Wifey has one-shot kills with her .270 Weatherby Magnum on gemsbok and waterbuck with 140-grain TSX's. Should there ever be a 4th safari in our future she wants a zebra.

I have 150-grain TSX and 160-grain Nosler Partition loads that look good, but don't know of their advisability for something a step up from the above.

Something like a 30/06 might be better, but she shoots this Mark V well and it has significant sentimental value

Thoughts, pls.

Barry.

The 270Wby mag in my view will handily take a Zebra. The TSXs are just the ticket. If I were you AND if my rifle shot them well enough to hunt, I would go with the heaviest premium bullet you can get or at least that 150 TSX. No worries. jorge

It wasn't my first choice but my .270 Wby did the job. Since she shoots it well if she gets the right shot she should be fine.

My son took two Zebras, one shot each, with a 6.5 Swede, 140gr. A-Frames. So I would guess a .270 Wby would do just fine. I'm sure you know the mantra..."shot placement is the key".

Geronimo

Did you recover either of the 140gr TSX's from the gemsbock or waterbuck?

My guess is that same bullet would do in a zebra right quick.

Thanx, guys. The gemsbok was a pass-thru (neck to opposite shoulder) and the waterbuck bullet wasn't recovered -- somewhere in the paunch, methinks (frontal chest shot).

I'll assume the "triangle" shot?

In Zambia I took a Kudu, Waterbuck and Zebra with a .270Win and Trophy Bonded Bear Claws no problem. Don't underestimate the .270 with good bonded bullets. I always say that with today's premium bullets that the .270 is equivalent to the .30-06 when I was growing up.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
The 270Wby mag in my view will handily take a Zebra. The TSXs are just the ticket. If I were you AND if my rifle shot them well enough to hunt, I would go with the heaviest premium bullet you can get or at least that 150 TSX. No worries. jorge

My sentiments exactly.

I have to say after shooting several zebra that I much prefer a 338 upward for them. I do think that a 270 150 gr TSX would work fine but I might expect the zebra to go quite a distance before expiring.

Mark

On our safari in Namibia I shot a mountain zebra with 225 grain TSXs from my .338 and my dad shot his with 140 grain TSXs from a .270 WSM. Other than slightly less of a blood trail from his (sharp quartering to shot, no exit), there wasn't much difference in the way the two zebras died.

Zebras may be large, but they seem to linger rather than flee when hit hard. At least that is the way our guide characterized the Hartmanns we hunted in Namibia in 2007. Once the animal was hit, they had no doubt that it would be recovered as zebra seem to react to a gunshot wound as if it is sick and will slow and even stand if not pushed. I don't know about the plains variety, but assume they act similarly. At any rate, your wife's .270 WBY with any reasonably deep-penetrating bullet should be fine for zebra.

My experience with zebras, both taken in Namibia, the first a Hartmanns in 2003 with 250 gr premium bullet from my .338 Win Mag, 1 shot @ approx 100 yds, he ran about 30-50 feet and flopped over. My second a Burchells in 2008 with 180 gr premium bullet from my .30-06, was not so good, flubbed the first shot and only broke the right foreleg plus he was in a mixed herd of animals including B-Wildebeest, gemsbok, and who knows what else, zebra ran with the herd, follwed blood trail including pieces of bones, for quite some distance, (don't recall now how far, and while we did get close a couple of times, no second shot opportunity since herd was mixed and milling and hard to identify right animal. Anyway, on last approach, herd stopped and milled and then ran again, since darkness was approaching, we got back onto hunting car and did a "guessed" end around and were lucky to catch and find herd and identify wounded zebra who ended up at the back of the herd since he was hurt, between me and the PH, it took another 5 shots ( 2 of which were misses, 1 from me and 1 from PH at running animal), before the zebra was down. This is not a reflection on the capability of the cartridge (.30-06 with 180 gr bullets) used, but rather the point that I flubbed the first shot and was lucky to get this animal in the end. Just proves that the first shot in the right place is far more important than cartridge size. Use what one can shoot best and most comfortably, within reason of course.

