Large Plains Game Rifles

16 July 2001, 09:58

John S

This group would include eland, gemsbok, waterbuck, zebra and similar sized species. Hunting areas are as varied as the animals themselves but one thing seems to hold true, they are all tough to put down.
What is the preferred choice of calibers and bullets for this varied group of animals? If you were going on a plains game ONLY hunt would you bother with two different calibers, and if so, what would they be?
My own choice is still the 300magnum loaded with premium 180gr or 200gr bullets. I would take a pair on the hunt mentioned above but have never found a need for anything larger or smaller for this group of animals.

16 July 2001, 10:16

Santala

John, Having only hunted African plains game once, my experience is limited. I took Eland, Gemsbok, Impala and Warthog with my 338/404. I used 225 gr Barnes XLC shooting at 3050 fps. This is the same rifle I have hunted with in Montana for the last few years. The Eland staggered from the strick of the bullet and fell on his nose when he tried to leave. From all the stories I have heard about Eland, I was impressed with the preformance.

All my shots were at about 150 to 200 yards and the rifle was just coming in to its own at that range. It is a fairly heavy rifle (9.5lb) and recoil is no problem.

Any rifle in to 7mm through 338 will do well in the hands of a good shot. For myself I always take the rifle I shoot best, have confidence in and are fimiliar with, as long as it is powerful enough to get the job done.

Steve

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Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

16 July 2001, 11:34

DB Bill

If I were going to concentrate on big plainsgame and I were going to build a rifle just for that I think I would do it in .338 but I would make mine the short-Lazzeroni Galaxy rather than the Win Mag....same performance in a short-case (the new Winchester Short Mag is just a wannabe) and I would shoot any premium bullet that shot well..Nosler, Swift A-Frames, etc or maybe Gerard's bullets. Of my current rifles I would take my .375 Lazzeroni HellCat using something a little lighter than the 300gr.

16 July 2001, 11:55

<buffalo_buster>

I would second John's opinion on the .300 Mag. With premium bullets it should work just fine on any critters mentioned above, and with the widest range of bullets available in .30 Cal. Handloaders should have no problem matching the bullet to the game.
I don't have much shooting experience but I have come to like the .30 Cal. as the best all around caliber for hunting thin skinned non- dangerous game, anywhere on the planet. Come to think of it .30-06 won't be out of place in Africa either, if all you persue is plainsgame and leopard. As a matter of fact on my first African safari which would include leopard with plainsgame I am planning on taking .300 WSM and .30-06.
BB

16 July 2001, 12:02

Atkinson

I use the 338 Win with 210 and 250 Noslers as they shoot to the same POI in my gun and I use the 300 H&H with 200 gr. Noslers, both are just fine, but if push comes to shove I'll go with the 338 Win..It is my favorite medium bore below 416...

the 9.3x64 I just built is sure an all around caliber and I'm becomming enchanted with it, we'll see.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

16 July 2001, 12:31

Jim in Idaho

On my one plains game safari (so far) I took wildebeest, zebra, impala, kudu and gemsbok with a .375 H&H Model 70 shooting 270 grain A-Frames. Ranges were from 20 to about 300 yards.

The only animal that went more than 40 or 50 yards was the impala! Hit him in the guts and we found it the next morning. Shot placement IS important.

I took a .30-06 along and shot two blesbok and three springbok with 180 grain Nosler Partitions as well. I saw gemsbok, eland, zebra and smaller animals taken with .300 Winchester Magnums and they worked just fine too.

Anyway, I don't delue myself that the .375 is necessary. To be honest, a .300 Magnum or .338 would probably be a better "balance", but the .375 with Swift A-Frames worked so well near and far that it is the one I will take the next time I go.

16 July 2001, 13:40

T.Carr

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On my last safari (eland, kudu, waterbuck, 2 zebra, buffalo and blue wildebeest) I took a .300 Win Mag (200 gr. TBBC) and .375 H&H (300 gr. Swift A-frame).

I asked the PH what he wanted me to use on the plains game. He said the .375 H&H. In Africa there seems to be preference for the .375 H&H. The .375 H&H worked like a charm (no shot was over 150 yards). In fact, I can't prove it, but I think the .375 H&H saved the day. On my shot on the wildebeest, I hit him a little high on the shoulder. The bullet ended up under the skin on the opposing hip (he was facing us and quartering to the left). He died within 40 yards. I always wondered if I had shot him with the .300, if the effect would have been the same.

Except for long shots in open plains (for example, springbok in the Karoo or the Kalahari in Namibia), I will always prefer a .375 H&H on any size plains game. I would even use it (loaded with solids) on duikers and klipspringer.

I've said this before, but if you already have a .270 or 30.06, don't go out and buy a .300 mag. Go out and buy a .375 H&H and hunt Africa with the classic African cartridge.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Regards,

Terry

16 July 2001, 16:00

Oldsarge

For the average hunter a .300-.375 class rifle will do very well though I do agree with Carr that the .375 will keep you out of trouble better than anything less. However, for the eccentrics among us, the old British "light mediums" (.318 WR, .333 Jeffery, etc,) and the mid-bore metrics carry so much more panache, don'tcherknow, and if I didn't have another buffalo and a hippo on the mind, that's the only thing I would carry next trip.

Sarge

Holland's .375: One Planet, One Rifle.

