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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game
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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
lite calibers on dangerous game
      #34778 - 17/07/05 10:23 PM

what would be the smallest caliber that could be used on dangerous game like bears and big cats i know of a few people that use 303s on polar bears and one professional hunter in bollywood india that uses a 303 to kill problem lepards and i think that the 303 is powerfull enough to use on game of this type what do you people think

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RLI
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Reged: 01/10/03
Posts: 534
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: 303]
      #34793 - 18/07/05 08:27 AM

A .303 with 215g would do for leopard and I would think the .303 has been used for years in Canada on bears. I would think the lightest calibre you would have to use the heaviest projectile. I think polar bears would be a tough animal but I saw a documentary years ago and natives where using a Winchester 94 in .30/30 on a polar bear but took 3 shots to down it. I would go for a .375H&H minimum on these bears.

steve

--------------------
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." — John Wayne

Edited by RLI (19/07/05 08:42 PM)

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: 303]
      #34797 - 18/07/05 12:22 PM

303

In most of Africa the .375 is the smallest calibre that can be used legally for dangerous game such as buffalo and elephant. In some places a 9.3x62 can be used.

Lions are shot sometimes with medium sized calibres and leopards with "deer" class rifles. If wounded or a follow-up is required most recommend a larger more powerful rifle. The minimum for these 'cats' varies.

A .375 though is a good minimum to consider for any DG safari.



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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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rgp
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Reged: 17/06/04
Posts: 373
Loc: TX & VIC
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: RLI]
      #34803 - 18/07/05 01:30 PM

RLI,

My understanding is that some of the native tribes in Canada and Alaska consider a .303 to be a pretty heavy rifle, because apparently a lot of the natives don't like guns that make too much noise and don't like anything that kicks much, which is why some of them like .222's and .25-35 Winchesters for large game.

Richard.

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SafariHunt
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Reged: 02/01/03
Posts: 468
Loc: Pretoria RSA
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: 303]
      #34842 - 19/07/05 05:33 PM

I would definetely not tell anyone to go ahead and shoot a buffalo with a 303. But I'm sure it can be done especially now that we we have premium bullets compared to the bullets that has been used in the old days and solids was mostly used. Again also I must state that the 303 was used on large game not for hunting purposes but for survival of food and money (Money from ele tusks and meat to sell from buff) A 303 solid was placed in the lungs of an ele and they would follow up the tracks and find the ele dead the next day. Not very sporting or ethical.

In the end of that day we use big guns and calibers to do more humane kills and in the event of a charge to have enough power to stop and animal. I dunno if it is just me but I'm a fan of big calibers and hunting with them people has laughed at me when I hunt impala and springbuck with my 375 H&H but it punches a neat hole on both sides waste little meat at reduced loads running at 2500 fps with 270 gr sp hornay's. And on plainsgame with the exception of eland I'm not problemized on angled shots as with smaller calibers.

--------------------
"Sleeping under the African sky I can see nothing wrong with this world!"

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Bigfive
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Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 362
Loc: Freestate,South-Africa
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: SafariHunt]
      #34852 - 19/07/05 11:08 PM

sure it can kill al these animals mentioned and the .303 has done so in history.It is just stupid to try it.I would prefer to live another day for another hunt.

--------------------
"Hunting is a way of life"
Bigfive,South Africa

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: Bigfive]
      #34864 - 20/07/05 12:56 AM

A lot of people used medium calibres in days gone by, out of necessity or whatever. Lots got squashed or eaten too.



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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butchloc
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Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 230
Loc: faribault mn
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: NitroX]
      #34878 - 20/07/05 05:31 AM

it all depends on how fast you can run. If you can hit about 50MPH and keep it up for a mile or two then I believe a 303 will work just fine for buff.

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jgttechjunkie
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Reged: 20/02/04
Posts: 59
Re: lite calibers on dangerous game [Re: 303]
      #35253 - 31/07/05 09:41 AM

If you look at a weapon as simply a tool and cost plays a big role in deciding what to use, you are going to use the cheapest most easily available cartridge you can find that will do the job. Sure, the .303 is too light for polar bears - but there was a time once when polar bears were killed by wrapping a sharpened bone bent into a small ball, covered with frozen fat. The bear hopefully ate it fast, the bone would spring straight in the stomach, and then the bear was followed for several days to see if it would eventually expire from internal bleeding. Seems a .303 would be an attractive alternative. There are a lot of marginal weapons - flintlocks, bows - that can be used if one is backed up by a professional. So the circumstances, experience and the resources available play a strong role in deciding what is an adequate choice.

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