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I am seeking advice regarding the selection of caliber for my africa trip. I am going to buy a new rifle for the purpose of going to Africa. I am willing to spend a little extra on a good rifle but I have limited funds, I also want to choose a caliber that is legal for all African game except buffalo and above. I fancy the Mauser 03 and the Schultz & Larsen design, but do any of you gentlemen have a good suggestion for calibers that meet the legal requirements but also is a practical caliber. I dont want to be "under-gunned".... I already raised the issue on another forum under AR, where I got alot of good response incuding e-mails with references, but I was also adviced to seek info on this forum. Suggested calibers was 30-06, 8x68, 338WM, 9,3x62 etc. I hope that you gents can assist. Please comment the suggested calibers or additional suggestions along with your experiences with the calibers in question. //M | ||
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.375 H&H Magnum in a good controlled round feed rifle. Entry level is CZ 550 Magnum rifle or a Winchester Model 70 Safari Classic and then prices go up for other better made rifles. There are floating around Europe some Mausers made by FN in Belgium which are quite good. Otherwise you get up into the high priced stuff like the Heym Action Express or the new Mauser 98's, Johannsen, et al. _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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I have to throw my support to the M70. However, they are increasingly difficult to find, particularly in the larger calibers. I wouldn't necessarily classify it as "entry level" though you can certainly spend a lot more money. I have had very good luck with the .30 caliber 300 WSM. I don't know what the avialability is in Europe of this cartridge, but I think any of the larger .30's are perfect for plains game. Most important, I think is a premium bullet. I shot a Zebra once with Winchester power points and thought I was missing him until he started to stagger after about three solid hits. When using Failsafes or Barnes X, it'll knock them off their pins much more quickly. | |||
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If you have eland on your dance card your minimum would be a .300 Magnum. If not the .30-'06 will kill them all and comes in many different rifles. The 8X68 and the 9.3s will certainly work, as will the .376 Steyr (my current toy). I understand there is a current Sweedish maker chambering the .376. You would not go wrong with a .375 H&H either. Please let us know what you find. jim if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy. | |||
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browning a bolt in 300 wm with primum bullets brian r simmons | |||
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Hello VKG10, all the calibers you listed would work well. It's all about placement, but I am partial to the 300 win mag and the 338 win mag. good luck. | |||
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Perfect choice is the .375 H&H in a CRF rifle, of course, Mauser better than Winchester. The 9.3x62mm and .376 Steyr are also very good. But nothing less. | |||
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I have taken numerous big game animals with all the calibers you mention except the 8X68.All will do the job for sure but in my experience with bigger plains game I much prefer a powerful flat shooting cartride capable of 250gr of well constructed bullets. I also like a few solids in the bottom of the mag when in DG country. My choice is the 338 win Mag. As far as the rifle goes I m a big fan of the CRF M70s but have used and like the 550 CZs. Things being what they are with Winchester and the limited availabilty of their rifles I would probably opt for the CZ. Some other actions off the rack may be slicker but none are stronger or more reliable. With a little work they can become very nice actions with accurate barrels. | |||
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Another vote for the 300 win mag. Graybird "Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning." | |||
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After my limited experience in Africa, I think a .338-06 or even better 9.3x62 is a perfect all around African rifle. It puts game down with authority, has enough range, has an African history as well. it's also readily available in the CZ 550's which are pretty inexpensive. A shot not taken is always a miss | |||
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Since DG is not on your list, I would feel fine w/ a .30-06, the .338wm even better. The 9.3x62 would give you a bit more bullet just incase you did bump into something nasty. If I was only buying one rifle, I would step up to the .375h&h. LIFE IS NOT A SPECTATOR'S SPORT! | |||
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I would vote for 375H&H it will not let you down Mine is in a CZ550Magnum with fivein the magazine. hamdeni | |||
