Going to Africa for Buffalo and plains game this August. I have many rifles/calibers to choose from. I have a 500 Jeffery (iron site only) as well as many others to choose from in my safe. What would be a good two rifle choice for Buff to plains game safari. Would you even take the 500 Jeffery? Was it a mistake to have this rifle made?

A lot of this will be personal preference, but I will be taking my .500 NE double and my .416 Rigby as a B/U.
Since my wife will be taking her .300 W.M., I will put my .375 H&H with 270 gr. hot loads in her Tuff Pak.

If I were taking the .416 as the main buff gun, I would have the .375 loaded with .300 gr. bullets and take the .338 W.M. for the smaller game.

I suppose it depends on the plainsgame that you want and if you want to take a B/U for the buff gun or not. Again, a lot of personal preferences.

I think that your .500 Jeff with iron sights makes for a great choice, from my understanding of the cartridge. I do take a B/U for the buff gun because I feel that Murphy is alive and well in Africa too. I don't want the hunt spoiled because a rifle goes down. It's never happened in any hunt, but I feel better .

You most likely have a good many to choose from that will make a fine combination.

All the best,

Sam

Ib, I would definately take the 500...You will have absoultely no problem in getting closer then 50 yds to a buff and if you come around the corner and there is one at 20feet...You have the right medicine in your hands...for crushing purposes...The 300H&H will be fine also...

Mike

The best double rifle most of us could own or maybe I should say the one the most of us would use more often would be one in 22 rimfire!
Galazan makes them and they are $20,000+ each.
I have sold one to a friend and I doubt you could pry it from his hands. He has been to Africa near 20 times but shoots this gun more than any he ones. Kills dove, turkey, rabbits, prickly pear buds etc. etc.
I have another friend that can own any gun he wants but kills deer and most other things he hunts on his ranches in Mexico with a 30/30 double he aquired many years ago.
Take that smooth feeding 300 H&H and enjoy the hell out of it...that is the one you will shoot 98% of the time anyway...the other gun will be just the one you have the hots to try out anyway. I have seen damn few big bores that were ever shot out that is for sure.
Might want to put wheels on the 500!

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Originally posted by lb404:
Going to Africa for Buffalo and plains game this August. I have many rifles/calibers to choose from. I have a 500 Jeffery (iron site only) as well as many others to choose from in my safe. What would be a good two rifle choice for Buff to plains game safari. Would you even take the 500 Jeffery? Was it a mistake to have this rifle made?

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Leonard,
If you can shoot the .500 well, take it, and either a .375H&H, .338, or .300 magnum. You will be covered for anything you encounter, from duiker to buff.

Last time I went for buff, I took my .470 Capstick and .375H&H.

George

AHHHA!

Maybe this will get the thread to sizzle, but:

There were (and in some cases still are)some PHs who prefer you to hunt with a DGR meant for Buff while hunting for plains game. The logic being you never know what, where or when you might run across something that will bite, gore, chew or stomp you to death.

So, that being said, do you bring a 500 J and 375 H&H or do you bring a 500 J and 300 H&H and hope that you don't bump into anything dangerous while carrying your 300 H&H???????

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Originally posted by lb404:
Going to Africa for Buffalo and plains game this August. I have many rifles/calibers to choose from. I have a 500 Jeffery (iron site only) as well as many others to choose from in my safe.

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Wish I had your dilemma. Good hunting with whatever rifle you decide to take along!

How well do you shoot that .500 Jeffery and what range do you have with those iron sights?

The answer to that will answer the question of whether you should take it.

Are you willing to pass up a 45" buffalo because he is out of iron sights range? Not all buffalo are shot at less than 50 yards.

Regards,

Terry

Congratulation on your upcoming adventure.

If there were no emotional attachments to any of the guns in my safe (and unfortunately there are), I'd take a scoped, minimum legal caliber for buffalo, just in case something goes awry with the 500. Either a 375 or some kind of 9.3 that's legal. You can use it for plains game without a lot of discomfort, and in a pinch, will take care of the buffalo as well.

