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I finally will be going to Africa in 2023. The hunt will be in Namibia after plains game. The top two animals on my list are Kudu and Oryx. I will e shooting a 308. The rifle like 150 gr. TTSX's. Should I go up to 165 or go with another bullet? I taking the 308 due to the fact I have hunted with this rifle the most and trust this rifle the most. Any help on bullet would be most appreciated. | ||
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| One of Us |
I'm sure you will be fine with the 150 gn TTSX bullets. Just place your shots where they should go. An outfitter / guide I know hunts with a .308 with 150 gn Barnes bullets ( not sure whether TSX or TTSX ) but likes them because, as he says, he doesn't get failures. I have hunted Namibian Plains Game with a 30.06 shooting 165 gn TTSX bullets which was perfect for me. I don't think you would see much difference between the 150 and 165 gn. Hunting.... it's not everything, it's the only thing. | |||
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| One of Us |
If it shoots 1 MOA you are good to go. | |||
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| Administrator |
According to some experts, African game animals require a minimum bullet weight of 500 grains.  | |||
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One of Us |
The 150 TTSX will be fine. See rule #2 Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Mike, You should find Elmer Keith's sage writings. In one I remember he had shot a deer with a 30-06. He broke the deer's back, but the deer still ran off. | |||
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I would use 180grain, but I believe in the use bigger hammer theory. | |||
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| Administrator |
I GUARANTEE you no animal would notice any difference. The secret is to him in the right place! | |||
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| One of Us |
I recently returned from Namibia where I used the PH's 30-06 with 180 grain commercial ammo. They worked when I pointed the spout in the right general direction. African animals are supposed to be tougher than similar sized beasts in America or Europe and they can travel a long way while mortally wounded so heavier bullets are often recommended. However Kudu are not immune to the laws of physics or biology. I would be surprised if a Gemsbok could tell the difference between a properly constructed 150, 165 or a 180 grain bullet in the chest. A 100 grain .243 in the brain is better than a .458 in the guts | |||
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I have shot practically every plains game in Africa with bullets of 130 - 400 grains. NEVER noticed any difference in their deaths. | |||
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That will be a great set up. I used a PH’s rifle on my last trip. It was a .308. It was great shooting gun and killed everything we hunted, including kudu, 2 sable, a few wildebeest and several other animals. Great caliber and your bullet choice will be fine. | |||
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| One of Us |
“African animals are supposed to be tougher than similar sized beasts in America or Europe and they can travel a long way while mortally wounded so heavier bullets are often recommended” That belief to me is just laughable. I’ve shot or seen shot many plains game animals. I have also seen a lot of mule deer, elk and bear shot. They all die quickly when hit correctly. They are every bit as tough as African game but I guess that’s a discussion for another thread  | |||
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As long as you hit them in the right spot, you're fine. Of course, if you're off center, it wouldn't make much difference if you were shooting an .803 instead of the .308 And enjoy your first time. A lot more than maleria gets into your blood when you go hunt there.... Jeff | |||
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Best advice you could receive. Having taken many of both species with .270 & .280 shot placement is the key. Your projectile will do its job if you do yours. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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As above, with what you are hunting, I’d have no concerns with your choice of rifle and bullet. The point to me with the game seeming “tougher” is that the anatomy of some African animals is a bit different in land marks than the usual North American or European game animals. Know your target’s anatomy and put the bullet in the right place and you should have no issues. Get one of those shot placement books, study it, and practice, practice, practice and you will be fine! | |||
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if you want a better bullet that will punch all the way thru go to the Hammer Bullets 150 gr Power Hammer I used them this past April in my 30.06 18in barrel at 2934 fps and complete penetration on my Gemsbuck chest to rump, very happy with them and planning next years trip with them now | |||
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I would use the 165 or 180 gr TSX bullets and shoot them in the right place. You will not have any shoots that are "long range". Most will be 100-150 yds. If you like shooting 300 or more yards, you better be accurate.... | |||
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Thank you for all the responses. Luckily I bought four boxes of the 150 TTSX before this shortage hit. Who knows I'll go on this hunt and probably will have to go again from the stories you all write about..... | |||
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| One of Us |
Shoot the rifle and the load you trust. That goes a long way. Just make sure you don't shoot them too high. Easy to do on both of those animals. | |||
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Yeah well old Elmer made a career out of wounding animals then blaming it on the caliber.  Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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Saeed, Elmer also claimed he shot a mule deer at 600 yards with his S&W 44 mag revolver. I tend to discount his writings. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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| Administrator |
There was no Internet then, but I sure enjoyed him and O'Connor having a go at each other. By the way, do not discount good shooters - like me - who shoot things at very long distance. Many years ago, we were shooting birds in the Dubai Creek, before it got built up. I was with my younger brother and a friend of his, they were both teens. Far away at the end of the creek, we could see a big flock of flamingos sitting. One can barely see them, but we knew they were flamingos stretched in a long line. I said to the boys "If I shoot one of those flamingos, would one of you go get it?" My brother answered "no" straight out. His friend said "You shoot, if you hit one I will get it. If you miss you give me 10 Dirhams - that is roughly 3 Dollars" I said yes. I had a 300 Weatherby Magnum. I aimed at the flamingos, and further out I could see the buildings in the background. I raised the scope until all I could see was the top of the buildings, and fired. After a bit, the flamingos started flying. Our friend was laughing " I got my 10 Dirhams!" As all the flamingos took off, we could clearly see with binoculars that one was flapping with a broken wing. My brother, laughing, said "Now you know why I said no" The poor kid went off, we drove to that side of teh creek, and he managed to get the bird just as the sun went down. I have no idea how far that was, but it could be measured in miles, not yards. See what I mean of being a good sot! I won't tell you the story of missing a hippo at 50 yards though. | |||
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One of Us |
Old Elmer reminds me of Trump- narcissistic egomaniac. A .308 is more than enough gun. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… To quote a former AND CURRENT Trumpiteer - DUMP TRUMP | |||
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They might both be egomaniacs. But, I doubt that Trump is even worth Elmer's discarded toe nail! At least Elmer was a hunter. Trump calls hunting "a nightmare" I hope his nightmare is near, when he knows he is REALY, REALLY unwanted! | |||
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| One of Us |
Saeed, I have no doubt that there are many great shots. You even note that their was a "big flock of flamingos" so your feat was not as precise as Elmer claims his was. Elmer claims to have "walked his shots in". If my math is correct assuming a 9 inch sight radius and a 16 inch target, his margin of error on "sight hold" was .006 of an inch and assuming say a 265 grin bullet at 1300 fps sighted in at 50 yards, he would to have had accounted for ~ 50 ft of drop. Analyzed slightly differently, he was obviously holding above the animal and a mere 1/8 inch of adjustment at some theoretical hold-over spot moves POI 25 ft. at 600 yards. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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| one of us |
I doubt many on this site have heard of Hammer bullets but they have a lot of fan boys. Super easy to work up a load. Two days ago three 196 Hammers went into .102 inches out of a 300 RUM. I am using them this fall. | |||
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