Just starting this due to a debate on another forum. The most experienced African hunters have always been at AR, so here I am.

WOuld you use a 30-06 and premium bullets on an eland?

A recent Boddington article suggested a .338 Magnum as a minimum and a .375 as a better choice.

How about the good ol' 30-06?

Yes, as long as you put it in the boiler room you are fine. 180 gr TSX or A Frame will do the trick.

quote:

Originally posted by 450/400:
Yes, as long as you put it in the boiler room you are fine. 180 gr TSX or A Frame will do the trick.

Eland can be very big.....the .30-06 can also be big and modern premium bullets make it more than ever.

No problem as long as you put the first shot where it needs to go. I have used 300 WM and 7mm just fine on some pretty big critters. Shot placement is the key. Now if you screw up even a 375 has problems. Bigger calibers are more forgiving ut only to a point.

Mike,

the 06 will do fine if you do fine. Many will say you need bigger but with proper placement and a high quality bullet that eland is dead.

Total agreement. Used 300wm on a cape eland. He never even moved DOA. I used the 7mm on a running livingston eland. One shot dropped him on the spot at a couple hundred yards. 30-06 is just fine. My point was simply place the shot no matter what caliber.

I have never killed an eland. One busted me as I came to full draw with my bow. Had he not, I would have killed him cleanly with a 480 grain arrow at 25 yards. My father killed his eland with a .375. No problem.

I wouldn't hunt one with a 30.06 on purpose - but I have killed whitetail does and turkeys with a .416 Rem. Mag. -- so I tend to go big on calibre. That said, eland with a 30.06 could be done, quite nicely. Use heavy bullets/

agreed with all ...yes no problem , i have guided on a lot of eland and 30-06 with premium bullets will do just fine ...try and avoid a direct hit on the legbone !

If a 30-06 is the largest rifle you can use, then use it and make damn sure of your first shot.

If you own a larger rifle then use it, using a smaller weapon does you nor the animal any possible good.

The quote is use enough gun, not use just enough gun.

30 06 will do great on Eland.

Use good quality bullets in the 180 to 220gr class.

Shot placement is critical as it is with any other calibre.

30-06 are going to do the job nicely.

As for most the plain game in Africa.

Generally speaking I would use a bigger caliber even in small game, WHY NOT . . . Is just fun to use a bigger one!!!

My eland was a one shot kill with my 9.3x62 -but at that range and angle (straight from the front) a 30.06 would have worked just fine.

But quartering shots or any extreme angle I´d never take with a 30.06.

30-06 doesn't make the legal minimum in zim. I have shot Eland with both a 7x57 and (cows) with .308. Never had a problem, but have stock to my 9,3 for many years now. Generally don't bother with premium bullets in the 9,3, so yup. can easily work. As always when using a (relative) small bore on big game. put the bullet in the right place!

The '06 is one of my favorites and adequate for most anything if applied carefully but If I knew I was going to specifically target an eland (I assume we are talking monster trophy bull) I'd go up in caliber and horsepower. An '06 with a premium bullet tight up behind the eland's front shoulder and the eland is dead but offered an angling shot through the shoulder bones or from behind through the ponch to the vital you are undergunned.

The new bullets like the monometals have helped the old '06 a great deal and if it is the rifle you have, shoot well and recoil or money prevent you from purchasing a larger caliber go for it. Just be careful of the shot angle.

Mark

I used my .30/06 successfully on all the plainsgame I hunted in Namiba with one exception. I had a .416 along for a trip to Zim the following week. The PH asked me to use the .416 for Eland and I, of course, complied.

I hit the Eland in the shoulder at 200 yds. It broke both shoulders. I guess the heavy bullet was a good idea.

The '06 can do a the job. But, given a choice, I'd use a 338WM and larger.

OK so an 06 will work but bigger is better.... so what do you think of using a 35 whelen and 225gr bullets at 2600fps.

quote:

Originally posted by mark65x55:
OK so an 06 will work but bigger is better.... so what do you think of using a 35 whelen and 225gr bullets at 2600fps.

Good choice!

quote:

Originally posted by mark65x55:
OK so an 06 will work but bigger is better.... so what do you think of using a 35 whelen and 225gr bullets at 2600fps.

Taylor liked the .350 Rigby No. 2 with its 225 grain bullet for eland. Key seems to have been the quality of the Rigby bullet. The 35 Whelen is about the same, assuming you use premium bullets.

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by 450/400:
Yes, as long as you put it in the boiler room you are fine. 180 gr TSX or A Frame will do the trick.

Amen.. I agree.

The 30.06 will work fine for eland. My son killed his bull with 180 grain Nosler partitions. One shot. You must be taking broadside shots with a 30.06.

I prefer larger calibers for game of this size, and have used .375 for the eland I have killed. Just more insurance, and more allowable shot angles. My bulls weren't any more dead than my son's bull.

I do feel that 30.06 is about a sensible minimum, and for those who can shoot it well, a larger bore is probably better.

Bill