I can't see the 500 as being a mistake, ever. And once you've used it in Africa, on dangerous game, it's value to you will increase geometrically - guaranteed !!

Such a problem you have !!!

When huntilng plains game in an area where dangerous game is present, I use a 416 Rem Mag loaded with 350 grain Swift A Frames.

At 2600+ fps reaching out 250 yds is no problem. I have used this combination on Buffalo with excellent results.

Leonard,
Why aren't you taking one of those 404 Jeffery rifles you own?

Seriously, the 500 is great stopper. I wouldn't call it a plains game rifle!

I'd opt for one of your 404s a 416 Rigby/Remington, or your 375. The .375 is really your best choice for a scoped rifle.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking that 500 and 300 combo. I don't buy into the "what if you're hunting "X" and a buffalo shows up and there you are with your 300" alarum. That is why one hunts with a PH. This June for example, I'm taking a 416 and a 300 (H&H or Weatherby haven't made up my mind). We'll be hunting buffalo first up in Dande, then down to the Lowveldt for plains game. jorge

This is great, I originally had a 505 Gibbs made for Mark Sullivan. It was made short and light and kicked the shit out of me. I sold it before I got a real bad concussion. The 500 Jeffery was also made up to Sullivan's specifications but I had it made up to weigh 10.5 to 11 lbs hoping it would be enough weight. Can the powder charge of the 500 Jeffery burn in a 22" barrel????
My thought was to take my 404 OR my 375 as the second rifle. I am having another 9.3x62 made in the traditional Jeffery style that may be ready by hunting time, so a 9.3x62(scope sighted but with excellent iron sights) and a 500 Jeffery are a definite possibility.

Ib404: I can concur with the 375 as your "light" rifle, being that one can easily take game out to 300 yards if your skill level is there. However, I must disagree with the 404 and the 9.3X62 SOLELY for plains game. The trajectory's just not there for my taste. jorge

I think by hunting with a rifle that has only open sights, you will be hadicapping yourself somehow.

Also, the larger the caliber, the more specialized the rifle is.

Years ago, I used to take two rifles on my hunts. One for elephant, buffalo and lion, and the other, smaller, for everything else.

Then I found myself shooting practicaly everything with my big rifle - either a 416 or a 375.

This would happen as we would be hunting buffalo or elephant, and then come across another animal. The scope came in handy, as although most of the shots were under 150 yards, a few were over 400 yards.

After a few hunts, I decided to use only one rifle for everything, and setteled on our own 375/404. I have two rifles chambered for this cartridge, and usually take them both on safari.

I normally use one, and the other is used by some of my hunting partners.

This arrangem,ent has worked for us for many years, and I think we will stick to it.

When I went on a buffalo/plainsgame hunt I took a 375 H&H and a 30-06. The combo worked beautifully.
Obviously your 500 would work, if you shoot it well take it and use it for the Buffalo. Your second gun should be whatever you shoot the best.

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Originally posted by CanadianLefty:
AHHHA!

Maybe this will get the thread to sizzle, but:

There were (and in some cases still are)some PHs who prefer you to hunt with a DGR meant for Buff while hunting for plains game. The logic being you never know what, where or when you might run across something that will bite, gore, chew or stomp you to death.

So, that being said, do you bring a 500 J and 375 H&H or do you bring a 500 J and 300 H&H and hope that you don't bump into anything dangerous while carrying your 300 H&H???????

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canadianlefty,
When you are on a buff/plains game hunt, you usually hunt buffalo exclusively until it's down. Then, you hunt plains game.
It would take an exceptional specimen of plains game to have a PH interrupt a buff hunt.

George

George,

What about the other way around? You shoot your Buffalo, then as you are hunting plains game, you happen on a pissed off Buff that is looking for trouble?

I guess that the short answer is "that is what the PH is there for", but wouldn't you be better off with a .338 or .375 using mid weight bullets than a .300 Win mag. packing 180-200grs?

On our hunts, we mainly hunt buffalo - about 10 to 12 each hunt.

But, do shoot anything that is still on our license of other game animals.

On teh subject of shooting a charging buffalo with a 300 magnum, I would not hesitate in doing it, as we usually use either Barnes X or our own Walterhog bullets.

