I know that the perfect stopping caliber is always a controversial issue and there is much debate over what you would want in you hands when a charge happens. I'm curious, for those that have experienced a charge (and I'm assuming live to tell the tale), what caliber rifle delivered the "stopper?"

Question:
What caliber rifle stopped the charge?

Choices:
Below 375
375
416
404
458
470
500
505
577
600
700
Other

 

Normal not thought out poll.

You assumed only 1 charge. I have had 2 to stop with 2 different rifles and others here have many more I'll bet.

I voted "other". There was this squirrel once and I had my trusty .22...

quote:

Originally posted by SG Olds:
Normal not thought out poll.

You assumed only 1 charge. I have had 2 to stop with 2 different rifles and others here have many more I'll bet.

SG, I apologize. I guess I got a little ahead of myself.

If one of the moderators can change the poll so multiple answers can be chosen it would be much appreciated.

I once laid a pig low at 6 yards with my 7mm-08. granted, he was going pretty slow... but HE WAS COMING RIGHT FOR US!!!

Everything shot in Africa with the 375 H&H and 260 AccuBonds so far has been DRT. Hopefully that streak will continue this August in Zim for the 450/400 and 416 Ruger.

As for pigs, they seem to like to run right between your legs when getting away, and a 44 Mag between the shoulder blades at around 6 feet seems to stop them with authority.

I've been charged a few times in my life.

Once by a cottontail. I missed with the 12 gauge but luckily it veered off at the last second.

Another time my future sister in law threatened a charge with a barbeque fork. I stopped that charge by telling her that unlike my p-whipped brother I would punch her square in the face if she took another step.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnHunt:
I voted "other". There was this squirrel once and I had my trusty .22...

Yeah, I had to shoot it out with a .22LR once with a wounded racoon on a determined charge down a tree trunk with me at the base directly in it's path. A 45 grain bullet between the eyes at point blank ended the matter. Probably won't be any videos sold on that one, but it got my attention at the time.

Brett

I prefer to take away her credit card!

PH Thierry Labat seconds after stopping an enraged mopani squirrel with his big stopper...

You had to have been there, it was very funny.

Dave

DIVORCE COURT...

Folks,

I think in the case of most tourist hunters the poll is irrelevant as they most likely will never face a real committed charge by anything.

Mark

Mark, you don't know my clients!

Mark,

Like JPK here?

I have only been charged by angry women - each time, I ran.

My father was a prolific big game hunter for over 40 years. He took at least a dozen trips to Africa and took just about every game available where he hunted, including the Dagerous Seven. He was charged only one time in his life. It was the only hunt he ever had on video and the only reason a videographer was present was because the PH hired him - Dad did not like videographers on a hunt. The result was one of the best elephant charge videos I have ever seen - and Dad loved having it on film. He was charged by a rogue young bull that had been raising havoc in the area. My father, in his 70's, stopped the charge at close range with his .375 H&H (Ruger Magnum Rifle w/300 grn solids). The bull dropped in his tracks. The shot was just above the brain. When the bull tried to get up, two more quick shots with the .375 ended it. I get goose bumps every time I watch it. My Dad was an amazing man and I dearly miss him. He is responsible for my love of hunting and the outdoors, as well as so many other things.

I will try to get the video on this forum some day. I have to get it off the DVD and into the hard drive first. I'll give it a try in a week or so.

I've actually been charged once. It was caught on tape and is in Buzz Charlton's excellent video "Hunting the African Elephant". I actually had a .416 Rigby built by Sterling Davenport in my hands though Buzz refers to it as a .375 in the video. I was using Woodleigh 410 grain solids and you can watch the results...

2004 stopped a buffalo in full charge at close range with the second barrel of my Searcy .470 NE.
You can read about in African Hunter magazine Issue number 5 2007 the article is titled "A Tale of Two Charges."

This is in spite of Marks comment.

We were charged by a Black Rhino in Namibia, the pickup truck out ran the Rhino.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Folks,

I think in the case of most tourist hunters the poll is irrelevant as they most likely will never face a real committed charge by anything.

Mark

Mark, I think you smoked something strange or you are full of BS and just needed to write something.

Since the poll is a one caliber deal I guess I won't bother to answer it.

/

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Folks,

I think in the case of most tourist hunters the poll is irrelevant as they most likely will never face a real committed charge by anything.

Mark

Very interesting statement. Here are my 2 alleged charges, where they real committed charges?

1. Alaska peninsula: 8'10" Brownie walking broadside to me at 80 yards or maybe a little more. My guide and I were hiding and as he came buy he stopped to snuffle the ground. I shot him (1 300 grain silvertip in the heart lung area). He spun around biting at his side, I jacked in another stood up and missed him clean as he was spinning. He then appeared to see me as I jacked in my final shell. He ran dead at me through brush and what not until he was at about 25 yards when he suddenly slowed a bit and I shot him again in the chest right below his big ol slobbering head and he collapsed and rolled. Real? Committed?

2. Last june I shot a bayed up bongo at I forget but lets say 15 to 20 yards. He was perfectly broadside. The bullet went right over the top of his heart (400gr 416, swift A frame). He luched forward and ran in a circle right at me. As he came he tipped his horns forward like when they try to stick a dog. I shot right between the horns and he dropped with a spine shot at 4 steps. Real? Committed?

I suspect I am not more than average in experience as a tourist.

