Carring rifle over shoulder muzzle forward???

B

BumbleBug

New member
The closest I'll ever get to an African safari is on the Outdoor channel. LOL

My question is, why do the hunters, especially the PH, all carry their guns over their shoulders, forward by the muzzle? Every now & then, I'll see the muzzle swing across another person using this carry position!
 
If you read some of the gun writers comments on this, they say that it's a quick way to get the rifle into action when Dumbo charges. However, most of them also say that gun handling in Africa is about as bad as it gets. That's what I've read over the years. I, too, will never be able to afford Africa.
 
In the old days of double rifles the Bwana (professional hunter) didn't carry his rifle most of the time.

He employed a gun bearer (normally a HIGHLY trusted native who had worked with the hunter for many years) who would walk a step or two ahead and to the right so that in an emergency the hunter could quickly grab the rifle and put it into action.



I can't conceive of a professional hunter actually carrying his rifle like that. It wouldn't be quick to put into action at all.

As a means of toting it around, yes, it's comfortable and it saves the arms, but no, it is NOT quick. I've carried shotguns like that, and it takes forever to get them off the shoulder, get the grip readjusted, and get them up to the shoulder.
 
You'd be surprised how many VC/NVA carried their rifles that way.

They'd throw it on their shoulder and "De De down the trail".

De De means " go"
 
The way I've seen called "Africa Carry" makes sense. Muzzle down on the off shoulder. Think Crocodile Dundee. Idea is you can grab the forend with your off hand, shrug the sling off and get it into a shooting position faster. AFAIK it's supposed to be the fastest conventional method

Nick
 
Falcon5NZ said:
The way I've seen called "Africa Carry" makes sense. Muzzle down on the off shoulder. Think Crocodile Dundee. Idea is you can grab the forend with your off hand, shrug the sling off and get it into a shooting position faster. AFAIK it's supposed to be the fastest conventional method
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Ah, but that's with a sling... and I find it to be a very comfortable and efficient way to carry a rifle. The balance seems much better to me than with it slung muzzle up.

"African carry" doesn't involve a sling -- the rifle itself is carried over the shoulder, with the muzzle pointing forward and down. At least, you hope the muzzle is pointed at the ground if you're walking in front of someone carrying that way; I've seen a lot of videos of African hunts in which rifles are carried that way, but with the muzzle pointed at the person in front. :eek:
 
Perhaps this is bad practice when it comes to hunting, but I have always carried my rifle the way the Marine Corps taught me while hunting: butt stock close to the right shoulder, muzzle down, at least one hand on the rifle/shotgun. I guess it is pretty uncomfortable, but I'm used to it by now.
 
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