The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Minimum caliber to turn an elephant?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Minimum caliber to turn an elephant? | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
He sure is...! But, not as result of using a 7x57 on elephant! JW out | |||
|
| One of Us |
I feel that the hunter should take the rifle that he feels most comfortable with, and the one that he hits well with. I mostly use older Model 70's when I hunt, and I have taken my .375 H&H Magnum to Africa twice. Once for Lion, then again for Cape Buffalo. Me, and the rifle did well. When I go back for a Elephant I will take this old friend. I hit where I aim with this rifle, and I don't think any land animal will do much harm if hit with a well placed .375 H&H Magnum. | |||
|
| one of us |
From Saeed, "and make sure you put that bullet in RIGHT place." I knew this would come up, it is the typical refrain from those who shoot light for the game cartridges. It drips with the arrogance of over confidence or inexperience, the fantasy of one's perfection. When the situation allows, this is of course the only plan, no matter what rifle one is holding. But a couple doeses of reality: 1.) No man is perfect. Misses will happen. Even world champion shooters miss, that is what determines the winner of the competition, a world class shooter missing. 2.) There aren't many world class shooters! 3.) Its when the situation goes to hell and a successful brain shot is either not made because of typical and common human error or not availble for any of a variety of reasons - angle, visibility, range, time, ... etc, that the big bore is needed. The question posed in the thread was about stopping an elephant. The assumption wihtin this question is that the situation has already gone to hell. We're not talking about an unaroused elephant at 30yds. Hitting the "Right place" in an emergency is not so easy as Saeed and others pretend and why bank your life on it when using a large bore rifle provides additional, if unreliable, margin for error. Error stemming from our imperfection, which we all live with as human beings. JPK  Free 500grains | |||
|
| one of us |
"It is my belief that any good slap in the face, from any of the .450s up,will most times turn a chargeing ele. However, I wouldn't take that as an absolute, and be ready to slap him again if it didn't!" Mac, "Most times" you're probably right. But I can attest that it doesn't happen every time  Rich Elliott Rich Elliott Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris | |||
|
| One of Us |
JPK, your last paragraph, I think, sums up the situation perfectly. We are talking about a less than ideal situation here.(ie a pissed off ele). Your summation is, I believe, irrefutable.  | |||
|
| one of us |
For ele,I'd go with the 450 Dakota,or 470mbogo,or 495 A-square,or the 450 Watts Magnum, or the 475 Ackley Magnum,or the 505/530 Woodleigh. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Minimum caliber to turn an elephant?
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia