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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles

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MarkR
.333 member

Reged: 29/07/07
Posts: 296
Loc: NW Vic. Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Homer]
#162700 - 24/06/10 07:23 PM

I'm a Bundy, dry & lime man myself and I used a 338 Win Mag last year with 225gr projectiles. For Zim next time I would use 250 or 300 gr pills and sight dead on at 100m for all plainsgame encountered there.

Yeah, I know. Bundy, dry & lime sounds a bit feminine but I like it....

Cheers,
Mark.

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
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Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: MarkR]
#162715 - 24/06/10 11:16 PM

When one goes after the spotted buck, be prepared to meet a tiger.

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

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

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Brazos_Jack
.224 member

Reged: 28/02/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Texas, USA

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: DarylS]
#166369 - 17/08/10 08:14 PM

My opinion (we all have one) based on very limited experience:

Plains game only and excluding giraffe,

A .30-06 or any of the .300 mags will do if you are willing to pass up unfavorable shots on larger species. Rear quartering away shots on eland, zebra, wildebeest, or kudu come to mind. My hunting opportunities will always to too few and too short to have to pass up such shots so I leave the .30 cal's home.

A .375 (or a 9.3x64) is just more than I can justify using on these animals.

Terrain matters.

South Africa North of Jo'berg (bushveldt). Ranges are almost always less than 200 yards.

Standard cartridges from .338 to .366 (9.3) like .338-'06, .35 Whelen, or 9.3x62

Southwestern part of South Africa (more open country)

Faster cartridges from 8mm(.323) to .358 like 8mm Rem Mag, 8x68, .338WM, .340 Weatherby, or .358 Norma Mag.

Obviously, any of the faster numbers could be used in the bushveldt also. Otherwise, arguing among these fine medium bore and any others I forgot to mention by name is probably picking nits.

Always pick your rifle, cartridge, and bullet for the biggest, toughest species you are hunting. Then just live with the fact that the 150lb impala you just shot with a heavy premium 9.3mm bullet is going to run farther than he would have if hit by a nosler ballistic tip or some other simple cup-and-core bullet out of your .257 Roberts.

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magnum308
.275 member

Reged: 19/05/04
Posts: 52
Loc: Brisbane, Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Brazos_Jack]
#166415 - 18/08/10 03:55 PM

I came across this articles recently, http://forums.gunsamerica.com/yaf_postst...-Cartridge.aspx

It's a bit long but an interesting read nonetheless.

--------------------
____________________________________________
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly rifle

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Rule303
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Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 4912
Loc: Woodford Qld

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: magnum308]
#166730 - 24/08/10 10:51 AM

Magnum308 that was an interesting article. I find myself thinking more along those lines as I get older and hopefully wiser.

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Cinghiale
.333 member

Reged: 15/04/08
Posts: 406
Loc: Northern Territory

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Rule303]
#166732 - 24/08/10 11:10 AM

Cheers for that article Magnum,

Good luck BrazosJack whatever you choose.

MOG

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taw1126
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Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: magnum308]
#166733 - 24/08/10 11:15 AM

Quote:

I came across this articles recently, http://forums.gunsamerica.com/yaf_postst...-Cartridge.aspx

It's a bit long but an interesting read nonetheless.

I don't have any experience outside North America but that's a theory I definitely subscribe to. You'd be hard pressed to talk me out of my .30-'06 and all it's versatility, and I'm a fan of the 7x64, 7x57, and 280 Remington for the same reason (wide range of premium bullets in usable weights, manageable recoil, and enough range for any shot I'm willing to take in good conscience). If there were heavier bullets available for the 270 Winchester I might include it too.

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magnum308
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Reged: 19/05/04
Posts: 52
Loc: Brisbane, Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: taw1126]
#167017 - 30/08/10 07:08 PM

Thanks for all the input.

I think I'll take my .270 Win loaded with 140-150gr Nosler partitions or something like that.

