Just out of interest what do you take with you? Clearly it depends what you are going for and terrain. PG, DG, birds, Namibia long-range, suni, etc?

Obviously, Saaed loves his 375/404 for buffalo. I have a 375/Gibbs 505 that I m ver happy with and it reaches out to 1200 yds very nicely but I prefer my Gibbs 505 for PG AND buffalo. For PG my 30-378Wby is great and works well out to 1000 yds but in retrospect the 338-378 Wby may have been a better choice. I also have a 577 NE double for thick jess buffalo and self protection. A couple of times we ve run into problems with un expected rhino, including being chased by black rhino and elephant (and once buffalo).
So here s my choice: 22-250 and 6mm for practice, 338-378 or equivalent for PG (includes eland), Gibbs 505 for buffalo in open space (good also for lion, ele and leopard if need be but "overkill" for the last one) and 577 for dense bush.(the 375/505 is my preferred elk and caribou rifle)

It wii be interesting what other combos are suggested like 270, 30-06 and 375/416.

Sorry Saeed.

The first time I went I took a .375 H&H magnum and a .458 Lott. If I go back, I will take the .375 H&H Magnum and possibly an Enfield Martini in .577/.500 No. 2, and/or if I have a suitable one, a double rifle.

What I have taken:
.470 NE Double
.416 Rigby bolt gun
.375 H&H bolt
.330 Dakota bolt
.30-06 Bolt

My usual is the .416 and the .375. I don't like getting around pachyderms without something that I feel will get to the brain from most any angle.

I probably will take a .300 mag of some sort for longer shots in the future, and would like to bring my 7x57 at some point.

I have taken in 13 safaris to Africa:
458 Lott bolt action
470 NE Double Rifle
450-400 Double Rifle
375 H&H Magnum bolt action
325 WSM bolt action
300 WSM bolt action
30-06 bolt action
270 bolt action
12 gauge over and under
My usual "go-to's" for most have been the 375 H&H and the 450-400 for dangerous game; and the 325 and 300 WSM's for plains game. I'm waiting on Butch to finish my 375 Flanged and then that will get a go in Africa.

1st safari, Zimbabwe, 24 days DG & PG: .458 Win Mag, .300 Win Mag, .270 Winchester

2nd safari, Zimbabwe, 15 days DG. .470 NE, .338 Win Mag

3rd safari, Botsawana, 24 days, DG & PG. .416 Hoffman, .338 Win Mag. 12 gauge shotgun (also shot PH's .300 Winchester when scope broke on my .338)

4th safari, South Africa, 5 days (at end of family vacation) .338 win mag for me. .270 Winchester for son. As it turned out, we shot everything with the .270

Next Safari, if no DG, just the .338. If including DG, then add the .416.

404 Jeff (DG)
9.3x62 (everything else)
12gauge (birds)

I Lived there for 45 years - and I really don't I need anything else than those three.....

My first safari I took a 7mm Rem mag, M700 LH.

My current Africa battery, all M70 LH action:
30-03
375 H & H
458 Lott
I often just take the 375.

I take a double rifle (470NE, .475 No.2 Jeffery NE, or 450/400), a .375 scoped bolt rifle and a scoped .17HMR. I shoot the .17HMR more than the other rifles combined as I shoot francolin, guinea fowl and rabbits for the trackers. I have also taken impala with it (close range head shots), and they dropped like they were hit by lightning.

It varies, depending on whether I am alone or with my wife. Brno in .375 Wby with 250-grain TTSX's is all I need. Hers is a .270 Wby with 150-grain TSX's or 160-grain Partitions.

Not in a specific order:
.270
.405
16 gauge
.375 two different rifle
.450-400
.500 bpe
.450 no2
.600 (last four hunts)
Cal

.450 No. 2 Jeffery double
.416 Rigby bolt action
.375 H&H bolt action
.30-'06 bolt action

As you can see, I like the latest and greatest, new-fangled cartridges.

As I live part time in Tanzania the rifles I have there are also favorites:
30-06- M-70 Custom Built by Oregon Gun Works
375 H&H Sako Action customized by Oregon Gun Works
458 Lott Sako Action customized by Oregon Gun Works

The 30-06 and 375 H&H are great battery combination
I use the 458 Lott for Buff

On past hunts I have used my 416 Rem quite successfully on Buff, ele and Lion

Use what you like and shoot well

Smallest caliber I have taken is a 300WM but almost always take a .375 h&h. My big bores have varied from a .416 rem to the .500 NE. Have also taken a .458 Lott and a .470 NE

470 NE DR
458 LOTT DR
500-416 DR
9.3X74R DR
416 REM MAG
338 LAPUA
475 TURNBULL
I always take two rifles,in case of malfunction,has happened once,I have six safaris under my belt,next one will be with a lever & a DR.

quote:

posted 23 September 2015 07:35
Just out of interest what do you take with you? Clearly it depends what you are going for and terrain. PG, DG, birds, Namibia long-range, suni, etc?

