seen in Africa open top style?

[IvW]

Flaps get in the way when you need to top up or reload at speed....

 

[RLL]

I have never understood the reason for making your ammo harder to get to on a DG or any other hunt. I have hunted for many, many years with Murray Custom Leather cartridge holders that are all leather and open top. I will be reading for someone to answer why the flap is a good idea.......

Texan to Texan, because Dick made mine too!

Practically, I’ve not had an issue using either style in the heat of battle.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You have to buy a bigger ammo holder, everything fits in mine and it was very cheap, like all of my equipment, except the rifles. I don't spend a lot of money for hunting clothes. In Africa I use my old cotton trousers and shirts that I also wear for hunting at home. Hats you can get cheaply from military surplus. Camo is out of question, I am hunting in Africa, I am not on a combat mission.

The open top buffalo hide ammo holder for my 404 is only five rounds. Originally made for 375 I stretched the pockets to accept 404. Quite snug.

I also wear the same clothes hunting here and Africa ... except no hunter orange in Africa. Yay! My fleece jacket is camo from Columbia. Great quality, good fit, tough, and just the right insulation vs breathability. I've had it for twenty years and it's about worn out. Camo was not necessary. Just happened to be what was avaiable. Green work pants are good enough for me.

I've not had any issues with ammo in my 404 carrier damaging my gun's stock. I suspect likely that's is more of a problem with large capacity cartridge holders. Five capacity can be easily and comfortably pushed out of the way for slinging my rifle.

 

[Rare Breed]

On my last African hunt, I scratched up my rifle stock pretty good slinging my rifle the stock made contact with the exposed rounds, just one time. Of course crawling though the acacia thorns added a few scratches too! I subsequently shoved the ammo carrier to the rear behind my back. It was easy enough to slide it back to access the ammo. Having a total of four 416 Rigby rounds including one in the chamber, I never felt handicapped so I would be fine with a covered ammo pouch like the one Rigby makes with no exposed metal to scratch the rifle stock.

Fair points given you hunt with a four in the magazine rifle. If you had a need to reload quickly you might find yourself in trouble with a charging DG animal

 

[BJH65]

Fair points given you hunt with a four in the magazine rifle. If you had a need to reload quickly you might find yourself in trouble with a charging DG animal

True enough. I concede the potential need for a quick reload with a single shot and a double, less so with a magazine rifle. My CZ 416 Rigby as mentioned holding a total of four and my Custom Brno 458 Lott holding a total of 6! Unless on a culling operation, I cannot envision needing more than that.

However, that said, with practice, one could become very proficient reloading from a covered cartridge holder. Nothing at all wrong with putting in the practice to reload quickly, however, I suggest more time spent practicing on placing that first shot precisely into the vitals so as to not need a speedy reload from an empty gun.

 

[meigsbucks]

I use both. If after DG or using a singe shot, I use an open top Murray leather slide. But I also a carry closed top, so I have approximately a dozen extra rounds. I don’t want to be five miles from the truck and run out of ammo.

 

[Philip Glass]

On my last African hunt, I scratched up my rifle stock pretty good slinging my rifle the stock made contact with the exposed rounds, just one time. Of course crawling though the acacia thorns added a few scratches too! I subsequently shoved the ammo carrier to the rear behind my back. It was easy enough to slide it back to access the ammo. Having a total of four 416 Rigby rounds including one in the chamber, I never felt handicapped so I would be fine with a covered ammo pouch like the one Rigby makes with no exposed metal to scratch the rifle stock.

I see your point. It is frustrating to scratch up a nice rifle! I just think back to my last elephant hunt which was a tuskless cow and the tense situation after the shot in a herd. I was fumbling ammo trying to reload. I wouldn't want anything extra to think about in that situation. Scary!

 

[BJH65]

I see your point. It is frustrating to scratch up a nice rifle! I just think back to my last elephant hunt which was a tuskless cow and the tense situation after the shot in a herd. I was fumbling ammo trying to reload. I wouldn't want anything extra to think about in that situation. Scary!

I see your point as well. My only African DG experience has been buffalo and hippo on land. Did not consider a herd of angry elephants wanting to end you!

 

[CBH Australia]

I see your point as well. My only African DG experience has been buffalo and hippo on land. Did not consider a herd of angry elephants wanting to end you!

