hearing protection/enhancer and muzzlebrakes in the bush

[art2africa]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. but have read A LOT of the posts, so I feel like I've been with the forum a long time :-). I particularly like JJ's posts and other benn there done that posters. Like many who visit this forum, I'm dreaming of an african safari.

Are hunters allowed (or do they) to wear them (e.g. game ear or custom molded hearing protector/enhancers)? May the client provide them for  the PH and the tracker(s) as a gift?

Are muzzlebrakes permitted or they have to be removed?

Art

[lgm270]

I hate muzzle breaks.  They amplify the muzzlebast enormously and accelerate hearing loss a great deal.  Personally, I have always found muzzle blast far more intimidating and uncomfortable than mere recoil.  Muzzle breaks are ok at the range where you wear hearing protection and you want to shoot for extended periods of time for load development, etc.

But why do you need one when you're hunting?  JJ Hack says the .375 H&H is ideal for any hunting you're going to encounter in Africa, or in the world for that matter.  Frankly the .375 H&H is just not that big a kicker that it can't be mastered with a measure of discipline and practice by anyone who is serious about what he is doing. People who are not willing to make the effort to master the tools of hunting should probably not hunt, IMHO.    

I've seen guys at the range with muzzle breaks on .243 Winchesters because they  like eliminating muzzle jump and are able to keep their scope focused on the target and see the bullet hit.  Again, this is at the range with hearing protection  and I guess they wear hearing protection if they spend the day out shooting prarie dogs or whatever.  But.....a muzzlebrake on a .243?

[art2africa]

lgm, point taken, especially for african plain game rifles, and even DGRs . I agree that a hunter must master the recoil of his/her gun.  Here I'm referring to .416 and up DGRs. However, I've heard and/or read instances where a client makes rapid multiple follow-up shots with a .458 with blood oozing his nose. Perhaps that client should not use a .458, or he should not make follow-up shots (let the PH do it, hehee).

In my original post, I'm just curious to know if a PH would allow a client to use a muzzlebrake, provided of course the client provides a Game Ear (hearing protection/enhancer gadget) for each one in the hunting party (PH, tracker/guide). That gadget (worth around $150 each) of course will then serve as a gift to each one.

This past weekend I practiced shooting my .416 Rem all morning (40 rounds during a 4 hour window) shooting off hand alternately with and without muzzlebrake, and shooting at a 50 yard target followed by a QUICK 25 yard shot (simulating a DG charge). In between these two rapid-shot sessions with the real rifle, I also practiced the same with my 9 lb. PCP air rifle (.22 with a 30gr pellet at 800 fps). The real rifle is a 9 lb. Blaser Luxus R93 Safari rifle with the included 600-gram tungsten filled tube/recoil-reducer inside the buttstock to balance the weight of the heavier barrel.

I can shoot the .416 Remington offhand all day (in regular intervals), not bothered so much by the recoil or blast. The issue is the time it takes to aim for the must-do quick followup shot, and the quality of the shot. Having that muzzlebrake on makes a LOT of difference - in the time and precision of the followup shot, as attested by the group sizes in the 25 yard target. Of course, the ibest result comes from the 22 air rifle's performance.

[Lawdog]

art2africa,

Of all the PH's and guides I have talked to they all(with the exception of one) required the hunter to remove the brake(if possible) or borrow one of the PH's weapons.  I have a few big bores(1 .416 Rigby, 1 .450 Rigby plus various others) but none with brakes.  The main thing is to make sure the rifle fits you.  A properly fitted rifle is the best way to control recoil and keep from hitting your nose with your thumb due to stock creep.  I too am curious to JJ’s thoughts on this.  Lawdog