Assume a plains game hunt in Namibia. #1 Rifle is a Win M70 in .338WM. For the #2 rifle should I go up in calibre/power or down? Going down to 30-06 means a lighter, less recoiling rifle for smaller game, while still serving as an adequate backup to the 338. Going up to 375H&H means versatile, classic African calibre, but with greater weight and recoil.

What are your thoughts?

Question:
Assuming the first rifle is .338WM for a Namibian plainsgame hunt, should the second(backup) rifle go up in calibre to 375H&H or down to 30-06?

Choices:
375 H&H
30-06
other (if you must)

 

I'm the 'other', I say take the 375 H&H and the 30.06.

Another other. Just take one. 30-06, 338, or 375, they will all do fine with good bullets, take the one you shoot best.

Take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62.....screw it...go classic and buy new guns!

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
Take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62.....screw it...go classic and buy new guns!

How Teutonic of you!

I like the .338 WM and .375 H&H pair. Kinda guided by making sure that ammo for at least one rifle is available locally.

338 and 416 combo.

338 win and 416 rem make the most of what you are hunting

I voted .30-06 -- it is a PG hunt, you have the .338 for big PG animals, and a .30-06 with 180-grain or 200-grain bullets should be fine for back up. You can take a larger rifle if you want, but I can't see why you need it.

Of course, I do not have the experience of others here, so maybe they know somethng I do not that make a 375 or 416 necessary.

For plains game the 338 will do everyting the 375 can do as well as shoot flatter. In my opinion the 375 is too close to the 338. For the second gun I'd go way down to 6.5x55 or 243 if you are interested in some of the smaller antelope.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I'm the 'other', I say take the 375 H&H and the 30.06.

That's my take as well! The 30-06 with 180 gr bullet has almost exactly the same trejectory are the 375 H&H with a 300 gr bullet,or the 165 gr bullet in the 30-06 is about the same trejectory as the 270 gr 375H&H, makeing the hold over the same no matter which rifle is in you hands at the time you spot game! The 375H&H will give you a great edge on things like Zebra, Gemsbok, and Eland, and shoots flat enough to take just about any shot you could with the 06, or the 338 range wise!

30'06 ammo is universally available around the world. I can promise you that you will use the lighter rifle 80% of the time.A friend of mine collected 19 plainsgame animals from eland and zebra to springbok with 19 shots, using only his 25'06!Personally, I'd take my 300 Win. and a shotgun...Have a good hunt!! Bwana dogo

Having just returned from Namibia and having used one gun for seven animals, I would take only the .375 H&H. With the 270 grain Fail Safe bullets, out of the gun I shoot, it is 2 inches low at 200 yards and 13 inches low at 300 yards. The closest shot was at 48 yards and the longest was at 225, down-hill. Shot everything from Springbok to Zebra to Eland. All went down and the rifle and rounds performed flawlessly.

Be safe,
493

I'm with 493. Take one rifle - the .375 H&H. That's what I did on my plains game hunt and it was perfect in everyway. Also twice as easy as lugging around two rifles.

My buddy took his .375 H&H and his .300 H&H. The .300 never left its case.

I do not see how some of you can go halfway around the world and take only one rifle....

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I do not see how some of you can go halfway around the world and take only one rifle....

Yep. Take the .338 and the .06, which is plenty for reasonable shots on plains game. My dad and I hunted Namibia - he with a .270 WSM and me with a .338 Win. Both used TSX bullets and performed admirably on game from steenbok to moutain zebra. Given good shot placement, there seemed little difference in in the effect of the two rifles - all animals died.

I took my 375 & 7mm Rem last October. I used the 7mm more than the 375.

I also used the PH's 223 for Steenbuck.

I think you will be happy with anything you take - you will be in Africa hunting!

Have a great time. Only 55 days until I leave for the Selous, but who is counting?

I am going to Tanzania on the 25th for 14 days. It will be a buff plains game hunt, I'm taking 416 Rigby and 30.06. The 06 load will be 180 gn Nosler at 2750. From what I gather the 30/180/2700 is good for all up to buff, and would work on a buff with the right bullet.........JJ

I'm with MacD37 and Fjold.

No need for the 375H&H so I'd go with the 30-06 and the 338wm.

Looking at the Federal website for an example, the 30-06 180gr Nosler Partion load and the 338wm 225gr Tophy Bonded loads have nearly identical trajectories to keep things simple.

Also, I'm with 450 NE No2 and wouldn't go half way round the world with only one rifle. Two rifles are little more trouble to travel with than one.

JPK

For my first safari which included DG, Lion (negitive results), Buffalo (2 great bulls), and Leopard (great Tom) my rifles were .375 H&H, .30-06, and .257 AI. Next time I wouldonly bring the .375 and pay attention to bullet selection. Far simpler, and less to carry/worry about.

I've never been to Africa to hunt PG but if I ever do I'd take a 30'06 and 375.

I am going to Namibia and Tanzania for 24 Days in 2007-I will take a 375 H&H and a 30/06 - watch out Buff, Eland and Kudu.

