I planning on making a trip to Africa for Cape Buffalo and a few plains game sometime the next five to six years. My current rifle battery that I'm planning on taking is a new to me Winchester model 70 stainless steel classic 375 H&H that I plan on doing some customization work on and my other rifle is a pre-war 1939 manufacturer Winchester model 70 30-06 that I plan on having restored (it's in rough shape) but it's a shooter! What do you guys think of my choice for two gun rifle battery for a first timer to go to Africa with?

Whats the caliber on the stainless classic? If 375 or 416, I'd say you've a tough combo to beat for your intended quarry.

Sorry I corrected that, it's a 375 H&H!

I think you have made an excellent choice.

On my second trip, I switched from my 300 Win to my 30-06 (gave my son my 300) and it worked great. The animals sure didn’t know the difference.

As the knight said to Harrison Ford in
The Last Crusade (Holy Grail) - "you have chosen wisely"...

I was thinking for bullets I'd use a 300 grain Swift A-frame or Barnes X for the 375 and for the 30-06 I was thinking 180 grain Swift A frame or nosler partition. However I am open to suggestions.

quote:

Originally posted by 460 wby shooter:
I was thinking for bullets I'd use a 300 grain Swift A-frame or Barnes X for the 375 and for the 30-06 I was thinking 180 grain Swift A frame or nosler partition. However I am open to suggestions.

You are good to go

Excellent combination.

I have a stainless classic 375 as well, shot my first 2 buffalo with it. NECG makes a rear sight that you file to zero. Much more robust than the 'flip-up' sight that comes on it. I put one on & really like it.

quote:

Originally posted by Baker458:
Excellent combination.

I have a stainless classic 375 as well, shot my first 2 buffalo with it. NECG makes a rear sight that you file to zero. Much more robust than the 'flip-up' sight that comes on it. I put one on & really like it.

Yeah I was thinking of going with that sight, a hooded barrel band front sight, and barrel band sling mount! I also ordered a olive with black web HS precision stock for it, and Leopold quick detach bases and rings! I am thinking of getting a Leopold 30 mm 1.5-5x20 with illuminated reticle scope!

It looks like you are right on track. The only suggestion I would make is the A-frame not the Nosler partition IF your plains game includes large/tough animals like Zebra/Eland. I still love and use a lot of partitions but they do seem to mushroom faster and penetrate a bit less than the "tougher" bullets. The more rapid expansion of he partitions is the reason my PH recommended them for Leopard but a tougher bullet Kroc. That being said I would have no qualms hunting plains game with a 30-06 and 180gr partitions.

460 wby shooter,

Your rifle choices are perfect and exactly what I've recommended to my clients time after time.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by gbs:
It looks like you are right on track. The only suggestion I would make is the A-frame not the Nosler partition IF your plains game includes large/tough animals like Zebra/Eland. I still love and use a lot of partitions but they do seem to mushroom faster and penetrate a bit less than the "tougher" bullets. The more rapid expansion of he partitions is the reason my PH recommended them for Leopard but a tougher bullet Kroc. That being said I would have no qualms hunting plains game with a 30-06 and 180gr partitions.

I will definitely buy some 180 grain Swift A-frames and see how my rifle likes them, if I can get them to shoot good I will definitely use them!

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
460 wby shooter,

Your rifle choices are perfect and exactly what I've recommended to my clients time after time.

Mark

Since I'm in the beginning stages of planning this trip I may have to get a hold of you as far as looking for a place to go hunting and pH!

The A Frames are a great choice.

I took an 06 on my first safari and used 165 TSX and dropped everything from impala and springbok to Gemsbuck and Waterbuck.

Excellent caliber choice for a two rifle African battery. You'll have no trouble finding ammo for those calibers in Africa if yours go MIA.

Nosler Partitions and SAFs are my go-to bullets of choice for Africa, and I've used TBBCs on occasion.

As Andrew said above, 'you're good to go!'

I personally would choose 2 DG capable calibers. I would use the 3-7-5 as the light for everything but the buffalo (but know I could) rifle and take the .460 WM (or .416 or .458) as the buffalo rifle but know how to shoot it well to 200 in case you needed to use it for everything. When walking in ele country...I personally like a minimum of .375 in my hands with solids in the mag below the soft chambered...but that is just me.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I personally would choose 2 DG capable calibers. I would use the 3-7-5 as the light for everything but the buffalo (but know I could) rifle and take the .460 WM (or .416 or .458) as the buffalo rifle but know how to shoot it well to 200 in case you needed to use it for everything. When walking in ele country...I personally like a minimum of .375 in my hands with solids in the mag below the soft chambered...but that is just me.