Good luck on the zebra hunt.

many moons ago i shot a zebra with a 270 weatherby & a 150 gr partition. The shot was through both lungs and it did indeed kill the animal, but he also ran a long ways before dying. zebra are particularly tough critters and if you're using a light round the shot placement must be really really good

.270 and Zebra? Why not?!

Butch,

I guess that was my point having shot one in Tanzania with a frontal shot at 200 yards with 180 NP from a 300 WM. That zebra took of at a dead run. We could see him running through a screen of brush for a long way but no follow up shot was possible. He ran long enough for me to question the PH about my hit that he thought was perfect. The stallion just pumped out eventually but had run flat out about 300 yards. I think with a 375 he might have piled up sooner.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
Wifey has one-shot kills with her .270 Weatherby Magnum on gemsbok and waterbuck with 140-grain TSX's. Should there ever be a 4th safari in our future she wants a zebra.

I have 150-grain TSX and 160-grain Nosler Partition loads that look good, but don't know of their advisability for something a step up from the above.

Something like a 30/06 might be better, but she shoots this Mark V well and it has significant sentimental value

Thoughts, pls.

Barry.

BNagel,

You are truly blessed to have a wife who hunts with you. My wife hunted until the age of 14 when she winged a snowshoe hare and it "cried" like a human infant. She still helps me butcher fish and game. She cooks same then eats it and actually enjoys it (even when I have done the cooking as well). She has no issues with anyone else shooting critters but again, she has given it up while still in her youth.
(errr, um,...ah...awhile back). I'd enjoy it if she were still a hunter but I do not bug her about it. I am happy enough that she is a meat eater and Type-A personna in general. Again, you are truly blessed.

I will bet that your wife has no trouble letting the air out of a zebra as long as she uses a stout bullet and no doubt she will hit the vitals to begin with. If my wife sudenly became a hunter again and wished to shoot the "armored car of non-dangerous game" - AKA zebra, I'd probably suggest she get familiar with the .35 Whelen/250 grain or 9.3x62/250 Gr or .338-06/250 Gr, Swift A-Frames or some other very tough/bonded projectile that proved very accurate as well.

I presume most women (not all) find the .375 H&H over the top for recoil tolerance, which is one of my personal favorite so called "plains game" cartridges if the larger antelope, plus zebra are intended species. I've hunted in Alaska (my home) many times, plus have shot an even dozen African critters with the .375 and cannot say enough good about it. I prefer 300 grainers in it.

Flashbang hyper velocity and lazer flat trajectory does not appeal to me unless I'm hunting prairie dogs. Regardless of my personal quirks on this subject, the .270 Wby has taken enough game now around the world that even though it is nothing which appeals to my Africa beginner self, it obviously works. Your wife will probably be glad she brought it for zebra and have no problems with her tried and true rifle.

Cheers.
Ard.

If she shoots ir well and has confidence in it, load it with 150 barnes bullets and go hunting.

I took a .264 Win Mag to Namibia and it rocked everything from gemsbok to kudu to wildebeest to zebra. No problem if you can hit where you aim.

I have killed multiple plains and mountain zebra with a .338, a .375 and a .416.

So, is that saying enough on this subject, or do I have to spell it out in a formal opinion?

Just kidding. It can be done with less. Just make sure she gets close and aims small!

My wife killed kudu, wildebest, and zebra with a 308 Win. No problems.

On my very first safari, one of the first animals I shot was a zebra, with a .270 winchester. I was shooting 150 nosler partitions, and the zebra was about 150 yards quartering toward me.

One shot into the shoulder and it reared up and fell over backwards. It then got up and went less than 20 yards before going down for good.

Shoot a quality bullet of 150 grains or so, and she'll be fine. Of course, shot placement is the key.

If I didn't already have a battery suitable for Africa, and had to start from scratch, a 270 weatherby would be on the list.

Because she shoots well, she will be fine with what she has.

Have her stick with the 270Wby and a 150TSX or TBBC.......

I have killed them with a 257WBY and 115XBT's.......

killed a 1200 lb moose with one in BC using 150 gr. Noslers. ambled about 10 yards and dropped. a zebra may be tougher but he won't weigh 1200 lbs. if she shoots it well, end of story.