Hunters have widely different needs and a vast selection of rifles and available calibres.

How many rifles does a hunter need to cover the opportunities?
What centerfire calibres are chosen?
Where are compromises made?

I find that energy levels of cartridges provides a fairly good scale for evaluating a battery and choosing a rifle or cartridge for a hunting situation.

Light: At the entry level we have 1200-2400 ftlb. loads. These are great for varmints and with proper bullets and accuracy can be used for pronghorn and deer. For me this kind of usage can be nicely covered with a 243 Win, a calibre that I would rate at 1800-2000ftlbs. Deer-hunting bullets can be sent downrange at well over 3000fps. They work great across ponds/rivers in Africa for taking out spurwing geese, and are as good as anything on tommy, oribi, maybe even impala. While most hunters would consider the 243 good for pronghorn and deer, most of the same hunters would not recommend the 243 for elk. I would concur, for elk one should move to at least the next level.

Light-Medium: 2500ftlb. to 3400ftlb. This is the mainstay for hunting rifles and is the level of choice for deer-sized game. The two premiere choices in the US are the 30-06 and the 270Win, rated at about 2800ftlb and 2700ftlb, respectively. The 308 and 7-08 can be included, as well as the 264 WM, 7mmRM, 7x57, 280, 8x57, and 338-06. While small advantages belong to the various different calibres, they basically all fit a similar hunting niche, great for medium game yet able to take large, "non-dangerous" game (PS: all wounded animals are dangerous!), and able to shoot at extended ranges. The 'light-medium' level is where many would draw the line to begin to recommend an elk-size calibre, or a "plains-game" calibre in African terms.

Heavy-Medium: 3500-4700ftlbs. When a hunter wants a little extra authority and a little more margin of error they often move up to this next level. The 300WinMag sits right on the borderline. It's 30 calibre bullets are sometimes too lightweight, but with proper bullets it achieves a noticeable improvement over the "light-medium" rounds. (To be honest, I've seen a disproportionate percentage of game lost, or recovered with difficulty, with the 300's. I'm not sure why.) The NorthAmerican premiere round in this heavy-medium category is the 338 WinMag. The heavy-medium rounds are excellent elk rounds and are probably the first recommendation for entry-level "big bear" rounds. The 375H&H is the premiere round in this category in Africa and is the entry-level "dangerous game" round. (I would give the 375H&H the nod over the 9.3x62 because of its 1000ftlb. advantage. The 9.3 is more of a marginal, entry-level for a heavy-medium category, like the 300's. )

Heavy: 4800-5900 ftlbs. These are full-fledged dangerous game rounds, including the 458Win, 416Rem/416Ruger, factory 416Rigby, 470Nitro, and 458 Lott. The extra diameter and extra energy provide extra margins of protection when taking that first shot on an unwounded buffalo or kodiak bear. We remember that animals can move while the trigger breaks, and sight pictures are not always optimal. (The 416 Weatherby, and 416Rigby handloaded to similar level, might be placed down in the 'heavy' category, but like the 300's in the heavy-medium category, they have been put in the next higher level because their energy levels overlap with the 505 Gibbs. Naturally, they only qualify for comparison in the higher category when loaded with their tougher bullets.)

Heavy-Stopper: 6100 ftlbs and up. The venerable 500 and 577 Nitros, the 500 Jeffrey and 505 Gibbs, and the 416 and 460 Weatherbys, can be included here, as well as the 416 and 450 Rigbys when handloaded to capacity. At the far extreme of this category, maybe creating another category for those who can truly hunt with them, are the 577 TRex and 600 Overkill (9000-11000ftlb ratings). Many wildcats fall in the 6000+ ftlb. range: 470 Mbogo, 500 Mbogo, 500 MDM, 500 AccRel, 500 A2(semi-wildcat), etc., and with apologies for the many excellent rounds not mentioned.

