I am heading to Zambia this summer for the PG portion of the hunt I was planning on using my 300 win mag. We have both lechwe on ticket, sable, roan and smaller PG. Yes buff is on ticket as well, but that rifle is a 500 and it will not do for the longer shots.
Back up choices are a 308 win or 6.5 credmore
Any suggestions as to which? I am not going to get a 375 to do it all, so thanks for the the thought. I will have my 500 and one of these two

I'd go with the one that you shoot the best and are the most comfortable shooting. If that's a tie I'd go with the 308. A little extra bullet diameter and mass is always a good thing.

While a 6.5 is all the rage, I’d prefer the .308 of the two with heavier bullets.

You really won’t notice wind drift or trajectory differences between the two at normal hunting ranges, and a bigger bullet is better. Not to mention, if you can deal with a .500, you can handle the difference in recoil.

Sable can be pretty tough.

Sell both and buy a 30:06!

308

drongo is a very wise man. lol

Thanks for a great video. Brian

quote:

Originally posted by brent ebeling:
I am heading to Zambia this summer for the PG portion of the hunt I was planning on using my 300 win mag. We have both lechwe on ticket, sable, roan and smaller PG. Yes buff is on ticket as well, but that rifle is a 500 and it will not do for the longer shots.
Back up choices are a 308 win or 6.5 credmore
Any suggestions as to which? I am not going to get a 375 to do it all, so thanks for the the thought. I will have my 500 and one of these two

Check if the 6.5 is legal, as in many countries it is not.

308, use a premium bullet of 165 or 180 grains and you are set.

Get the .300WinMag fixed!

Loaded the wife's 308 with 165TSX. I used it on the smaller stuff and she used it on zebra. No problems. While the 6.5 is all the rage, my preference would be larger bullet diameter, frontal area and weight for Africa.

Brent, FWIW, as others have said, I would want the heavier punch of the .308 using good 165 grain bullets.

Brent, you say that sable and roan are on license, but then ask which gun to take. Sable and Roan are both big, tough and EXPENSIVE. Do you really think the smaller gun is a viable option? I think the choice is clear, just shoot quality bullets accurately in that .308.

Definitely the .308.

BH63

Treat yourself and buy a new rifle. Try a .375H&H, I bet you would love it.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
Treat yourself and buy a new rifle. Try a .375H&H, I bet you would love it.

Even better a 375 ruger.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
Brent, you say that sable and roan are on license, but then ask which gun to take. Sable and Roan are both big, tough and EXPENSIVE. Do you really think the smaller gun is a viable option? I think the choice is clear, just shoot quality bullets accurately in that .308.

Beat me to it...

The 308 is a great caliber, right on the hills of the '06.

let me step in with MY choices if I was in this situation.

Firstly I would have the money to do such a hunt and so I would have the money to buy a new rifle.

I already have a 470NE and that would be the DG rifle. I also have a beautiful 100+ year old Mauser 98 Simson in 9.3X62 & that would be my choice for roan & sable out to 250 meters. I might even consider taking my 9.5X57MS if I can get it shooting right and plan to stalk up to 150 meters.

I could consider another rifle - A 375H&H from Holts auction. A 318 Wesley Richards

It would be fun just planning & preparing.

Good luck with your trip and hope all goes well.

Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards 308 as well. For same reasons as mentioned. Creedmore has great ballistics and is sexy, but better for deer and sheep in my opinion.
The cost to replace my 300 will be 4k
And the reason i can afford to drop a bunch of cash on a new rifle is because od the hunt, so thanks.
Looks like the 308 will be it.

Brent,

I'm with the rest of the guys. 308 with 150-165 TTSX or similar.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by brent ebeling:
I am heading to Zambia this summer for the PG portion of the hunt I was planning on using my 300 win mag. We have both lechwe on ticket, sable, roan and smaller PG. Yes buff is on ticket as well, but that rifle is a 500 and it will not do for the longer shots.
Back up choices are a 308 win or 6.5 credmore
Any suggestions as to which? I am not going to get a 375 to do it all, so thanks for the the thought. I will have my 500 and one of these two

That's too bad, because a 375 H&H CRF rifle WILL DO IT ALL!

……………………………………………………..375H&H, one rifle for the world! Case closed

………………………………………………………..

quote:

Originally posted by faisal:
Get the .300WinMag fixed!

What Faisal says.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by faisal:
Get the .300WinMag fixed!

What Faisal says.

I hear you both, it is at gunsmith. Bolt will not open. It will cam up but not all the way. It is the guy that built the rifle and it is a tack driver, a dime covers 4 bullets at a hundred. He said on phone it will be easy fix or new rifle if lugs got all flattened out. Cant swing new cusrom rifle before the trip

Brent, if you want a bigger boomer, I have a couple of .375 H&H Mags., a .338 Win. Mag., a .30-06, a 7mm Rem. Mag. and a .270 WSM I could lend you.

All are well-scoped, and MOA or better rifles.

Just let me know, and I'll ship pronto.

quote:

Originally posted by brent ebeling:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by faisal:
Get the .300WinMag fixed!

What Faisal says.

I hear you both, it is at gunsmith. Bolt will not open. It will cam up but not all the way. It is the guy that built the rifle and it is a tack driver, a dime covers 4 bullets at a hundred. He said on phone it will be easy fix or new rifle if lugs got all flattened out. Cant swing new cusrom rifle before the trip

How do lugs get flattened out?

The 308 will be fine, or at least it was for me on a PG hunt in Namibia. Taking it again next year in South Africa. Normally use a 338 for the light rifle, but my wife has taken over that one, and I gave the 308 a try. Did well, and I would echo what others have said: (1) proper bullet weight and construction (I used a 165 grain Barnes TTSX); (2) The rifle needs to shoot the bullet pretty close to 1 MOA, not above 1.5 MOA; (3) Watch that the long shots are not at marginal angles. (4) Be prepared to put in another shot or two.

Besides some smaller stuff, I took two mountain zebra - roughly the size of a sable - at 250 and 320 yards. The 308 did a great job for me and I really believe it will work for you as well.

I may be wrong but isn't there restrictions on military calibers in Zambia (ie. 303, 5.56/223,7.62/.308,7.62x39)

quote:

Originally posted by faisal:
I may be wrong but isn't there restrictions on military calibers in Zambia (ie. 303, 5.56/223,7.62/.308,7.62x39)

Indeed and needs to check with the Outfitter first. I understand .308 maybe allowed but nothing with a head stamp of 7.62 or .303

Regulations may have changed?

Ruger model 77 in 338 win mag .The stainless one is indstructable and super accurate .Mine in a boyds laminated stock shoots under an inch at 200 yards with factory ammo -

When I was young, I would take an aluminum 4 gun case with 4 long guns and a handgun.
(those were the days of 100 # bags)

For those of us traveling Airlines , it is an almost impossible to manage more than two long guns, also some counties make it difficult at best to clear more than 2.

If you are committed to bringing a 500, I assume DG is planned as well as non-DG.

My first choice for a number of reasons would be a 375 as a secondary.

My second would be your (a) 300.

Beyond that , whatever light rifle you shoot well and is reliable .(308 or 6.5)
(as mentioned earlier , be certain the caliber(6.5) is approved in the hunt area.