African Carry??

[Murphy]

Along with the rather heated chambered/not chambered debate, what do you think of the over the shoulder muzzle forward carry. This often seen carry of double and other guns in African shows. What do you think of that? Safe, unsafe? It is very comfortable way to carry heavy guns and mostly we do not have a sling on a rifle when in thick pucker brush or when closing in on lion.

[yukon254]

lion

I dont think its used when closing on Lion, I do carry that way at times but only when Im alone and on a good trail, in steep or rough country its not a comfortable carry position.

[Blink]

If I'm in front, I've been known to carry that way.

[Smitty of the North]

It looks they're being macho.

It would be awkward and unnatural for me, but I spose I could get used to it if were advantageous.

As to safety, maybe they're making sure that when they trip and fall the barrel is pointed down.

I also wonder how easily it could be put into action.

Smitty of the North

[ADfields]

The only time I ever do that is with a brake action and it's open. Guns that don't bend are not comfortable like that for me.

[GrassLakeRon]

I carry mine like a squad with M4's close with the barrel down to the left. It allows quick off hand shots.

Ron

[evandailey]

I have been carrying like that for years. It is the most comfortable carry position to me that still keeps my hand on the rifle. A sling can be comfortable but they are much to slow to go to action off the shoulder. With a downward motion of the hand on the barrel the rifle does a front flip of sorts (always with at least one hand on it) and its ready to fire quickly. Perhaps not as quickly as the two hands in front carry but my hands/arms are much less fatigued after hours of hiking.

I also find that if I am scrambling/off balance and in positions where you might normally reflexively put your hands on the ground in front of you that I am much less likely to damage a gun when I have my hand above my shoulder like that. When I have carried them two handed or in one hand by my side it seems that hand with the gun goes to the ground just a quickly as the empty one. A few scratched stocks prove it.

With the gun on your shoulder like that it is almost as if it gets the same instinctive attention you give your head. You don't have to really think about keeping your head from hitting things. The gun in that position benefits accordingly.

[Murphy]

I have been carrying like that for years. It is the most comfortable carry position to me that still keeps my hand on the rifle. A sling can be comfortable but they are much to slow to go to action off the shoulder. With a downward motion of the hand on the barrel the rifle does a front flip of sorts (always with at least one hand on it) and its ready to fire quickly. Perhaps not as quickly as the two hands in front carry but my hands/arms are much less fatigued after hours of hiking.

I also find that if I am scrambling/off balance and in positions where you might normally reflexively put your hands on the ground in front of you that I am much less likely to damage a gun when I have my hand above my shoulder like that. When I have carried them two handed or in one hand by my side it seems that hand with the gun goes to the ground just a quickly as the empty one. A few scratched stocks prove it.

With the gun on your shoulder like that it is almost as if it gets the same instinctive attention you give your head. You don't have to really think about keeping your head from hitting things. The gun in that position benefits accordingly.

Egg-Zackly!

It is comfortable for me and I do like to carry that way. You hold the gun at the point that balances against the weight of your arm. Works well. And you're right the muzzle seems to follow the turn of the head. Here again we need to be walking point, up front or you might sweep others with the muzzle. Muzzle control is always important. I like the carry and I think it looks cool, ok Smitty, macho. It is also quick to bring to bear with a quick down ward pull, it flips the butt up and you grab with the other hand. It does lessen the fatigue of the arms for a long day with a heavy gun and this makes for a better shot.

I showed some 11 year old kids some pictures of me carrying various guns in different positions and asked if each was a safe carry. Most said this wasn't safe, mostly because the muzzle was so close to the face. Maybe so.

[Catch It]

In many ways I don't care what carry a person prefers as long as they have control and are conscious of where the muzzle is pointed....even in a safe carry position, if a guy doesn't lift it up when he turns to talk to someone...it's still dangerous.

That said, I've never tried that carry style, but see nothing wrong with it either...especially if you are in front.

And would the muzzle be any closer to your head than a shortbarreled gun on a sling?

[beartooth]

When in African "PUCKER" country, "THICK" bush or "APPROACHING" lions I "ALWAYS" have both hands on my rifle at "ALL" times and "NO" sling.

When spot and stalk hunting in the mountains of the lower 48 I carry my rifle in both hands and if it is thick no sling.

[BrettAKSCI]

It's a nice way to carry when no one is in front of you or your gun is unloaded and there is no impending action. The best advice with gun carrying/safety is do what you know or what you are comfortable with.

[JOAT]

Terminology?

Someone's gonna have to explain what you guys mean by "African Carry"... as the muzzle shouldn't be anywhere near your face, nor in a position where you'd cover anyone in front of you.

African Carry is slung over the support side shoulder, but inverted from the norm. The muzzle is pointed down and the butt stock is up at your shoulder. The only muzzle control issue is that you can easily cover your support side foot while walking. The other caution is that if you kneel down, you will drive the muzzle into the ground.

The advantage of the African Carry is that it is extremely fast to get the gun into a shooting position, especially when compared to the American Carry... slung muzzle up on the strong side shoulder. With the African Carry, the support side hand grabs the forestock and pulls it forward while naturally rotating the gun to the correct orientation. The strong side hand comes across and grabs the handgrip, and then pull the butt stock across into the shoulder. You're in a shooting stance just as fast as you can draw a pistol from a holster.

[BigTex]

African carry

I guess you will always be aware of where the muzzle is pointing that way.
I sometimes carry my o/u shotgun that way when it is broke open. I never carried a rifle like that. Never really thought about it.

[AKDoug]

Do I carry my rifle on top of my shoulder with the muzzle pointed forward? Yes, I do. I find it very comfortable on long hikes.

[Murphy]

Someone's gonna have to explain what you guys mean by "African Carry"... as the muzzle shouldn't be anywhere near your face, nor in a position where you'd cover anyone in front of you.

African Carry is slung over the support side shoulder, but inverted from the norm. The muzzle is pointed down and the butt stock is up at your shoulder. The only muzzle control issue is that you can easily cover your support side foot while walking. The other caution is that if you kneel down, you will drive the muzzle into the ground.

The advantage of the African Carry is that it is extremely fast to get the gun into a shooting position, especially when compared to the American Carry... slung muzzle up on the strong side shoulder. With the African Carry, the support side hand grabs the forestock and pulls it forward while naturally rotating the gun to the correct orientation. The strong side hand comes across and grabs the handgrip, and then pull the butt stock across into the shoulder. You're in a shooting stance just as fast as you can draw a pistol from a holster.

You're right. That African carry from the civil unrest days of post colonial Africa which came with the FN-FAL permeating that part of the world (1960's to 1970's) and it is very fast to the shoulder. I carry short rifles that way and prefer it especially in the brushy country. That has been re-named as the Scout Carry and is shown in Cooper's book "The Art of the Rifle" and shows the correct use of the scout sling. The muzzle down slung, over the off hand shoulder (left for us right-handers) is a quick grab of the forend with the left hand, where it will be for the shot and rotate the rifle to the shoulder with the added stability of the sling still wrapped over the left arm. I can cycle the action quickly on the way up also.

But no, I meant carrying the rifle unslung, over the strong side shoulder with the shooting hand holding the barrel/forend and the muzzle forward. This is what you have seen in the movies when Dennis Finch-Hatton stopped the train to off load ivory in Out of Africa. The Ph carry his double gun that way and it is comfortable way to carry heavy double guns of bolt guns. The muzzle may be as close as 16-20" in front of you, pointed forward, depending on balance point.