I hear what you're saying, even though others don't follow. The .318 WR is a wonderful cartridge for African plains game. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that I would not hesitate to use it on ANY species of African game.

Before I continue, anyone who thinks there is such a thing as an "ideal cartridge" is either inexperienced or a fool. Any experiened hunter knows that no such thing exists. Such talk is only the result of human thinking and opinion.

Granted, the .318 WR may not be ideal for the ponderous game. Nevertheless, I would not feel uncomfortable with it on elepahnt and rhino. Does an elephant care which cartridge has perforated its brain as it collapses in a heep?

I do not like belted cartidges, and I do not like ultra-super-duper-high-velocity-knock-your-socks-off cartridges. For that matter, any cartridge followed by the term "magnum" is, in my book, nothing but marketing hype, which is not to say that some "magnums" are not good cartridges.

Trajectory is of little importance to me, simply for the reason that all the fun in hunting is found in stalking up close. I do not shoot from 300 yards, and rarely from 200. I prefer to get within 100, for that is where the hunt unfolds. So, "ultra-magnums" are useless to me. If I had to choose one and only one cartridge to take to Africa, I would be content with a number of them. For example: .45-110, .405 WCF, .30-06, .400 BPE. My point is that the rifle and the cartridge have changed so little in the last 110 years that the tools of old are perfectly adequate--just as they were for the hunters of old.

I'll vote for the .318 WR, simply for nostalgia's sake.