My buddy and I have booked a hunt in Tanzania this september with Usangu safaris. Our main quarry is Cape buffalo. I just purchased a Ruger RSM in .458 Lott for that chore. I will also be shooting a croc and some plains game so I plan on taking a second rifle. I have a number to choose from as my light rifle including a .338 RUM in a mod. 700, a .375 H&H in a mod.70 and a 7mm RemMag in a BAR. I've used my BAR for years on deer and hogs and have a lot of confidence in it. Plus, a quick second shot would be nice.

Anyone out there have experience using the 7mm RemMag on the tougher plains game like zebra and wildebeast?

The 7mm mag will work fine with premium bullets of 160 to 175 grns. You need to check as a semi-auto may not be legal in Tanzania.

465H&H

7 rem mag will work, but I agree on legal issues of BAR in certain countries.

Take the 375, than you have a backup on the Buff is somethign goes wrong with the 458

I agree with the above statement. I would take the .375 H&H. You would then have a back-up in case of any problems with the .458 Lott. Plus, I think that shooting croc would be best done with the .375. They're hard enough to kill,let alone with a lighter caliber rifle

TH

I think UEG has hit it right on the money. The 375 will work fine for all your plainsgame and croc plus double as a back up buffalo rifle.

Don't even consider your semi auto.

Mark

I took a 375H&H as my light rifle/backup rifle. It worked remarkably well as an all rounder, just as good on impala and bushbuck as on kudu and waterbuck or on wildebeast and eland sized game.

I used the Federal standard velocity TBBC loads and they worked great. The bullets that were recovered looking like they should be in the adds. I carried Woodleigh solids and they got used a couple of times for second shots, since they were in the magazine but none were recovered.

Also, after being chased by elephants a couple of times, I like having an elephant capable rifle in my hands no matter what I'm hunting. One soft up the spout and a magazine full of solids.

JPK

if you're going after a croc seriously - make sure to take some solids for the llighter rifle. Crocs need to be shot in the brain (which is about the size of a walnut) and a soft blows up the skull. Do some practice shooting at small targets at 75 yds or so.

I agree with Butch. I shot a croc with 250gr. TBBC down through the top of the head. It blew a 2" hole in head and destroyed the right eye socket. The taxidermist did his best but it doesn't look quite right.

Mark

I will also recomend the 375 H&H, the best all rounder and a useful backup.

Thanks guys..Lots of good advice and observations. .375 H&H it is!

I believe no BARs are allowed in Tanzania...I am heading into the Selous with a 450#2 and a 375 plains game and backup rifle...
I also shoot a Lott used it of buf and ele.

Mike

On the other hand, if you don't blow the top of his head off he'll likely make it back into the water. We wouldn't think of using solids on those big Lake Chamo Croc's. Most popular round so far is .375 H&H with 300 grain Nosler Partitions.

Rich Elliott

Aside from the Semi auto question you shoulkd consider that a 7mm hole is far to small to leave a successful blood trail. When shooting herd aniamls in dusty conditions you will play hell in following that track to find your animals. I don't like sub 30 caliber rifles for the bigger game like Zebra, Gemsbok, and wildebeast. That 7mm mag will kill them but it does not make finding them very easy. We have lost far more animals due to a lack of blood trail then any other reason. Shooting Game in herds is much different then using that same gun on a single deer or elk in the states. 30-50 animals stampeeding off makes sorting out a track very difficult. Finding the blood is a big part of the success to locate the animal you hit.

More then once we have seen a herd of either Zebra or wildebest( they tend to travel together too) once a shot is made the group runs off. Later we catch up and the total number is the same, meaning the animal that was hit is there. After an hours glassing we cannot see a speck of blood on any of them but could see 100% the reaction of the one hit. Do you shoot second one? Maybe one looks sick but are you sure? Seeing blood on your animal or finding blood in the track is very important. I say use a bigger bore and eliminate that issue from the start.

I don't know about that, but, I killed 14 plains game animals, including a huge Eland this past summer that went down pretty fast after being hit with my 7mmRemMag with 160gr TSX's. I will definetly use it again.

I agree with what Wolfgar said.

7mm Rem Mag has put Bluewildebeest down successfully each time - no tracking necessary.

Clients should be trained on proper shot placement rather, I would say.

My wife shot a zebra last year with a 3006 np
it went straight down a 200 yard shot. The shot broke both shoulders. I shot a zebra fron the right rear ham through the front shoulder with a .416 350 gr tsx,at 225 yrds it ran 1/4 mile. I shot a blue wildebeest with the same load low front shoulder if not a heart shot very close to it, it ran 175 yrds. The blood trail was easy to follow. The TSX worked great and would be my choice in 7mm. In 375 I would shoot nosler partions.

JD

7mm Rem will do a great job on any game except the huge stuff. Just stay away from US gun magazines and don't use the 140gr bullets the writers seems to love (in some people minds velocity equals performance??).
Stick with 175 gr, 160gr as minimum and use a good bullet. I don't know whay people would want to use those light bullets? Most important, put those bullets in the right place and guess what...they will work just fine!