You are a PH which suddenly gets a call from the Game department. there is a flock of marauding elephants on the plains, they have ruined a village and killed several people and wounded sevra others.

they are very dangerous and have to be dealt with ASAP

Your task is to intercept them and take them out. there will be both longer range and close contact aresa where the shooting will be.

What would youre choice of rifles be and which caliber would you choose for thet particular spot of bother??

My choice .470 or 500 nitro double rifle with 500 grain in the .470 and 570 grain in the .500

.416 Rigby Magnum Mauser or the .404 J. 400 grain solids in the loads.

.375 H&H .300 grain solid with a low power scope on for alternative use if something else comes up or as a back up rifle.

.9,3x74 R double with 286 solid, just in case. You can never have too much gun on such a job.

FN-Fal with AP Ball.

quote:

Originally posted by els:
FN-Fal with AP Ball.

Els is correct. This is not sport hunting, it is culling which should be done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Read Ron Thomson's Mahohboh and he'll describe exactly how it is done. A thoroughly nauseating, but necessary part of herd management.

If you were in Zambia in 1972 and were an Elephant Control Officer you would shoot a 458 Win Mag with the 510 grain solid. If you were lucky it would be a pre 64.

You may have had a 404 but probably not. A few 375's but not many and the odd 470 with no ammunition.

No ammo for Doubles and what was available was not for cropping.

No 9.3s or any of that stuff. No back up rifles with your tracker and no Game Scouts, parades or other military movements like todays hunters seem to need in the bush.

No FALs or such.

The shooter, the tracker and the rifle. Occasionally a learner or visiting PH to lend a hand.

sorry about that,but i was dreaming a little too much about the past, but the .458 and the .404 were much used as rifles for those managment hunts. and today itis also a matter for what that is legal and you are issued/authorized to use .