The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting What Bullet to use?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I used the Winchester Power Point Plus on my last hunt in Africa and was not really impressed by the performance. I have a rifle that shoots the 165 grain Federal Fusion Bullet really well. I have been impressed with this load on Whitetail, Siberian Ibex, and Auodad but wonder if a TSX or Nosler partition might be a better choice. I also have some 180 grain Failsafe loads that might be good. Any suggestions appreciated!!!! We will be hunting Nyala,Wildebeast,Kudu,Bushbuck,Warthog, and possibly Waterbuck. Hawkeye47 | ||
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What cartridge 30.06, 300 or 308? Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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TSX, FailSafe, or Nosler Partitions should all work just fine in the appropriate caliber for whatever you are hunting, as would A-frames. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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In a 308, 30/06, or 300 Mag a Nosler Partition, Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, Swift A Frame, or Barnes X Bullet would be my choice for Africa. In a 308 my wife and I [I shot some small stuff] had excellent results in a 308 with Federal 165 Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, and the Federal 180 MRX bullet. On all manner of plains game, those bullets worked for my wife as good on the ones she shot, as the plains game I have shot with my 9,3x74R. After "Her" Safari I have a new found respect for the 308. Also She did kill a MONSTER Cape Buff, with [MY,HER, the court case has not been settled yet...] 450/400 3 1/4" double, with ONE shot, after a several [6+] hour stalk. She worked hard and shot straight, a well earned trohpy. She shoots "pretty good". And that is the bottom line no matter what gun you are carrying. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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Swift A-Frames ....... ____________________________ .470 & 9.3X74R Chapuis' Tikka O/U 9.3X74R Searcy Classics 450/.400 3" & .577 C&H .375 2 1/2" Krieghoff .500 NE Member Dallas Safari Club | |||
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Try the North Fork bullets, they are awesome. Good shooting. phurley | |||
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Winchester Power Point Plus...  Isn't that one of Bill Gates new inventions? | |||
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 ------------------------------- Some Pictures from Namibia Some Pictures from Zimbabwe An Elephant Story | |||
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Just got back from Namibia and used North Forks in my 375 H&H and 300 Jarrett. Shot 270 Gr North Forks from 375 at 2650 FPS. Took Kudu, Blue and Blk Wildebeast, and a Wart Hog with the 375, and a Springbuck and Gemsbock with the 180 Gr 300 Jarrett at 3100 FPS. Both bullets worked extremely well and had consistant penetration and expansion. | |||
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I will be shooting a 300 WSM or a 300 Win Mag. The 300 win Mag shoots the failsafe 180 really well. I wouldn't be afraid of the Fusion bullets ion the smaler animals but the Elk size ones might require a bit stouter bullet. Thanks for the info! Hawkeye47 | |||
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Just love North Forks | |||
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Wonder when factory loads will be available with North Forks? Unless you handload, you are missing out in the current state of affairs. | |||
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Hawkeye47: I have shot my .300 WSM in Africa for the last 7 safaris on plains game and have killed over 70 plains game with it, from Steenbok to giraffe and eland. All were shot with trophy bonded bearclaw bullets. I used the new trophy bonded tips during the last trip, as well as in Sonora, Mexico for desert mule deer last January. In my experience and in my opinion, a great caliber and a great bullet to boot. | |||
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Must sgree with Frank Beller on this one. A-Frames have worked for me on all things African, close up, or far away. Phil Massaro President, Massaro Ballistic Laboratories, LLC NRA Life Member B&C Member www.mblammo.com Hunt Reports- Zambia 2011 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1481089261 "Two kinds of people in this world, those of us with loaded guns, and those of us who dig. You dig." | |||
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If your rifle shoots the Failsafe well, you shouldn't have any problems. I've had a number of clients and close friends use them without problem. They will do the job if you do yours. GH, David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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Noslers, Swifts, Barnes, Trophy Bonded and many other quality bullets have been used successfully all over Africa for a long time. The question I have is, over the last 30 or so years, has any bullet killed more game in Africa than the good old Nolser Partition? I've taken African game with Noslers, Swifts, Trophy Bondeds, Woodleighs, Hornadys, A Square, and a few others. I'm not sure there's really a substantially better bullet for the money than the good old Nosler Partition. | |||
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Hawkeye, I have recovered a few Fusion bullets (62 grain 223 and 165 grain .308 W) and they are a pretty good semi bonded bullet for light to medium game. I say semi bonded because they use the old Remington technology of electroplating copper to the lead core. You may recall the 223 and 6mm Power Lokt bullets? Speer uses same technology on their well regarded Gold Dot pistol bullets and was the reason they expanded Gold Dot into the Fusion brand. Unlike Remington who stopped at 6mm, they go all the way up to 338. I have some pictures of 223 and 308 bullets from deer and water buckets I will post if I have them on my laptop.  Pictured 62 grain Fusion (water bucket) and 55 grain Trophy bonded, deer.  165 grain Federal HE TBBC (kudu) and Fusion (water). The 62 grain 223 is one of best buys in 223 ammo available, cheap enough to practice with and good enough to stake your life on. .308 is less spectacular but decent. I would agree w my peers here on AR and recommend 165 grain North Fork, Trophy bonded, Swift, TSX, Interbond, Accubond, Woodleigh, Fusion in that order. One nice thing about the Fusion is that it is inexpensive enough to practice with!!!! Andy | |||
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Hawkeye 47 This is your old Hunting Companion to Canada. I will give you a call soon as both my address and phone number have changed. I have used most of the bullets mentioned including the fusion. I finished off a Red Hartebeest with a 180 grain from close range with great success. I recovered the bullet and have it hear in my office. It really expended to about 80 caliber and weighs about the same as a Barnes Triple Shot 180 grain that I finished off a Mountain Zebra. The Barnes is about 35 Caliber as all four petals broke off. I took a 270WSM with 150 grain Fail Safes and the PH ask me to leave it in the tent and take my 308 Win with 165 Grain TBBC. They hated the Fail Safes as they felt they were like solids on the smaller animals. I used 270 grain A-Frames in my 376 Steyr and I recovered two of them. One from a Zebra that was stil about 265 grains and one from a Blue Wildebeest that was about 230 grains if I remember correctly.It was a shot from 95 yards and the bullet was under the skin on the far shoulder. There was some damage to the rear of the bullet. It looked like some one had hit it with a hammer and flatten it some. I also got complete penetration from 165 yards on a big Eland in Namibia. Are you going back to Africa soon? I hope to go back in 2010 but I many need to wait until 2011. I am still building homes. The more I build the sooner I can see an African Sunset. Charlie | |||
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Swift A-Frames have no equal in my opinion. Just got back from 10 day hunt in Namibia and will never take anything else. Excellent expansion and weight retention. | |||
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Ginger vs. Maryann Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Swift a-frame or Nosler partition, they're field record is impecable. "An individual with experience is never at the mercies of an individual with an argument" | |||
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Then just stick to the Failsafe. They will work as well as any other bullets you might try. | |||
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I have taken my 300 win mag on all my Africa trips. I actually use the 165 gr Hornady Interbonds and have never had any problems from taking steenbok up to kudu. The failsafes will work just fine on the animals you listed. Good Hunting,  | |||
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Curious nobody wrote anything about Woodleigh. bye Stefano Waidmannsheil | |||
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None of the animals on the list are particularly tough to kill except possibly the wildebeast. So just about any bullet suitable for deer/elk sized animals will work. 465H&H | |||
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