I am trying to decide which rifle to take on my August 2004 buffalo/plainsgame hunt. We will be hunting the Chewore North area of Zimbabwe and I don't expect the shots to be long (less than 200 yards and mostly under 100 yards).

I have my buffalo gun pretty much decided on (416 Rigby), but I am having a hard time deciding on which "light" rifle to take. From my previous experience hunting here, I expect to carry the 416 Rigby at all times up until I get a buffalo. After I get a buffalo, I will then carry my "light" rifle for the rest of the trip and leave the 416 Rigby in the truck.

The candidates for my light rifle include:

338 Win Mag (w/250 partitions or 225 NorthFork)
300 Win Mag (w/ 200 grain A-Frames)
30-06 (w/various 180 grain bullets)
7x57 (w/160 or 175 Partitions)

or, a true African classic

300 H&H Pre-64 Model 70

I have been able to get great accuracy with the 220 grain Nosler Partitions just at 2,700 fps.

Does anyone have experience with this bullet (at similar velocities) on game?

I guess the only down side is that if my ammo gets lost in transit, it may be hard to replace it in camp. How hard would it be to find 300 H&H ammo in Harare? The upside of the 30-06 is that I know they will have ammo for it in camp.

Thanks for any input.

Tim

Shumba, I have limited experience with the 30 cal 220 partition. Enough to fall in love with it. I used it on eland, warthog, gemsbok and kudu with complete penetration on all animals. On a previous hunt I used the 200 gr nosler and the gemsbok hide stopped it cold. Not so with the 220.I think it will work well.
Shortround

I used a .300 H&H with 200 grain Swift A-Frames for plains game and like you, I thought it was an African traditional gun........nope...in RSA the traditional African gun was the .30-06!!!

This may surprise you but I'd not take the .300 next time...I'd take my .30-06 with 180 grain SAF or Nosler particians. It's lighter and shorter (4") and I'm convinced it'd have done as well.

I came back from Africa with a whole new admiration for the .30-06 properly loaded with premium bullets.

If you want a magnum, use the .300 Win Mag.

vapodog,

My first 2 safaris I used a .300 Weatherby MK V. To me it was the most uncomfortable, ill fitting stock ever designed. I was tired of being beat up each shot so on my 3rd trip I took a .30-06 w/ 180 Nosler Partitons and could not see any real differnce in performance. Not even on Eland. After that it has been that same .30-06 (a 700 Rem. CLassic)that accompanies me each time. I can't see any real reason to use 220 or 200 grain bullets in the .30-06 but I do use the 250 grain Nosler in the .35 Whelen so maybe I'm missing something here. I once used 220 grain .308 Solids (the old Steel jacketed Hornady's) in the -06 on hippo. Loaded @ app. 2,400 fps there was beaucoup penetration.

Rich Elliott

Shumba: I am also a bit of a traditionalist. On my last safari I took a 300 Weatherby as my light rifle and had pretty good success except I would have done better with Noslers instead of Hornadys. I'm going back in 05 and I am taking my pre-64 300 H&H with Noslers, albeit I've not tried the 220s. I have done quite a bit of hunting with the 180s and 200s. My rifle shoots them to the same POI at 100 yards and there is about 1" difference ( 200s lower) at 200 yards. I can't see the difference on game and I've purposely shot some BIG hogs right on the point of the shoulder with both bullets. The 200s naturally retain more weight percentage but the killing effect appears to be the same. My load consists of 65gr and 63gr of IMR 4350 respectively. MV is right around 310 for the 180 and about 2850 for the 200. jorge

Shumba,
I shoot the 06 and 300 H&H almost exclusively with 200 gr. Noslers at 2700 FPS in the 06 and and 220 Noslers bullets get me an easy 2800 FPS in the 300 H&H, either will work and work well..

I quit shooting the 180 a long time ago because I can get the same muzzle velocity with a 200 and plenty with a 220...