The 338 is sufficient for any plains game that you would take on the high end. This leaves the "low" end. I think of the 30-06 as not a light, but a medium rifle. I'd use a 243 to 270 for my "other" rifle, if I were going for diversity. On the other hand, if I want to duplicate my .338 with a wider spectrum, I'd take my 9.3x62. Kudude

My favorite PLAINS GAME rifles/cartridges are 7x57 and 30-06. Low recoil light weight and range as far as I can shoot.I cannot see NOT taking 2 rifles anywhere more than a mile from home.

quote:

Posted 11 August 2006 02:34
I do not see how some of you can go halfway around the world and take only one rifle....

This is for a plains game hunt right? You can always use one of the PH's rifles. Bottom line is you will be able to hunt if something happens to any or all of your guns. those who said 416 for a plains game hunt I ask why?
I understand when people say shoot the biggest thing you can shoot well for dangerous game but I do not say the same for most plains game hunts.

If I was hunting eland, Zebra, etc.. every day I might not choose the 3006 as my first choice but how many times are you going to shoot an eland in your life? If you are taking one or two, I see no problem with shooting a 3006 with premium bullets. The PH's rifle and the hunters rifle have a different purpose in my view.

On the two rifle issue, I wouldn't want to be paying a bunch for a hunt and have to rely on any rifle I'm not familiar with and that might not be suitable or fit me.

Its hardly any more burden to travel with two rifles. You need a case either way, you need to do paper work either way, you need to do the check in either way...An extra ten pounds worth of case and rifle to avoid a true PITA with a rifle that doesn't suit, doesn't fit, different safety...Not worth not bringing two.

Also, I would always want overlap for my two rifles, especially the light one filling in for the heavy one. I want the light rifle to be sufficient, if not ideal, for the largest game to be hunted. I want the heaviest to at least be passable for the lighter game.

JPK

The 338 should be adequate for all plains game; I'd bring a shotgun and enjoy a day of bird hunting!

Pete

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
Take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62.....screw it...go classic and buy new guns!

My kind of guy.

As long as you're convinced the 338 mag is the number one gun I'd suggest the second gun to be much smaller.

A 243 would be great for the smaller animals such as Impala.

No reason to bring another gun. The 375 is so close there is almost no practical difference. You could go smaller, but why?

O Masters, grasshopper would like to know, "you wake up in camp that first morning in Namibia, you've brought two rifles (whatever the caliber), which one do you take to the field that day?"

Wink,

You carry one and keep the other in the truck in case you drop, screw up, run over.. the first one. All of this stuff has happened to unlucky guys in the past.
JPK

I'm a two rifle guy also. If something happens to one, I prefer to have an option that I'm used to. While my favorite battery is 375 H&H and 30-06, if you are committed to the 338, then I'd go with the 30-06.

TerryR

You don't need a cannon to shoot plains game. You definitely don't need two cannons. You CAN use a cannon but only if you are used to it. It's a big mistake to shoot one for the first time on your dream hunt, if it's not needed. And for most people, a 338 is a cannon, not to mention anything bigger.

Despite what others will tell you, anything from 7mm x 2300 fps up is adequate with the right bullets. For slow calibers use soft bullets, for high vel use bonded or Barnes etc.

Avoid frontal or angling away shots with the lesser calibers. Heck, I've seen Wildebeest and Impala take a frontal 375 through one lung and run forever.

Let me add a bit more info. I already own a 338 WinMag. It weighs 9lbs 4ozs scoped and is a cream puff to shoot. I believe it will handily knock over anything I plan to shoot. If I take two guns, it's going with me. That's why I'm not too interested in the "Other" category. I just put it in because many folks would make "Other" suggestions regardless of whether I requested them, so may as well make provision for it.

My real question is for the second gun, given that my first is the 338WM, do I go up in calibre or down? At this point, most votes suggest dropping down to the 30-06.

If I was starting from scratch, I would go 375 H&H and 30-06. But, as I have explained, I'm not starting from scratch!

Carry on lads!

O Masters, except for Wooly, nobody has answered the question: which one of the two calibers do you choose to carry with you? Which is the primary weapon and which is the back up? I suppose its academic if we are all assuming the the 338 is n°1 but the responses don't all go that way. If the 338 is fine, why not bring two 338s?

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
Take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62.....screw it...go classic and buy new guns!

I voted for the 375 H&H ......Just because it's Africa

But..... I like this idea even more!!

As if you needed a reson to buy more rifles.

Go up. You're going to Africa!

I'm with Grafton. Why carry some more dead weight. I belief is that people tend to over-think when it comes to Africa.

I just got back from Namibia and used a 300WM with Barnes 200 TSX, the 180's would have worked just fine for numerous gemsbok,mountain zebra and wildebeast. I used a 30-06 for springbok and hartebeast. Take a 30-06 and take your 338 as your security blanket.Try using the 30-06 first, you 338 may just stay in it's case. Americans seem to have this need to drag cannons on PG hunts. Remember, the idea is to have fun and enjoy yourself. Take whatever you feel comfortable with and use whatever results you get as a learning experience for the next hunt.