Hello fellow AR'ians,

In many contexts one reads that the legal minimum in most of the African countries for DG is the .375 H&H.
When going on safari, one will obviously inquire in advance to be on the safe side and sufficiently gunned, but I'll ask in general anyway:
1) If the .375H&H is the legal minimum, what then qualifies as a more powerful or equally powerful rifle? Is it on basis of caliber (bore), (nominal) power i.e. ft-lb, or other? This probably varies by country so experiences and knowledge is welcomed!
2) If the .375H&H is minimum, will in practice a close caliber count as sufficient? In plain English I mean the 9,3x62 and 9,3x74R.
3) In relation to the both above: even if one brings along a .500 Jeff, it can be loaded under .375H&H power levels, so how is this actually monitored, if at all? I doubt if one needs to shoot his/her gun over a chrono before the hunt commences.
4) Who monitors that a gun of sufficient caliber is used? The PH? In some countries apparently a game dep't rep. follows along on the hunt, will it be his job? If so, will he (PH or game warden) actually care? Especially is the caliber is "close"?

Now, it is by no means my intention to go after DG undergunned, but I have always wondered.

Additionally I'd be most reluctant to buy a heavy which I'd only need on safari and not on all game there, either; and on basis of experience with guns I'm hesitant to borrow one other than on trial basis on the range, or on a hunt only after decent practice. Especially I'd hate to hunt DG with a on the spot borrowed heavy caliber where I'd be unfamiliar both with the gun and its recoil.
However, a 9,3 I can easily motivate as it's more than ideal for wild boar, Nordic elk, and bear.

Every African country has slightly different legal requirements. In zim it is 9,2mm and 5000kj of muzzel energy. Ie. a 9,3x62 or 9x3x74 are Just legal with "some loads". In practice, a 9,3 is considered fine with what ever you stuff in it.

In practice, it is the PH who enforces the legal minimums. I have guided clients on elephant and Buff who were armed with a 30-06 and 45-70 respectively becuase, under the circumstances, that was what was going to work. (the lad had a .375 for the ele, but he wasn't going to kill one with it, so I figured he might as well try with the 30-06. and he killed it just fine and I didn't have to shoot it for him- which I would have if he had been foreced to use the .375 which was too much gun- for him)

At the end of the day, the regs are mainly there to back up the PH who can turn down rediculous requests from clients.

30-06 for elephant


I think most countries are either 9.3/.375 minimum caliber and 4,000 foot pounds/5,000kj of muzzle energy.

I have had very good service in Zimbabwe Plains game including giraffe, as well as cape buff and elephant with my 9,3x74R double.

For Softs I use 286 Woodleighs and Nosler Partitins. For Solids the 286 Woodleigh.

Research my previous posts here and in the Double rifle Forum for more info.

I have also used a 450/400 and a 450 No2 double.

As long as you hit them in the right spot I have seen no difference in killing power.

A lot of elephant culling was done with 30-06 and 200 or 220 rn solids

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Every African country has slightly different legal requirements.

In practice, it is the PH who enforces the legal minimums. I have guided clients on elephant and Buff who were armed with a 30-06 and 45-70 respectively becuase, under the circumstances, that was what was going to work. (the lad had a .375 for the ele, but he wasn't going to kill one with it, so I figured he might as well try with the 30-06. and he killed it just fine and I didn't have to shoot it for him- which I would have if he had been foreced to use the .375 which was too much gun- for him)

Thanks, Ganyana; I was hoping you to be one of the respondents.
What I've understood before is that PHs are quite OK with borderline calibers, i.e. something that is technically under the line but in practice close enough. Point in case: 9,3mms. In other words: the game will not notice 0.009" difference in bullet diameter.

Also I've been led to understand that where the PH and client know each others there can be quite a lot of latitude as the PH knows the client's skills and thus knows what he can and cannot do.
But still, .30-06 on ele. Whoa!
For sure not a typical case but I get the point, and personally I agree with your view. It is sound, indeed.

The case with the 30-06 was a kid. I have guided younger children- one of whom used a 9,3x74 double very sucessfully, but this lad was a pretty good shot with his 30-06 which he had bought out for plains game, but his dad's .375 didn't fit and kicked the bejabbers out of him. He couldn't reliably amanage a "minute of elephant" group at 25m with the .375. A bit of scrounging turned up a box of A square 220grn mono's that had been loaded for our clling teams.

The kid managed a perfect side brain shot at about 20 m on a fiarly decent bull (36/33lbs) and I didn't have to fire. Sure I passed up a couple of potentially better bulls (40lb range) because I couldn't get him perfectly set up, but we (the lad, his father and I) had discussed what was most important and a big trophy that I shot was not what dady was paying for.

Any light caliber imposes limitations. I will not go chasing tuskless cow eles in thick jess with my 9,3, unless the client is experienced and has something bigger. Generally, if the client has a light rifle I will look for perfect set ups over perfect trophies.

Mind you, the same can be said for "over gunned" clients who cannot shoot straight. I don't want a wounded cow in the jess whatever I am armed with

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Mind you, the same can be said for "over gunned" clients who cannot shoot straight. I don't want a wounded cow in the jess whatever I am armed with

And this was part of the reason for me asking - I dislike all recoil and flinch with the 9,3x62 after a couple of shots.
The stock does not fit me on my father's rifle, but it's illustrative of my recoil sensitivity.

The 9.3x64 fits the bill prefectly -it also happens to be my current pet