Are hunters still using -- successfully -- the classic .303 hunting load of 215 gn at 2050 fps on sambar? It sounds marginal, but it was well regarded as a big game load in many parts of the world. One hunting association's site suggests anything beyond .308 is overkill. Hmmmm. I see ADI suggests loads to 2250 fps for the heavy bullets. Perhaps the classic loading is no longer used.

In all my years I have not met anyone currently using a 303. Certainly in the past it has been used.Apart from doggers most experienced sambar hunters use larger cartridges such as 338, 375 up to 458. There are exceptions but the majority lean towards heavier rounds. Also the 303 is not available in modern rifles.
Mark

The crew i hunt with use 308win, 7mm mag, 30/06, 338win and 375H&H. The 303 was used twice as a back up rifle, using winchester 180gr factory loads, dropped the sambar ok. Have seen one take 3 7mm mags before dropping, all exited through the chest, and also have had to track deer hit by the 308, 30/06. But these were rear end shots. Myself i opt for the 338win, has not let me down yet.

cheers 338w

I have not hunted Sambar in Vic yet but when I do I will use my Stainless Synthetic Sako 9.3 x 62. Would imagine this with either 250/285 gn Woodleigh as being ideal Sambar medicine in brush country.

I would pick the 9.3 or 338 win mag as ideal for sambar.

A mate uses a 7mm Rem Mag for sambar and all the photos he has shown overtime shows he is doing something right.

A .303 would kill sambar anytime if one wanted to use one, but even though Australia used to use a lot of .303's and derivatives, nowadays everyone uses modern calibres.

The guys that use bigger calibres do so, as sambar live in often very thick bush and running shots might be all the chance you get, and often the old Texas Heart Shot may be the old you need to take. I use a .308 and ,30-06 as the rifles are a lot lighter for the carrying which is more than the shooting.

I've never hunted sambar, but I don't think I would be underguned with a .303. After all it was a popular calibre once and I don't think the sambar have gotten tougher over the years.

.303 would be find with a good strong woodleigh bullet....I think the bullet used also detrmines in many cases the usefullness of a caliber.

Sambar are very tough animals and a full grown stag weighs more than a lion. If you wound them it can be very difficult to find them.Most , but not all, experienced stalkers use 35 Whelen, 338, 375 or 458. Bill Woolmore , who uses a 375 , pointed out we would all use something big if hunting lion but then they bite back. Also as PC points out nice clear shots are very unusual so a margin of power is needed. My personal choice is a 338.
Mark

NitroX

That's the beauty of the 9.3x62. My Sako or PC's Cz weighs the same as the a 3006 or 270 or 308 but you get the same sort of knockdown power as the 375 in a rifle that has managable recoil. Also I believe it is a better brush rifle than the 338 and conversley the 338 is a better open plains cliber than the 9.3

The 303 was probably popular once because it was cheap and readily available. A mate of mine that's hard up for cash has just put together a scoped, cut-down SMLE for under $200, and that's cheap hunting! With a good heavy bullet at moderate velocity I'm sure it will do the job. Not ideal in my opinion but still a very respectable combination.
Con

Con

What you say is correct. The 303 with suitable projectiles is definately a capable Sambar slayer. The 303 has accounted for more game in Africa than any other caliber - period. But there are more suitable calibers.

MLG,
You got it! 375H&H... much more suitable than those "little" 9.3s... Preferably in a nice push-feed action like a Remington (thought I'd throw that in to antagonise PC ). Personally, I feel the best Sambar cartridges are the 35Whelen/9.3x62/338WM. Smaller can work equally as well but I like to stack the odds in my favour.
Cheers...
Con

The thought of a 9.3x62 in a rem 700 gives me frost bite

The 9.3x62 I feel is an extremely balanced round.

I would like to know how many use the marlin 45/70's for sambar...with woodleigh's 405 gr 45/70 flat point bullet it would IMHO make a great sambar rifle.

PC,
My rainy day rifle this year is a peep sighted Marlin 45/70. I've loaded a 420gr FNGC cast projectile from Ten-Ring to 1780fps using 54gr of AR2208 and am sure it will do the job nicely. Personally I'm beginning to think there isn't much to be gained by loading up the 45/70 to the velocity I have. My next lot of reloads I'll back the velocity off to around 1650fps. A cast FNGC that fails to expand should still cut a wide wound channel and penetrate like mad.... just need to find the Sambar to prove it!
Con

I'm not a Sambar hunter but I have shot a number of red deer in the Brisbane Valley.
This debate on suitable calibres really centers on tried and true performers from the past 50 years without consideration to the supurb advances in bullet technology that have been made in the last even 5 years.
The few Barnes bullets that I have tried in my 257AI have killed out of all proportion to the calibre leaving wound channels equivilant to 30 cals or bigger.
Then you have A-Max, V-Max, Game King, Woodleigh, Swift & Nosler; all making a controlled expansion hunting projectile that will give instanious kills on almost any game if the choice of projectile is matched to the velocity capability of the parent cartridge.
So what is a 'marginal sambar cartridge'? Anything bigger than 6mm when matched with suitable controlled expansion projectiles.

