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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game
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TerryR
.224 member


Reged: 13/07/04
Posts: 42
Loc: Greensburg, Pa.
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #48156 - 27/01/06 05:56 AM

My 2 cents:

You are covered for a heavy and medium rifle, I'd look for something light, accurate, good for Deer sized game, and fun to shoot. If you reload or are traditional go with a 7X57, if not than a 7mm-08.


TerryR

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JPK
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Reged: 31/08/04
Posts: 734
Loc: Chevy Chase, MD
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: allenday]
      #48159 - 27/01/06 06:04 AM

Yes, the 375H&H is neither fish nor fowl. That is actually why I like it as a second rifle choice.

It has a loopier trajectory, more recoil, and likely more weight than ideal for a PG rifle and it has less bullet diameter, bullet weight and momentum than ideal for a DG rifle. But it can do very well in both roles.

I wouldn't go to Africa only for plaingame, though its a fun part of the trip. Since the priority is DG then I want a DG capable and legal second rifle. And I'm a lefty so the PH's back up or loaner rifle isn't a good alternative.

Thinking of it, being a lefty is probably a primary reason for me to ensure that my second rifle is DG capable and legal. Also I have been in an area where the elephant were very agressive and I like generally the idea that the rifle I'm carrying is elephant capable.

JPK

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BFaucett
.333 member


Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 451
Loc: Houston, Texas
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #48294 - 28/01/06 04:22 AM

In reply to:

.... I have a 500 Searcy on order and already have a scoped Model 70 in 375 that I am about to have some work done on to clean it up/make it reliable. .... At the moment I have a 338 Win Mag Tikka. ... Now I am thinking about selling it and a couple of others to fund a light rifle for my battery.



IMHO, I think a .30-06 or a .300 mag of some flavor (I like the .300 H&H) would be a perfect compliment to your .375 H&H and .500 NE battery.

I like the .30 caliber better than something smaller (like a 7mm) as you can use a 200 or 220 gr bullet if you should need to use it on something fairly large like an Eland. (Also, Woodleigh has just come out with a 240 gr .30 caliber bullet.) Plus, the .30 caliber, with lighter bullets, makes an excellent all-around rifle for North American deer hunting, etc.

.30-06, .300 H&H, .300 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby --- pick the one you like best and be happy. My choice would be the .30-06 or .300 H&H. A .300 H&H and a .375 H&H would be a classy pair!

And, there would be absolutely nothing wrong with letting your .338 WM sit between your .30 caliber and your .375 H&H in your battery if you decide to keep your .338 WM. I'm also a big fan of the .338 WM. But, if limited to 3 rifles, then for the light rifle I would pick a .30 caliber to go with your .375 H&H and .500 NE.

My two cents...
-Bob F.

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MagnumHunter
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Reged: 06/07/04
Posts: 63
Loc: North Carolina, USA
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: BFaucett]
      #48441 - 29/01/06 03:12 PM

On my first trip I carried a 300 Wby. Mag. and a 375 H&H and it seemed like a perfect battery for plains game. Second trip I took a 338 and 458 Win. Mags for some plains game and buffalo. I am really torn between the 300 and the 338. The 338 is my favorite caliber and I enjoy carrying it but the 300 is no slouch either. Its tough. One or the other.

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SuperX
.224 member


Reged: 26/01/06
Posts: 13
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: MagnumHunter]
      #48478 - 30/01/06 01:59 AM

"..... I took a 338 and 458 Win. Mags for some plains game and buffalo. I am really torn between the 300 and the 338..... One or the other."

I agree, I have a '63 M70 in 300Win (pure stock, except for glass bedding/tuned trigger/3-9 Leupold) that will put 3 under an inch at 100yds all day long (with it's favorite handload). Perfect for typical north American hunting, but for African use, I think the extra power (bullet weight/penitration) of the 338 makes it a preferable light/med rifle. Now, that's not to say a hunter with a 300 made a poor choice, or is defenseless.

Edited by SuperX (30/01/06 02:11 AM)

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allenday
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Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: SuperX]
      #48489 - 30/01/06 02:58 AM

SuperX, that's a good way to put it!

I've taken a 300 Win. Mag. again and again as my preferred plainsgame rifle, and it's always served extremely well on everything from dik dik to eland, plus lion, leopard, etc. I can't fault its performance, and it's been my favorite all-around cartridge for the last 12 years.

But I've always wanted to take a 338 Win. Mag. to Africa, and I can't help but think that a premium 225 gr. or 250 gr. bullet is going to offer some advantages over the 300 Win. with the 180 gr. loads that I've always used in it.

So this year, I'm taking my 338 Winchester to Zimbabwe for plainsgame, etc. My rifle shoots 250 gr. Nosler Partitions extremely well, as well as 225 gr. Barnes Triple-Shocks, so I'll have to make a decision about which load to take in the next few months..........

AD

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markhyoung
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Reged: 31/10/05
Posts: 49
Loc: Cody, WY, USA
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: allenday]
      #48784 - 01/02/06 08:12 AM

bulldog

You mentioned a $5000 budget. With that much money to work with you can have a synthetic stocked rifle built with all the bells and whistles. As for caliber my choice would be for the 338WM. I've found it a very versatile caliber for NA and Africa. I personally like the 210 and 250 NP but as Allen suggested the 225 TSX maybe the way to go now.