Unfortunately when my health went downhill and I found out I had to go on to kidney dialysis I was forced to sell my 460 Weatherby and a couple other Big bore rifles I had. So now the biggest thing I have which I recently purchased is the 375 H&H, I would be open to getting a larger rifle after I have my kidney transplant but I want to make sure that it's something I can shoot well!

I would be following Saeed's lead if going 375, the one rifle in that calibre will do everything, no need for a two gun battery with all the bullet selections available today for the 375. Just more gear to hump around to achieve nothing that the 375 won't achieve better.
Of course this assumes you can shoot the 375 well. If not then you may even find yourself in trouble with the 375 on buffalo

Great choice. The only possible improvement would be to swop out the 30-06 for a 275 Rigby.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
I would be following Saeed's lead if going 375, the one rifle in that calibre will do everything, no need for a two gun battery with all the bullet selections available today for the 375. Just more gear to hump around to achieve nothing that the 375 won't achieve better.
Of course this assumes you can shoot the 375 well. If not then you may even find yourself in trouble with the 375 on buffalo

You make an excellent point about having a one-gun battery. However I would really like to take the classic old pre-64 30-06 with me! I do believe I'll be able to shoot the 375 H&H without a problem since I have been shooting a 358 norma Magnum with a handloaded 250 grain nosler partition for years. Currently the 358 norma is my doe thumper of choice!

Take both rifles. Good choices by the way and use the A Frames if the rifles will shoot them well. They've always performed flawlessly for me. Noslers aren't my favorite for buffalo, but they'll work, just would avoid straight on frontal or left facing quartering away shots. I have seen one Barnes deviate badly, although I know from talking to everyone who loves them that this must have been a very unusual situation.

Your choices are close to my own, except I take a .416 Rem. and M70 .30-06 as my light rifle. I used to use the 1-5 Leupold, but switched to Swaro 1-6 Z-6 a few years back and love them. Have identical scopes on both rifles.

Serious question --- not just trying to start a controversy: How many of you ever have used the light rifle component of your two rifle battery? For my first two safaris, I diligently followed the sage advise offered here and elsewhere, and carried one large rifle (416 Rem.) and a plains game rifle (30-06). However, as we all know, when you leave camp, or even when you leave the truck, you generally don't know what the future holds. So, I found myself always grabbing for the larger caliber, just in case we came across that perfect buff or tuskless. Now, if it's dangerous game we're hunting, I'm carrying only the 416 (or 458 Lott if it's elephant). If it's an area only with plains game, I'm carrying only the 300 Win. or something similar. I just haven't found that dragging along two rifles has been very useful.

quote:

How many of you ever have used the light rifle component of your two rifle battery?

I've often hunted with my scoped .375 H&H Winchester Model 70 and a Searcy 450-400 double rifle. I've carried the 450-400 and one of the trackers carried my .375 H&H. When an occasion required it, I've quickly traded guns with the tracker. Same could go with a lighter second rifle.

A lot of mental masturbation here. Just take a .375 and quit screwing around. When you leave the truck you need one rifle in your hand and it should work on 250 yard shots on impala or 25 yards shots on buff. That’s a .375. You can’t carry two rifles at once and you won’t have time to be swaping back and forth with an apply/tracker......KISS principle.

A lot of good advice from the two above posts. I don't see one as correct and the other wrong, or vice versa.

I've used both philosophies successfully a number of times. Carried a 404J or 458L and had my wife or friend carry my 375 H&H, and several times handed off the open sighted 40+ for the scoped 375 on Buff. Have also carried just the 375 to kill Buffalo plus all PG on the hunt, from Jackals to Eland.

Amazing how universal the 375 is, as it plays out in both scenarios. Holland & Holland surely created a winner with their 375: 'King' of the medium bores, and 'Queen' of the big bores. SO versatile! And, I would not think twice about taking a 375 plus a small bore either. I believe my choice for the small bore would also be a 30-06 in that case.

And all of this brings us to the best 3-rifle battery of all time for African hunting: the 458 Lott, 375 H&H & 30-06. YMMV...

Many years ago, I used to take two rifles.

Various 270 wildcats, 7mm, 338 etc.

And a 375 or a 416.

Shot hundreds of animals with the smaller ones.

Then one day I had a problem with the action s Rees becoming loose on a 7mm rifle.

Could not hit the proverbial barn door from the inside.

We did not have the tools to tighten it.

So gave up on it and used the 375/404 which was my heavy rifle.

We wanted leopard bait, so impalas were on the menu.

A while later, with 4 shots we had 4 impala ready for bait.

