I just ordered a Dakaota arms model 76 in 7X57. I'm now considering taking it and a 375 H&H to Botswana next year for plains game, kind of going old school. Since I will be in both the Okavango and the Kalahari, I'll be hunting game from steenbok to eland. My question is; given factory ammo, where do I put down the 7X57 and take up the 375? Kudu? Zebra? Never?

Terry,

I think you will find the factory ammo to me pretty mild stuff for your 7x57 because there are still so many old rifles out there. If I was dead set on taking the 7x57 I think I would send it to Larry at Superior Ammo and have him generate a good load with the 150-160 NP. Larry can ring max preformance from your individual rifle. I might consider doing the same thing with your 375. A good 270 gr. bullet in the 375 will shoot as flat as an '06 and be perfect for the bigger animals you mentioned such as eland, zebra or bad angle shots on kudu etc.

Good luck,

Mark

Mark
Thanks for the reply. I've had a good deal of success with Federal premium TBBC's in the 375. I'm inclined to continue to use that. I'm actually trying to start a discussion regarding where, in terms of plains game, do you shift from a medium bore to a big bore. I specified factory ammo to simplify the question. Having said that, I will probably take the 7X57 next year. I'm thinking that kudu on up is 375 territory, impala/lechewe down is 7X57. I'm not sure about Zebra or Tsessebe.

Doing the same sort of thing, but with a 7x64 and a 9.3x64. Bob

Interesiting in that I plan on taking the same combo to Namibia this summer. I will load up the 7x57 with 160 NP's or Barnes XXX for my son's primary rifle. I am also working up some mild loads in the 375 for him, say 2300 fsp with a 260 grain accubond. I don't want him shooting long distances anyway, so I think a 260 in the boiler room at 100 yds or so will suffice for Kudu or Gemsbok. That being said, I think lots of kudu sized game have been done in with the old 7x57 with good shot placement. Bob

Since you are using only factory ammo that automatically puts you at a disadvantage with the 7x57 and most factory ammo......

I would suggest that you use any 175 gr. SP factory load and you can kill about anything up to and including Eland on broadside or slightly angling shots...The old 175 gr. bullet is long for its caliber and at about 2400 FPS will shot through about anything....But since you have a 375 I would use it on Kudu and eland and use the 7x57 for the smaller stuff, again with the 175 gr. bullet.

Switch to a 45-70
C

Since you are using a modern action, I would see no reason that the old 7X57 could not be loaded to the same pressures as other .473 based rounds. Should put the 7X57 a bit ahead of the 7mm-08 with light bullets and well ahead with 160 gr and up, almost to 280 specs. I have pondered the same since I want a 7X57 too. I was cautioned by my visiting PH a week or 2 ago that "now would not be good time to be buying rifles, you need trophy fee money" so I have put a moratorium on my shopping for a while. I will be a on a 1909 Arg. with classic stock when I get around to it.

Terry,

I guess I failed to make myself clear. The Kalahari can be very open country thus the suggestion of the lighter faster 375 loading(I also like the 300 gr.TB Federal ammo).

To address your question I think you may find the zebra the toughest of all if you hit it a little off the mark. I've shot all the animals you mentioned and the bigger ones definitely rate the 375 although a lesser caliber would work. Take a few 375 solids for the real small stuff.

I've shot a couple of tsessebe and 3 lechwe. They also are open country animals. The 7x57 will do the job but it needs to be loaded to its potential.

Regards,

Mark

TerryR, I posted this on another thread in the past. Back in the mid '90s I was on a hunt in Namibia, and saw a German hunter shoot a large Eland bull. The bull was facing straight away from him. He was using a 7X57 with 175 grain X Bullets. the bullet entered just below the tail, and was found in the brisket. That 175 grain X bullet in 7mm is like the Energizer Bunny-It just keeps going, and going, and going.

I recently bought a selection of 7mm bullets off this forum. 160gr X's and Partitions and some 175gr Grand Slams. Assuming all group reasonably well, which would you recommend for Kudu/Oryx size critters? Rifle is 7x64.
Thanks, Bob

You could probably hunt everything on your "wish" list w/ your 7x57 & a good 160/175gr bullet. You might as well hunt your Zebra w/ your .375 since you are bringing it anyway. I took my .375 & a .338-06 for plainsgame & shot everything w/ the .338-06 w/ great results, probably could have done just as well w/ a 7x57.

Over the years I've become a believer in heavy for calibre bullets. However the X Bullets do, in many cases, out-penetrate other bullets of the same weight. I think the 160 grain X's will do the job, but I'm still partial to 175's.

I killed a kudu very handily with one 160 Nosler partition loaded to 2800 fps. I shot a zebra with the .375, and the PH told my son if he wanted to shoot the zebra, he should shoot my rifle (.375 H&H). the little 7x57 shot straight through both shoulders of a nice gemsbuck, also with a single shot. Even the 7x57 still tears hell out of the little steenbock, etc.