I`m planing to make a hunting-trip to Namibia in the next year "against" greater Kudu, Oryx and other plainsgame.
What would you prefer:
1. Brno in 8x60S, 220grs Woodleigh(2500fps) with Schmidt&Bender 1,5 - 6x42 - a traditional rifle in that country
2. Rem 673 in .350RM with 225grs Nosler Part. (2600fps) with Leupold 1,75 -6x32 -the american way
3. Sako Finnbear in .300 H&H with 180grs Nosler Part. at 2900fps - classic plainsgame caliber

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Originally posted by Monastery-Forester:
I`m planing to make a hunting-trip to Namibia in the next year "against" greater Kudu, Oryx and other plainsgame.
What would you prefer:
1. Brno in 8x60S, 220grs Woodleigh(2500fps) with Schmidt&Bender 1,5 - 6x42 - a traditional rifle in that country
2. Rem 673 in .350RM with 225grs Nosler Part. (2600fps) with Leupold 1,75 -6x32 -the american way
3. Sako Finnbear in .300 H&H with 180grs Nosler Part. at 2900fps - classic plainsgame caliber

I will go for #1 of those 3.
I use my Sako Finnbear in caliber 375H&H Mag loaded with 260 grs Nosler accubond for the plaingames, this combination has a very good trajectory and enough power to the plains game

It depends a lot on the part of Namibia you are going to. The country offers an amazing variety of landscapes and vegetation. In some areas (desert, mountains etc), you can expect very long shots - in fact shooting ranges more akin to the American West... In other areas (bush savannah) shots probably won't be much above 100-150 yds - if that.

If there is any chance of long range shooting, your .300 H&H would be just what the doctor ordered. It might also be the only of the calibers mentioned, for which you could hope to find ammo locally.

- mike

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mho, please don`t forget that Namibia is the most southern "Bundesland" of Germany and they have RWS ammo on stock!

No contest -- take the Sako .300 H&H. A Sako .30-06 and a Sako .300 Win, both with 180 Noslers, worked beautifully for us on Mountain Zebra, Kudu, Oryx, Springbok, Baboon, Jackal, Warthog, Hartebeest, and Black Wildebeest. The .300 H&H is right in between those two calibers. It will be by far the best gun for long shots, and is of no disadvantage on shorter ones. You don't say what you have mounted on it, but anything from a 1.5-6X up to a 3.5-10X, or even a fixed 4x, will do fine.

Take the one you like the best and shoot well. They are all fine rifles and will get the job done, but you will always remember shooting it with the rifle you love. I feel that way about my 9.3x62. Kudude

Number 1 if it was me.

I used 8mm Rem mags on two trips and couldn't fault them. To me the fast 8s do everything the 300 mags do, just better.

#3 all the way. The 300 mags can and do dominate the plains game landscape. Plus, it's a classic caliber in a great rifle. You didn't mention the optics on that one, what scope will it get?

I think you just might need - and therefore better appreciate - the one with the flattest trajectory - and that would be the .300 H&H Mag.

In some areas of Namibia, a 300+ yard shot is a real possibility - and often a necessity, depending on conditions.

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Originally posted by mrlexma:
I think you just might need - and therefore better appreciate - the one with the flattest trajectory - and that would be the .300 H&H Mag.

In some areas of Namibia, a 300+ yard shot is a real possibility - and often a necessity, depending on conditions.

+1

I shot an Oryx bull at 285 yards and a Mountain Zebra at 386 yards according to a Leica Geovid....using a 300RUM with 180TSX's.

The only place where I have made longer shots was in the Northern Cape of RSA.........

Thank for the answers, the scope on the Sako is a Schmidt&Bender 4-12x42.
My favorite is the Sako, but I like the old 8x60S very much and with the heavy bullet, it is nearly the same like the old .318WR, the great plainesgame caliber!
I was told that the average distance in this area is in the 100-150m spectrum - no problem for the 8mm!

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Originally posted by Monastery-Forester:
I was told that the average distance in this area is in the 100-150m spectrum - no problem for the 8mm!

Monastery-Forester,

In that case, the 8x60S (or indeed the 350 RM) would be just about ideal!

Btw, I wrote you a PM a while ago about 180 grs loads in the 8x64S. Did you ever load those 180 grs TSX in the 8x64S, or only in the 8x60S?? I was looking for a max load with N550 for the 8x64S...

- mike

Sorry, mho, I forgot it, I never used the TSX in the 64S, but I have a good load with the 180grs HDB(60grs N550 for 2800fps, mild pressure), I think, that you got this DEVA-tested results from me!

Thanks MF! I'm happily using your 200 (196) grs load in the 8x64S, not the 180 grs.

- mike

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the scope on the Sako is a Schmidt&Bender 4-12x42.
My favorite is the Sako, but I like the old 8x60S very much and with the heavy bullet,

Then you've answered your own question. By all means, take your favorite rifle. Why not take a two-gun case and take both the .300 and the 8x60S? It's always nice to have a back up. If you should have occasion to hunt eland the .300 will certainly do, but break out the 8x60S for the extra margin of its heavy bullet.

How about using the 220grs Nosler Part. in the Holland&Holland? It shoots fine in the old Sako!

I used a 300 H&H with the 220 gr Nosler Partitions in a trip I did in 2003. Worked fine on everything including Eland.

Just returned from a my 2nd Namibia trip a couple weeks back. Used my 375 H&H w/235 gr Barnes TSX (~2740 fps). Was plenty flat enough for the range of shooting I did (roughly 180 yds or so was the longest - most in the 80 to 140 range). Yes, a bit on the big side but it ('03 WIN M70) has become my favorite rifle in the last few years and I shoot it the best of the rifles I own.

Any one of your list will work fine so take what you are most comfortable with and/or what you think will be the most 'fun' to use.

Also get some practice shooting off of 'sticks' before you go if you've never shot off of them before. They are used quite often over there as the tall grass can prevent laying down and there is not always a tree or termite mound handy to rest on. Some advance practice will make you more confident and quicker if you do use them.

I'm sure you'll enjoy Namibia, it's a great place to hunt. I plan to return (again) in a couple years.

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Originally posted by Monastery-Forester:
How about using the 220grs Nosler Part. in the Holland&Holland? It shoots fine in the old Sako!

The 220's are fine for the larger stuff, and assuming your shooting range is under 200 yards, you should have no problem with trajectory. The small stuff like springbok and impala will tyupically die a little more slowly than with the faster 180, but they'll die soon enough, anyway.