I have a group going to South Africa with me next year and we are trying to determine if his 30-06 is adequate for the hunt. He is only able to use factory ammo so off the shelf is a must. Shots will all be less than 150 yards and animals will be Kudu, Gemsbok, Impala, Warthog for starters. Should he be using 180gr or trying to find 200gr. Which bullet? Also is the .270 win adequate for the same animals. They are very comfortable with both guns and shoot them well. Suggestions?

30-06 with Nosler partitions will work fine for all those.

the .270 will do the job also

300magman

I have hunted plainsgame for a number of years now with a 30-06 using 220gr Nosler Partition with great success.In fact shot a very nice Haretebeest bull over the weekend at 140meters, bullet penetrated both shoulders and exited.
Like with any other calibre use premium bullets and make sure about shotplacement.

As a first timer, my PH recommended I bring my 30/06 because we Americans tend to shoot better with them than with our magnums. He told me to let the magnums at home. I just finished the trip with 180 grain Noslers in my 30/06. I only recovered one bullet out of six animals (Kudu, gemsbok, red hartebeast, springbok, moutain zebra and warthog). The bullet in the mountain zebra broke the shoulder going in, ribs on the off side and it was lodged just under the skin, angling back the whole time. It was about thirty inches of penetration. All broadside shots went through, breaking bone and exiting, including the kudu. All wound channels were straight and penetration well beyond my newspaper/plywood testing at home. It is that old rule that 'it's where you hit them that counts.'

I know quite a few guys who've used the 30-06 with perfect success on African plainsgame, from duiker thru eland, plus leopard. Some have used nothing else for many safaris. Most use premium 180s, such as the Nosler Partition.

AD

The 30/06 with 180 grain premium bullets will be fine. Last year in SA I saw quite a few 270 rifles used by PHs and ranch owners. It seems the 270 is quite popular in SA with the locals.

300 Magnum
On two different hunts, between my sons and I, we took 3 Impala, 3 Tsessebe, 3 warthog, 3 Red Lechewe, and 2 kudu with a 30-06. All with factory federal 180 gr. Trophy bonded Bear Claws. I wouldn't have any qualms about using a 30-06 for plains game. distance ran from 70 yds to 200 yds.

I've used my .30-06 for plains game every time I have gone to Africa. I intend to use it again next time I go. I have used various premium bullets (Barnes X, NP) and they all seem to work well on game as small as duiker/grysbok and as large as kudu/zebra/gemsbok/etc.
- mike

300magman,

An article from Outdoor Life magazine that you may enjoy and find of interest:

The .30-06 in Africa
For plains game of any size, not many calibers beat the '06.
May 2005
By Jim Carmichel

In the .270 Win, I'd use a good premium 150 gr bullet. But, I've never hunted with a .270 Win so listen to the advice of those here that have.

-Bob F.

The 30-06 with any good premium 180 gr. bullet is ideal for plainsgame...I prefer the 180 gr. Nosler myself as it has served me well for many years..The Northfork would be just a well IMO..

300 Mag:

A 30-06 should be just fine. Since you will be using factory ammo, checkout Federal Nosler and Trophy Bond Bear Claws and Remington Safari's using Swift A Frame bullets.

Any of these would be fine. See which shoots best in the individual rifles and feel confidant that you have an adequate combination.

Regards,

RCG

If Kudu is the largest on the menu it will be fine in my opinion.

Personally i wouldnt use it on Eland unless i had no choice.

Allen must be talking about me

Rich Elliott

Will the Nosler Partition 180gn open on small antelope at 30-06 velocities at 250yds or so? thanks capt david

A woodleigh 180 gr bullet would also work well and hang together excellently, I suppose it's Oz's version of the partition.

I'm going to fall in behind RCG with Federal's 180 gr program. You can pick between (my favorite) Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Barnes Triple Shock X, or Nosler Partitions in that order of MY preference. Just my opinion
Dave

quote:

Originally posted by captdavid:
Will the Nosler Partition 180gn open on small antelope at 30-06 velocities at 250yds or so? thanks capt david

They'll work fine. I've shot Pronghorn here in the U.S. with the 30-06 180 grain Partition, and had complete penetration, with a nice exit hole out to 275 yards or so.

Thanks everone for the information. On my first trip I used my .300 and did fine. After seeing my pictures and video I have talked my father and cousin into joining me on my next trip and about the largest gun both have shot is a 30-06. They were both curious if there guns would be adequate and it appears from the responses that they are. I will tell both that they can use them on the trip.

