My "BIG GUN" for this hunt will be my 450 No2 double rifle.
With it I plan to shoot 2 Buff, 2 Non-trophy Elephants and a Hippo. Also possibly the Lion if hunting conditions permit.
My thoughts are to take 30 480gr. Woodleigh Solids and 20 Softs [10 480gr. Woodleigh Softs, and 10 500gr. Swift A-Frames]. All bullets hit to the same POA out to 100 yards.

My other rifle for this trip will be my Chapuis 9,3x74R double rifle. I have 2 scopes in rings sighted in for this rifle. For this rifle my thoughts are to take 20 286gr. Woodleigh Solids and 60 Soft Points. [10 285 Hawks [mainly for Leopard] and 20 286 gr. Woodleigh Softs, and 30 286gr. Nolser Partitions]. All the Softs shoot to the same POA out to 200 yards, the Nosler Partitions shoot the best at 300 yards.

Some people may question the taking of different soft points, but they all hit in the same place, so there is no zero problems to worry about. I like the idea of having a "soft" soft in the right bbl and a "harder" soft in the left. Plus I just like testing different bullets, adds to the enjoyment of the hunt.
I am pretty close to the 11 lb weight limit so if I have to cut back on the number of rounds I would drop a few of the 9,3 solids and softs.
What do ya'll think?

So now what are you going to do about your 44 magnum ammo? your maxed out at 11 lbs. you know..but hey if you can't kill it with a 475 I doubt the 44 would be a lot of help. Remember you ain't in South Dallas!!

I am experimenting with pumping my ammo box full of helium, so it will weigh less.
By the way I NEVER go to South Dallas with just 11 lbs of ammo.

Ray, what do you think of the Soft to Solid ratio?

I know you asked Ray, but here's my two cents worth:



One great thing about a .458 caliber bullet is that it makes a big hole, be it soft, or solid. I'm going about the same time as you and am taking two pretty similar rifles, at least as to performace.



My "heavy" will be my Cogswell & Harrison .475 Nitro express. I'm taking 40 rounds, half solid and half soft. They are all Woodleigh 480 grains. I hope to kill a buffalo and a bull elephant with it. I took it out for the last check today and never had a bullet hit more than 2" from point of aim. I'm getting a wee bit over 2100 fps with both solids and softs.



My "second" rifle is my Cogswell & Harrison .375 Express 2.5". I shot it today, too. I'm shooting Hornady 270 grain SP's at 2050 fps and have a couple of 300 grain FMJ Hornadys at 1950 (why, I don't know). I don't have a scope on my doubles, but with the .375, I usually put all the shots within 5" with irons at 100 yards. That's only 2.5" from p/o/a, and I can live with that. I'm going with 1115 on his first safari, so plains game is really secondary to my enjoyment with him getting first crack at the kudu, etc. I'm not planning on any long shots, leaving that up to 1115 and his CZ .375 H&H.



I can stay within the 11 lb. limit with a 50 round box of .375 ammo along with the .475 stuff. I'm surprised there is such a difference in the weight of the calibers, but that .450 No. 2 is a real whopper, and I guess, and the 9.3x74 is also bigger than the .375 Ex.



As to your mix of solids to softs, I'd go heavier on the solids, just because you can use a solid in place of a soft, i.e., buffalo and plains game (except for cats, of course.) Conversely, you can't use a solid in place of a soft.. i.e. Elephants. Since my weight is not so critical, I can take a bunch of both!



Have a great time and I'll listen to your tales in Dallas next year!



BTW, 1115 is a homicide detective and a firearms instructor. He won't give me much opportunity to shoot, anyway. He doesn't miss much.



Semper Fi, my friend.

Figuring on you shooting two buffalo, take one box of solids, that is all you will need...Your an excellent shot with your doubles and they have iron sights I assume, so they will always be spot on for POI....You will bring some home ammo I bet, as I suspect six rounds is all you will use max.......

Take the rest in softs, but again a box is more than you need with an iron sighted double..

Double that if you are using a scope, they tend to get off now and then and it takes ammo to correct them..The softs are probably better for the plainsgame, but I have used both and in the big bores they both do fine..

When I go, I take whatever bullets I am testing, as I am the ultimate bullet digger outer, along with Saeed, we perform many autopsys of a sort...

If all I had was Flat nose solids I would be perfectly content...and if I am not testing bullets, all I take is FN solids, about 30 or 40 rounds, but I shoot a lot of Buffalo, about 5 to 10 as a rule...I take most rounds in my back up rifle, a 416, 404, 9.3x62 or 375...so with about 30 rounds of double ammo, that gives me plenty of ammo for my bolt gun with mostly softs and about a box of solids..and would give you room for a box or two of pistol ammo I suspect.

You will always bring a lot of ammo home or shoot it up in camp, playing games...Saeed always has a shooting competition with the help to shoot up all our ammo....The cook won last year to the total disgrace of the game scout and trackers etc...

But always take your 11 pounds as one never knows what the future holds and you may be asked to shoot game for the game scouts or whatever...anyway be prepared.

450,

That sounds like a wonderful safari. I will be after 2 ellie and 2 cow buff and 2 gerry this fall.

Can you tell us who the PH is and what concession you are in? Thanks.