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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game
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hoppdoc
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PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested?
      #52798 - 20/03/06 12:29 AM

A Plains Game hunt is in the future going for various antelope, wildebeast, Kudu, Oryx,Zebra, and Eland.

Other than taking a 375 H&H and shooting them all, any preferences for a 2 rifle battery out of the following selection of bolt rifles?

243,25.06,270,7x57,7mm08,308, 30.06,8x 57, 7 Mag,300WSM,300 ultramag,338 WM,375 H&H,and 416Rem.

Obviously there are multiple equivilent combinations due personal preferences.Considering maximum versitility with varying game size, chance encounters, and wanting a "light" plains game with some "heavier" plains capability--any preferences and why?

I am leaning toward the old standby of the 30.06 and 375H&H vs a 270 and a 338WM. But somehow shooting at a large Eland with a 270(even with premium bullets) seems quite iffy-----

Any additional suggestions?? Why?

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An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

Edited by hoppdoc (20/03/06 01:16 AM)

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allenday
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #52802 - 20/03/06 01:47 AM

My personal choices are the 300 Win. Mag. and the 338 Win. Mag. The 375 H&H is completely unnecessary, and a burden to carry.

If you don't want 300 and 338 type recoil, you can go with the 30-06 any do very well.

I've used the 300 Win. Mag. as my only plainsgame rifle on all of my safaris except for one, when I went with the 375 H&H, and I've used it to take all of the species that are on your list, plus many more. The 300 Win. Mag. has never, ever let me down, and it's dropped stuff just as hard and fast as the 375 has, plus it's lighter to carry, kicks less, and shoots flatter as well.

AD

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470Nitro
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #52814 - 20/03/06 06:10 AM

Almost my plains game was taken with a 7 mm. Rem. Mag and TBBC points, from Duikers to Eland (and one buffalo ). I know many people who did the same job with a .300 Win.

After that, next summer I'll try my new .338 Win. in Southafrica .

--------------------
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DarylS
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #52816 - 20/03/06 06:19 AM

A 2-rifle choice for me? - I'd personally go with a 7x57 mauser with 160gr. or 175gr. spitzers and a 375H&H with soft points. Both are easy to shoot accurately, and have all the power necessary for the variety of game from the hunter's end of things, accuracy being the primary goal of the initial shot.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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hoppdoc
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #52820 - 20/03/06 07:50 AM

Great suggestions!! All are solid--

I have used 300 mags for most hunting with good results.
It is a great all rounder and delivers power and accuracy in bunches.

The more I think-(my wife says that can be dangerous)-
How about taking the 30.06 and 338 WM because various loads have the same trajectory and I would take one back up scope for failures/maintenance(I detest pulling well zeroed scopes of good rifles)? The scope would be zeroed for BOTH rifles.Of course depending on the animal this can limit you to 200 yds or less with the 30.06 when trying to deliver adequate energy and penetration.

Other reasonable suggestions?







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iqbal
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggested? [Re: hoppdoc]
      #52863 - 20/03/06 07:04 PM

I hunted all the animals listed by you plus a few others with a 300 Weatherby mag.with very good results.270 would be under powered for african animals.

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larcher
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: iqbal]
      #52877 - 21/03/06 05:15 AM

As you are requiring two rifles, I'd say a 300 Win Mag+ another 300 WinMag.
Joking asidet, any rifle different from the 7 or 300 Mags is becoming too specialized and then inappropriate for some games or others.
Most of African games are surprisingly tough. I'd feel undergunned not using a magnum. On plains one could have to shoot beyond 200 yards, thus a flat shooting magnum again.
My choice would be the 300 WM (or 7RM or 30Wby or a short magnum) and as a back up exactly the same rifle-calibre............or an accurate cute 243 or 22-250................just cause small is beautiful.
But...........................in Africa and letting my 375HH home would be anticlimatic.
No I'd bring a 300 WM and a 375HH.

--------------------
"I don't want to create an encyclopedic atmosphere here when we might be having a beer instead" P H Capstick in "Safari the last adventure."

Edited by larcher (21/03/06 05:16 AM)

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hoppdoc
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: larcher]
      #52912 - 21/03/06 01:26 PM

Thanks for all the input!!

It is appreciated!!

I think that a 300 mag may beat out the 30.06 for the light rifle after all.



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Yogi000
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: hoppdoc]
      #53139 - 23/03/06 09:57 AM

Wow, it is interesting to see how different forums seem to have decidedly different preferances. I, by the way, have a 300Win Mag and it is my primary bigger caliber rifle. Yet when I asked elsewhere, on other forums, about the 300 winMags suitability I was astonished to read,----'oh the 300Win Mag is a wimp, ya gotta go with a .400 or better or you'll die. You are gonna die, kid....' It was hilarious. You'd think I was saying I wanted to bring a slingshot and a pocketful of NY rocks.

