Im planning on hunting in south africa for plains game in 2011. Im wanting everyones opinion on what caliber to get. .300 Win, .338 Win, 30-378 Wby, 300 Wby, 340 Wby. Also one that i can use here in the states for big game. Thanks BC

Go ahead and start with the .375 HH. That way when you decide to take some dangerous game in Africa you will already be set.
Load it up and down for everything you want.
Frank

BC, I would go with either the 338 or the 340. Both will get the job done well no matter where you go. Load either one with a 225gr Swift A-frame or Barnes TSX and you will be most happy with the results.

I have a PG hunt in Namibia in the near future and will be taking my .338 loaded with A-frames.

What game are you planning on hunting and at what ranges will you be shooting?

For typical PG and pretty much all N Am game, the .300 Win is hard to beat. You can shoot 150 gr bullets at deer sized game, 180's for elk, kudu, gemsbok, etc, and 200gr premiums for really big stuff like moose, griz, etc. Ballistics are great, no recoil issues, ammo is fairly cheap and readily available. Just my opinion...

Another vote for 338.

took my .300 WM in June and had no issues with 8 animals.. 180gr bullet..

If I take your question purely at face value, the answer that I would give is a 338.

That said, if there is even the smallest chance that you'll want to consider taking any of the DG species in Africa, the right answer is the 375 H&H.

I would never, ever go to Africa without a 375 H&H, but that's just me.

And here I thought I was going to be out in left field. My choice, and what I've taken, was a .338. My second choice would have been my .375H&H or (drum roll please) my .395 Max!

Get the 375 H&H. It will kill anything here in the USA or in Africa. I think there are several really good reasons for picking the 375,,,,,first,,, it just screams take me to Africa, 2nd, you can walk into just about any sporting goods store in Africa or camp and find ammo, that is real important when your ammo travels in a different bag than your gun and can easily get pilfered or lost, third, great choice off loads for the 375. I may be a little bit on the side of "use enough gun" because I like to take my 416 rigby,, The 338 and 300 are great on plains game but when one of the big nasties pops up in the bush, and it does happen, it is nice to have enough gun.

Of the choices you list my first choice would be the 338 Win Mag, or the 340 Wby Mag, but not in a Wby rifle No pushfeed rifles!

My choice for myself would be the old 375 H&H in a CRF action rifle, with quality irons sights, and a 2-7X40mm scope in QD rings, and bases! The ammo is easy to find in any country in the world where big game hunting is allowed. The 375 H&H will work for anything from Tit Mouse to Teranasaurus Rex, and is legal for dangerous game in all of Africa. I hunt all big game with a 375 H&H Whitworth African express when useing a bolt rifle. You can't ask for a better Caribou, moose,elk or bear rifle that a good bolt action CRF 375 H&H!

.300win or .338 win from that list you provided

Everyone has an opinion. And here is mine for what it is worth. Since this is a plains game rifle I would choose one of the .300's. Personally I shoot a .300 Weatherby but a Winnie is perfectly acceptable. It is big enough for eland (though not perfect) and small and flat shooting enough for springbok in the Kalahari (but not perfect). Hell Elgin Gates even killed cape buff with it (but illegal in most African countries today). Very practical and versatile. Just my 2 cents worth.

Brennan,

My personal choice would be the 338 but all the calibers you listed are fine with the exception of the 30-378 which tends to be a big, heavy and in my opinion an unwieldy rifle with huge recoil.

Mark

Forget the .375 H&H -- it is much more than is desirable for plains game (I own two of them, so I'm clearly not opposed to the caliber). If you ever get a chance to go for DG you'll want to buy a DG rifle. When that time comes, if it does, you may want something other than a .375.

Either a .300 or .338 Magnum makes more sense. I used a .338 for my plains game hunt, but only because it shot better than the .300 Magnum I had intended to use. My hunting companions used a .300 Win and a .30-06 and both guns performed as well as my .338 on plains game as large as kudu and moutain zebra. A .30 or .338 is much better for your North American hunting.

You just can't do any better than a 300 Weatherby I think. jorge

Don't forget the 35 Whelen. While not included in the list it will work on all plains game.

I like the bigger holes it makes when compared with 30 cal and the rifle weight and recoil are negligible when compared to the larger/faster calibers. Cannons aren't needed for plains game.

You already have some very good suggestions but let me add another. The .338 RUM is a very fine cartridge for African plans game and would cetainly be adequate for leopard and lion.(though illegal) I believe that you will appreciate the additional range without holdover that you get versus the .375 which would be my second choice. At distance on large antelope I can tell the difference between the .338 and a .300. With a .338 or .375 you can't go wrong.

Unless you are planning to shoot long distances a plain old 3006 will do just fine.

375 H&H, you won't have any problem getting ammon in Africa

I used a .338wm. in Africa for plains game. Loaded with 250 gr. Nosler partitions. I know 10 animals doesn't make me an expert, but the 338 did a bang up job for me.

How much shooting have you done? I'd start with a 270 or 3006 if you haven't done a whole lot of shooting. 338s and 375s are not what I would call beginners guns.

Of those you listed to choose from I would pick the .340 Wby. If you have ever shot a .300 Winny or .338 you can handle it with practice. I have hunted with one for years, using it for many Bull Elk and an Alaska Yukon Moose. ----- When I went to the Selous for Buffalo and plains game, I took a .358 STA for all but the Buff and would do the same again. Good shooting.

.338 WM all the way!