As can be seen, many calibres can do dual service. For example, the 270 or 30-06 make a great deer rifle, but can also be a reliable elk rifle. But they are generally considered 'light' for dangerous game and are illegal for buffalo in Africa. The light-medium level is also the starting point for many 'one-rifle' hunters. For them to choose a second rifle may depend on where they start from. Someone with a 270 might not want to bother with a 243 but would pickup a 300 or 338, while someone with a 30-06 might want to pick up a 243 but not want to bother with a 300. Someone with a 243 might want to pickup a 270, 7mmRM, 308, or 30-06. All of the levels are sliding compromises and the choices of a rifle in a neighboring category will often reflect where one started from.

So there it is: five levels of hunting tools.
Do they fairly cover the field?
Where does one start when going to two rifles?
Where does one start when going to three or four rifles?


So how many rifles does a hunter need to cover these five categories? For three decades I have settled on three, a 270, 338 and 416. But I'm working on a 243 and 500AccRel. They may get their chances in the coming years, too.

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For the pragmatic a 22LR, 223 Rem, 30-06 and 375H&H would suit any need. Ammo can be had anywhere it is sold.

416 Tanzan,
I could get by with a 30-06 and not cry or whine about it if I had to because I know what it will do.

However I agree 100% with all you say, but in my case its problematic as I have way more guns than I need, and they are constantly changing, but they cover the whole shebang from mice to Pachyderms with a lot of repetition and overlapping in calibers, it be an addiction baba ..

I only balked at one statement you made, and admitedly you are correct, but I feel a properly loaded 9.3x62 kills equally well as the .375 H&H out to about 100 or so yards, at least in the real world, but not on paper, or so it has seemed to me over the yearsl. I do like both, they are winners..

I think I will retire with a 7x57, 30-06, 9.3x62, .338 Win, perhaps a 375 H&H and the family guns. I omitted a 404 because as one crowds 80 recoil becomes a problem and in time only the 7x57 will survive. Just todays guess and that tends to double as the time comes to sell them. They seem to increase not decrease!

Ray,
I've wondered what recoil will be like in 15 years. At the moment I can still roll with the rounds.
As for a 30-06, I suppose it would be fine in NA, but in most places in Africa they won't write a buffalo license unless one at least has a 375+ in the closet. Of course, one could theoretically have the buffalo written on a multi-rifle gun permit and then leave the bigger gun in camp. My wife is just beginning in hunting. After she gets more experience I'm not sure what calibre would be best for a first buffalo. We'll just wait until we get to that stage.
Your "7x57, 30-06, 9.3x62, .338 Win, perhaps a 375 H&H" are a nice passel of arms. If we tried to match that with only a 270 and 338, I'd have to say that five are better than two.

416Tanzan,

Thanks for writing a great piece. I enjoyed reading the categories related to energy. I personally tend to relate more to momentum than energy (at least for bigger game), but I think your ideas are pretty sound and it was a very pleasant read.

Like yourself, I too have ended up with a five gun battery for Africa, that seems to suit me, if no one else. This battery is based upon a two-rifle-battery and a three-rifle-battery, depending upon circumstances that may allow (or not), the other. My two-rifle is:

404 Jeffery
338 Win. Mag.

My three-rifle is:

458 Lott
375 H&H/Ruger
30.06

These five seem to cover all of the bases FOR ME(others will find different/better options for themselves).

Having said all of that, I have taken other calibers to Africa (25.06, 7mm Rem. Mag.,and 9.3x62), and would like to take my 35 Whelen, 470 Capstick and 505 Gibbs some day. However, I believe all I really need, to cover all of MY needs, would be the above 5 mentioned.

Again, thank you for writing such an interesting, and well written piece.

...."how many guns does a hunter need....?
The answer is simple, one more.

If you're not hunting Elephant (although it would and has worked) all You really need for and big game hunting anywhere is a 375 H&H.
It is the most flexible cartridge there is.
From a 200 Gr Sierra for small game, to a 235 Barnes edging 3000 fps, a 300 gr TSX for buff and more solids than you can count and it's also very accurate. It also loves cast bullets which means you become really expert at operating ONE rifle rather than mucking about with 3, 4, 5 or a dozen.

