Safari Rifles: Doubles, Magazine Rifles, and Cartridges for African Hunting [Hardcover]

Craig Boddington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 1997

A modern day classic that covers the entire subject of what guns to take on todays safari. Covers types of actions, caliber's, premium bullets, and sighting equipment.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Safari Press; 2 edition (January 28, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940143496
• ISBN-13: 978-0940143494
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most important rifle reference on the market., December 25, 2000

By 

Lawrence A. Proffitt (Gatlinburg, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Safari Rifles: Doubles, Magazine Rifles, and Cartridges for African Hunting (Hardcover)

This is a superb book on the subject of rifles, and supplants John Taylors works as the definitive work on African rifles. It is usefull, not only for those who wish to Safari in Africa but for the hunter in any of the rest of the continents. I have had my copy for three years and it is coming apart at the the seams. I have probably read, reread, and cross-referenced more with this book than with any other. Boddington covers all calibers, not just the huge African ones, from .22LR to the .600NE. He also covers rifle actions, what caliber is suitable to hunt certain types of game, rifles and calibers for differing terrain, what hunters used in the Golden Days and what Pro's use now, and what professionals suggest clients bring for their modern safari. The focus is on Africa but Boddington gives applications for other species of game that are more familiar to the North American hunter. The book is readable and rereadable. The effort put into this is amazing. He has pulled together a hunting career spanning decades, dozens of his safaris, letters from men in the field, 48 different rifle and hunting references, and loading data and offers it up in a clear, detailed, and entertaining manner. It would take someone a huge effort to learn all that the has organized. This is a book that is neccessary for anyone who hunts, likes rifles, or is an Armchair Bwana.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and entertaining, February 26, 2000

By 

Joe D "RealGuns.Com" (Raymond, ME) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Safari Rifles: Doubles, Magazine Rifles, and Cartridges for African Hunting (Hardcover)

This is a terrific book. Early on I arrived at the conclusion the 1992 publication date did not pose an obsolescence problem, and the selections offered by the author were all still completely valid. There have been few significant firearms developments that would apply to safari hunting, and the new products released during the past couple of years have probably not produced enough empirical data to recommend their use over more mature selections for use on dangerous game.

Unlike many safari books, this is not a collection of hunting stories with vague references to firearms and cartridges, it is a detailed guide to the selection of firearms that would be appropriate for a safari, a description of the type of game that would be taken with each gun and the underlying reason for the selections. Supporting that information are: collections of pictures and tables, firearm and cartridge use surveys of professional hunters, professional hunters' firearm and cartridge recommendations to clients, ballistic tables for all cartridges noted, and sources for large bore double and bolt action rifles. There is even a section on preparation and transportation of firearms and the design and customization considerations that should be made for heavy recoil rifles.

The book is well organized with sections divided into: Big Game Cartridges, Safari Rifles, Guns for Game, and a concluding chapter to summarize one, two and three gun battery selections from the perpective of the professional hunters.

I'm very happy I purchased this book. It's enjoyable, interesting, factual and useful.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our finest gun writer., June 15, 2001

By 

edward j seymour iii (monroe, louisiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Safari Rifles: Doubles, Magazine Rifles, and Cartridges for African Hunting (Hardcover)

Boddington's experience and skill with guns and a pen have fired my imagination for the sport since I first read him several years ago. Above all his enthusiasm for Africa was infectious. I read this book many times as I prepared for my first hunt on the dark continent. His recommendations on caliber and bullets were proven out by me in the field. They were also agreed upon by the PHs that I encountered as the discussion always arises around the night's fire. The book is also very helpful in it's mention of African animal behavior. Easy reading, fun, valuable and important. I hope to cross his track one day to thank him myself.