Now that I've got my "big" gun, in .375 H&H, I'm looking at a "second" to possibly carry along with it on safari. However, I plan on using the .375 for everything if possible. My list will include Kudu, zebra, wildebeast, impala, warthog, possibly springbok, and, should funds allow, a side trip for Cape Buffalo . That all said, I have in my battery a .308 Rem Model 700 BDL, a .300 Win Mag Model 700 ADL synthetic, and a "soon-to-be" .260 Rem Model 7 (after the barrel swap). My favorite of the 3 is the .308, but I've heard it may not be legal in most of southern Africa. Thus, my question - is the .308 legal and if it's not where is it not? If not the .308, then which of the other would be best?

I guess the other option is to just take the .375 H&H with two scopes and throw in a 12 gauge for birds.

The .308 will do just fine for the plains game if that's your favorite gun.

Load up some partician 180s and have at it.

The 375 would be my first choice, otherwis as Vapdog suggest a heavy bullet in the 308 could do it.

The .308 is a favorite in Africa, it will do about anything the 30-06 can do and thats no slight praise...I love the .308 with 180 gr. Noslers, Northforks or Woodleighs. I also liked the 150 gr. GS Customs.

Go with the 308. I've taken one to Africa every trip and as long as you stick with premium bullets you will be fine for Kudu, Impala and warthog. I would probably draw the line at Wildebeest; they are very tough!

My mother used her .308 in Namibia with no problems. Kudu, Gemsbok and more were taken with Norma 165 grain Swift A-Frames (which Norma calls TXP). She's shot our Norwegian moose out to around 300 meters with the same gun, so reasonable distances shouldn't be a problem either. Since it's you're favorite, and thus I presume you're very familiar with it, take it with you. IMO!


Erik D.

www.dunia.no

In my limited experience the 308 turns red hartbeest and impala into venison just as quickly as the 30'06 does blue wildebeest, warthog, and gemsbok. That said, if you plan to walk and stalk the lighter Remington Seven will be nicer to carry all day, especially if you keep your scope small and light. Finally, of course you ought to bring two scopes for your 375, and two for your second rifle as well, all of them set up in their own rings and zero'd. Even if nothing goes wrong a couple spare Leupolds will make fine gratuities. Good hunting!

I have taken tons of animals up to Kudud/Eland/Wildebeest with a .308 with excellent success. I prefer my .375 for the bigger stuff, but with 165 grain Trophy Bondeds, my little .308 has worked like a champ on 5 of my safaris. The only time I don't take it is if I am Buffalo hunting - then I take a .375 and .416.

The advantage of both the .308 and 30-06 in Africa is that you have a decent chance of finding ammo if you need some.

I have also used a .308 Win on four African hunts, using one flavor or another of 180 grain factory ammunition. So far I have used Winchester FailSafe, Speer Grand Slam and Norma Oryx.

I would not take a smaller bore though unless all I was after was the "miniatures".

jim dodd

It's not what you shoot them with, it's where you shoot them! So take the rifle you can shoot best and don't think you need a big hole in the bbl just because it's Africa. To put this in perspective, a lot of elephant were culled in the 80s with 308 FMJ ammo , probably more than were taken by hunters with the big bores. (Bullet choice is more important than caliber, frankly, and this assumes you are going to use Partitions or Woodleighs or similar). Now if you are actually going to hunt buffalo, the law in most countries requires a 375 or bigger (some allow a 9.3 or bigger, I think Zim is one of those). But take the 308 as well, it's more suited to the plains game species and I bet you shoot better with it than you do with the 375.

Redlander, that was my second gun first was a 375 when I hunted RSA in 02..
I shot 165 Scrirococo's in 165 tore right thru a wart hog in fact he took two thru both shoulders in opposite directions...hit him spun him and hit him again...
I am a 308er also...Won't let you down...
Mike

Redlander,



Your question was is a .308 legal?......yes it is. Many parts of Arfica used to ban 7.62 (which is essentially the same round as .308) as it's a military round and fits many of the illegally held weapons in Africa....however if your cases are stamped .308 and not 7.62 then you should have no problem in most places.



The only countries I would advise caution with this is CAR (as I don't know very much about the place) and possibly Zim due to the current situation with the newly arrested mercenaries. (which might make the customs and irritations guys extra fussy)



Probably the best advice would be for you to contact your outfitter and ask him.

My first animal I shot (2 warthogs one shot) was with a 308 that I borrowed when I was 14 and from there a few more hogs until I got my own 303 wich is a bit slower than the 308 and I have taken plenty game up to and including kudu size with it.

The 308 with a heavy bullet just has that perfect speed for bushveld animals at 2400-2500 fps !

Thanks for all the good advice. It looks like my main concern about the legality of bringing my .308 on safari has pretty much been answered. Now I've just got to settle on a good bullet that is a little heavier than I've been using (150 grain Failsafe), perhaps a 180 Nosler Partition. And, practice, practice, practice.

I've had good luck with 180 gr. trophy bonded bearclaws in my 30-06. I imagine that they would be as effective in 308.