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I'm taking my son in law to Africa for a plains game hunt. Zebra is included. He is a first time hunter. I am looking to work up loads for a Kimber Montana 30-06 I bought him for Michigan deer hunting. I was looking to work up loads with Nosler 180 gr bullets. Will use Ballistic Tip, Partition, Accubond and Lead Free bullets. I've been big game hunting for over 50 years but I'm kind of getting the stink eye from some hunters for the use of Nosler bullets. I am being told that Noslers are fine for North American game but African game animals are tougher and a bullet like the Barnes Triple shock is the way to go. I've not had any problem with Noslers on Elk, Bears or Moose but what do I know. I've got almost a year to decide but I don't want to spend the summer on load development with the bullets I have only to do it over. A little direction would be appreciated. NRA Life Member NRA Charter Member Golden Eagles | ||
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I've been to Africa once so, take my advice for what it's worth. I used a Remington 700 30-06 with 220gr Core Lokt's and took 9 animals from Steenbok to Eland all with one shot. I would have no problem using a Nosler Partition or Accubond on them. Get a copy of The Perfect Shot and notice where the vitals are. https://www.safaripress.com/th...-for-africa-495.html Hope this helps. | |||
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My wife and I shared my Remington 700 30-06 when we hunted SA back in 2014 We killed eleven different species of game with the 150 grain Accubond with fantastic results ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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165 or 180 grain partitions or accubonds will do just fine. Anybody who says otherwise is either a) a lousy shot or b) talking out of their anus Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Oh yes, nothing less than a monolithic will do, because African plains game have those chain mail hides. Stink eye huh?  AK-47 The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like. | |||
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Trust your own experience | |||
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Use any good 180 gr bullet and you'll be very happy. My personal preference is Hornady I Locks, Nosler Acubond, and Hornady Interbond - not cause they're better but because they are accurate in my rifles and perform outstandingly on game. Pancho LTC, USA, RET "Participating in a gun buy-back program because you think that criminals have too many guns is like having yourself castrated because you think your neighbors have too many kids." Clint Eastwood Give me Liberty or give me Corona. | |||
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Used 180 grain Swift A-Frames. Those brought a warm, happy glow to the PH's smile... | |||
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I have shot Roan with a 180 grain nosler partition in a 30-06. one shot through the shoulder. The Swift A frame would be better. | |||
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Place the bullet, kill the animal. I opted for the Barnes tipped TSX and it worked 100% but would have no issued with a partition, accubond, Swift or Hammer hunter. Nothing works if shot poorly! Zeke | |||
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The 180 grain Swift A-frame is the gold standard for 06. I have killed a lot of zebras, gemsbok, giraffe, eland and kudu with this bullet. Accubonds are great also. I shot a lot of Wildes one trip with 200 grain Partitions. | |||
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You need to stop talking to idiots. I have taken about 20 plains game animals with a 30-06 using 180g Remington Corlocts at 2700fps. On everything from jackal to Kudu and Zebra, every animal died with a single shot. I probably should have shot one of my hartebeests a second time to hasten his death, but he died easily enough. A few of the core locts exited, but most of the time they were found under the offside hide. Your Noslers will work even better(if such a thing is possible). I say all of this as someone who now shoots mono metal bullets almost exclusively now. Monos have the edge in penetration, but 180g lead core bullets in a 30-06 will work just fine on plains game, and they have been for well over 100 years. Jason "You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core." _______________________ Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt. Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure. -Jason Brown | |||
