NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40651
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Members Articles in the Nickudu Files
"But How Much Gun is Enough?" by "Oldsarge"
Article discussing big bore calibres
Please comment and discuss.
To read more online books and articles in the Nickudu Files - click here.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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Ben
.400 member
Reged: 22/08/08
Posts: 1917
Loc: Northern Territory, Australia
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I really enjoyed reading that.
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93mouse
.375 member
Reged: 17/08/07
Posts: 745
Loc: Slovenia
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Ok I'll bite - nice cover - however I'd always see things more simple - for me there are only elephant guns and others...while I can stand the pressure with buffalo being close with my 9.3 in my hand, elephants realy knock the proportions out of perception...I mean being close to those brutes and feel, hear and finaly see how tons are moving 3 meters above the ground without any predictions is damn scary and I guess something in .450 or more would make me feel a bit easier (not much tho...) - so to cut it short - I don't have a clue how much is enough but getting a grip on pucker factor is important!
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Rule303
.450 member
Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 5255
Loc: Woodford Qld
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I think the question "how much gun is too much" needs to be asked as well. The 416 Rigby pushing a 400grain pill at 2600 fps is my upper limit so have them coming out at 2450. Anything above that is too much for me and I would not be able to practice with it.
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Plains99
.300 member
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
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I share his opinion of the .458 Win Mag. I perfer it over the longer Lott. Recoil is less, the rifle is more compact and I've never had a bad experience with the round. It is a nice balance between versatility, power, recoil management, accuracy, and dependability. New Hornady 500 grain loads are very effective. Never hunted anything larger than an Asian Buffalo with it... and probably won't get to. I have downloads using 405 grain soft points that work extremely well for lighter game. OldSarge says it all in his final line on that caliber.
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RigbyUser
.275 member
Reged: 23/11/08
Posts: 65
Loc: Victoria, Australia
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Gee, thought provoking I guess, but my experience indicates that you get used to what you wish to. I moved from a 30.06 to a 9.3x62 then a 375H&H, finally enjoying the 458 Win Mag and now my favourite 500 Jeffrey. In each instance, the BGRC competitions helped tremendously.
Strongly suggest all of them, irrespective of class is eminently usable, you've just got to have the desire to make it work.
In the field, on buffalo and the like, bigger is definately better, assuming you can shoot the rifle properly. A 500 Jeff on buffalo makes a 375 seem laughable. The 500 really does "numb" them.
If you intent hunting these bigger beasties it may pay to learn how to handle the bigger bores, they certainly make a difference. Not sure they "kill" any better, but certainly seem to "stop" the big beasties with much authority.
As always though, nothing beats good marksmanship, therefore use what you shoot best (within reason ofcourse)
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grandveneur
.400 member
Reged: 21/09/08
Posts: 1356
Loc: France / Germany
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Very good question, but that will never be answered by clients who hunt with a PH. Everyone who praises the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum forgets that he don't hunt alone.
Hunt in Africa alone with a guide who is only armed with a shotgun and then discuss how to proceed, especially about the need of a big bore rifle. Then one can also discuss how much gun is enough.
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chuck375
.333 member
Reged: 13/10/07
Posts: 445
Loc: Colorado Springs CO
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Like I used to with my BDL in 270 in my 20s and 30s, I hunt everything from jackrabbits, deer, elk and bear with my 500 Jeffery. If I ever get to hunt Africa it will be the only rifle I bring.
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"There's a saying in prize fighting: Everyone's got a plan until they get hit"
Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness"
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