Ron

If you can handle slugs then a .375 is more than do-able. I grew up shooting slugs at deer and my slug gun is plain nasty, but delightful to carry (real short and real light). I'd shoot 20 rounds out of my .375 (and have when practicing) before I would shoot 5 out of my slug gun. I'm sure with a properly fitted and weighted .416 you would be fine with the recoil.

Any rate it's hard to say. I'm at the beginning of a long and hopefully successful life of hunting in Africa. I plan on taking some elephant in the process, so I know that I will buy something in the .458+ range (hopefully a double ), so my .375 will be a good second gun for me to take for plains game/leopard and incase something happens to my big bore. So for me buying a .375 first works well. A couple years ago in Tanzania I shot an impala at 300 yards with my .375. I'm not saying the .416 couldn't do it I'm just saying I'm glad I had the .375 (that was in the LONGGGG grass too where you're not supposed to get shots like that, so be prepared). The .416's are a lot closer to the .375's ballisticly than the .458+'s, so it's hard to say if you would use both. Perhaps on a later safari a scoped .375 and an open sighted .416?, but then again that's what they make QD mounts for. So I guess it's ultimately up to you.

Why the fascination with take downs? I'd be scared to death it would fall apart at the wrong time on a DG hunt or the screw would fall out in the bush and be lost for the duration of the safari.

Brett

Brett,
I guess you're right in assuming that the 'safe'way is to gradually progress to bigger calibers. I that case a .375 is a very versatile caliber. The fascination for the Sauer take down is the high quality, precision, even after switching several times in calibers and the versatility. You can shoot from 6,5 x55 up to .458 Lott with the same rifle.On airports nobody notice that I am carrying a rifle. last month both in Johannesburg and Amsterdam my rifle came even on the luggage belt. The officials almost got a heart attack

Surestrike,
Try and get over it, its just a character flaw on your part that pisses me off!

Ray,

You've got most of these guys fooled. I know better.

What pisses you off is when I call you on your bullshit.

Ron,

Those are some beautiful rifles! I was not familiar with the Sauer take downs, but they are plenty sharp! I still like owning the separate rifles and knowing they won't fall apart, but I see the attraction. Good luck and have fun. Buffalo are a blast! I know I've never felt a rush like seeing my first buffalo in the bush (except a charging elephant hence I can't wait to hunt a tembo). Have fun and practice lots. The Boddington on buffalo video is a great resource and so is "doctari's" "Africa's Most Dangerous". When I finally bought my rifle I would watch Boddington's DVD and pause it on buffalo at different angles and dry fire my rifle to simulate shooting at different angles. Between the dry firing and shooting on the range it was like I'd done it before when the moment came. I'm hardly an expert, but I hope I've helped.

Brett

Surestrike,

Brett,
Thanks a lot for your advice. I never had any problem whatsoever with my actual Sauer take down.Could be that you have to check the bolt that connects the stock when you shoot heavy calibres. I will keep the forum informed about my progress with the choice of calibre and rifle

Without hesitation I would choose a rifle or caliber Lott 458 or 416 caliber Rigby. The 375 H & H Magnum seems to me a rifle too light for the Big Five, plus your taking these large sizes can opt quietly by the elephant hunt.

Oscar.

I took the 375 H&H advice and was underwelmed by the recoil in my RSM I should have bought the 416 Rigby. I think it is like anything you can work up to it. If you need to fire 4 rounds in under 10seconds and hit a pie plate at 100 yards off hand well then a 375 might be more than most can shoot well. However, if you are taking careful aimed shots then 5500 foot pounds can be handled. I like my Rem 700 Big Game synthetic in 416rem and have not had problems with a sticky bolt but I have dumped the factory mag box enough that I tape it shut. I have a 9.3 RUM wildcat that hits me much harder than the 416. I love the 375 H&H as an all around rifle but you need to decide what you really want. I am having my RSM 375 converted to 500 Jeffery since I like its looks. Good luck and have fun. If you know anyone around you who has a 416 or 375 try them out if you can. If I get to goto africa I will take what I have at the time. I feel the 416rem is a good round easy to reload shoots 1 MOA at a 100yards with regularity.

Brad

I have both a 416 Rem & 375 H&H, and because of the difference in gun weights, the 416 actually kicks less. Both guns will shoot under 1" (when I'm doing my part), and with 78.0 grains of IMR 4064 and a 400 gr slug, my 416 has NEVER given me a problem. I've left the ammo and rifle in the sun for an afternoon before firing, and carried it all over the Selous on 90+ heat, all without incident. For DG, it's my favorite cartridge. Use it with confidence, and just enjoy your safari!! BN

quote:

Originally posted by Aziz:
I have used a 416 Rem Mag in all weather conditions from bear hunting in Kamchatka, to Moose in the NWT, to multiple DG hunts in Africa including Buffalo in Tanzania, two safaris in Burkina Faso where the day time temperature was 105 F, without any problem.

In my opinion it is a great caliber.

Aziz

.

I would be inclined to think [NUFF SAID ]

I don't now nor have I ever had or fired a 416Remington Magnum. But I do live in Southern Arizona where the temperature gets fairly warm (it's 108 there now I understand) luckily I'm not there. I have lived and shot here and shot rifles here for over 30 years and have never had or heard of a problem with temperature induced problems. I don't lay my ammunition out in the sun however either in Arizona or in Africa. The famous PH test article in African Hunter had several personal preference type 'facts' presented in it which I greatly disagreed with at the time and wrote a rather lengthy letter in response to the same. Only part of my letter was ever referenced in print and as a result of that and having spent some small amount of time in Zimbabwe over 8 safaris I take quite a bit of the 'expert' advice in African Hunter with a grain of salt. I also do the same with some advice dispensed on this forum also by 'experts'. Sometimes I even doubt my OWN advice and find I have been wise in doing so.

quote:

Sometimes I even doubt my OWN advice and find I have been wise in doing so.

I never doubt my advice. Don't ever doubt me.

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