BTW to the post of shooting Gemsbok with a 200 gr., a Gemsbok will stop a 375 or 416 on the offside skin on many ocassions, so I don't find it odd that they stopped a 200 gr. 06 or anything else. So will an Eland, lots of muscle and big bone there.

But if I was shooting Buffalo and plainsgame in the Chewore Safari Area, then I would carry my .416 for everything...Might have an o6 when you need a .416 for the Buffalo...that will only work in reverse...I have shot all plainsgame with a 416 and it works very well indeed, with little meat damage...

Shambu
I have never taken any game with a 220 grain Partition, but I have loaded ammo several times for customers who have. Results have all the same. If the bullet is recoverd, it it mushroomed back to the partition. Several customers have used this bullet on bear, moose and plains game. Another customer uses it regularly on musk ox. Dont forget the Swift A-frame......excellent bullet, equal or better than a Partition for this task.
Charlie

I read in some article, maybe one of Nickudu's, that you can make a small incision in the jacket right at the partition. This would let the bullet shed the mushroom, making the rear continue as a solid. There was a comparison to German "H-Mantel" bullets.

Seems like an interesting idea for the Partition, just one more option to play with. Has anyone tried this on game? I'm curious how performance was affected.

Shumba,

I hunted Chewore in '96 for leopard and buffalo. As Ray stated I see no reason you couldn't do your whole safari with the 416. The cover is pretty thick there everywhere.

If you do take the 300 with the 220 NP I'm sure you will be happy. I've shot the 180's alot and found them to be wonderful in any appropriate application. The 220 should be just more of the same.

Your going to love Chewore. It's real wild Africa
with no human habitation. Don't expect to see lots of plains game but don't be surprised if hyena and lions are in camp on a regular basis.

Good Hunting,

Mark

I loaded up some Woodleigh 220 gr. soft and solids for an older fellow I sent to Chewore for Buffalo, Sable and Kudu...He is on my Web page with the red shirt...He shot them all with the Woodleigh solids!! So he used the softs on his Russian Kamcutka bear...All with excellent results btw.....He shoots an old Remington 721 in 300 H&H...His buff was 48 inches, his Sable 43 inches and his Kudu is 61 inches..I don't think he knows to this day just how well he did..He is the kind of guy that would have been just as happy with a 34 inch buff, a 35 inch sable and a 50 inch Kudu...He just loves to hunt and loves every minute of the experience, to him thats what its all about...A lot of us could learn a thing or two from this wise gentleman...He will never have an ulcer.

SLOWHAND
with the 200 gn proj in the 06 try useing the slower powders...R 22, WIN WXR , VV 560 , NORMA MRP , i have had good luck with WXR ...60 -61 GRshould give you close to 2700 fps depending upon barrel length
also R22 gives me right on 2700 with a 59 gn charge
daniel

Given the available battery you mentioned, I am very surprised that you would choose the '06 or 300 over the 338 as the second rifle in Africa. Is there an accuracy problem with the 338?

With the caveat that the 338 is far better for your purposes, IMHO, the 220 Nosler Partition is an outstanding choice in .308 caliber at medium ranges where penetration is a concern.

Although I have absolutely no experience with the .30 cal 220 grain NP, I have taken most of the common plainsgame species including eland with the 180 grain NP Gold out of a .300 Win Mag and can only assume that the 220 grain NP would be MORE of a good thing! This is, of course, if your rifle digests the load properly and can spit them out with any kind of reasonable accuracy!

Don Martin
www.EndlessSafari.com

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess I need to sell most of my guns so that I don't have so many choices (just kidding!!!).

I am leaning towards the 220 grain bullets in the 300 H&H. I am also thinking about the 270 grain Barnes X in my 375H&H. Oh well, I still have until August 14, 2004 to decide.

Sabot,

No problem with the 338 Win Mag and probably one of the best choices. I just thought that the 300 H&H would be a more classic round (as well as the 30-06, 7x57, 375H&H). I am kind of thinking that the 338 WM will be my fall back if I can't get happy with the other prior to my trip.

Thanks again.

Tim