Slug Hunting Africa

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bwheasler

New member
Anybody out there know of anyone who took a slug gun the Africa to hunt plains game? I'm going to try it in May. If you can do it with a muzzleloader, than a sabot should perform fine. Keeping shot under 100yards should be the ticket. Any takers? Comments?
 
Your hunting guide would be the best person to answer this question, as he will know the local terrain that you will be hunting. The African landscape varies considerably & while a 12 gauge slug will have plenty of power to drop plains game in thick bush, you could find yourself hunting open grasslands or even desert country where shots of 200 yards plus are common. I spent two weeks plains game hunting in Africa, & would have been disadvantaged if my only gun was a shotgun. Sure, there were plenty of occasions where we would come across animals within shotgun range, but these were usually juvenile non-trophy game.
 
Why would you spend $5000-$8000 for a PG safari and then take a marginal weapon? Africa is not NA and you are not hunting Whitetails; there aren't any Whitetails in Africa. Just as we don't hunt Elk with a shotgun, neither should you expect it to work well in Africa.

I'd be interested to know what country and what animals you will be hunting on your safari. In any event, a scoped .30 will serve you well on all PG in any country. I've used a .300wm on everything from a Cape Grysbuck to Livingstone Eland. Try to shoot at least weekly starting 3 months before departure and even more as the departure date gets closer. Use premium bonded bullets - don't try to save a couple dollars on ammunition for a safari. I've used the Swift A-Frame since 1999 and hold it in high regard. Remington loads it commercially in their Premium and Safari loads.
 
Thanks for thr reply Lionhunter. To answer you question. I'm going to SouthAfrica in early May. I was told it is still warm and vegetation thick affording short range shot the norm. As for taking the shotgun it is the gun I use most and want the added challage of using it. I would rather shoot a couple animals with a slug gun, than stacking up many animals with a high powered rifle that many people have done. Just where I stand, and by the way I have killed and elk with my shotgun.
 
check out www.dixieslugs.com as well as their dedicated forum on www.shotgunworld.com they have some cool slugs, and really cool buckshot (3, 20 gauge balls loaded in a 3" 12 gauge hull) their slugs are hardened and not made to expand like most other slugs out there. so that is something to think about, if you were to run into something a bit bigger, you wouldnt be left w/ expanding 'deer slugs'
 
12ga slug is enough for virtually any animal on the planet. It's hardly a sub-par weapon.


A Remington Core-Lokt Ultra 385 gr has a Thornily Stopping Power of 228 which is rated at nearly enough gun for elephant and hippopotamus.
 
i have no doubt that a 12ga can kill anything without effort. so you want to bring it over here then do so , if you don't you will always regret it. the problem is that very few plains game will present a shot under 100yards. the majority of plains game i have shot was between 250yards and 300yards.
i think i have shot more pgame over 300yards than under 100yards. so i hope you will consider a second rifle with the 12ga, something like a 30-06 or a 300mag.

having said that i think that you will get ample opportunity to take wart-hogs with the 12ga under 70yards.:D
 
I think one of the old shotgun moderators (Erick Gelhous) took an 870 to Africa and bagged some critters. May want to dig around and see if any of his threads help.
 
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