Hello Christian, I was going to stay out of this, but decided to add my two cents.
I feel your 270 is adiquit for most of the plains game, but perhaps just a little lite for some of the bigger antilope. The venerable 30:06 gives you a heavier bullet with not mush more recoil. When your PH asks what rifle you are bringing, watch the smile on his face when you tell him 30:06. Of course any of the 300 mags would be that much better, and give you a little more range.
All that said, I use a 375 H&H on all my plainsgame. It has performed wonderfully on animals from Duiker to Cape Buffalo, encluding Giraffe. But then that is the rifle I shoot the best, and as has been stated here already "The best all round rifle for plains game is the one you shoot the best".
Jus do me , your PH, and the rest of your hunting party a favor. Stay away from muzzel breaks, If you can't handle the recoil go to somthing smaller. Just my opinion.

Accurate shooting is more important. Make the shot...

Mike

.300 win mag....no question about it.

Odie says it well. I have been on 4 plains game trips and have used a .270, .308 and .338 Win Mag. If you are not going for Eland, standard calibers from .270 - .30-06 work very well. My .308 has been devastating on animals up to Gemsbok. Many people shoot a .270 or .308 much better than they would shoot a magnum. It took me years to really become comfortable with my .338 WM. If you want an Eland, my personal suggestion is that a .338 WM or something in that range with tough bullets would be better. Of course, a .30-06 or .308 with an A-Frame, Bear Claw, TSX or other like bullet will drop an Eland as well. Take what you shoot best; use an approporiate bullet; practice, practive, practice from field shooting positions and you'll do well.

quote:

Originally posted by Christian Snyder:
What is the best cartridge for plains game in your opinion? I am interested in hearing what you all have to say on this. I have never been to Africa so I have no opinion.

What ever caliber/rifle (using common sense ) you feel like!

The last time I hunted plains game I used a 416 wby 120 gr rl22 and 350 grain barnes x. nothing went more than 10 feet. others in my camp spent a lot of time trailing wounded animals and unlike in the us if your trophy is out at night it will be chewed on. If big guns kick to much a 35 whelen will get the job done. I see a lot of people tracking things shot with a 300rum. too much velocity for most bullets. Bigger is better and those who will tell you different know that I am speaking the truth and they are just making excuses because they are afraid of recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

Originally posted by Christian Snyder:
What is the best cartridge for plains game in your opinion? I am interested in hearing what you all have to say on this. I have never been to Africa so I have no opinion.

What ever caliber/rifle (using common sense ) you feel like!

I like the .270 Winchester and the .30-06 Springfield, but I'm not worried about what I should use. I just want to hear what other members thing is the best cartridge for plainsgame.

Anything between 6.5mm and 9.3mm that you shoot well.

( and has a projectile with an SD >.248 and preferable >.270. )

With 40+ years of hunting on the African continent and having had ample opportunities at dabbling with a motley variety of calibers, the one I have found to be (IMHO) undisputed is the .300 Win. Mag. - not too heavy not too light, with a good assortment of projectile variations available and will do the job on most anything without difficulty.

IMHO there is no such thing as one best cartridge for African plains game. What is best for a Vaal rhebuck at 350 yards surely isn't the best for an eland in the jesse of the Zambesi valley or for a mtn. nyala in the mountains of Ethiopia. All we can do is pick the best compromise for the game we intend to hunt on that safari.

465H&H