I just returned from Namibia . my wife took here first big game throphy with a 30-06 and barnes TSX a big Gemsbuck cow at 150 yards,a high shoulder shot put it down with out a step,
she later took a Zebra with a high shoulder shot at 225 with a 150 gr Partition. the TSX keep going only the base of the partion was found.I shot my zebra at 180 yrds with a 350 gr TSX out of a 416 rem mag. It hit the right flank traveled throuh the pouch, the liver and took out one lung before exiting. My Zebra ran over two hundred yards before dying. I shot my Blue wildebeest through the heart with the 350 gr TSX the blood trail was 3 foot wide on each side of the trail it ran close to 200 yards.
Each animal may be different, shot placement is the key. You hit near the spine it will go down
and require a finisher. A heart lung shot will require tracking.I would go with TSX for through penatration. two holes bleed better than one.

JD.

I can't even remember how many African Plainsgame i've taken with a 30-06 with 180 gr Noslers (40-60_)=Rob

Just got back from South African plains game hunt with my 30-06 & Rem 180 Swift A Frames. Took numerous animals from Steenbuck to zebra, kudu, and blue wildebeast.

The bullets performed as expected with my prior experience with the A Frames (In a 9.3x62). Complete penetration, great accuracy and stopping power.

This was my first experience with the '06, after using a 9.3 on prior hunts. Now I have the problem of chosing which gun to bring - Guess I'll have to bring both since they comply with the rule of never using a round that is younger than I am.

Mike

Rich, yes, in fact you are on my list of friends who are long-time '06 users!

AD

There was an article in the June/July issue of Sports Afield on using the .270 for African game. THe artcile is called 'The .270 on Safari' by Gregor Woods.

BFaucett

No wonder you posted Jim Carmichel's hunt with an '06. He used an express rifle and it's a Ruger. Makes my decision not to get one a regretable one now. One thing about the '06 is that it just easy to use and has virtually no recoil when comparted to the other calibers when it reaches out and touches something.

I call it the perfect marriage: .30-06 and 180 gr Nosler Partitions.
Lots of bushbuck and bushpig won't share my opinion of course.


http://www.kapstadt.de/lemberg

A .30-06 works fine for me.

180 gr Nosler Partitions did not however. The 200 gr Nosler Partitions I had were far better. My results do not seem to be representative.

Personally I do not like the Noslers losing their front end. Gimme a North Fork.

I used the my ott6 last month in Namibia with great results. Used Federal Cape Shock rounds with Barnes Triple Shock (TSX) bullets. Hardly any copper fouling and they shoot well in my rifle. See my report in the African Hunting Reports forum entitled "Namibia Hunt Photos"

John

Another vote for 30/06 and 180 Nosler Partitions. I have killed more game with this combo that with anything I ever shot except 222 Mag and P dogs! This combo had been the last two times to Africa and has damn near gone one for one (I muffed a springok bad)...was shooters fault and not the gun nor bullet. Something about you have to hit the animal first! Arrgggg.

TO ALL,

Most everyone seems to be replying about the .30-06. 300magman also asked about the .270 Winchester in his original post. (As I stated in an earlier post above, I've never hunted with a .270 Win so I can't offer any advice based on experience.) Anyone out there that can give some advice to 300magman about using the .270?

Just trying to be helpful,
-Bob F.

Thanks to all that posted. I will tell the hunters coming with me that they can use there 30-06 and not worry about the .270. This way they will both have the same ammo if one is lost and they will both be shooting guns they are comfortable with.

the 06 and 270 are classics for plainsgame. I have switched to using the 06 after using the 300 mag , cos the 06 is in a much friendlier carry package.

Also i have a dead common 06 so that if it gets dinged, i won't freak out.

old german mauser action 30-06 with burris FFII 3X9X40 i like the combi, cos the ballistic dot recticle allows me to blast em at 300 if i have to. I zero at 2 inches high at 100 and use 3rd dot for large animals and 2nd dot for smaller game(johns,springboks,duiker and the like) i use cheap and cheerful pmp 150-180 fodder.

the 150 flies a little flatter at 200+

all shots have been pretty much MOA (minute of antelope) so far.

my ph uses 270 almost excluisvely for plainsgame. i guess they are popular, cos when he bought his loaner guns, he could have had 30-06 or 308 and he chose 270.

I like 30 cals better, don't think anything that starts with 2 has a sufficient wound channel for clear tracking, but what do i know...i have had bad experiences with 270 and 243 becos i can't shoot straight (one must kno ones own limits).

06 or 270 will be fine and the plus is your ph will be able to buy ammo over the counter for you if you run out or lose stuff.

cheers tm

I guess I like the 06 better because of its extreme versatility - you can buy off-the-shelf ammo from 125-220gr bullets - and availability.
Dave