The longest shot was over a measured 400 yards.

That did it.

As soon as I got home. I built me another 375/404.

And now take two identical rifles on safari.

They get used by everyone hunting in our party.

No complain far.

Your 375/404 shooting walterhogs is not the run-of-the-mill 375 H&H which I am sure you would not use in place of your custom designed caliber.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
A lot of mental masturbation here. Just take a .375 and quit screwing around. When you leave the truck you need one rifle in your hand and it should work on 250 yard shots on impala or 25 yards shots on buff. That’s a .375. You can’t carry two rifles at once and you won’t have time to be swaping back and forth with an apply/tracker......KISS principle.

I agree but if you own a variety of rifles it is nice to put them to use in the field and especially if one is venturing to Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Many years ago, I used to take two rifles.

Various 270 wildcats, 7mm, 338 etc.

And a 375 or a 416.

Shot hundreds of animals with the smaller ones.

Then one day I had a problem with the action s Rees becoming loose on a 7mm rifle.

Could not hit the proverbial barn door from the inside.

We did not have the tools to tighten it.

So gave up on it and used the 375/404 which was my heavy rifle.

We wanted leopard bait, so impalas were on the menu.

A while later, with 4 shots we had 4 impala ready for bait.

The longest shot was over a measured 400 yards.

That did it.

As soon as I got home. I built me another 375/404.

And now take two identical rifles on safari.

They get used by everyone hunting in our party.

No complain far.

Saeed your wisdom when it comes to the rifles and hunting Africa has been well received, I am seriously going to think about just taking my 375 H&H when I make the Safari happen!

quote:

Originally posted by 460 wby shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Many years ago, I used to take two rifles.

Various 270 wildcats, 7mm, 338 etc.

And a 375 or a 416.

Shot hundreds of animals with the smaller ones.

Then one day I had a problem with the action s Rees becoming loose on a 7mm rifle.

Could not hit the proverbial barn door from the inside.

We did not have the tools to tighten it.

So gave up on it and used the 375/404 which was my heavy rifle.

We wanted leopard bait, so impalas were on the menu.

A while later, with 4 shots we had 4 impala ready for bait.

The longest shot was over a measured 400 yards.

That did it.

As soon as I got home. I built me another 375/404.

And now take two identical rifles on safari.

They get used by everyone hunting in our party.

No complain far.

Saeed your wisdom when it comes to the rifles and hunting Africa has been well received, I am seriously going to think about just taking my 375 H&H when I make the Safari happen!

And your 375 H&H will do everything my 375/404 does too.

Only edge mine might have is better at the longer ranges where the bullet drop is less.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
A lot of mental masturbation here. Just take a .375 and quit screwing around. When you leave the truck you need one rifle in your hand and it should work on 250 yard shots on impala or 25 yards shots on buff. That’s a .375. You can’t carry two rifles at once and you won’t have time to be swaping back and forth with an apply/tracker......KISS principle.

Strongly disagree. I've always taken 2 rifles with one of the trackers carrying the one not in my hands. Have switched back and forth often as the situation dictated. There's usually plenty of time to switch when necessary.

I do agree with Lane however in that I like both rifles to have the capability to take on DG. I like a 375 or 9.3x74R as the light rifle, paired with a big bore.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by 460 wby shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Many years ago, I used to take two rifles.

Various 270 wildcats, 7mm, 338 etc.

And a 375 or a 416.

Shot hundreds of animals with the smaller ones.

Then one day I had a problem with the action s Rees becoming loose on a 7mm rifle.

Could not hit the proverbial barn door from the inside.

We did not have the tools to tighten it.

So gave up on it and used the 375/404 which was my heavy rifle.

We wanted leopard bait, so impalas were on the menu.

A while later, with 4 shots we had 4 impala ready for bait.

The longest shot was over a measured 400 yards.

That did it.

As soon as I got home. I built me another 375/404.

And now take two identical rifles on safari.

They get used by everyone hunting in our party.

No complain far.

Saeed your wisdom when it comes to the rifles and hunting Africa has been well received, I am seriously going to think about just taking my 375 H&H when I make the Safari happen!

And your 375 H&H will do everything my 375/404 does too.

Only edge mine might have is better at the longer ranges where the bullet drop is less.

I think I'm going to start trying to find another Winchester model 70 375 H&H maybe a blue one to go along with my stainless one. I can see the wisdom of taking two rifles in the same caliber and the same model to Africa. Muscle memory and familiarity with the rifle has to pay great dividends, once again thank you for your wisdom Saeed!

quote:

Originally posted by 460 wby shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by 460 wby shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Many years ago, I used to take two rifles.

