On an upcoming trip for elephant and buffalo, I had planned to use only my .458 Winchester. I feel I could use it effectively for the occasional plains game out to 200 yards, where it drops about 6 inches with 450 grain TSXs.

My PH says, though, there is a chance to shoot a crocodile up to about 14 feet long. Since the brain is so small a target and the range is longer, he suggests I bring my .300 Wby. I use 180 grain Nosler Partitions in that.

Do I really need to bring two rifles? I have shot 1 MOA 3-shot groups with the .458. I have never shot it prone, only offhand, from sticks, or from a fairly upright bench setup with heavy shoulder padding I would not have in the field. With the .300 I have taken game out to 275 yards firing off sticks, and have shot it prone at paper targets with no problem in practice.

A .375 would be the one rifle solution, but I don't own one. I'll probably take both my rifles in my big case and pay the extra baggage charge. But I am wondering if the 180 grain Nosler at 3100 fps is sufficient for the crocodile. I think it is because I have shot through game like elk, kudu, gemsbok, zebra, and wildebeeste with it.

Another problem I can see is taking the .300 Wby into the long grass to stalk a bushbuck or something and encountering a monster buffalo.

Just musing out loud, but any comments would be appreciated.

take 2 - what happens if you have trouble with 1?? croc is a target the size of a walnut usually at around 75-100 yds and you have to hit it or you will loose the croc & still pay the fees. If possible use a solid. the brain is inside the big bony skull and I found that a partition blew the chit out of the top of the head. an 06 is plenty of rifle for them, actually i think something like a 260 or even 243 would be more than able. after all it is a brain shot

Well, I am a novice on Croc as I have never hunted them but that being said I am taking my 416 Taylor with barnes solids in Oct. I will not shoot over 75 yds. We will get closer or no shot. JMO

I would do whatever my PH suggests, you hired him to take care of you, do what he asks...It will probably make your hunt more enjoyable not to get on his wrong side to start with.

I could kill an elephant or buffalo with a 300 WBY, so can you. Take a few solids if your worried...

take two rifles , crocs are very very hard to approach , your shot can be easily 100 yards and the target is very small ...

Take the .300. If you want a big croc, take the right gear.

My son used a .300 wm with 180 grain
TSX bullets.

300 no question about it. I killed my croc with .300 win mag. 200 grain. factory remington soft points. Consider the neck shot if it presents itself.

I shot this one last month with my .375 with 270 grain TSX. It was a side brain shot from about 40 yards. We spent 8 days stalking croc. As Ivan says, getting close is extremely difficult. We buggered about 4-5 a day into the water before getting a decent opportunity at this boy (13'10"). As you can see the bush was damn thick and the terrain rocky. On a couple of occasions, we were within 20 yards and once within about 10 of a huge croc but the brush was so incredibly thick there was no way to thread a bullet through. The day we shot this guy I had even taken my 458 Lott on the boat and was going to use it if it appeared the only shot presented would be through thick brush. I don't think it's too much assumption to consider the need to maybe buck some brush with a heavy bullet. Plus, a croc's skull is TOUGH - if you are shooting at near the same level and face on, I would assume there's a reasonable likelihood of a glance off, though Ivan would certainly be more experienced to speak to that than I.

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Consider the neck shot if it presents itself.

I had intended to do that, but it's such a difficult shot to visulize for me. The Barnes TSX from the 375 made a hell of a mess of the skull on mine. Hope the taxidermist is artisic.

I'd also recommend the 300 with solids..... and practice shooting it at a variety of ranges.

In Zim 2007, I used a 375 H&H with Barnes 270 tsx. The approach was very difficult. I shot across the Ume river braced off a dead tree limb. The shot was little over a 100yds. Hit the brain on the first shot. The PH told me to hit him again just for insurance. I was so excited, that I didn't hit him agian until the 6th shot. He was almost 13 feet.

My only croc was shot with a 30-06 with 180 A-square soft at about 110yds. He died quickly enough

I meant 180grain A-frame soft point

The pinpoint shots required in croc hunting can definitely reveal a lot about a hunter's assets...

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edited for content by DRG

Indy here is up close what TSX does with a head shot, from my light rifle a 375H&H.. 300gr TSX... shot at 110 yds 16 feet...
If you load some 350grers they will have light recoil...
Carry your 458 and let the tracker carry the 300 with 200gr tsx and in a pinch it will kill a buf with the X bullet... You can drive it into his brain also...Mini solid...
Mike
sent you a pm

going to Moz. in October on a croc hunt. am renting the outfitter's rifle, which i understand is a .375. have no idea what the ammo will be but i plan on getting close enough, then 10 yards closer. if i am still not comfortable, pass on the shot and try again. i am in no rush and i think the Zambezi delta has plenty of targets.

Accuracy is paramount...you need to hit a golf ball hiding inside a croc's head.

Two shots....side brain (between the top of the "Smile" and the top of the head), or side neck (just behind the end of the mouth line).

Softs are much better than solids. If you have a near miss with a soft, you will still kill the croc instantly.

If you don't kill him instantly, he will make it into the water and he will sink and that will be the end of it.

True, accuracy is very important for crocodiles.

Also, the skulls are very brittle, and a hit in the bone behind the eyes will almost always kill it.

Agreed, accuracy is what counts with the croc. Shot two, one with a .375 H&H at 90 yds. Don't need this caliber but it was my most accurate rifle at the time. Used 300 gr Swift A-Frames. The other was a 70 yd shot with a 450 Dakota with 400 gr Swift A-Frames. Another not the rifle of choice, but accurate enough to get the job done. Was hunting several other animals at the time.
I would guess, any rifle that you can shoot MOA -100 yds will put a smile on your PH's face.

Dak

Good advice here. I'll take the .300 Wby. I had it accurized by Hill Country Rifles and it does just about 1 MOA with 180 grain Partitions. I'll take Partitions too, because I don't have time to work up other loads. The Partition acts like a solid with bad sectional density after the front part blows away. Since it will penetrate side-to-side through an elk, taking out ribs on both sides, I think it will do the job, especially considering the comments here.

Kevin Robertson's "The Perfect Shot" gives good information about where to aim for the brain shot and the neck shot. The neck shot looks a little easier. I'll ask the PH or anyone here.

Indy,

It comes down to what angle the croc gives you... An angle on the head can ricochet, did it with an X bullet.. The neck shot with the 300 will anchor him 'DRT' dead right there.

Mike