Obviously, Saaed loves his 375/404 for buffalo. I have a 375/Gibbs 505 that I m ver happy with and it reaches out to 1200 yds very nicely but I prefer my Gibbs 505 for PG AND buffalo. For PG my 30-378Wby is great and works well out to 1000 yds

quote:

posted 23 September 2015 07:35
Just out of interest what do you take with you? Clearly it depends what you are going for and terrain. PG, DG, birds, Namibia long-range, suni, etc?

Obviously, Saaed loves his 375/404 for buffalo. I have a 375/Gibbs 505 that I m ver happy with and it reaches out to 1200 yds very nicely but I prefer my Gibbs 505 for PG AND buffalo. For PG my 30-378Wby is great and works well out to 1000 yds

Do you really try to shoot game out to 1000 yards?

On my 4 trips:
Blaser R93 308/ 9.3x62
Blaser R8 30-06
470 nitro double
Sauer 200 9.3x62
Custom Wiseman LH 375 Ultra

Ed

On 10 trips to Africa

9.3x74R Double (have taken one every trip)
.450 NE Double
.450/.400 NE Double
.450 No.2 Double
.577 NE Double
.500 NE Double

A special rifle (or rifles) is always part of my anticipation, the hunt and the memories. I've taken a pair of Cogswell & Harrison doubles (.475 N.E. & .375 flanged 2 1/2"), several different Searcy doubles in various calibers, a pre-war J.P. Sauer Cape gun, a three different custom .404 Jeffery rifles, a lowly .416 Ruger Alaskan that out shot some of my rifles that cost ten times as much, a Merkel 9.3x74r double, a .458 Win. Mag on a Mauser action, a .375 H&H that Roger Ferrell made for me.... and so on....

Heck, getting the rifles ready is such great fun. After lots of time practicing, the rifle becomes a good friend that is your partner on the safari.

458 Lott
375 H&H
338 WinMag

You guys take way to many guns 13 trips to Africa twice with my 300 ultra but 11 times with my 375 HH 700 Remington . In my opinion you do not need anything else . Shot 2 elephants Hippo crock Leopard sable waterbuck impala and bush buck. Hand load to what I plan to shoot . 350 gran solids for Elephant to flat shooting 260 grain for plains game. More important how you shoot than what you shoot.

Whatever the PH has in his gunsafe that is adequate for the game to be hunted....

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
A special rifle (or rifles) is always part of my anticipation, the hunt and the memories. I've taken a pair of Cogswell & Harrison doubles (.475 N.E. & .375 flanged 2 1/2"), several different Searcy doubles in various calibers, a pre-war J.P. Sauer Cape gun, a three different custom .404 Jeffery rifles, a lowly .416 Ruger Alaskan that out shot some of my rifles that cost ten times as much, a Merkel 9.3x74r double, a .458 Win. Mag on a Mauser action, a .375 H&H that Roger Ferrell made for me.... and so on....

Heck, getting the rifles ready is such great fun. After lots of time practicing, the rifle becomes a good friend that is your partner on the safari.

Agree 100%!

.300 win mag and .375 H&H for my first trip for buff and PG.

Next year I'm taking my Merkel .470NE for ele and probably a shotgun for some wingshooting.

Most trips I rent the guns from the PH's or outfit. I have used a variety.

When I take my own - .375 HH, .300WM and .280 Rem depending on where and what to shoot.

If one gun - .375HH

If all kudu and smaller - .280Rem

If eland and kudu - .300WM

Trip one for plains game in Namibia, model 70 300 win mag and model 70 375 H&H.

Trip two for buffalo and plains game in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Dakota 416 Rigby and model 70 375 H&H.

Trip three for elephant and buffalo in Zimbabwe, Chapuis 470 double and model 70 404 Jeffery.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
A special rifle (or rifles) is always part of my anticipation, the hunt and the memories. I've taken a pair of Cogswell & Harrison doubles (.475 N.E. & .375 flanged 2 1/2"), several different Searcy doubles in various calibers, a pre-war J.P. Sauer Cape gun, a three different custom .404 Jeffery rifles, a lowly .416 Ruger Alaskan that out shot some of my rifles that cost ten times as much, a Merkel 9.3x74r double, a .458 Win. Mag on a Mauser action, a .375 H&H that Roger Ferrell made for me.... and so on....