Mark

--------------------
Mark H. Young
ADAM CLEMENTS SAFARI TRACKERS INC.
WORLDWIDE BIG GAME, WINGSHOOTING AND PHOTO SAFARIS
www.safaritrackers.com
Office 1-307-587-6372
FAX 1-307-587-3385


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bulldog563
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Reged: 21/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: California
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: markhyoung]
      #48789 - 01/02/06 11:23 AM

I have been considering a synthetic rifle but have always been a wood/blue guy. I just don't know if I can warm up to a synthetic rifle, although it would be good for AK and other such climates. Can you really build a sythetic rifle for that much less then a wood rifle?

--------------------
Join the National Rifle Association:
https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp

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EricD
.416 member


Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #48818 - 01/02/06 05:32 PM

Bulldog,

You can have a syntetic stocked rifle built for considerably less than a rifle with a decent wood stock. In fact I'm checking out having a synthetic stocked 7x64 Brenneke built at the moment myself.

Although I like the feel of wood in my hands better, for this rifle I see that a synthetic stock is the only way to go, as it will often be used in very wet conditions, and can be built lighter than with wood.

You could for example see what this guy has to offer on Prechtls M98 actions:
Roedale Precision

Erik

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allenday
.333 member


Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #48835 - 01/02/06 11:19 PM

Bulldog, Hill Country Rifles offers a really good synthetic-stocked DG rifle at a reasonable price, and so does Empire Rifles:

www.hillcountryrifles.com

www.empirerifles.com

AD

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bulldog563
.400 member


Reged: 21/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: California
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: allenday]
      #48837 - 01/02/06 11:37 PM

I just can't understand how the most expensive synthetic rifle that Hill Country offers is 4500 while their DG rifle starts at 16000. Why such a price difference?

--------------------
Join the National Rifle Association:
https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp

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allenday
.333 member


Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #48844 - 01/02/06 11:57 PM

Many of the better riflemakers have raised their prices significantly in the last few months. When D'Arcy Echols first started offering his synthetic-stocked 'Legend' in 1998 or 99, the price was $5,000. Now D'Arcy charges $12,000 for a 'Legend', and his walnut-stocked Classic goes for a whole lot more than that. I'm glad I hired D'Arcy to build some rifles early on! Gene Simillion has raised his prices as well.

Walnut-stocked rifles require a lot more labor and fine detail work, and that accounts for the price disparity, plus the cost of the walnut, stock furniture, etc.

Roger Biesen makes a great walnut-stocked rifle, and unless some radical changes have occured in his camp as well, the price is still reasonable. He has a very nice, full-feature 375 H&H on his website that is a very solid rifle for a very fair price at $6,000:

www.biesen.com

AD

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SuperX
.224 member


Reged: 26/01/06
Posts: 13
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: allenday]
      #48872 - 02/02/06 04:27 AM

"Roger Biesen makes a great walnut-stocked rifle...... He has a very nice, full-feature 375 H&H on his website that is a very solid rifle for a very fair price at $6,000:

www.biesen.com "

yes, an excellent buy ! (in todays market)


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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #49056 - 03/02/06 09:21 AM

Bulldog563

I saw two actions, both Oberndorf Mausers made in 1933 at Mike Schrank's shop in Waukegan where Ddavid Norin is the custom gunsmith. Apparently, they build a number of guns for a leading dealer (whose name and reference I was given) who prefers rifles in classic calibres including some obsolete ones and who specialises in loading ammunition for them.

Illinois is a long way from Californis but these people are extremely friendly and the rifles in progress seemed incredibly beautiful. Now if only the wealthy imaginary uncle from the other thread were to come to life for me, I know where I would go

Cheers!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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bulldog563
.400 member


Reged: 21/10/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: California
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #49075 - 03/02/06 01:33 PM

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses but I have decided to trade my Tikka for a Sako AV in 338 Win. That should last me until I can afford a high quality wood stocked custom. The sythetics just don't do it for me. Again Thanks for the responses. As a side note I think this is a good discussion so if anyone wants to add some info or another quality custom rifle builder it will be of help to me in the future when I do make the leap.

Also, does anyone have experience with the Dakota Travellr?

--------------------
Join the National Rifle Association:
https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp

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allenday
.333 member


Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: bulldog563]
      #49114 - 04/02/06 12:38 AM

A good 338 Win. Mag. will take in a lot of hunting!

Here are a couple of other riflemakers to consider:

www.rifleactions.com

www.rbbigbores.com

www.bansnersrifle.com

AD

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NE450No2
.375 member


Reged: 10/01/03
Posts: 942
Re: Best PG Rifle? [Re: allenday]
      #56515 - 06/05/06 12:59 PM

A 500 Nitro double and a 375 H&H is about perfect for Africa. After all 2 rifles is about the limit for most countries.

So I would get a 300 Mag. A 300 mag and a 375 would make a great pair for North America.

A 3 rifle battery of a 300 Mag, a 375 H&H and a 500 Nitro will cover all Big game hunting.

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