OT--Rifle carry in Africa

[getitdone1]

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

[kimwcook]

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.

[Malamute]

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.

[madman4570]

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?

[AJMD429]

Any loaded weapon(or unloaded for that matter)being pointed at another person is just plain wrong period.

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.

[tomtex]

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.

[86er]

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.

[bj94]

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'm assuming that they carry the rifle fully loaded?

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.

[piller]

Having never used a Mauser action, I was unaware that it disengages the trigger.

[AJMD429]

A sling is not good where dangerous game may lurk due to slow deployment and potential snagging.

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.

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.

[765x53]

Stories I've read said, that's the way the gun barer carries while walking in front of the hunter.

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

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

[allhands]

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.

[cowboykell]

It has something to do with being located south of the equator, you know like how the whirlpools are reversed!!!