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Whatever bullet the rifle shoots "well" will be fine. Groups under an inch are nice but not required. Personally I like Barnes TTSX and Swift A-Frames, but there are several other really good bullets available, including the Nosler partition, Trophy Bonded, etc. Just don't use a target bullet or one that's got a reputation for being inconsistent, like (IMO) the Bergers. I think that using 180 grains and up will give you some flexibility to take on heavier game. For what it's worth, while not as experienced as others on this forum, I've taken over 100 head of African plains game in the last 22 years. Bullet choice is important, but so is having real familiarity with the rifle. And what stands out for me as one lesson I had to learn was to not stand around and admire my "fine shooting".  Be ready to shoot again, no matter how good the first one felt. Seems to be an American trait to have to make this a conscious effort !Best of luck. | |||
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Another vote for the partitions, I haven’t had an issue with them for 35 years. I’m also a fan of the A frames, but haven’t used them as much as the noslers. Enjoy your hunt! | |||
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Bollock. I have lived in Africa my whole life, and all my hunting has been done here. Partitions have a very good name here. Accubonds too. I would keep the Ballistic Tips for the smaller, lighter game at longer ranges, and I must admit to knowing nothing about the Lead Free range. But 180gr .30-06 is not a bullet-breaker. | |||
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Horse hockey. The are mammals made of flesh and blood. What continent they are found on makes no difference. My first trip to Africa my son used his Sako .30-06 with 180 Nosler Partitions. Everything fell just as dead as those I shot with my .338 or those shot with our hunting partner's .300 Win. This includes zebra (Hartmann's, which are a tad larger than the Plains variety, I believe.) My second trip we opted to use the guide's rifle, a .270 shooting promo Hornady American Whitetail 140 grain bullets. Everything shot died just as certainly. In fact, a companion took three zebras -- 1, 2, 3 -- with one shot each from the .270 (as requested by the game manager for population control) as he stood in one spot. With the .270 we took kudu, black wildebeest, blue wildebeest, zebra, and any number of lesser animals. No animal was lost, and only a couple required more than one shot, but that was due to not placing the initial shot quite where it should have been. Would I pick the .270 with a plain cup-and-core bullet as my first choice for African plains game? Probably not -- but obviously it served me quite well. So, being far from inadequate, a .30-06 with a Nosler Partition is clearly an ample choice. | |||
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If Inwas going to use a 30-06, I would pick a mono metal bullet of 160-165 grains. I have killed every African plains game with various 270 wildcats, using 130, 140 and 150 grain bullets. No difference and no problem at all. | |||
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I’ve been there three times, all bowhunting. There’s nothing magical about African Plaines game, in terms of toughness. Your 06 will work fine. I’d use whatever bullet is accurate and what you would use for elk. I’d probably look at 165 grain as my go to, if it’s accurate. NRA Patron member | |||
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I did exactly that back in 2012... Plains game with my 30-06.. It was near a max load with 4831 and Nosler 180 gr partitions. Worked just fine! I did bring my 375 on that trip and used it for couple of the larger critters, but if I were ever to go again, I'd bring only my 06.. Maybe even a 7-08.. loaded with Noslers of course. good luck and have fun! NRA Benefactor. Life is tough... It's even tougher when you're stupid... John Wayne | |||
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I like NOsler partitions and Accubonds about as well as any bullets, but most of todays bullets are fine such as speer, Hornady, rem corelokts, sierra game Kings. selecting the proper weight is more important..I like the 200 gr. accubond best in my 30-06 I suppose... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I've used Partitions in 150 Gr. in my .270 Win., 165's in my 30/06 and 225's in my .338 Win. mag on a variety of African plains game ranging from Jackels to Eland. Never had a problem. I shot several Zebra with the .338 Win. mag. with the aforementioned 225 gr. partitions with great results. Tom Z NRA Life Member | |||
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I've only been over once. My plan was to take a .338WM and a 375 H&H but had paper work problems so the three of us rented a 30-06 ands a 7 MM Mag from the PH. We killed 14 head of plains game from Wart Hog (2) to Eland (2), Oryx (3), Kudu (3), Wildebeest (3), Hartebeest. Most taken with the 06. Had to follow upon one Wildebeest and one Oryx because of poorly placed shots. It would have been nice to use my own rifles after developing loads and lots of practice but turned out they weren't needed. "Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." Mark Twain | |||
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