I voted 9.3x62 but do not see how you could go wrong with the 300 Win Mag unless you are shooting mainly Giraffe and Eland.

I was really suprised by how tough Hartebeast were and how weak Kudu were.

I voted 300, but I would take any of these.

If I knew the shots were close I would take the 9.3x62, and if I knew they were going to be long I would take the most accurate and trusted of the other 4.

The best part about the 300 compared to the Ultra, Firebird, and WSM is that it holds 3 rounds.

Unless you have some special rifle the other 2 only hold 2 right?

I think the WSM, the Lazz and RUM are 3+1, I cannot remember. The first shot is the most important!

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
The best part about the 300 compared to the Ultra, Firebird, and WSM is that it holds 3 rounds.

Unless you have some special rifle the other 2 only hold 2 right?

I get 5+1 in my 9.3x62!
Not that you'd ever need that many...

none of the above - 30:06

Remember fast guns are not the best brush guns.

Fast guns or fast bullets?

My 300 Win Mag holds four plus one.

I would take a shot gun, or if you have a drilling. Time off for some bird shooting or get a box of buck for the little guys. My regular south africian battery has always been my 338 and 16X16 over 9.3X72R drilling.

I would have chosen the .30-06 had that been an option in your poll.

My wife took a whole host of plains game up to and including zebra (with one shot each) with her '06.

George

OF THE CHOICES YOU GAVE, along with the superb 338WM, I would take a the 7MM WSM. I have taken the 338 along with a 458 for plains game and buff, and on a plains game only safari, I took a 375 and a 300Wby. Mag. Both, I think were great batteries for the task at hand. If I were dead set on taking my 338 as the primary rifle, I would carry my Brown Precision 7mm Rem. Mag. Truth be known, the 300 mag would be great too.

Of the choices provided and the limited information available on what plainsgame and where they would be hunted in your post, I would have to vote for the .300 WM. Namibia might require one rifle, Zim another. Generally, lighter animals and shooting long distance would point to one rifle...thick bush, heavy plainsgame point to another. The .300 WM is not a "compromise" caliber by any means but would be the best choice of the rifles listed for either scenario.

If taking a 338 as primary why would one need a 300? A 7mm would offer plenty of verstility on the lighter end with equal reach for distance shots. Other than the insurance of a backup rifle I cannot see why another rifle is needed. The 338 is a truly superb "do all" plains game rifle. If anything else is needed, it would be in a lighter rifle with extra reach, which sounds like a 7 mag to me!

GeorgesS:

At the risk of being accused of sucking up to the moderator a 30-06 would have been this 76 year old retired hunter's choice too! In fact, I never got over the idea that a 30-06 (180 gr. -you pick the bullet) might be a pretty good choice for any "plains game" I saw in Africa -including kudu. ( I was surprised to read from one poster that kudu, apparently don't take a bullet too well.They did have a sturdy look about them - but I was a one time hunter to Africa so I defer to experts)

Since you are takeing the 338 for your primary
I would take the 9.3X62 for everything smaller than an Eland! In Fact! If it were me, I'd take the 9.3x62 as my primary, and use the 338 only if a bad angle was my only shot on something like a Eland, Gemsbok, or Zebra.

As several have already said, the 30-06 or the 9.3X62 (which is the 30-06 necked up to 9.3 with a 286 gr bullet) will do it all in Namibia, even if lion are in the bag, then the 9.3X62, or your 338 may come in quite handy!

quote:

the 9.3X62 (which is the 30-06 necked up to 9.3 with a 286 gr bullet)

I beg your pardon. The 30-06, which was the American attempt to keep up with the German 8x57, has nothing whatsoever to do with the 9.3x62, introduced in 1905 and a sporting cartridge that far outclasses them both.

whatever you shoot well, in the .300 class or above. Remember, it is shot placement that really counts.

Both my trips to Africa were with my .30-06 and .338 WM.

The .30-06 did most of the work.