Of course, this is if don't pick up an '06 between now and then. Of course it'll have to be a pre 64 M70 fwt, to match my 270 and 308.

Now I need to work on my riflemanship, particularly getting plenty of practice at off hand shots and with shooting sticks out to around 200 yards, I guess. I have spent the last 6 months practicing for my NZ southern mountains hunt. I guess Africa will be quite different shooting to that.

What's your experience, those who have been there, at types of shots and distances on game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Cape Springbok and the like in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa?

--------------------
____________________________________________
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly rifle

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Ripp
.577 member

Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: DarylS]
#167025 - 30/08/10 11:11 PM

Quote:

When one goes after the spotted buck, be prepared to meet a tiger.

REALLY GREAT ADVICE---depending on where you are hunting..plains game or not..the 270 or '06 might seem a big on the small side if you have a cape buffalo or pissed off tuskless cow heading your way...while any mentioned will do fine on plains game, in many circumstances you are NOT out there with just plains game...

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2109
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Ripp]
#167030 - 31/08/10 02:12 AM

I am on my 3rd 270 Winchester barrel in one of my Mausers rifles.
I have a LOT of experience with the caliber.
If you take it loaded with 150 grain Noslers bullets (or my overall favorite for large animals is the 160 grain) you will not regret it.
The 270 is one of those rounds that don’t seem to know it's "little" and neither does anything it hits.
As a gunsmith, I can have any caliber I want at any time and all at the same price.
I shoot the 270. Not because I am defending what I have, but because I have yet to see something that works better on any game up to about 700 pounds.
I own or have owned seven 30-06s four 300 mags two 338 mags, tow 338-06s twelve 308s two 7X57s one 7mm Rem mag, and to be 100 honest, I can't really see that any of them kill anything any better then my 270 until the game gets over about 750 pounds and the one that seems to be noticeable more effective is the 375H&H
But though it may seem blasphemous I can't really tell a lot of difference in how a 338 Win Mag kills elk or moose any faster or any better then a 270 with a good bullet.
Doesn't fit the theory’s I know, but I have been doing this now for over 40 years, and those are the facts.

Use the 270 if you like it. You won't be sorry.

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Sville
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Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: szihn]
#167031 - 31/08/10 04:22 AM

Interesting discussions, I´m going to Namibia in March and learns a lot. The biggest I am going to hunt is Blue Wildebeest. I am choosing between 9,3x62 or my double 9,3x74R. My heart tells me to take the double and my brain to take the 9,3x62. My host tells me to bring both.

Sville

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magnum308
.275 member

Reged: 19/05/04
Posts: 52
Loc: Brisbane, Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Sville]
#167041 - 31/08/10 11:17 AM

szihn,

That's great feedback and thanks for taking the time. What 160gr bullets do you use on the big stuff, is it Nosler partitions?

Also I'd be interested in your load for this in 270. PM me if you like on this. I use AR2209 here in Oz which I believe is repackage as H4350 in the US. As a reloader for 30 plus years the usual caveat accompanies this request.

What do you think of the 270 WSM? I was thinking of one to supplement my .270 Win in Winchester Extreme Weather SS.

--------------------
____________________________________________
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly rifle

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tophet1
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Reged: 15/09/07
Posts: 1873
Loc: NSW, Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: magnum308]
#167044 - 31/08/10 03:25 PM

Quote:

Thanks for all the input.

I think I'll take my .270 Win loaded with 140-150gr Nosler partitions or something like that.

Now I need to work on my riflemanship, particularly getting plenty of practice at off hand shots and with shooting sticks out to around 200 yards, I guess.

What's your experience, those who have been there, at types of shots and distances on game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Cape Springbok and the like in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa?

There is a bit to answer in all that. Good choice with the .270. I found the locals if they weren't useing a 7mm or .30 calibre, had a .270 with 150's. Does yours shoot the 150 Woodleigh accurately ?