I am absolutely certain a 180 grain Walterhog bullet will drop a buffalo in its tracks once it is hit in the brain with it.

canadianlefty,

It is a mistake to rely on the PH to stop a charge by himself; during a surprise charge, I expect EVERYONE with a gun to open fire.

A big gun is alway better than a small gun, especially when shit happens. However, 99.9999% of the time, shit doesn't happen.

Besides, if you're out hunting plains game, chances are even your .375 is loaded with 'softs'.
A conventional 'soft' is unlikely to penetrate like a good monolithic solid; you can hope that your soft will make it to the brain and stop the buff, but it takes a cool hand to place that shot during a surprise charge at close quarters.

Use of bullets like the 'X' and the Walterhog improve the odds of your bullet penetrating deeply during an extremely unlikely charge, but what if those bullets don't shoot well in your gun? You are back at square one, using either 'solids' for everything, or 'stuck' with 'softs' during that extremely unlikely charge.

George

I'm going on a similar hunt in October to Zimbabwe. Rifles of choice is a .416 Rigby for buffalo and my .375 H&H for plains game. Either rifle will do the job for the buffalo and the .375 serves as a back up. I've already used the .375 for plains game with no complaint from the animals or me on it's performance.

If I had a nice double I would definetly take it to Africa, what a waiste not to. Teamed w/ a good .375 or .416/.404, you are set for just about anything. I would probably lean to the .375 for plainsgame because it's a bit mor versatile than a .40 (read flatter shooting, less recoil). I only had my .404 last year in Moz. & RSA for buffalo & some plainsgame. Both areas were pretty thick so keeping under 200yds wasn't too hard. The longest shot I took was my waterbuck @ a bit over 110yds. You can alwyas have a tracker carry your scoped rifle in case you have to shoot beyond your iron sited double. Have fun, good luck!

I have done many a plainsgame/dangerous game combo with only a 416 Remington or a 404 Jefferys and never noticed I had the wrong gun, if fact the more I use both the 416, 404, the more impressed I am...

The more I use the really big bores the less impressed I am...the only big bore that impresses me is the 470 and only then because its a double rifle, a 450-400 would suit me just as well, even on elephant.

For me the key is the shot placement. If you have good confiance with iron sights (unfurtunately I have'nt) take your 500 Jeffery for buff: Mbogo and your rifle will remain in your hart for life. But if you are not sure of first shot placement with open sights, take the 375 and 300 grs soft nose rounds first then 300 grs solid in the magazine for buff, 300 grs soft nose only, for plains game at close range since 100 yds. For more distance I'd take 300 Wby.
In any case ASK TO YOUR PH for caliber and bullet selection.

Have a great hunting experience, ciao

Sell everything but the .375 and invest in hunting adventures. Guns come and go but the adventure lasts a lifetime and your kids wont have to go through probate on your estate.

I like the 375 HH myself. Should at least bring that. Bring the big gun too and be a happy man.

Now for the issue of what if you are plains game hunting, turn the corner and are met with a charging Buff? If you fire whatever caliber you are carrying, even if the PH finishes it off. Have you not just bought a Buffalo???

I own only three rifles appropriate for hunting in Africa so the choice is simple. From a battery of a .300 WinMag, a .375 H&H and a .416 Rigby, if I can only take one gun it is the .375. If I can take two it's the 300 WinMag and the 416 Rigby. I think you pretty much cover most possibilities with those two. I will of course change my mind as soon as I get a big double.

When I was in Africa I have taken as a two rifle battery 450 Rigby and 330 Dakota or 7mm Weatherby Magnum or 7mm Mauser. It depends on area and type of animals you consider to hunt.

Thanks guys, My wife says I am jumping the gun with the 500 Jeffery as it is not complete yet and who knows about custom rifle makers these days. My last 404 was delivered about a week before my hunt last year, and 8 months late. Not enough time to really sort it out before the hunt. I need to take a rifle that my wife can shoot at some game and her level of pain stops at the 9.3x62. I was thinking of using the 9.3 and the 404 as a team if the Jeffery isn't done.