"Beware of the man with one gun as he probably knows how to use it."

A 375 has been the rifle of choice for 100 years... Yes, even for elephant. A 375 is a one world rifle for anything anywhere. Period.

But what fun would that be? There wouldn't be anything to argue about.

As Craig Boddington once wrote, a one rifle battery is simplicity itself. So, Metalbeater is quite right and his choice of 375 is a universal favorite for that. However, if like Craig, you're a dyed-in-the-wool rifle nut, and simply enjoy firearms, rifles in particular, there is real joy, and utility, in taking along more than one rifle on safari. I also subscribe to the notion of taking at least two in case of unforeseen disasters. My wife always comes along as well, so even a three rifle battery is no problem with two, 2-gun cases. We usually bring along a 12 ga. shotgun as well for bird hunting, since the two cases hold 4 firearms. To some, this must sound like a gun nightmare. To us, it's Heaven.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:

I think I will retire with a 7x57, 30-06, 9.3x62, .338 Win, perhaps a 375 H&H and the family guns. I omitted a 404 because as one crowds 80 recoil becomes a problem and in time only the 7x57 will survive.

Sadly from experience I agree with you. My last survivor will be some center fire 22. The 22 PPC, at the moment, seems to be getting the job done.
roger

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PS:
After looking at RealGuns data on the 9.3x62 and the 300WM, I would put the 9.3x62 ahead of the 300WM. The 300WM is still a marginal "heavy-medium" because of the smaller diameter, but the 9.3 can be considered a full heavy-medium when handloaded to capacity with the new powders. This is similar to the upgrading of the 416Rigby and 450 Rigby when loaded to their capacities in the "heavy-stopper" category.

PS2: Why did I mention a disproportiate number of poorly retrieved animals with the 300's? Perhaps it has to do with the many weights of bullets in 30 calibre and hunters in Africa did not always get the bullet of choice or enough ammo to adjust scopes for various points of impact. Also, some of the 300 bullets were probably too lightly constructed for 3/4 angle shots. And in some cases the shooters were afraid of recoil, which is why they chose a 300 instead of something bigger. There is no inherent reason why the 300's are not EXCELLENT plains game rifles, better than the "light-mediums", especially with the heavier, stronger bullets.

Right now I think the number is 35 or was at the last count 10 or 15 different calibers.

I have no trouble picking one that well work.

It is a lot of fun to have lots of different guns but for the lower 48 my "go to" big game rifle is the 300 WinMag with 165 TSXs it will kill anything where I hunt from any angle and it even reloads its self.

Think of all those German colonists in Africa who could only afford one big game rifle and kept a 9.3x62 Mauser behind the door. Simple, foolproof and deadly.

I could hunt everything I typically hunt with a .30-06, but what would be the fun in that? At last count, I have 13 hunting rifles. Most of them fall within the medium and light medium categories.

Well, I shoot my weight in 22 centerfire bullets every year including some serious 1,000 yard shooting for varmints. As a minimum I need:

223
22.250
243
6.5x284
270
375 H&H
458 Win Mag

I have 24 different centerfire chamberings in the safe now, with frankly, up to 6 different rifles in a single chambering. Can you do everything with a 375.... yes...... but I don't want to!

quote:

After looking at RealGuns data on the 9.3x62 and the 300WM, I would put the 9.3x62 ahead of the 300WM.

Thank you ... you had me questioning my data for the 9.3x62.

I consider myself an average American hunter and I have used a 3006 for everything from rabbits to elk. I never felt like I was making compromises.

The only issue with multiple rifles running off different actions or even operating systems is that when things get exciting you might forget an important detail like single stage, double set. single set or double set triggers .... where the safe and how does it work, can you just drop a cartridge in the chamber or not and so on.
Gotta agree w/PaulS ..... if you can't get it done with an 06', maybe you should not be trying it. In my youth I shot lots of crows and chucks with 125 gr Sierra in an 06', the same rifle killed a lot of whitetails as well w/150 GameKings.

