I'm thinking about adding a Giraffe to my list of plains game. I was planning on taking a .340 Wby--should I step up to a .375 H&H or .378 Wby for this?

BBM,
A giraffe is no harder to tip over than any other big PG. The big thing about a giraffe is the location of the vitals, get that perfect shot book, and study it. I chased a wounded on for a day and a half because I did not do the same.
Chipolopolo

IMHO I would recommend the .375. I did shoot a giraffe last August in Zim with my .300 WSM, but if I had my choice I would have shot it with the .375. Their hide is very thick.

Bigger is better but with correct shot placement and good bullet choice, the 340 Wea will do the job.

You'll find a shot placement guide here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...-shot-placement.html

And if you want a copy of Robertson's Perfect Shot, you can order it here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...ooks3.html#robertson

Hope that helps.

With the right bullets yes, preferably a solid but next best bet a barnes TSX

I have taken 2 giraffe with body shots, using solids in the 450 No2 and 9,3x74R.

I would use a 340WBY. I would try to find some Round Nose or Flat Nose Solids, if not then I would use the heaviest Barnes TSX.

My wife head shot her giraffe with a 308 using Federal factory 180 Barnes MRX.

My son shot one with a .375 using TBBC's. Took a direct hit in the neck/spine to knock it over.

if you had a 30-30 and got within 50 yards that would work. Of course you wouldn't be as cool, but you would have a dead giraffe.
At what ever distance you can shoot off sticks and put 3 rounds in a coffee saucer size group that is the distance and round you need. Can you shoot a 2-inch 3 shot group off the bench at 100yds with the 340 every time out? If not, leave that 340 at home and take what you can do the trick with.

Rich
Buff Killer

BBM,

A 340 Weatherby with proper bullets can kill anything on the planet and is perfectly adequate for a giraffe. Several friends and clients that have shot them with conventional bullets in plains game calibers described the long followup similiar to what Chipolopolo had. Even with the hit in the right place often only one lung is injured. There skin is just incredibly thick.

I think the 340 with a 250 TSX would work fine on a broadside presentation or if you want to try for the brain. Otherwise I'd try solids.

Mark

Woodleigh makes both a 300 grain solid and soft for a .338. The heavy weight should slow it enough to hold together well.

The 340 Weatherby with a good bullet like the ones suggested here will make short work of that giraffe, or just about anything else for that matter. Great cartridge. jorge

Ive shot two giraffe bulls.One with a 30-06 swift a frames hart shotand one with a 243.Head shot.Iam taking another one this year and i want to use my 375 this time

The 340 is definately enough with good bullets like TSX or Nosler Partitions / Swift..
Shot placement is the key..

Jimmara, curius to know... what did your tusks end up weighing?
Regards, John

The 340 is enough in my opinion, BUT I would use a 375 H&H with a Barnes or Aframe. Hell I would even use my 458 Lott or 470 NE.

I shot a huge Black Bull with a 300 RUM, 7 shots in all and wished I used my 375 H&H.

Thier skin is very, very thick, almost an inch I think.

The bigger the better with the big Bulls. Why screw around.

PAH

I'd rather shoot a Yellowstone bison than a giraffe. Bison are probably more challenging.

dyker, never hunted either but from what I am told from my 9 hunts in Africa giraffe can be very hard. As opposed to the bison hunts I have seen on TV (walking up and shooting a ford)

Yes.

I shot my Giraffe last year in Namibia with Mike Kibble with a 338RUM and a S&H Precision FN Solid in 225 grains.

We were trying for a body shot but couldn't get one, so I took a neck shot.

Never seen anything come down so fast

The 340 will do the same......just choose the right bullet and place your shot.

Hi Blair:

I also shot my Black Bull in the neck with a 300 RUM, came down like a ton of bricks.

The only problem was he kept on gettig back up every time I went to body shoot him and finish him off.

PAH

PAH,

Mine didn't move an inch....he was rat shit

Gotta use those GOOD bullets!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by dyker:
I'd rather shoot a Yellowstone bison than a giraffe. Bison are probably more challenging.

I think I will try to hand-feed him some peanuts before I shoot him!

I've shot both and giraffe are more challenging. BigBoreMan: I had a lady friend that did just that in Zim with a smaller giraffe and by the time the giraffe had finished with her she ended up in the hospital in Jo'Burg, in surgery, with a month-long recuperation. Of course, there are also a few of those who think that Yellowstone bison are tame, and who always end up dead or severely injured every year.

UEG,it begs the question, even money says the closest either one has ever been to Africa is a Disney movie...jorge

I enjoyed hunting and shooting Giraffe.

If you shoot one that is not too old the meat is VERY good.

My wife has hunted and shot one as well.

I have shot a lot of plains game in Africa, if/when I go back all I want to hunt is elephants.

Giraffe are one of my most favorite animals, I love to watch them. They are a nice trophy.

I have not hunted Bison, but I have acted as backup to two different bison hunters, one with a bow. While some bison hunts are like shooting a cow in a pen, these were good hunts, in a large area on a non tame herd. They were fun.

There is a difference between a "shoot" and a "hunt".

As long as the people involved have fun, and the meat is utilized, and the true story is told, I do not have a problem with either one.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
I've shot both and giraffe are more challenging. BigBoreMan: I had a lady friend that did just that in Zim with a smaller giraffe and by the time the giraffe had finished with her she ended up in the hospital in Jo'Burg, in surgery, with a month-long recuperation. Of course, there are also a few of those who think that Yellowstone bison are tame, and who always end up dead or severely injured every year.

You've got to be kidding--I would have never thought anyone would actually try something like that. That's about as smart as petting a Cape Buffalo calf in heavy cover!

I didn't either until she sent me an e-mail and told me what had happened to her. Apparently the young giraffe was thought to be "friendly" and had been hanging around one of the camps. Go figure with any wild animal. It literally attacked her with its front hoofs. As far as bison goes, well. . .you just have to be in Yellowstone during the summer to see all of the stupid tourists that think they're in a petting zoo, in spite of the warning signs. Those with cameras are the absolute worst as they try and get within a few feet of a "tame and docile" bison.

jorge: I love you man!