Con has that ten ring projectile got gas checks ?? and does it lead you barrel at all ??

as far as sambar hunting goes your not only hunting the sambar but you also hunt the country in which they live in which usually means you see them from the back end putting distance between its self and the hunter....i have shot a few sambar with my 06 and none have dropped in there tracks
three sambar that i shot were completley undisturbed when shot with really well placed shots and they still ran...
i consider the 375 a good minimum if you are going to take sambar as they come in thick scrub ....they take a lot of lead .....i consider them the browm bear of the deer species
daniel

PC,
Yep... the Ten-Ring has a gas-check and it's coated in what I think is Moly, ie they're covered in a black coating. Sold as 415gr the majority weigh in at 420gr plus or minus. At 1780fps I got absolutely no leading which surprised the hell out of me. Accuracy is in the 3MOA vicinity.
Cheers...
Con

Thanks Con,

I may have to look into these where can they be purchased ??

PC,
No idea where you get them from in Melbourne, try the back of the Shooters Journal for a contact. Just be aware that I bought them in Shepparton just to try out and they cost almost 50c each in a packet of 40. I bought 120 and they've been okay, there are some quality control issues though like wonky seated gas-checks and some projectiles are slightly "slumped" to the side; which is probably why they shoot into 3 MOA. The projectiles look identical to those thrown from an RCBS 405gr mould. I just ordered 200 Rem 405gr projectiles at $40 per 100 so economics wise they're not quite worth it. Give them a try though and see what you think, also try the Taipan 300gr FN, the "big hares" I've taken indicate its a tough bullet.
Cheers...
Con
PS: Caught up with Bob last weekend, he's convinced me to build a 358Win. Capstick should also be done by mid-year.

Con,

I use the rem 405's and they are fine and I suspect they would also work for sambar although I would prefer the 405 woodleigh 45/70 bullet. At that price I will steer clear of the ten ring bullets I think.

Why a .358 win and what action would you do this ??

Bob is saying Chrsitmas for my .404.

We all know the .303 has taken over the years heaps of large game, so when we come to Sambar we hear it was used to take countless numbers many years ago, with light hunting pressure and unresticted access the .303 and lesser cals were used with success but we never hear of the many deer that were lost due to using these cals, but things have changed and no the Sambar haven't got bigger and tougher but there is a lot more hunting pressure on them, over hounds and in close in stuff the .303 works, but that is the perfect world and we all know that never happens, when a shot can be 20mtrs or 150mtrs and more and it's a big stag you need an adequate cal. and the .303 just doesn't make it, I've been hunting the Sambar for about 30yrs now, I started with a .270 which was short lived after losing a nice spiker not due to projie or placement it was just not up to the job, they are a tough animal, I have used the .375H&H now for many years and have never lost an animal...just my 2 cents worth.....Les

Bit like the guy who used to hunt red deer and wapiti here with a .450 No2 express double rifle , he maintained that he never had to give one a second shot ....

I think for sambar use the biggest rifle you got. Preferably something .30 or above.

Doc1972

Thank you, everyone, for the opinions.

I no longer own a .303, but my T/C is good up to .30-30 class cartridges. It makes for one of my favorite rifles.

Playing around with barrel lengths and blown out chambers, it seems certain I could equal the classic .303 loading with the .30-30 size cases: I could send a 220 gn .308 at 2050 fps.

The older .33 and .35 wildcats on this case should make a bit over 2000 fps with 250 gn bullets and would provide a bit more smack.

Frankly, I've never hunted game this large, and I have no feel for the effectiveness of the lower speed cartridges on them, which is why I went looking for the voice of experience.

Karl

I have used the .303 British on Sambar for years but yes there are better or bigger but the 303 will still do the job with the right load I think in the past military issue FMJ were used mostly and I think Winchester 180g are down loaded a bit but if you reload and use Woodleigh's you can not go wrong also I think Hornady and Federal have high energy or light magnum loads which should be excellent on Sambar. The other reason why not many 303 are used now is no modern rifles and some difficulty in mounting scopes on military conversions of SMLE to sporters. I have used the following rifles in .303

Martini-Enfield
Winchester 1895
SMLE
No5 "Jungle Carbine"
Ruger No 1 (custom)
Parker-Hale 4x scope

The .303 is not dead yet!
RLI

PC,
I'm going to put the 358 Winchester together on a short action M70. Bob's got the reamer and no feed work is required as the current magazine is set up for 243Win. I want to build a light (<7lb) gun that will still be adequate and legal for Sambar. I'm planning on shooting 225gr-250gr projectiles for deer and the cheapy 158gr "bombs" for paddock dandruff and plinking practice.
Should be fun and cheap to shoot to boot...
Con

Sounds like a good thing Con,

where did you get the action from ?? is it a classic model ??

PC,
Nope... found a PF action for $500 (complete rifle)with a 6x36 Leupold thrown in. Shoots okay as a 243W but the barrels slowly going. Should be okay for a light stalking rifle, keep having visions of not bothering to even blue it but rather just camo-paint the barrel and action and use it as a knock about "little" Big Bore.
Con