.30-06

steenbok
duiker
tssessebe
impala x several*
warthog x several*
jackal x several
oribi
reedbuck
baboon x several
guinea fowl

*helped my hunting partner shoot leopard baits.

.338 WM

zerbra
sable
eland
kudu
blue wildebeest

both times I took 20 rounds of .338 WM and 60-80 rounds of .30-06

for bird hunting, francolin mostly, we had the PH buy shells for us locally. I borrowed a shotgun once and brought one once, I recommend borrowing unless you are married to your shotgun.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
none of the above - 30:06

Now here's a guy that knows his poop...stuff it with handloaded A-Frames or Northforks or TBBCs and go hunting.

In the Limpopo, with all that cover and shooting off the big koepjes I would take the 9.3x62.

But take the gun you want, not the gun we want!

My $0.02 worth: I've taken all of the larger antelope (plus zebra) of southern Africa with just two calibers: A .30-06 on my first trip in 1983, and a 7 mm Rem. Mag. on all the other trips since then. I've had no problems with anything up to and including hartebeest, sable and eland when using my own ammo. (I borrowed a .30-06 once and had the South African bullet blow up on a blue wildebeest's shoulder.) The key to cleanly killing game here and in Africa is bullet placement, and I shoot better when I don't worry about recoil. A .300 Win Mag is my upper limit for comfortable shooting; a .338 Win Mag is too much for me. Why someone would choose a .338 or a .375 as their "light" rifle is beyond me. If I want to shoot a buffalo, I'll use my .375 or .458, then put it away for the rest of the hunt.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by interboat:

quote:

the 9.3X62 (which is the 30-06 necked up to 9.3 with a 286 gr bullet)

I beg your pardon. The 30-06, which was the American attempt to keep up with the German 8x57, has nothing whatsoever to do with the 9.3x62, introduced in 1905 and a sporting cartridge that far outclasses them both.

I beg your pardon, I didn't mean it started that way, but still that is what the 9.3X62 is!

The case can be made by simply necking the 30-06 to 9.3,and fire forming in the 9.3X62 chamber! That is what I meant, it is simply a 9.3-06 any way you want to look at it, and it was my point that it is far superior to the 30-06! I guess I didn't make my meaning clear!

Why is everything on here a war

The 300 WM is what I was planning on taking. Thanks for the input. I have thought about getting a 9.3x62, instead I think I'll just get a better piece of glass for my 300 WM.

I did not vote because the calibers offered are so redundant with the 338. If you are going to lug another gun to Africa it should fill a nitch. I would do a one gun safari with the 338 which does a fine job on just about everything over there when it comes to thin skinned animals.

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:
I did not vote because the calibers offered are so redundant with the 338. If you are going to lug another gun to Africa it should fill a nitch. I would do a one gun safari with the 338 which does a fine job on just about everything over there when it comes to thin skinned animals.

As fine as the 338 win is,with its great array of quality factory ammo, I dont see how it makes the 9.3x62 redundant. Less popular maybe, but not redundant.
If a man liked smoking custom hand rolled cigars at $30each, you would think him a fool if he complained about the price of a box of matches, would you not?
If a man liked going on $$$ safaris,and rolled his own rounds, I would think him a fool if he has a problem with the price of custom bullets.
From results I see with 30/06-168,180tsx at 200yds,the 230hv9.3 has all the whack one needs at +/-300yds.

Federal ballistics;
338-225tbbc-2800........2107v/2218e(300yd)
338-225tsx-2800.........2132/2270
338-225AB -2800.........2320/2689
338-250NP -2660.........2124/2503

9.3-230gscHV-2800.......2385/2906

A recent posting shows the performance of the more plain jane 9.3-250gnX:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3221043/m/317101494

http://www.cpcartridge.com/9.3X62mm-P.htm

http://www.cpcartridge.com/338winmag-P.htm

Generally agree with the 30-06. If you are forced to shoot at longer than 175-200 yards, then one of the .300 magnums, Winchester or H&H would do. If you are after eland, then a 9.3 or .375 is good. The .375, of course, works for all of them at any practical hunting distance.
Regards