Good to see so many pro 300 win mag'ers. It hits everything I point at. And it packs a good wallop, too.

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mikeh416Rigby
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: Yogi000]
      #53144 - 23/03/06 11:20 AM

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the .300 Win. Mag. Just use a heavy, premium bullet, and put it in the boiler room.

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hoppdoc
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #53154 - 23/03/06 01:25 PM

I enjoy the 300 mags for the reasons noted. They hit accurately, hard at distance and penetrate deep--the crux of an all rounder.

The 338 doesn't have the flat trajectory but hits like a jackhammer and penetrates to the vitals with the big tough mushrooming bullets like the Swift Aframe. Kind of like a knockout punch!!

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An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

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mikeh416Rigby
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: hoppdoc]
      #53169 - 23/03/06 04:18 PM

Have you tried the .338 with the TSX bullets? With that high ballistic coefficient they should be shooting almost like a banjo string.

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DPhillips
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #53174 - 23/03/06 05:38 PM

I'd go with a 300 Mag of just about any flavor. Win Mag, Wby Mag, or H&H. I personally carried the H&H 300 and it did everything I asked of it. Load some fine 180 or 200 grain of proper construction and have at it. I shot the North Fork 200's and couldn't ask for better performance.

I would have felt better carrying a 375 when we were rubbing elbows with elephants and buffalo, though.

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bulldog563
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #53175 - 23/03/06 05:45 PM

If it were me I would (assuming I was equally familliar with all calibers listed) take the 338WM and the 300WM (or 7x57 if I was feeling nostalgic) if I just had to have 2 rifles. Personally I would just bring one rifle (after making sure there was a good loaner available just in case). The 338 would go and maybe a shotgun for some wingshooting. The 300 WM would do just as well, I just really like the 338. Or just take your favorite one that is big enough to do the job. I wouldn't take anything smaller then the 7x57 and preferably bigger than or equal to 30 cal.

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Edited by bulldog563 (23/03/06 05:47 PM)

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hoppdoc
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #53196 - 24/03/06 12:39 AM

Mike416Rigby-
I haven't tried the TSX bullets in either my 300 or 338.They are great in my 7Mag. I would like to load them in my 470 double and just found out those bullets actually existed.I am considering playing with the new MRX in the 300 and probably keeping the Swift Aframe in the 338.Guess I am obsessive compulsive to change but wanting a better bullet is a powerful lust to have.

Bullet experience is highly individual but-

I have primarily used the Nosler Partition/standard Barnes X bullets in the past and they have been great on deer, elk, and moose with the NP loosing a signifigant portion of weight in front of the partition after impact(non bonded) and the X bullet tissue destruction being devastating with mostly complete penetration but loosing some petals retained in the large animals. My hunting buddies failsafes were very accurate but he never recovered one as they penetrated completely like a FMJ or solid. The wound channels just didn't seem to open up like my X bullets and the animals weren't as impressed with the hit as with his current bullet.He now uses the Nosler Accubond bullets in his 300 Mag.

Swift A frames are great and hit big bear like a jackhammer.They are bonded and very accurate in my 338.I prefer them over the NP because of the bonding/weight retention but Dead is Dead and the NP has worked great in my 300 mags.

African game is "tough" by reputation and I am leaning toward Barnes new MRX bullet for accuracy, expansion, and deep penetration in the 300 Mag.It has their copper X tip with a polymer insert and the rear of the failsafe/Swift A Frame/NP bullets with a tunsten insert. Their bullet promo stuff says the bullet rearward balance helps long range accuracy. We'll see. On the 338 I would just stay with the bonded Swift A Frame, kinda like a NP on steroids.I am tempted to go with the Barnes new MRX bullet but don't want to change from a winner.The Swift is plently tough enough.

What are your preferences?

--------------------
An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

Edited by hoppdoc (24/03/06 12:45 AM)

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jorge
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: hoppdoc]
      #53258 - 25/03/06 05:35 AM

Another vote for the 300/338 combo if yu want a two rifle battery. One rifle, I like the 340 Weatherby if eland's on the menu even though a 300 is more than capable of handling it jorge

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TerryR
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: jorge]
      #53538 - 29/03/06 06:29 AM

I have twice taken a combo of 30-06 and 375H&H, loaded with federal trophy bonded. I consider that combination to be ideal, although I moight be convinced to substitute my 7X57 for my 30-06 next time.

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bonanza
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Re: PLAINS GAME-What BEST 2 RIFLE CALIBERS Suggest [Re: TerryR]
      #53543 - 29/03/06 08:22 AM

A little twist to the plot.

Two .375 H&H rifles. A double and a bolt. The bolt rifle with a scope and shooting 235 or 250 Barnes and the double shooting 270 or 300s.



--------------------


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"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

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