Heck, getting the rifles ready is such great fun. After lots of time practicing, the rifle becomes a good friend that is your partner on the safari.

Well said,my hunt starts the moment I start reloading & start getting some range time with the guns that I am going to use for the hunt,after many shots & when I feel absolute confidence in my firearms,they are like my friends about to embark with me on a great adventure!!!!

I've taken:

30-06
300 WM
338 WM
330 Dakota
375 H&H
375 WBY
416 REM
458 WM

Now I'm likely to only take a 375 but this year is PG only so I'm taking the 300 WM and don't laugh a Model 99 300 Savage that shoots great.

Mark

*Mauser in .375H&H
*Mauser in .458Win.

Will take my double rifle in .475 NE next time..

First Zim trip"
375 H&H
30-06

Next Zim trip:
375 H&H
12 ga (gotta have a go at the sand grouse)

In sixteen African Safaris plus some in Australia I have almost always taken a scoped 9.3x62. Often with a bigbore such as a 470NE, 458Mag or 425WR. All with great success.

In 14 safaris;

22/06
257 Wby
7mm STW
6.5X65RWS
264 WM
300Wby
300RUM
375 H&H
300H&H
338 RUM for the last 7.....

I have also used/hired over there 7X64, 8X68S, 500NE and both 12 and 20 bores.

And 223 in LM4...

In eight safaris:

375 RUM until I long ago learned to hate muzzle brakes.
Since then, 470 NE DR, 416 Rigby, 375 H&H.
Even if dangerous game is not on the menu, I'd still rather carry a DG rifle for any eventuality.

I like to tailor my battery to the trip. If Dangerous Game is on the menu involved, I take my .416 Winchester Remington Win M70 and back it up with a 9.3x62 CZ. For pure long range PG situations in S. Africa I took a .300 WSM and a .280 Rem both Model 70s. Last trip in Namibia I took the 9.3 and a 7x57 and used the 9.3 exclusively.

Great selections and maybe some patterns. Certainly agree that part of the fun is the preparation to take a new friend and well prepared load for the trip. Venda Axe I do some competitive steel plate long range shooting and the custom 30-378 groups 6" at 1000 yds (not the best) and the 375 2.5-4" but no I don't shoot long range in Africa. Part of the thrill is getting close , like 15-20 yds , and that is why a big bore, especially double, for close work on DG is a good friend.

First trip for plains game 375 H&H and a 300WSM
Second trip for buffalo 375 H&H
Third trip for plains game 375 H&H
Fourth trip for plains game 375 H&H

LR3,

My battery is/was:

87 - 30/06 Remington 700 classic with compact 6X Leupold & M17 Enfield custom .375 H&H with 1 3/4 - 5 Tasco (Plains game + Leopard)

92 - 30/06 Pre 64 Model 70 Winchester with 6x Leupold & Custom Model 98 Mauser .375 H&H with 1 3/4 - 5 Tasco (Plains game)

99 - Custom Model 98 Mauser .300 Wby Mag with 3 x - 9x Tasco.

5 Safaris.. Will list the Countries/species/cal:

Zimbabwe 1989
Tsessebe - 7mm Rem Mag
Kudu (2) - 7mm Rem Mag
Warthog - 7mm Rem Mag
Impala - 7mm Rem Mag
C. Buffalo - 375 H & H

Zimbabwe 1991
Sable - 7mm Rem Mag
C. Duiker - 7mm Rem Mag
Waterbuck - 7mm Rem Mag
Impala - 7mm Rem Mag
Zebra - 375 H & H
S. Grysbok - 375 H & H

Namibia 1994
Elephant - 458 WM
Gemsbuck - 375 H & H
R. Hartebeest - 375 H & H

S. Africa 2011
Nyala - 7mm Rem Mag
C. Bushbuck - 7mm Rem Mag
Black Springbuck - 223 (borrowed)
Blesbuck - 223 (borrowed)

Mozambique 2014
Reedbuck - 7mm Rem Mag
Oribi - 7mm Rem Mag

Life begins (and ends) at .416. My backup seldom gets any use after sight-in.

I'm not really a gun nut, but I always find it interesting to see other's choice of calibers for their safaris. Cool stuff guys!

35 safaris for me, and I have used mostly my .375 RUM. In the past few years its been mostly the .416 Ruger, along with either my .577NE or .600NE - but they have not been used a lot.