The good news is I'm leaving for Zimm 8/24 the bad news is I have torn the rotator cuff in my right shoulder. I'm taking a .416 Taylor for the buff and was planning on a .338 for the Zebra, Sabel,Kudu,Waterbuck etc. Now I must admit I fear the recoil some and do hope the .416 will be shot sparringly.

I was thinking along the lines of a 7X57 AI with 160 gr bullets for the light rifel vs the .338. Another consideration would be a 7mm 08 or just about anything else as I can pretty much cover the spread so to speak.

I would welcome suggestions from those of you more experienced with these animals as to what rifle to bring.

I feel for you as I have a bad shoulder myself! However, the 7x57AI is fine if you pick your shots carefully, and use good bullets. I think it a bit light, for the larger plains game, from difficult angles, but will work if you must. A better solution would be to obtain a "PAST" recoil shoulder sheald, and take the 338 Win Mag, and it will help with the 416 Taylor as well! Just a thought.

Take the 7mm and pick your shots. There is no need to exacerbate an injury.

My son and I used a .270 Winchester with Barnes X bullets in 150 or 160 grain (can't remember) to take 2 impala, 2 zebra, and warthog in TZ, and an eland, black wildebeest, kudu, springbok, blesbok, gemsbok, and red hardebeest in South Africa. We carried a .375 for buffalo but never got the chance, however used it for a blue wildebeest and waterbuck in TZ. Would have used it on the Eland but it developed mechanical difficulties. This was last year.

The .270 load preformed admirably. The eland was quartering away at 200 yds and the bullet took him in the hind quarter and was recovered from under neck skin.

I would not hesitate to use it again on any but dangerous game. The 7X57 would be fine, just use a good bullet

Keith

My son and I just got back from Zim Monday. We each hunted Buffalo and he shot several head of plains game. He shot 3 Impala, 2 Wildebeast, a Zebra, a Duiker, and a Reedbuck with a 6.5x55. All animals were killed with one shot with the exception of the Zebra which was initially shot a bit too far back and required a finisher. No animal went over 100 yds. and most went less than 100 ft. Load used was 140 gr. Swift A-Frames at 2750 fps.

Geronimo

I used a 7x57 in Zim last year for all my plains game. Does an excellant job on everything. Kudu up to 200yds no problem. I used 175 Nosler Partitions.

My dad shot all his game up to Hartmann's zebra and kudu last year in Namibia with a .270 WSM shooting 140 grain TSXs. With proper shot placement, this was a very effective round, as you 7X57 should be.

Richard, what rifle do you currently own that has light recoil, and that you trust 100%? That's the rifle I'd take. If you load good bullets, you'll bring down whatever you hit well, have no doubt about it.

Of my current rifles, I'd take a 270 Win. loaded with 130 gr. Nosler Partitions if I were healing from your kind of injury........

AD

I don't have the experience on the animals YET, but I'd suggest getting some Limbsaver recoil pads installed ASAP. They aren't the greatest looking pads, and I would have them on a high class rifle permanently, but they are probably the most effective recoil pad on the market. I'd also go with the PAST shoulder shield to double up; nothing like a belt AND suspenders to keep those pants up.

Now go get your .22 LR and practice, practice, practice while you let that shoulder heal a little.

Considering your injury, why not just shoot the Buffalo with the .338, it's a bit less than the required caliber, but those minimum laws are not enforced in Zim or Tanzania, so it shouldn't be a problem...I have shot buffalo with the .338 and couldn't tell any difference in it and the .375...I shot the 300 gr. Woodleigh softs and solids...Discuss this with your PH prior to going...

Another option is purchasing a 9.3x62 and it is legal with a good handload and a 300 or 320 gr. bullet from Woodleigh or a one of the Northfork or GS flat nose solids that weigh about 270 grs......

Another option and perhaps the best one is to load the 416 down to 2000 to 2100 FPS with 400 gr. Woodleigh softs and solids...The 400 gr. Nosler is another great bullet in the .416 caliber as is the cup point from Northfork ( my all time favorite) and a good flat nose solid is a good suggestion...this option will certainly kill a buffalo...

You have a number of ways to go on this..

Ray gives you good advice on the buff rifle. For the light rifle your 7X57 AI with a good bullet such as the 160 gr. Nosler Partition will work perfectly. Plains game in africa aren't any tougher then similar sized american game. Just put that 160 where it will do the most good and then go collect your trophy!

465H&H

465H&H

I've been culling bison for a few years using a 416 rem and 350 gr bridger FNs @ 2100. Recoil is a gentil push and although bison are not as tough as buffalo they are twice the size. I've never had a problem with getting one to drop and I have never recovered a single bullet and I've shot a couple hundred over the years.

In all fairness a light GS or northfork will do the same but I'm a bit biased to the bridger line.

quote:

In all fairness a light GS or northfork will do the same but I'm a bit biased to the bridger line.

Charles at least I'm truthful about it.

Ray has a good idea. Sixteen days ago my fourteen year old shot his buff with a .338 Win mag. I had 240 gr. Northforks coming out at 2750 fps. He hit the animal in the shoulder from broadside at 40 yds. That buff flinched, stumbled thirty feet and then fell on his nose. The bullet broke the near side shoulder, took the bottom off both ventricles of the heart and was lodged under the hide of the far side shoulder. I was impressed. My buff took seven rounds from a .470 NE !

Geronimo

I put a LimbSaver from Simms Labs. on my 375 and you never would know it was a 375. Only a suggestion.

The limb saver is a good idea and could be readily put on the 416 Taylor. I was planning on using the 400gr Swift A Frame and was going to try to work up a load to 2400 fps. It will shoot the old style Barnes 300gr X bullet well but I thought the 400 gr would be better. The .338 is a Ruger stainless (the ugly gun) so a limb saver probably won't get put on it. I'll check with the PH and see if I can get away with the .338 for the Buff.

Most of my guns have some sort of metal butt plate either pre 64 fwt's or custom guns with the Neidner style butt plate so the recoil pad isn't an option. The 7X57 AI will group Speer 160 Mag Tips into a ragged hole at 100yds but as this bullet works well on our local Whitetails I don't know about Africa's larger plains game. I will get some A frame or Partitions and get to work with it.

Ray had a good idea about the 9.3x62 too. I took every animal I shot on my recent hunt, from lion to eland, with the 9.3 using mostly the 250gr Nosler BT. For the Eland and Zebra, I used 286 Nosler Partition; however, after it failed to expand any on the Zebra, I limited its use to only the largest animals being hunted and second shots where a raking effect was needed. I had few occassions to use it in this fashion because of the number of animals taken with one shot. Kudude