Stopped a porcupine at three feet with 20 gauge.(age 13) Stopped Dalmation on spot with 257 Roberts (age 14) Grown up life hasn't been so exciting despite three trips to Africa.

I had a problem with a charging elephant once.
We cured THAT right on the spot by taking away his African Express Card...

Rich
Buff Killer

Yes, there needs to be more than one vote allowed. I have stopped two elephants (well) inside of ten yards.

Also, for the voting results to mean much, you would have to specify what game was stopped.

For instance, for eles, or for bears. You can't even hunt eles with a 338wm, but it is good medicine for bears.

JPK

Bad breath.

Guys

Gee whiz! I didn't say nobody had ever been charged or ever would be. Nor did I intend to take anything away from the experiences those that had been seriously charged had but I stand by the fact that most of us will never expereince a full on charge.

Folks,

I think in the case of MOST tourist hunters the poll is irrelevant as they most likely will never face a real committed charge by anything.

Mark

Mark,

I admit you might be right especially if their tourist hunts are for alberta whitetails or sabertooth caribou, but what about the large AR faction of the Buffalo are the best club.

I wonder if anyone has surveyed competent PHs to see what kind of numbers they see. They may see alot more than I think which would explain why so many of the hunting videos I have seen have the PH shooting the very instant after the client shoots. In case no one has seen this bang bang style I would point you to any number of Chifuti Safari hunts on Tracks accross Africa.

At what point does the PH shoot? I guess it varies by PH. At an unwounded animal I guess I would hope the PH wouldn't shoot unless he felt the client, his trackers or he was in imminent danger. At what distance and how fsst and determined the animal charge was would obviously be the PH's call. He should be a backup, not the primary shooter and shooting at the same time, unless the animal is very close in my opinion means he's primary. If the animal has been wounded, then the situation is entirely different

quote:

Originally posted by odie:
I've been charged a few times in my life.

Once by a cottontail. I missed with the 12 gauge but luckily it veered off at the last second.

Another time my future sister in law threatened a charge with a barbeque fork. I stopped that charge by telling her that unlike my p-whipped brother I would punch her square in the face if she took another step.

Funny, we must have the same sister-in-law!

cottontail 12 gauge shotgun
ruffed grouse 65 Pontiac Catalina
wife - no shoulder held arm is big enough

BigB

I have made stopping shots on African game with the following:

12 ga. w/#12 birdshot on Bush Pig
.416Rem w/400 gr Barnes solid on Cape Buff
.458Lott w/500 gr Barnes solid on Cape Buff

As can be seen by my first entry, you don't always get to choose what you use to make the stop. That one is on video and there were 3 licensed PHs present as witnesses and no other guns. I brained him at about 6 feet in full charge.

Stopped a charging warthog with a knife once, stuck him right in the neck.

Cow ele in Chewore South, June 2008 with Alan Shearing. Posted the video here. Alan's 458 WM with 500gr Trophy Bonded solids staggered her as she came for us up the hill at about 3 yards, my 458 Lott with 500gr Barnes banded solids stopped her like she hit a brick wall, range about 1 yard and closing. We both missed the brain but stopped the charge.

"Once you've been amongst them there's no such thing as too much gun."

quote:

Originally posted by Head Trauma:
Cow ele in Chewore South, June 2008 with Alan Shearing. Posted the video here. Alan's 458 WM with 500gr Trophy Bonded solids staggered her as she came for us up the hill at about 3 yards, my 458 Lott with 500gr Barnes banded solids stopped her like she hit a brick wall, range about 1 yard and closing. We both missed the brain but stopped the charge.

"Once you've been amongst them there's no such thing as too much gun."

This is why a fellow hunting eles ought to be carrying a stopping rifle. Alan Shearing is a very good and experienced elephant PH, but he isn't perfect.

JPK

HI,

I stop one of the most agggressive charges that I have ever saw,my ex-wife,I stop her with money,Kev

Whether your charged or not largely depends on what you are hunting. Since most tourist/hunters don't hunt elephant, Mark is correct. But if you spend anytime at all chasing cow eles in the jesse, sooner or later you will be charged. You better be prepared for it.

465H&H

465H&H

You stated my point better than I did. Taking a serious charge is not the norm on your average safari and you more than likely will never experience one. I agree that getting in the middle of breeding herds of elephants on a continuing basis will greatly increase you chance of a charge but most hunters will not do this multiple times. The charges I have experienced although none were pressed to the end have all been when around groups of elephant cows, calfs and one wounded bull. I don't mind saying they scare the heck out of me.

I apologise for hijacking this thread as my agenda has not much connection to what rifles were used to stop a charge.

Mark

Three grizzlies over a 20 year career outfitting and yes they were very determined charges. None were wounded and each time I had a .300 Weatherby, not much of a stopping caliber, but did the job. I now rely in Africa on the cool nerves and great shooting of my PH, Mara, if the need arises.

Had a cow buffalo charge, she had a small calf maybe 3 weeks old. I guess she thought we endangered her calf. I got one in just behind shoulder, asst. PH hit her between the horns and she piled up at less than 6 feet. She really meant business.Had a camera in my pocket but forget to take a picture of the calf.Everybody was as nervios as the provervial call girl in church.

I was charged by a client's, (when working construction..not a PH), German shephard. As it lunged for my throat with an 18" straight bladed screwdriver through the ribs. I believe that it was a serious charge...really pissed of the client but I was pretty sure that I was on the endangered list at that point