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Although it doesn't show it the website or catalog photos, a CZ 550 American in 9.3x62 comes with crossbolts and I think maybe iron sights (but I could be wrong) - for $606.00 US. You can get a Full Stock model for another $100. If you want a flatter shooting plains game type, get a CZ 550 Medium Magnum in .300 Win Mag (listed in the catalog but not the website) - $690. All these prices are listed retail, and one can usually get them much cheaper. If I hadn't been so fixated on a stainless rifle I would have bought the CZ American 9.3x62 instead of my M70 Stainless Classic in 375 H&H. If you are going to carry a big stick, you've got to whack someone with it at least every once in while. | |||
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.375 H&H -- if you decide to hunt DG than you can still use the same rifle. Seems rather logical -- even for me! "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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For what you describe, any number of calibers, both standard or wildcat, will suffice. 6.5x55, 7X57mm, .270, .280, .308, 7mm, 30-06, or .300WM, to name a few, will cover it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ | |||
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7X61 Sharpe and Hart in a Schultz and Larson rifle.....I believe you scandanavians are aware of that rifle. It'll do just fine for you. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Thank you very much to all of you. Very good info, I will soon make my decision and I will let you know. It is hard to decide as you all have given very good arguments for the calibers of your choice. I will keep you informed. // M | |||
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I'd vote for the .375 too. The problem for you right now is this: you SAY you are not interested (at this time) in any African animal buff and above, but that COULD, and PROBABLY very well, WILL change. The .375 has taken all of the game that you would presently be interested in and then some. Get a .375 H&H. | |||
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Seems to me that you shoot the largest caliber you can both afford and shoot well. Overgunned just isn't a problem. Being undergunned can lead to a very unsatisfactory experience ( guilt, guilt). The smaller calibers absolutely will kill up to the buffalo quite well, depending on range and the presentation of the animal. So if broadside shots are available at under, say, 200 Yds., then the 30-06 is fine. But to be prepard for a somewhat longer shot and (more importantly) one where you have a quartering shot or need a second shot to get into the vitals, go with the larger end of the spectrum. I like the 338 or the 9.3 for these reasons. | |||
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Bearing in mind that I am a reloader.... The .375 H&H magnum is the one rifle I would keep in some horrible future world wherein I could only have one rifle. Load it "down" with 235 and 220 bullets or load it "up" with 300-350 solids. It will work well for anything on the planet that walks, crawls, or flies. Well, maybe not flies...but you get the idea. Cheers, Don | |||
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Given you are from Scandanavia go with the 8x68 Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Here is the answer for those who believe in the principle of least commitment: buy a Valmet/Tikka/FinnClassic 412 or 512 System gun. Get a set of 12 ga bbls as well as a set of double rifle bbls. You can add to the "starter kit" later. Double rifle bbls can be had in most of the small and medium caliber metrics, up to the 9.3x74R (which is quite adequate for Buffalo with a PH as backup, and also legal in parts of SA and Zimbabwe, and I think also Namibia). In the American calibers, the 30-06 and 308 are available. One step up would be 8mm. The QD scope mount is excellent. This way, you can have one gun that will kill birds, small game, plains game, dangerous game etc. and you don't have to buy all the bbl sets to start. This is a very high quality if somewhat plain gun (engraved versions are now available). The only vice is the trigger is more like a shotgun trigger (heavy) than a rifle trigger. But you can have that seen to. It breaks down for travel and you can put it in a bag that doesn't look like a gun case. Ideal for the travelling hunter. Russ Gould - Whitworth Arms LLC BigfiveHQ.com, Large Calibers and African Safaris Doublegunhq.com, Fine English, American and German Double Rifles and Shotguns VH2Q.com, Varmint Rifles and Gear | |||
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.375 H&H in a Winchester M70, CZ or Ruger RSM I love my M70 and would rather shoot it than my .30-'06. You can load it to suit whatever you are going after. SCI, NRA Life Member Warm trails and blue skies! | |||
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