I have a 308 Norma magnum that I would like to take to Namibia. It would be sufficient for most plains game, ja.

Heinz

I used to live there and i consider it about the perfect round for plains game. I do think ammo could be a problem if yours were to get lost.

I agree with Aaron, .308 Norma Mag is plenty of gun for anything other than DG (although it would be perfect for leopard). Ammo availability may be a problem though.

I don't understand why questions like this keep coming up.

Any rifle suitable for deer and elk in the USA will work fine on African plains game.

quote:

Originally posted by Indy:
I don't understand why questions like this keep coming up.

I am sorry to cause boredom but I wanted to ask if my rifle is suitable.

No. Far too weak.

Namibian plains game are infamous.

They regularly consume vast amounts of performance enhancing drugs.

Nothing less than a .458 Lott is sufficient.

Mein Gott, AJ, Wu bist Du?

Bringeisten zubin Meisterblaster!

If you handload, Heinz, use the 200grain Lapua Naturalis, will take care of everything up to and including eland............

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
No. Far too weak.

Namibian plains game are infamous.

They regularly consume vast amounts of performance enhancing drugs.

Nothing less than a .458 Lott is sufficient.

Mein Gott, AJ, Wu bist Du?

Bringeisten zubin Meisterblaster!

Troll post.

quote:

Troll post.

Clearly from someone with 5700 posts. You I'm not so sure.

I used my .308 Norma Mag in 2006 with great results, didn't have to chase anything.

I see the 308 NM as what the 300 win mag should have been. the Norma came first, I think, and has a bit longer neck and a better designed throat.

Heinz
I have taken all of the plains game species with my .308 Win and never had a problem.
This however comes with a warning. Any rifle loaded with poor bullets will not be effective regardless of the caliber. You are better off shooting with a 223 loaded with premium ammo than a 300 Win Mag/Norma Mag shooting poor quality ammo.

I highly recommend you find yourself some ammo loaded with Barnes or other monolithic as these seem to have the lowest failure rate of all.
Good hunting
Ian

quote:

Originally posted by Alpinejaeger:
I have a 308 Norma magnum that I would like to take to Namibia. It would be sufficient for most plains game, ja.

Heinz

Hallo, Heinz, ich sehe, dass einige Mitglieder hier im Forum ein paar Witze wegen nicht so gutem English ! reisen. Also, wenn Du serieoses Interesse hast an einer Jagdsafari in Africa bzw. an ausfuehrlichen Gespraechen und Antworten all Deiner Fragen in deutscher Sprache, so wuerden wir uns freuen, wenn Du uns auf unserer Webseite besuchen wuerdest oder wir sind auch direkt zum Gespraech vorort in OLD MINGA !!!! vom 02. bis 04.10.09 (WIES"N-Besuch....)
Waidmannsheil

Chris Troskie

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:
If you handload, Heinz, use the 200grain Lapua Naturalis, will take care of everything up to and including eland............

Ditto

And many other good bullets--

Jaeger,

The 308 Norma is a great round. I agree with the rest on this subject, a premium bullet is required. The two that have proven best for me are the Barnes tiple shok and the Swift A frame, the Nosler partitions remain a valid choice and the Norma oryx enjoys a good reputation. I have no experience with their bullets but their brass is premium.

Regards, Adrian

quote:

Originally posted by Alpinejaeger:
I have a 308 Norma magnum that I would like to take to Namibia. It would be sufficient for most plains game, ja.

Heinz

Ja.

Jaeger,

I took my 308 norma to Namibia for plains game in 2005. Loaded with 180 grain woodleighs.

It performed extremely well on Springbuck, Mountain Zebra and Kudu. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on any plains game with maybe the exception being Eland, just for their size. Though I've never took the chance to hunt one.

Use good bullets and good shot placement and you should have no problems whatsoever.

no problem.

It will kill them all.

It is an obsolete caliber, and you should consider a longer range caliber such as 300 RUM.

quote:

Originally posted by Alpinejaeger:

quote:

Originally posted by Indy:
I don't understand why questions like this keep coming up.

I am sorry to cause boredom but I wanted to ask if my rifle is suitable.

Entshuldingen Sie Bitte if my post was too abrupt.

The .308 Norma will work very well. As others have posted, if you use any premium bullet (Nosler Partition, Barnes TSX, Swift A-frame, etc.) you will not have to worry about killing the plains game.

Such a rifle would be adequate past 300 meters, though it would be unusual to get a shot that far.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Rust:
I see the 308 NM as what the 300 win mag should have been. the Norma came first, I think, and has a bit longer neck and a better designed throat.

Aaron,

This opinion is in fact shared by many others.

Winchester made a decision to stop producing the 300 H&H in favour of its own design, the 300 Win Mag. That was the start of the demise of the Britsh caliber made under licence from Holland & Holland, that needed a longer action and hence more expensive to make.

I believe the increasing popularity of the 300 Win Mag also killed the 308 Norma Magnum, despite its better design features. The potential commercial success of any cartridge is whether or not any large US rifle manufacturer will chamber rifles for it. Chambering a 308 Norma Magnum is also better suited to most standard-length actions than a 300 Win Mag, with its shorter case, namely 65 mm vs 67 mm. Case length of the 300 H&H is 72.4 mm.

What a pity, and once cartridge cases become scares, the writing is on the wall.
The 308 Norma Magnum is still a great caliber.

Warrior

I have used my 308 Norma Mag to take many elk at long range (180 Nosler out past 300yards) and have never had a problem. I would use it but would pack ammo in 2 different check-in bags in case one bag is lost.