Backcountry Hunting Podcast

Best Survival Guns, with Ron Spomer Jan 09, 2026

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Q&A: Best Bullets for Vintage Rifles, Best Moose Cartridge, First Guns for Kids, Barrel Cleaning, Kill Kit Contents, and More! Jan 02, 2026

Show notes

Q&A: Best Bullets for Vintage Rifles, Best Moose Cartridge, First Guns for Kids, Barrel Cleaning, Kill Kit Contents, and More!

In this episode we answer great questions on a variety of topics, including:

Best bullets for classic (vintage) rifles
NAS3 high-pressure cartridge cases
Velocity expansion thresholds for monometal bullets
Best boots for stalking in Africa
Ultimate moose rifle and cartridge
Best first rifle for kids
Barrel cleaning and accuracy degradation
Kill Kit contents: most crucial gear
Best carbon-fiber rifle stocks
Affordable Cape Buffalo hunts
Hosted Hunts with the podcast

ENJOY!

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Legendary Gunmakers: Rigby of London Dec 26, 2025

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Rigby of London is debatably the most famous maker of fine double-barrel rifles and (bolt-action) magazine rifles in history. Jim Corbett used a .275 Rigby to hunt many of the maneating tigers and leopards he killed. Harry Selby carried a .416 Rigby while guiding Robert Ruark. The Rigby Rising Bite double rifle is considered by many savants to be the finest of its type ever made. And so forth.

In this extraordinary episode, we're joined by Rigby of London CEO Marc Newton, who walks us through the company's 250-year history, the design and manufacturing ethos behind Rigby's outstanding bolt-action and double rifles, and the future of the company. We talk about top cartridge choices for everything from red stag to elephant, and Marc shares the stories of his favorite hunts. This episode is special, folks. ENJOY!

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Pack Rafts: Pipeline to The Backcountry Dec 19, 2025

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"When you don't have a pack raft, a river or body of water is a barrier. When you do have a raft, that water becomes a highway."

This episode we're joined with Alpacka Raft founder Thor Tingey. Thor grew up in Alaska, adventure-rafting, hunting, and fishing across most of the state. Alpacka packable rafts are the culmination of decades worth of experience and wisdom. Incredible though it sounds, a moose-capable raft weighs just 15 pounds and rolls up as small as a backpacking tent. These boats are game-changers, folks. Listen in and learn just how effective they are and in how many creative ways they can be used. ENJOY!

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.270 Win vs. 6.5 RPM: Are New Cartridges Better Than Old Cartridges? Dec 12, 2025

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Lots of hunters and shooters complain about new cartridges. "My .270 will do anything that stupid new (insert cartridge name here) can do!"

Is that a fact.

In this episode, we explore whether cutting-edge new cartridges actually have an advantage over proven classic cartridges. To showcase the concept, we pit the legendary .270 Winchester against the racy new 6.5 WBY RPM, but we include a ton of other classic and new cartridges in the discussion too. This was a fun one and is sure to ruffle some feathers and turn the crank on a lot of hunters and shooters. ENJOY!

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Best Charge-Stopper: Double Rifle vs. Bolt Action Dec 05, 2025

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If you had to face a charging cape buffalo, elephant, or grizzly bear, would you want a big-bore bolt-action or a double rifle?

This episode was recorded in Mozambique, where we had the opportunity to sit down with two dangerous-game professional hunters and guides who have opposing views: one prefers a double rifle; the other likes a bolt action. We swapped stories and debated the virtues and weaknesses of each rifle type. This one was a ton of fun folks. ENJOY!

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Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.

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Raw From The Field: Hunting Dangerous Game in Mozambique Nov 28, 2025

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We're live in the tropical forests of Mozambique, in one of the most remote safari camps in the world. This episode was recorded right after hunting two magnificent old dagga boy cape buffalo bulls in the floodplains of the Zambeze River delta, while the experience was still fresh and raw.

One buffalo was taken with a 125-year-old Westley Richards double rifle in .450/400 Nitro; the other with a Winchester Model 70 .375 H&H. Early November heat combined with unseasonal rains combined to make it both humid and torrid... a proper tropical experience. We waded waist-deep through crocodile-infested swamps, bled on the head-high sawgrass, and walked miles across broken, crusted mud flats. It was an experience we'll remember for a lifetime, and here we share the stories. ENJOY!

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How to Kill Your First Bull Elk: My Son's First Bulls and Marksmanship Notes from the Field Nov 21, 2025

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Shooting skill can be crucial at the moment of truth, especially on elk. Good opportunities are often hard-earned, particularly when hunting DIY, on public land, with an over-the-counter tag.

This episode details two very special hunts, when my sons each shot their first bull. Both were in challenging scenarios, and both boys did everything right. There are a lot of proud father moments in this episode! Analyzing the rapidly evolving situations these boys encountered as well as the marksmanship demands on them as hunters reveals a lot about how to effectively kill elk—even when the odds are stacked against you. ENJOY!

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We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.

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Q&A: Grizzly Guns, Elk Bullets, Straight Wall Cartridges, 7PRC in Africa, & More Nov 14, 2025

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Hunting season is in full swing, and the stories, questions, and reports are pouring in! This episode we dive deep into concerns and questions from our loyal listeners, addressing everything from how to set up a guide rifle for grizzlies to picking a whitetail cartridge to choosing a bullet for Africa. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry

We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.

VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE: