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I went back to see what I said 14 years ago. Some changes in my thinking since then. And I could still be tempted by some of the above.

First WHAT have I ACTUALLY USED?

First safari, Zimbabwe, plains game. West Nicholson area. Mixed open and jess veldt. From duiker to eland. Parker Hale M98 .30-06.

Second safari, cape buffalo and plains game in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Northern SA I forget the town name right now! Near the Crocodile River I think.

Some hunting on irrigated fields, huge distances possible for bushbuck., up to 800 metres away. Plus hunting in thick thorn jess for a variety of other plains game. Ranges always one hundred to two hundred metres at the very most. Usually shorter.

In Zimbabwe hunting in the Gwayi Valley for buffalo and plains game, then after a warvet invasion, shifted to Matetsi for similar. Variety of ranges. A Vlei between the thorn bush we approached buffalo from 800 metres awy in the open. Using black umbrellas.

Rifle used was my Whitworth M98 in .375 H&H Mag.

Third safari, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Namibia plains game, Kalahari and a huntinh range near Windhoek. Used by Tikka 512SD double rifle in 9.3x74R, mainly for warthog. Shot maybe six or seven. Borrowed Karl Stumpfe's M98 custom rifle in 8x68S. Wanted to try it out. Hartebeest, impala, zebra, springbok, etc.

In Zimbabwe in the Omay concession South of Lake Kariba, two cow elephants. .450 No.2 NE WJ Jeffery double rifle.

BTW I am now so eager to go again, a simple plains game hunt would do me now.

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So my African battery.

8x68S Mauser M03 for plains game,. longer shots. And fine for medium game in the jess. It is a takedown.

Or the Customised Parker Hale 1200 M98 in .30-06. Still does the work well.

My Tikka 512SD U/O double rifle in 9.3x74R, with a set of shotgun barrels. I would prefer a side by side, but this set exists so ... multiple other barrel choices if desired.

For larger and dangerous game, in addition to the 9.3mm above, I can choose:

Mauser M03 .404 Jeffery. Also a takedown. Have a second rifle, could take a 8x68S AND a .404 as complete rifles or one rifle with two barrels as desired.

Whitworth M98 .375 H&H Mag.

AND OF COURSE I WOULD TAKE MY

.450 No.2 Nitro Express WJ Jeffery if hunting anything like elephant or buffalo.

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All these are owned, used. Some need more use. Will be a difficult choice, but of course the actual hunt may lean one one way or the other.

One is easy. The .450 No.2 NE WJ Jeffery. Anything approaching buffalo or elephant, it will go. I have used it a lot. Shot big bovines in the mid-20s in numbers with it, two elephant, a fair swag of pigs, donkeys etc and other medium game. It is "Zabardast" my bovine slayer. Adequate for close work on dangerous game. Have never used it at any longer ranges yet!

So the second would be a longer range choice for DG. When hunting elephant, I swapped my DR for the PHs Rem 700 .416 Rem with scope. It made it so much easier to shoot buffalo in a moving herd. We were still close, but kept moving out and getting in front of the feeding herd several times to see what was moving around in the herd. Meanwhile two ele bulls were arse to us sometimes only feet away. Did not shoot a cape buff bull. A longish horned youngster only in the herd. I wanted an old solid bossed boy. The cape buff and ele bulls never knew we were there. A cool hunt.

So a good second rifle choice would be my Whitworth M98 .375 H&H Mag. Which could also double as a plains game rifle.

OR more likely my .404 Jeffery Mauser M03. It is a take down so easy to travel with. I should use it more and especially use it as a medium game hunting rifle to give it a real try at that and longer range hunting.

If using the Mauser M03, I could also take along a 8x68S barrel as a par excellence, long range plains game hunting rifle. Either a barrel or a whole second rifle.

If a shotgun was needed, the Tikka U/O rifle and shotgun could go. With either shotgun barrels and/or rifle barrels. 9.3x74R, /30-06, 7x65R, and .223 barrel choices. Howabout one day a custom set of barrels in .450/400 or .375 Flanged???

Using one of the wonderfully accurate rifle barrels, doubles or combinations, it would make a fine long range plains game rifle with a scope. Single barrel OK for longer range, DR use at closer range.

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Long winded again.

.450 No.2 NE WJ Jeffery - takedown - DG at close range, or follow up, ele and buffalo.

.404 Jeffery Mauser M03 - takedown - secondary DG rifle, longer range, scoped hunting.

8x68S Mauser M03 - takedown - either just a barrel and scope, or a whole second rifle - plains game close or distant.

12 bore U/O Tikka 512SD shotgun - takedown - feather shooting. Multi choices of DR - 9.3x74R or .30-06 for plains hame or DG hunting. 7x65R or .223 plus 12 bore - if desired.

Not my ideal choices but I have them all. Don't really need anything else. And can do the any job.

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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"