Zimbabwe hunting general Information - Trophy Safaris Africa.

ZIMBABWE

FIREARMS & AMMUNITION

Your firearm is the most important piece of equipment for the successful outcome of your safari. We recommend that you bring your own rifle that you are most comfortable with. There should be no reason to purchase a new rifle for your African safari; however there are requirements for the minimum caliber for hunting larger game. The most important factor is your knowledge and comfort in your ability to shoot your own rifle accurately. The rifle you use for deer hunting is probably adequate for any type of plains game that you may hunt. Being familiar with your rifle and practicing in several positions, including utilizing shooting sticks, will go a long way toward a successful safari. Accurate shot placement is much more important than a large caliber rifle.

The Third Schedule of the Firearms Act for Zimbabwe:

This states a caliber of no less than 9.2 mm in diameter with muzzle energy of 5.3 kilojoules is required for elephant, buffalo and hippo.
A caliber of no less than 7 mm in diameter with muzzle energy of no less than 4.3 kilojoules is required for lion, giraffe and eland.
A caliber of no less than 7mm in diameter with muzzle energy of no less than 3 kilojoules is required for crocodile, hyena, kudu, leopard, nyala, sable, waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra, etc.
A caliber of not less than 5.6 mm with muzzle energy of 5O kilojoules is required for bushbuck, bushpig, impala, reedbuck, and warthog.

Thus the minimum caliber for Buffalo etc. is .375

Be sure to have a quality scope fitted to your rifle. A 3x9 variable scope is common, but the choice is left to you. All shots should be in the 50 - 250 yard range with 100 yards the average, although many place that you hunt do not always offer clear shots and there is often a bit of brush or grass to shoot through. Any .30 caliber rifle is adequate for most plains game; however for buffalo the law dictates a minimum of .375. You should bring 60 rounds of ammunition for each rifle (maximum allowed by the airlines is 5kg or 11 pounds). Average weights for factory boxes of ammunition range from 1 lb 5 ounces for .308 - 1 lb 11 ounces for .300 Mag. Utilizing a premium bullet of a heavier weight is an important consideration. We have found that the Nosler partition is an excellent choice, however Swift A-Frames, Barnes X and Bear Claws are also widely accepted. If you are using the same rifle for smaller animals, such as duiker, then you might want to include some solid rounds for these and also bring solids for the dangerous game hunting. Ammunition is not readily available in Zimbabwe so we strongly recommend that you bring an adequate supply for both practice and hunting.

Semi automatic or fully automatic firearms, including shotguns, are not permitted to be temporarily imported into any African country. DO NOT bring these firearms into Zimbabwe as they will be confiscated.

Zimbabwe is generally one of the easier African countries into which to bring weapons for hunting. There is currently no limit to the number of weapons and ammunition, within reason, that a hunter may bring into the country. This information and procedures are covered in our CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION section.

We recommend that you take care in selecting an appropriate gun case for transporting your firearms as they can be exposed to extremely harsh treatment by airline baggage handlers. To insure they arrive at your safari destination without suffering any damage make sure the case you choose includes the following: robust locks, sufficient internal padding, straps to secure the firearm, strong exterior construction, light enough to carry or one that is equipped with wheels. I have recently found a very nice case manufactured by Strong Case. Click here to visit their web site and then click on their Strong Safari cases link for information on this durable case.

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