Often wondered how many people got stomped using the early backward safety Whitworth 375s.

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One of the problems in choosing calibre is a legal question. In many places in Africa today only 0.375" calibre and larger may have a buffalo license written. They won't consider higher powered 338's, 358's, or the venerable 9.3's. The law is .375". With that caveat I think I've found a great African rifle for left-handed ladies, of whom a couple are in my extended family:

The 375Ruger is available left-handed in several Ruger configurations from the past three years.

A person can load this down to 2000fps for a novice/beginning shooter. In a 9-lb combo this would be an energy and recoil level somewhere between a 243 and 7-08.

After a person has learned proper holding techniques, they can practice with 250 grain TTSX at 2400-2600fps loads, roughly 3200-3750ftlbs. While that is less than the 4000-5000 ftlbs. commonly recommended for buffalo, the game department in TZ doesn't care about foot-pounds, only bore/calibre. So a 375Ruger in an 8-pound rifle (9-lb with a lightweight, but rugged Nikon scope) might be an ultimate hunting tool at a low price, practical huntability, and legal for anything. Sighted-in at +2"/100 yards it only drops 10" at 300 yards, which makes it easy to use for 98% of African hunting. Preeeetty nice.

PS: I'm NOT recommending that a beginning hunter start with a buffalo. Let them hunt reedbuck, guineafowl, hartebeest, tommy, oribi, warthog, and impala, first. It's just nice to learn to use a rifle that will be good for a buffalo when and if the opportunity presents itself.

For one who handloads especialy it is pretty amazing just how versatile one rifle can become. 270, 7X57, 280, 308, 30-06 all come to mind and all have been used from varmints to considerably large game.

For me personaly the most powerfull rifles I have are a 35 Whelen or 45-70 depending on how they are loaded and I have no need for anything more. But if Africa were in the mix then something more would be called for.

I really think, even with Africa in mind, that a guy could do just fine with a 3 rifle battery. Say a 223 for small game and practice, a medium bore for practicaly everything else, and a heavy caliber for DG.

Likewise a typical American hunter makes due all the time with the old reliable 22lr and 30-06 combination. Which means I have about a dozen rifles more than I need.. And if the wife were here I wouldnt be typing this..

Tanzan,
OK since your being generous I will add the .270 to my list!

As to caliber legality in Tanzania, Zimbabwe or So. Africa, many many buffalo and even a few elephant are shot each year with the 30-06, 7x57, or the .308 Win, and many with the 9.3x62 and 9.3x74..and nobodys counting, I'm sure you know that. Add to that 99.9% of the gamescouts don't care, don't know one caliber from another, nor can they read or write in many cases, and real prone to hush money..Many clients wives and children shoot buff with the 30-06 or 7x57 but they are backed up by the husband, dad, and the PH..I would call it a rather acceptable practice throughout Africa. Even the PHs have written about such in their books and magazine articles, and I have listened to many tales of small caliber kills around many a campfire in Africa..

Those folks are a common since sort, and don't place much emphasis on the lack there of, feeling that a well placed 220 gr. 30-06 is the better of a 500 Jefferys in the gut because of a flinch. I also know many game scouts, black officials, military personel that have shot rogue elephants and replenished their food supply with small calibers...Its never been much of a problem with anyone I know or my years of hunting over there.

Its like legal marihuana, there is no such thing, its against Federal law but nobodys look'en....

Ray,

I pray you won't qualify for legal marijuana.

As for the 270, yes, it is a venerable old calibre, too. Still, I'm thinking that if my wife likes shooting a 270Win at 3100fps she'll appreciate a 375Ruger with 250grains at 2600fps.

And on to Africa--while a game scout may or may not read very well, the district officers that write licenses can read quite well and are much happier with a 375 on the gun license. Anyway, it takes us quite a bit of time to go from a thought and conclusion to getting a rifle, setting it up, working out its idiosyncracies, getting loads just right, and ferrying over to Africa, each stage with its own little challenges. My 500 AccRelNyati is still in the US after cracking its stock last year.