17 July 2001, 05:11

<Don Martin>

I've been fortunate to take all the aforementioned game with a .300 Win Mag and Winchester Supreme 180 grain moly-coated softs.

I took a .280 Rem. for smaller game, like impala, blesbok, springbok, etc. But even the .280 was too much gun and served mostly as a back-up to my .300.

I have no doubt that all the larger calibers will work as well. But, I try not to fix what's not broken.

Don Martin.

17 July 2001, 05:57

<Mr Mike>

Gentlemen,

Would any of you consider taking a .338-06 for the plains game? Using 210-225g bullets it is so close to the ,338 Mag it is worth talking about.

-Mr Mike

17 July 2001, 06:45

DB Bill

Depending on where you are hunting the .338/06 should work fine...as would the .35 Whelan, the .350 Rem Mag and similar cartridges. Velocities much over 2600 fps with a neavy bullet are all that is needed as most of the shots will be close (less than 200). I used a .350 RemMag on my first trip to Zim using Nosler handloads and it stoned everything.

17 July 2001, 13:25

<DaJudge>

I just returned yesterday evening from an RSA plains game safari (Kudu, Gemsbok, Impala, Blesbok and Springbok).

I was very impressed by the performance of the .338 that I used on all of of the above.
I used 210 gr. Nosler Partitions which I reduce loaded for 2600fps muzzle velocity. I couldn't recover any bullets to check weight retention and expansion since all went completely through. 3 of the 5 animals (Kudu, Gemsbok and Blesbok) were taken at distances between 220 and 250 yards.

The only animal that went any distance at all after the first shot was the Gemsbok which was initially shot through both lungs at 240 yds and had started to head for the thick brush. A second quartering away shot in the right shoulder anchored him.

17 July 2001, 14:05

<Mr Mike>

quote:
Originally posted by DaJudge:
I was very impressed by the performance of the .338 that I used on all of of the above. I used 210 gr. Nosler Partitions which I reduce loaded for 2600fps muzzle velocity. I couldn't recover any bullets to check weight retention and expansion since all went completely through. 3 of the 5 animals (Kudu, Gemsbok and Blesbok) were taken at distances between 220 and 250 yards.

DaJudge,

Was that a .338-06 or a .338WinMag? From the velocity you listed it sounds more like a .338-06.

-Mr Mike

17 July 2001, 14:27

Ralph

I think an important consideration to take into account when taking a rifle to Africa is the availability of ammunition locally. You can usually find some 30:06, .338Win Mag, and .375H&H in most larger cities over there and odds on somebody where you are hunting has some .375H&H. If your bags are lost so is your ammo. Its easy to buy clothes but to find a non standard African caliber on the shelf is impossible.
Ralph

17 July 2001, 14:46

<Don G>

Since I am a big proponent of the one gun school of thought, I intend to use my 416Rem on everything. I will probably come up with one load (at most two) to shoot in it. If I had a 375 I would use it for everything. If I had a 338 I would use it on everything. (See a pattern here?)

I can't seem to remember much anymore, so I go on the KISS principle.

Don

17 July 2001, 16:26

<DaJudge>

Mike-

It's a .338 Win. Mag (reduced load).

17 July 2001, 17:45

Saeed

John,

I have taken all of these animals with several 270 wildcats, ranging from the the 270 Ackley to the 270/404.

Bullets used were 130 Barnes X, 140 Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and the 150 Jensen.

Without exception, all the rifles and bullets performed exceptionally well, and left nothing to be desired.

I have also shot some of these animals with other calibers, like a 7mm Firehawk, a 338 Titan and my own 375/404.

I might be prejudiced here, but the 375/404 seems to drop them quicker.

One thing is sure though, I will not consider using any bullets except those that hold together.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

17 July 2001, 18:04

fredj338

On my plains game hunt I used my .338-06 for Duiker, Impala, Blesbok, Springbok, Zebra & Kudu. I used the 210gr NP @ 2750fps from the Duiker @ 50yds to the Zebra @ about 320yds. The only bullet recovered was from the Kudu taken on a 1/4 on shot@ 120yds or so. I would think a .338-06 or .338WM would be a great one-gun plains game rifle. If I were hunting in thicker cover in Zim. or Zam. I might up to the 250gr @ 2550fps.
I think my 2nd choice would be a .300H&H w/ 200gr NP, or 180gr NP to stretch the range abit.

[This message has been edited by fredj338 (edited 07-17-2001).]

18 July 2001, 01:12

Nickudu

Within its' intended realm, the .375 H&H Magnum remains the supreme plainsgame killer, only more so, with todays available components.

18 July 2001, 01:54

<Bush baby>

I agree with Oldsarge and Mr Mike, for the bushveld a 338-06/Improved or the 338 Hawk - 225gr at 2600/2560 or 250gr at 2400fps . For longer shots the 300win mag with 180/200gr will not let you down.
Practically though Ralph has a point, you won't find any of these calibres here in S.A if your ammo got lost.

18 July 2001, 01:57

<Bush baby>

Mistake - you will find plenty of 300Win mag here just not the others. Sorry.

18 July 2001, 07:15

JohnTheGreek

Hi John,

I took two zebra, two wildebeest, three impala, and a gemsbok at between 75 and 200 yards with a .308 using 168 grain match bullets. Shot placement is obviously (given my ammunition choice) far more important than bullet weight or diameter so shoot the gun and calibre that you shoot the best.

JohnTheGreek