The eastern Cape can be very flat and open, covered by low bush similar to heather. It can also be quite broken with deep valleys and long shots to the next ridge over very thick scrub. IMO your .270 will shine there. IMPORTANT Don't forget to buy the best optics you can afford. For your .270 I'd suggest something in the 2.5-10x42 range.

It is a matter of being prepared for anything. You can be in scrub where line of sight is max 40 metres and see the Kudu of a lifetime 300 metres away on the side of a hill. Ask your PH what to expect and practise off sticks so you know your bullets path from 100 metres to 300 metres in 50 metre increments.

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magnum308
.275 member

Reged: 19/05/04
Posts: 52
Loc: Brisbane, Australia

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: tophet1]
#167048 - 31/08/10 06:08 PM

Tophet1,

Thanks for your contribution to this thread. It certainly helps and I am sure others will find the various contributions invaluable too.

No, I haven't used Woodleighs of any description.

I have used mainly 140 gr Hornady SPBT interlocks in my .270 Win. These really shoot in my rifle too, see targets below:

Load I used for my NZ Tahr and Chamois hunt, shot just before I left.

Same load (actually a few of the rounds I brought back unfired) shot after I arrived back after rifle had been dismantled for a thorough clean and re-assembled.

I have had trouble getting some of the fancier Hornady bullets SSTs, et al to shoot in my rifle. The only 130 gr bullets it would shoot is the 130 gr spire point flat base. But I began to develop an affinity for the 140 gr bullet and switched to these for my NZ hunt. They shoot as flat as the 130 gr and have the kinetic energy (on paper at least) of the 150 gr bullets. Having heard how hard Tahr are to put down I decided this was just the medicine. It tends to be my standard load now for my .270 Win. I have also taken pigs and red dear with load.

However, for Africa I would probably look at a quality bullet (not that Hornady are not quality bullets) for larger plains game. I am partial to the Nosler partitions but have never used them in 270, so not wedded to them and will try the woodleighs. I notice they even have a 180gr for 270.

On knowing the trajectory of the rifle/load, I took with me to NZ a print of the trajectory in 25 yd increments out to 400 yds from my Point Blank ballistics software. I am convinced of the advantage of knowing exactly where your rifle is shooting at all practical game ranges.

Edited by CptCurl (11/09/10 04:23 AM)

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Nick_Adams
.300 member

Reged: 20/12/03
Posts: 148
Loc: USA

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Brazos_Jack]
#171547 - 16/11/10 10:52 PM

My choice: another vote for the 300 H&H.

A classic, old-school and flat-shooting cartridge, the Super .30 can be loaded just about as hot as any other 300 Mag.

Here's my Ruger #1 in .300 H&H from the original "limited production" run of the early 1990s (not the recent Boddington series):

--------------------
________________________________

Remember ...

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."

.300 H&H.

Edited by CptCurl (17/11/10 01:12 PM)

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rscott
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Reged: 21/03/08
Posts: 328
Loc: wyo., USA

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: Nick_Adams]
#172263 - 29/11/10 03:21 AM

i've used a 338WM, 416RM and even my partners FAL with 147gr. ball for quite a few head. why shoot baits with a 416!
these days, if there were no buff or ele. in the area and eland was not on the menu, i'd just take my 270 with 150 GS or 160gr. partition bullets.
if eland were included, 9.3X64.

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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2109
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: rscott]
#172280 - 29/11/10 08:23 AM

Magnum308, I used the 160 gr Nosler with 54.7 gr of surplus H4831 in WW brass with a WW large rifle primer.
It's hot, but was always safe in my rifle. I would not suggest someone start with that much. They should back down about 3-4 grains and work up to a safe max in their own rifle. I used to buy H4831 in bulk. It was US Military surplus powder.

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gryphon
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Reged: 01/01/03
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Re: SIngle Rifle for African Plains Game Hunt? [Re: szihn]
#172282 - 29/11/10 08:40 AM

I would be more than happy to take my 358 Norma M with 225 Hydro`s and a few 250`s thrown in the pack too...alas it has a plastic stock,bugger!

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