Good reopening of the thread.

Recoil tolerance is a personal thing, but the tolerance can be learned.

I started off using .22 RFs and shotguns. Then a .222.

I then acquired a .30-06. I found the recoil substantial.

When I acquired a .375 H&H Magnum. The .30-06 wasn't substantial anymore. The .375s recoil was hefty. Of course especially from a bench. I remember one summer working on reloading and shooting, say 30 rounds, with nothing but a thin summer shirt. I ended up with a jet black palm sized bruise on the shoulder. Each of the last six shots caused pain right to the tips of my fingers. I stopped deciding it wasn't wise. A flinch might develop.

Then a .450 NE. The .375 felt mild. The .30s like a .22 RF.

So I think a tolerance for recoil can be learned and improved. By going up.

After all when the brain occupied, eg when hunting, the shot at a srag or buffalo, one doesn't feel the recoil. One might feel the effects of several NE shots later on however.

Mind over matter.

Important tips:
- Lessen recoil, don't wear a thin summer shirt. Use Avesta with padded shoulder if you have one. If I remember in summer I'll drape a bath towel over my shoulder.
- Don't shoot big bores from a stupid bench. Use a standing rest. The body can move more fluidly.

We should have good threads on standing rests. Have had some attempts in the past.

Back to Africa.

A lot of African safari hunters do ha E too much gun. No need to use a ,375 for most plains game. But if they want some of the romance of old Africa through a .375, why not.

A .318, .350, .360, 9.3 and .375 were the idealmpkains game calibres for the larger plains game. 6.5, 7mm, .300, excellent as well for small to the larger.

For the DG beasts, a decent big bore is called for.

GV refers to the Client & PH "partnership". "Why does a client need a bigger big bore? The PH can handle it if things go wrong. No one hunts with a PH." This sort of bullshit sometimes reads on the internet clown discussions. Well many hunters also think they should do their own shooting, kill their own beasts, finish off their own wounded game. And not all of us have a PH to hold our hands for us, wipe our arses, cut our steak into smaller pieces for us ... We do it when we can ourselves. So much more satisfying.

I'm sure GV is one of these, do it himself, rely on himself guys.

It's mainly legal restrictions that force some of us from doingnit ourselves. At least after a guided safari or two. Assistance is desirable of course. Can one judge trophy quality? Know the country and its terrain? Local knowledge is always useful. Tracking skills. Not the least camp outfitting, tents, vehicles etc. Some local acquaintances of mine used to buy Zim auctioned hunts and quotas, and hunt there themselves. Auctions designed for citizen hunters. They had a friendly farmer who they paid to supply vehicles, tents,ncooking gear, camp staff, perhaps skinners and trackers. They enjoyed doing it themselves. Friends of friends. They had ceased by the time I learned of it. My chiropractor was one of them. We talked safari for an hour each time. A friend and member here was a friend of one of the.

But back to topic, the client, any client, any hunter can carry and use their own suitable for purpose rifle. Not be a pussy relying on someone else.

PS When hunting say water buffalo, I have no problem if companions or a PH also shoot the buffalo, if I've shot it and it appears to be possibly going to get away. I'll do the same for someone else. I don't want to follow up a wounded buffalo for 20 kms for untold hours in hot dry thirsty country. Or if it's close to dark, for similar reasons.