What are the most available calibers of rimless or belted (magazine rifle) ammunition in South Africa between 6.5mm and .458? If you live in or hunt in South Africa, please list what you think the top 5 or 10 are in order of availablility.

I plan to occasioanlly hunt in South Africa after I retire due to having a few friends who have retirement homes there. I will hunt predominantly plains game though an ocassional head of dangerous game up to cape buff. No elephant.

Haven't been to the RSA since '97 but between three PH's, two hosts, and a local hunter I encountered in the Northern Transvaal there were three 375s, three 30'06s, two 308s, and one 416 Remington.

Ammo is usually available for "standard" calibers.

Just don't ask for WSM RUM RCM etc.
Wby... maybe but 30-06, 308, 300 Win, 270, 243 should be no problem.

locally produced by PMP and readily available from other brands too -
.222 .223 .243 6mmMus .25-06 .270 win 7x64 7mmRM 7x57 .308w .30-06 .300win .303Brit 9,3x62 .375H .458W

Others like 6.5x55, 8x57 .30-30 .22Hornet and .300h&H (locally made) should be fairly common and after that 6.5x57 .338Win 8x68S will be around at major dealers. Big bores like .416 and .404 at major dealers too but big bore and more rare ammo is really pricy.

The globally popular carts like .22lr 223 243 308 30-06 303 270 12ga etc should be at just about any place that sell firearms and ammo even in rural areas/small towns

Thanks Kayaker,

That is excellent information. I'm planning my retirement battery, which will be used mostly stateside. I plan to get a pair of Blaser R93 frames and about 4 CF barrels. All but one is on your first list, which I consider the best bets for finding in RSA in an emergency.

The one I'm considering, for hunting in bear country in the U.S., that isn't on any of your lists, is the .338 Win Mag. So if I get to hunt South Africa after retirement (I have a couple of friends who have built retirement homes there), I'll leave the .338 barrel home and consider supplementing with a 9.3x62 or .300 Win Mag.

Other planned calibers are .270, .30-06, and .375 H&H.

If I went to RSA, I'd leave the .270 and bring the '06 and .375 barrels and one "in between" caliber to switch hit for either if a problem developed with one of them.

For the U.S., .338 would be the logical choice, but for RSA would you suggest 9.3x62 or .300 Win Mag as easiest to find ammo for in a pinch?

Don't know about availability, but i love the 9.3x62. I can't recall hearing anything but good reports about its performance.

I went looking for some 9.3x62 factory ammo in Jo;Burg two weeks ago and ended up at The Powder Keg (Down the Road from Savuti Taxidermy, formerly Bullseye).

They had PMP ProAmm and Blaser 9.3x62 ammo available. The Blaser stuff was A$150 for 20. !!!! The PMP marginally better but still expensive at A$50.00.

Highland (privi-partisan) factory ammo was available in Bloomfontein and seems to be commonly available as well.

Had to hit the gunshop in Phalaborwa on MAY 25TH because my ammo didn't make it to RSA from Amsterdam on my flight. Was able to acquire 286 gr RN softs PMP 9,3x62 off the shelf at 360 Rand per 20. I noticed they had .308, 30-06, and .375 H&H obviously available as well.

It's impact point was 2" right of my Noslers, but grouped well. That ammo took a nice Impala DRT with a single shot.

My ammo was delivered late the next day to the place we were staying. I had left a photocopy of all of the docs with the SAP office at Jo'burg so that the ammo could be sent on by air. Everyone was very helpful.

I'll always take at least one rifle for which I can acquire ammo locally. 9,3x62 or .375 H&H seems to be available. I'm sure .458 WinMag could not have been more than a day or two away.

When I was in Africa I used my own reloads. Only fired about 14 rounds. No misses.