The Accurate Reloading Forums
Bullets for plains game
29 February 2008, 20:04
Rick BehlingBullets for plains game
I will be hunting Namibia in June 2009 for plains game. The intended species are Greater Kudu, Hartsman Zebra, Eland, Gemsbok, Springbok, Red Hartebeest and Warthog. I will be using an M700 chambered in 7 Rem Mag for the smaller species and an M70 chambered in .375 H & H Mag for the larger species.I will be using factory loaded ammunition. Of the following options which would you choose and why?Nosler PartitionBarnes TSXTrophey Bonded Bear ClawSwift A FrameWoodleigh Weldcore
29 February 2008, 20:10
retreeverI would shoot only one rifle the 375...On the big animals the TSX bullet in 270 gr...will give penetration from all ANGLES.. on THE LITTLE GUYS a punch thru the ribs will only give a small hole...
Mike
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29 February 2008, 20:13
mhoAll the bullets mentioned would do well, even on heavy plainsgame. Pick the ones that shoot well in your rifles.
I would look at something like a 160 grs for the 7mm Rem Mag and a 270 grs for the .375 H&H.
- mike
*********************
The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart
29 February 2008, 21:04
375 fanaticWhat about the 200gr GSC mine shoots were i aim up to 200m at 3200feet/sec and drops 7" on 300m its ideal for that type of hunting
"Buy land they have stopped making it"- Mark Twain
29 February 2008, 21:28
Michael RobinsonI agree that they're all excellent bullets and that you should use whichever of them shoots best in your rifles.
Mike
Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer.
29 February 2008, 21:31
Lhook7quote:
Originally posted by retreever:
I would shoot only one rifle the 375...On the big animals the TSX bullet in 270 gr...will give penetration from all ANGLES.. on THE LITTLE GUYS a punch thru the ribs will only give a small hole...
Mike
+1
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29 February 2008, 22:00
phurley5mrlexma hit the nail on the head, if any of those listed shoots well, they will do, if any don't shoot well in you rifle forget them. Good shooting.
phurley
29 February 2008, 22:08
L. David KeithWhat Mrlexma says is #1. However, your 7 mag with well constructed bullets will kill every animal on your list with no trouble. It doesn't take an Elephant gun to kill plains game. Just a good shooter. Heed retreever's advice on the Springbok: avoid the shoulders and punch through the ribs. That includes hitting any of the large bones or bad angles. 7 mag shows no mercy on those little guys if you take bad angles. Good hunting, David
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29 February 2008, 22:16
Safari-HuntAnother vote for the Barnes TSX.
Frederik Cocquyt
I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good.
01 March 2008, 00:22
zimbabweI have used Partitions almost exclusively (only used other bullet if Partition not available for caliber) for over 55 years with complete success on all types of game thru Buffalo and see no real reason to change. They are accurate and perform as designed. If I do my part they do theirs. I really don't experiment with reloading just find an accurate load and stay with it.
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01 March 2008, 03:29
Blair338/378Both retreever's and 375 fanatic's suggestions are good ones..........
Verbera!, Iugula!, Iugula!!!
Blair.
01 March 2008, 04:18
jetdrvrI use the identical calibers. I would recommend the 160 Swift A Frame in the 7mm. I have had exemplary success with that bullet/caliber combo, and the 270 A Frame for the .375. You will not be sorry!
01 March 2008, 09:03
Colin CastelliI tend to stick with what works. I know the A-Frame will work based on previous shots.
01 March 2008, 16:29
Grumulkinquote:
I would shoot only one rifle the 375...On the big animals the TSX bullet in 270 gr...will give penetration from all ANGLES.. on THE LITTLE GUYS a punch thru the ribs will only give a small hole...
I found this to be entirely true except I shot plain old cup and core Speer 270 grain boat tailed spitzers. Of the 6 animals I shot with it, all were one shot kills. The meat damage on the smaller animals (Blesbok & Impala) wasn't that bad and it took out a Zebra at about 200 yards even though the bullet hit some brush before hitting the Zebra.
01 March 2008, 22:05
onefunzr2
04 March 2008, 05:49
buffybrThis past September I hunted the Eastern Cape region of South Africa for a similar list of animals as yours -- Grysbok and Steenbok to Kudu and Eland. I too wanted to take only one rifle. My 7mm Rem mag with 160 gr Accubonds or my .375 Rem Ultra Mag with 270 gr TSXs (at 3040 fps). Both shoot MOA or less, and I am confident with either one to 350+ yds. My Outfitter talked me into the .375 UM.