Various 270 wildcats, 7mm, 338 etc.

And a 375 or a 416.

Shot hundreds of animals with the smaller ones.

Then one day I had a problem with the action s Rees becoming loose on a 7mm rifle.

Could not hit the proverbial barn door from the inside.

We did not have the tools to tighten it.

So gave up on it and used the 375/404 which was my heavy rifle.

We wanted leopard bait, so impalas were on the menu.

A while later, with 4 shots we had 4 impala ready for bait.

The longest shot was over a measured 400 yards.

That did it.

As soon as I got home. I built me another 375/404.

And now take two identical rifles on safari.

They get used by everyone hunting in our party.

No complain far.

Saeed your wisdom when it comes to the rifles and hunting Africa has been well received, I am seriously going to think about just taking my 375 H&H when I make the Safari happen!

And your 375 H&H will do everything my 375/404 does too.

Only edge mine might have is better at the longer ranges where the bullet drop is less.

I think I'm going to start trying to find another Winchester model 70 375 H&H maybe a blue one to go along with my stainless one. I can see the wisdom of taking two rifles in the same caliber and the same model to Africa. Muscle memory and familiarity with the rifle has to pay great dividends, once again thank you for your wisdom Saeed!

Certain countries will only allow you to bring in one rifle of a particular caliber. Better off bringing just a .375 and taking an extra scope you’ve already zeroed.

I am a bit possessive of my rifle.

I never, ever, let any tracker carry it.

I don't let anyone even carry it to my truck!

Our camp staff know that my rifle stays wherever I leave it in the gun rack.

Hunted in a new camp with a new PH.

First day back at camp somehow my rifle disappeared as I got off the truck.

I asked for it, and was politely informed that someone has taken it to CLEAN it!

I went ballistic, and demanded he is called back on the spot!

I made sure everyone got the message that my rifle is off limits, by telling them whoever does, will have no hands left, and other parts of his anatomy will bed fed to the hyenas.

They all laughed, but got the message.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
A lot of mental masturbation here. Just take a .375 and quit screwing around. When you leave the truck you need one rifle in your hand and it should work on 250 yard shots on impala or 25 yards shots on buff. That’s a .375. You can’t carry two rifles at once and you won’t have time to be swaping back and forth with an apply/tracker......KISS principle.

I agree but if you own a variety of rifles it is nice to put them to use in the field and especially if one is venturing to Africa.

I suggested above in one of my posts, that a 458 Lott, 375 H&H, and 30-06 would be my pick if someone told me I could only hunt Africa for the rest of my life with just three calibers. I still stand by that choice, but no one has said that to me yet! So, I have to agree with Andrew.

Like many of you here on AR, I love rifles, and I also love to hunt with all of them, and to explore with different calibers. I have used (9) different calibers so far in Africa, and want to add two more on my next hunt in Zambia; my 416 Rigby and 338-06.

I will agree with Saeed however, in that one caliber for all your hunting is 'simplicity itself', to quote Col. Boddington.

I just have too many rifles....and too many dreams!

I did what Lane suggested once and took a .375 as my light rifle and my .416 go to. I never fired the .375 after zero check. As several have suggested, most of my animals have been shot with the .416 because that is what was in my hand and it's proven good to 300 yards and I don't want to shoot much beyond that. That's all true, but depending on where you are, a light rifle is a valuable tool. I would have a tracker carry it. It's what I do anyway. Have shot more animals with the light rifle lately. Don't care so much if I kill anything anymore.

When hunting I always take a couple of calibres into the field in case one is problematic. The 30.06 is an awesome all-rounder.

Every chambering mentioned above are fine for full bag. I have on occasion taken only one rifle for everything from impala to hippo and had no problem taking them all with Bolt action 375 H&H with never a second shot needed. Having said the above the one head of African game I would rather have my 470 Ne double with proper bullets is a bull elephant.

.............................There are many chamberings that work the world over, one is the tried and true .375 H&H mag in a good bolt rifle and proper bullets for the target being hunted is one of them.. 375 H&H one rifle for the world!
................................................... MacD37

I like simplicity and these days for hunting Africa the .375 H&H does it all. On earlier trips I took both 30.06 and .375 H&H but it's much easier lugging one rifle around rather than two.
I handload my hunting ammo and if needs be I could load lighter and heavier .375 bullets and shooting distance POI would be pretty close. That's one of the beautiful things about the mighty .375 H&H, a truly all round and versatile cartridge.

Clicked on thread, thinking it would be s 460WBY for plains game.

Left disappointed.