Brennnan, good opinions here and as usual, vary widely. Since your a Texan, your probably hunting Deer mostly, but Texas has everything from Jack Rabbits to Cape Buffalo, even Rhino. You may be an Elk/Bear hunter, but unless your going to hunt Brown Bear and if ever you add Dangerous African game to your wish list, I'd get any one of the .300 calibers. Although I'm partial to the .300 RUM, I use a .280 mostly in Africa and it will handle any plains game and all of our big game in the lower 48 with no problem. Getting a .300 will take up a lot of slack on longer shots, but it won't make up for bad shots. If your thinking of Brown Bear or African DG, get the .375 H&H. Ammo is common here and there. You can load up and down the scale, and it's a realistic 200 yard rifle. A little tough on our game for the most part, but unless you want to buy specific rifles for specific hunts/game, one or the other will do well. It boils down with what your comfortable with. The .270 has killed Elk and plains game for maybe a half a century, but I find a little light for some of Africa's thick, elastic skinned PG.
Good hunting,
David

If you have a deer rifle in .270 or up that you are familiar with and shoot well, you don't need a new rifle for a PG hunt in RSA. Most African hunters I know shoot a .300WM for PG.

I have used the .300WM exclusively in NA, NZ and nine sub-Saharan African countries since 1974. I have many Elk, the NZ slam and over 50 species of African PG from Duiker to Eland taken with the .300WM, most using the 180 gr. Swift A-Frame or Nosler Partion.

Whatever you decide upon, the key to a successful safari is to practice, practice and then practice some more with the rifle and cartridge you will use in Africa.

Best of luck.

338wm or 375 h+h would be my choice.

Thinking back, for my first African PG hunt, I shouldn't have bought a new rifle. If you're not taking an Eland, and most don't on their first trip (RSA or Namibia, I assume), just bring a rifle in the 30-06, 300 Win, even 308 or 270 class. Use tough bullets and you'll be fine. By the time you've gotten your first taste of Africa, you'll be planning additional hunts where you WILL need a new rifle, and your knowledge and preferences will have changed by then. Good luck, just concentrate on the hunt and the experience. ..Biebs

Of the options you listed, I'd choose the .300 Win Mag. But if this were my first RSA hunt, I would take a .30-06 or (my favorite) a 7 mm Remington Magnum.

If an eland isn't on your list, it would possible to collect a specimen of every antelope in South Africa with heavy-for-caliber, good-quality bullets in a .243 without a problem.

Proper bullets placed well are more important than caliber. Most first-timers take too much gun for Africa's antelope, and too few can shoot the .338 or larger calibers well.

Bill Quimby

quote:

You just can't do any better than a 300 Weatherby I think. jorge

I think this is pretty sound advise.

It was also mentioned that Elgin Gates used his .300 Wby for Cape Buffalo. He also used it for Elephant.

I would feel confortable hunting ALL North American big game and ALL African plains game with my .300 Wby. Now if I can just find a sponsor...

.338 RCM

Thank you all for the suggestions.

quote:

Originally posted by Brennanc9093:
Im planning on hunting in south africa for plains game in 2011. Im wanting everyones opinion on what caliber to get. .300 Win, .338 Win, 30-378 Wby, 300 Wby, 340 Wby. Also one that i can use here in the states for big game. Thanks BC

For plains game, I would pick the 300 Winchester magnum from the list you have given.

The 300 RUM is better still.

My choice has been the 338wm and it has served me well. The 300 win will do too. For dangerous game I use a 416 rem and find it very adequate for the toughies. I have nothing against the 375's (I own and shoot three of them)but for what you described as your hunting plans there are better choices.

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Another vote for 338.

make that another .338 vote

300 winny for me.

Drive some TSX bullets real hard and watch things go down.

.325 WSM or the .338 WM for an all around plains game rifle in Africa and for big game here in the U.S. The 300 WSM or the .300 WM would also be good choices.

quote:

Originally posted by drwes:
Get the 375 H&H. It will kill anything here in the USA or in Africa. I think there are several really good reasons for picking the 375,,,,,first,,, it just screams take me to Africa, 2nd, you can walk into just about any sporting goods store in Africa or camp and find ammo, that is real important when your ammo travels in a different bag than your gun and can easily get pilfered or lost, third, great choice off loads for the 375.

This is exactly why I bought a .375 H&H for Africa.

When I was looking for a new rifle for that exact reason, I bought a 300 WM.

When I got the dangerous game bug, I got a 375H&H (and a 404 Jeff)

I have to agree the 375 H&H is wonderful caliber and do it all and it is classic. I do own one. Everyone has come with all various new calibers plus the .338. By new I mean in the last 30 to 40 years. But, a rifle I love and with every chance I get to hunt with, is the 300 H&H. You won't find cartidge that feeds better. It is without question my mind one of the smoothest feeding cardriges around. With modern powders you can do it all without the recoil of some of the new magnums. There is nothing in N. America you cannot kill with it. With the exception of few animals there is nothing it cannot take in Africa or for that fact anywhere in the world. In has some places it has been long forgotten but should not be. You have all these short magnums, ultra magnums and list goes on. The 300 H&H is a good long range rifle and yet it is fine for short range shots. You can hunt elk, antelope, sheep, goat, whitetail deer and so on in North America. For Africa it is more then capable of taking any plains game available. Like most of you I have battery of rifles and sometimes I wonder why. The 300 H&H was my dad's first big game rifle. Then he bought the 300 winchester when it came out. It was all about hype manufactures and gun writers were professing. He could not stand the snap like recoil. So, he put a muzzle break on it. The 300 H&H has more of push to it's recoil while most modern magnums have snap to their recoil. Good luck in your decision. What ever you choose make sure it is right for you.