Is there a minimum?
Would a 6.5x55 with a premimum 140/160gr bullet do the trick for game up to and including kudu?

Bakes

Bakes

I plan to use just such a combination on my next hunting trip to Africa, unless my planned 318 Westley Richards is sorted out by then.

I reckon the Barnes X 140 gr or the Hornady or Norma Oryx 160 grainers would drop a Kudu in rapid style if you put it in the right spot. And if you are hunting in Bushveld conditions where the shot are likely to be under 120 metres then their vitals are a bloody big target to miss!

Regards

The caliber you selected is certainly adequate for the game in question. The 6.5's renowned reputation for penetration definetly helps. Having said all that, would I use it if I had other calibers available to me? NO. I much prefer one of the OLD 300s as in H&H, Win, or Weatherby, or what I consider the optimum plains game caliber, the various 33s. When you actually see how big an eland cn be, you'll see what I mean. jorge

I am with Jorge here. You could do it with a 6.5x55 but you are limiting yourself a lot on shot selection depending on the animal.

I would say 270 Win or 7mm-08 with 150/160 grn bullets is a lot more practical lower end.

In favorable circumstances, I don't doubt that the 6.5 x 55, or the .270, .280 or any of the various 7mms will get the job done given good shot placement with premium bullets.

However, I'll take Ruark's advice and "use enough gun" to get the job done under the unfavorable circumstances sometimes encountered in the bush.

I believe the best choice for an all-around plains game caliber starts at .30 caliber with premium bullets of at least 180 grains; and 200 grains is better.

I agree with Mark. although lots of animals have been killed with small calibres my personal preference for hunting in the bushveld is a minimum of .30 calibre and 180 grain bullets.

My DG rifle is a .500 Jeffrey. I also agree with good ol' Bobby Ruark........ Use enough Gun.

Correct me if I am wrong but dont most of the provinces put a lower limit of 270 or equivalent on the caliber to be used?

I'm sure all the plainsgame could be collected with a 22 L.R., as most could be shot at short range if you were not particular about trophy quality, but like the rest I would want my 300 H&H, or 338 Win., both with heavy for caliber bullets, just in case that 65" Kudu was on the far side of 400 yards away, or that Roland Ward Eland bounced up at 50 to 100 yards going South....

Why spend all that money on a Safari and hamper yourself with a questionable caliber that will come back to haunt that decision sure as the world.

But its your money and your hunt, not mine, and if you need to prove the 6.5 is adequate then have at it, but its already been done, and the results of that were: no room for error; short range; perfect bullet placement; and the ability to pass up shots that could have been made with a larger caliber...

I hunt deer every year with a 25-35 Win. M-94 with open sights under the above set of rules, and I have watched some real big bucks walk over a saddle at 300 yards, because I choose this caliber and I can live with it, can you??...

While in Namibia last year, I was told most farmers use .270s. Having said that, my two PH's both had a .308 and a 7mm between them. One also had a .300 H&H on it's way.

My choice since then has been to have a good .300 Win Mag made.

I've settled on the 338 mag for practically everything. If the trophy of my dreams shows up I want to be ready, even if I don't get the shot I really want. I can't shoot anything bigger as well or I'd probably be using a real cannon.

Well said Ray.

Chuck

Mike,

Most game farm/ranch owners put a limit on the minimum caliber of .243.

But I have to agree with what the guys are saying and that if you have something bigger than 6,5 then rather use that. Trophies are expensive and you don't want to loose one (wounded) because the shot was not placed perfectly with a "smaller" caliber.

Enjoy your hunting.

Bakes,

Mike is correct in that, at least in Zimbabwe, they specify the 270 as a minimum caliber for plains game.

I have personally used a 270 Ackley for all plains game except eland, and never felt I needed anything more. I used both the Barnes X 130 grain bullet, and the TB Bear Claw 140 grains. I found the 130 X tended to penetrate slightly more.

I have also shot an eland at over 500 yards with a 270/7mm Dakota, using the 150 grain Jensen bullet.

As has been mentioned by several of our friends, use a good bullet.

And to add to what my friend Ray said, when using a larger caliber, you can take shots you might otherwise pass on.

For example, on several occasions, I have shot some animals in the rear end with a 375/404, with a 300 grain X bullet.

If I had a smaller caliber then, I would definitely would not have taken the shot.

Thanks for the comments. An African hunt is a long way off for me, but this is my favorite calibre, so I thought I'd ask. I have a full wood Brazilian Mauser in 7x57 sitting around doing nothing, how would a 7x57AI with heavy bullets perform?

Bakes

Bakes,

A 7x57 AI with between 150-175 grain bullets will do just fine.

I would see how 175 grainers shoot and if they are accurate...I would seet them long and give them as much ummpphh as you can.

Gentlemen,

I have seen the 6.5x55 used on a variety of plains game with the 140 gr. Nosler Partition. It seemed to do just fine. That being said, I stick with my 7 Mag with 175 gr. Partitions, because I know that it works every time. That 7x57 AI would be a sweet bushveld rifle. Use 175 gr. bullets and put those shots on target and it will work great.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

HI,

This is a ggreat question. I, Kev, and this is me think there is no thing called over kill, no such thing. I would after a great deal of time use a 416 Rigby,it could be a Remington, but much perfered a 416 Rigby.I know it can be handloaded to a higher fps and shoot as flat as most plains rifle so as the old saying goes KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID, or KISS. This really apples to me, a 400 grain 416 BarnsX at 2600fps at 3 inches high at 100 yards. It only drops around 13.2 inches at 350 yards which means I could hunt DG and plains game with the same rifle and bullet, am all- around rifle. Thanks,Kev

Kev,
I don't know what the cost to handload a 416 Rigby is, but your barking at a $100 a box for factory ammo. That is the only reason I think the 375 H&H is the better all round caliber. The 375 H&H ballistics are about the same as an '06, making it practical to practice with $20.00 a box ammunition. Having said that, I killed my buffalo with a 416 Rigby.

Due to extenuating circumstances last year I hunted both plainsgame and Buffalo with a 416 Rem. and 400 gr. bullets at barely 2400 FPS, and I didn't feel hampered in the least, and I could take any shot offered...I was amazed at how well the GS Custom FN solids killed Zebra and Kongoni. and the North Fork 380 gr. soft performed to boring perfection....

That said, I still prefer a two gun Safari with my 338 or 300 H&H to compliment my big bore.

The question is a good one, and applies to more than just African plains game. I've struggled with the concept a lot, and made some mistakes along the way. Here's what I've learned. Rule #1 - use the largest gun you can shoot well, unless it's inappropriate (338 on whitetail, for instance). Rule #2 - If you're not going to follow rule #1, be prepared (i.e. don't argue with yourself) to pass up some opportunities.

My wife took her 270 to Africa twice, and did just fine on plains game. She was also determined to have a 150 yard max on everything larger than impala. She broke that rule on a mountain zebra, and after only another 4 shots and somw significant walking,had her trophy. Didn't exactly go according to plan. Lesson learned- stick to your self-imposed rule.

I've also learned that in using light-for-game calibers,it's not hard to inflict a fatal wound at a greater distance than you can reliably recover the animal. Not fair to the animal, to say the least. So, I have had to pass up a few shots along the way when I was determined to use a 25-06 on mule deer, for instance. But I had reasons to use that particular rifle, so I fell back to rule #2.

The 6.5 or 7x57, assuming they're legal, are fine if you're willing to restrict yourself to realistic killing shots. For my money and trip to Africa, I'd move up just a bit.

Good luck!!