Shots on the larger antelope resulted in caliber size entrance holes and 1" exit holes (if the bullet exited). Two Steenbok and a Jackal all shot at +/- 50 yds and hit in the middle of the animal were just about blown in half. A Black Springbok hit high in the shoulder (backbone), and a Vaal Rhebok hit forward in the shoulder, both shot at 200-220 yds left each with a 6" exit hole.
I wisely borrowed a .308 Win with FMJ military bullets for the Grysbok.
All the bullets you listed will work fine. Use the one that is most accurate in your rifle.
My Taxidermist has sewn up some amazing holes for me. I hope he can do it again on these guys.
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06 March 2008, 11:40
AK HunterAll the above bullets will do the job well. Unless you have a burning desire to shoot something with your .375, a 175 grain Nosler in your 7mm will do fine on all the animals on your list.
But who am I to talk? I actually took 3 guns on a safari once! I'll never do that again. One rifle and one shotgun is the most I will personally take on safari again.
06 March 2008, 18:41
Bwana NderoboI'm with retreever; I used 300gr A-Frames in my 375 for Steinbuck to Eland. Caliber sized hole in Steinbuck, recovered bullet from Eland @293 grains. One gun, one load, less weight on flight, etc. And yes, we are beating a dead horse, but it's better than talking politics!!
BN
07 March 2008, 05:08
Wooly ESSI used Remington premium factory ammo loaded with 300gr Swift A-Frames in my 375H&H on my plains game hunt in Namibia last year. I used it for everything from Springbok to Kudu. Of the 8 animals I bagged, 5 dropped where they stood and the remaining three were collected within 300 yards. All but three bullets were complete pass throughs. The three that were recovered had weight retention from 218 to 290 grs out of the original 300 grs.
Two of the bullets were perfectly mushroomed. The third bullet was kinda flattened, no doubt as a consequence of breaking both shoulders while transitting a Hartebeest.
I answered Swift A-Frames. Reason - see above.
Like others, I would take only one rifle - the 375H&H. Yes, in theory it seems sensible to take different calibres for different game, but you'll never have the right gun with you when you need it.
07 March 2008, 08:15
boatammoI had very good luck with 260 partitions on my last hunt they did just what was expected.DRT
07 March 2008, 09:31
jetdrvrI, too, would take the .375. I am a one-gun hunter from now on. If I were hunting plains game, I would use 270 A Frames. Buffalo, 300 gr. A Frames, although I'm going to try some 350 Woodleigh PP's to see how they stabalize in my rifle and take them for buffalo if they prove out.
I've hunted .300 RUM with 180 Siroccos and 7 Rem mag with 160 A Frames on plains game. The A Frames worked well with several one shot kills up to wildebeest and gemsbok at long ranges.
But my last experience with the .375 made me a one gun hunter.
04 April 2008, 01:32
fishnutMy first post will be a vote for the TSX. I love it.
04 April 2008, 19:48
AtkinsonI see no reason to hunt plainsgame of any kind with the .375 other than you just want to...The 7 Mag with a 160 or 175 gr. Noslers is all the gun you will ever need on anything up to Eland and its more than enough for even Lion or Leopard...
I have used the .375, 404, 450-400 and 416 Rem on plainsgame and they work just fine, but they don't have the ranging ability of the 7 mag and they recoil more...Namibia will offer up some long shots.
Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
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Filer, Idaho, 83328
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04 April 2008, 19:59
jetdrvrquote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
I see no reason to hunt plainsgame of any kind with the .375 other than you just want to...The 7 Mag with a 160 or 175 gr. Noslers is all the gun you will ever need on anything up to Eland and its more than enough for even Lion or Leopard...
I have used the .375, 404, 450-400 and 416 Rem on plainsgame and they work just fine, but they don't have the ranging ability of the 7 mag and they recoil more...Namibia will offer up some long shots.
Ray's right, as usual. The 7mm Rem mag doesn't get a lot of press here on AR, with preferences seemingly going to the .30 cals and up, but it is an excellent plains game caliber, good from up close to 400 yards, if you're proficient with it. My old Browning took ten animals in RSA back in '05 and I couldn't have asked for more.