With Zero experience but a fascination for Dangerous Game I’m sure many experienced hunters considered the options.
I have a bit of hunting experience and a fair bit of pest management behind me.
It’s not a perfect science and wwe need to assess each situation.
I have been out with a rifle and cleaned up a sounder of pigs and run short on ammo for a return trip. Wasn’t planned, I could head out and whack a few, maybe more and on many occasions none.
But the day/s I drove past pigs with no ammo heading home were because I misjudged what might present on the day

 

[Frederik]

Except for the easy access it looks cool open top convertibles are cool so is open ammo pouches.

 

[Russ16]

For those that wear a cartridge slide on a belt over the belt in your pants how much of a larger size belt do you buy? For instance if your normal belt is a 38 would the over belt be a 42?

 

[Hunt anything]

I have and used both. My wallet style holds 10 .375 Ruger and the bottom 5 folds up and snaps closed. When on a final stalk I’ll unsnap it to make easy access to the ammo. It is made by Browning.

My open carrier is a belt made by Murray Custom leather. It allows for easier access to the ammo as the tops of the cartridges is above the belt.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

For those that wear a cartridge slide on a belt over the belt in your pants how much of a larger size belt do you buy? For instance if your normal belt is a 38 would the over belt be a 42?

A lot depends on the buckle choice and capacity of the ammo slide. I just slipped on this five cartridge cape buffalo slide for 404J and didn't move a notch on my belt. But it's end of hunting season here now and I'm between notches anyway.

 

[Philip Glass]

With Zero experience but a fascination for Dangerous Game I’m sure many experienced hunters considered the options.
I have a bit of hunting experience and a fair bit of pest management behind me.
It’s not a perfect science and wwe need to assess each situation.
I have been out with a rifle and cleaned up a sounder of pigs and run short on ammo for a return trip. Wasn’t planned, I could head out and whack a few, maybe more and on many occasions none.
But the day/s I drove past pigs with no ammo heading home were because I misjudged what might present on the day

That was me as a kid Hunting dove in dry west Texas. I never took much ammo because there were very few birds. Sometimes the weather would change and late evening they would come in droves! Gotta be ready for that one day when it gets good.

 

[Philip Glass]

For those that wear a cartridge slide on a belt over the belt in your pants how much of a larger size belt do you buy? For instance if your normal belt is a 38 would the over belt be a 42?

It should fit with no difference in the belt.

 

[Hunt anything]

For those that wear a cartridge slide on a belt over the belt in your pants how much of a larger size belt do you buy? For instance if your normal belt is a 38 would the over belt be a 42?

This would only be applicable when you use a cartridge belt that you put on over your clothes, not through through the belt loops. I think I went up 2”s on mine and it works fine.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

This would only be applicable when you use a cartridge belt that you put on over your clothes, not through through the belt loops. I think I went up 2”s on mine and it works fine.

Makes sense. I have to move a couple of notches on the belt to get into my sporting clays rig with ammo pouches on both sides for three boxes twelve gauge. I'm putting a belt over a belt with a large cowboy buckle (gift from my late wife). Belts are sold in two inch increments. I would think one size larger should be fine. Can always punch an extra notch hole if needed. I just added one to my everyday belt. I'd like to think I lost that much weight during hunting season but I think it's just the leather stretching. Hard to find quality belts these days. Something wrong with Chinese cows.

I failed to read the OP's thread question carefully. He was indeed asking about wearing a belt over a belt. My slide is only five round capacity and I run it on my pants belt. If it was larger capacity, it would obviously require a separate belt (or maybe skipping a pants loop?). I personally prefer one belt if possible.

 

[Hunt anything]

Here is my ammo wallet, when I unsnap it on a stalk I tuck the flap into my belt and always grab the ammo from the top row as it has more support.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Here is my ammo wallet, when I unsnap it on a stalk I tuck the flap into my belt and always grab the ammo from the top row as it has more support.

That's a good one. Who made it? It's getting hard to find quality leather ammo wallets. Seems nylon and velcro is what everyone sells these days. But I guess a leather ammo wallet just wouldn't look right with a black plastic rifle.

 

[Hunt anything]

That's a good one. Who made it? It's getting hard to find quality leather ammo wallets. Seems nylon and velcro is what everyone sells these days. But I guess a leather ammo wallet just wouldn't look right with a black plastic rifle.

That one was made by Browning, I bought 3 at the local Bass Pro Shop. I use that one for expanding ammo ( the big X) on it, one for solids and the other I use for 7mm REM Mag.