Greetings all,

My son and I are hunting cape buffalo in two weeks. In addition to the buffalo, I am considering adding a sable to the bag, maybe other PG. Buffalo are usually shot up close, sable less so. I am shooting my Krieghoff 470 Nitro loaded with 500 grain Swift AF to 2100 fps.

I would like to hear from those large-bore DR owners (say 40 caliber and larger) who have real-world practical experience using their guns on longer (say over 100 yards) shots at plains game. I think my maximum range for the 470 NE would be about 125 yards considering I have an RMR reflex sight on it and longer than that the sight becomes limiting. I am shooting about 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards with this load off the bench, off sticks a little larger.


I would appreciate hearing about your experiences and recommendations


Thanks

Paul

I’ve done quite a few hunts with doubles and a 470 on 4-5 hunts I think you are right on the mark. Me personally a kudu/gemsbuck or larger I would do up to 150 yards. Impala/bushbuck etc I personally would limit to no more than 100 yards in perfect conditions.

Have done so a few times with a Chapuis 470. Off the sticks, 100 yards is OK on most plains game. Maybe a bit longer on zebra, eland, sable and kudu. But you're on the right track to call it off over 125, even on the larger ones. Bullet drop makes it tricky. Sure is fun, but so is stalking to get closer. Have taken impala and warthog a few times. Last August I worked hard to get closer on a Gemsbok, got to 75 yards or so, and was quite pleased to be successful.

On the other hand, several years ago I hit a running zebra with a poorly chosen shot. Tracked for several miles and never saw him again. Haven't tried that again and haven't forgotten how it felt. Thus, more discipline on the reality of a double rifle on plains game.

I also like the Swift A-Frame in my 470.

Good luck!

I killed a nice springbok with my .450 off the sticks at a little over 100 yds. with the barrel sights. Have made kills on deer hear at home at that range as well.

I know Todd Williams has done long range shooting with his DR.
However, I discourage it and so will your PH; they won't let you shoot much over 100 yards with anything but a scoped bolt action. Of course I am just guessing; I have no experience; even though I have 8 double rifles, I will never actually get to Africa.

So far my scoped .458 DR is quite accurate at 45 and 100 yards (took a little Black Buck at 100) on a recent outing. As time goes on I will try it at longer ranges, but so far it is dead on.

Have shot a Wildebeest with my 450NE distance 100yrds with iron sights...
have shot gongs with the same gun out to 200 yards

The longest shot I have taken on game with iron sights was a zebra at 125 yards. My rifle was a .416 Rigby.

Much beyond that range, and the front bead covers too much of the target.

I shot a bushbuck with a 500NE at about 150. Dead in his tracks

When we practiced , we shot at longer range . Stumps, logs, etc. Out to about 300 yards. It was not that hard.

All of the longer range shots with a double I've taken were with a scoped 9.3x74R. I'm comfortable at 250 or so with that set up. Took an impala at a lasered 263 yards and grysbuck at 125 or so.

As to my big bore doubles, I think the longest shot I've taken on game was a tuskless ele at about 50 yards and open sights. Side brain shot and she went straight down.

I think I'd be fine shooting the 500NE out to about 100 yards or so but personally I'd limit that to larger animals like buffalo, kudu, eland, zebra, etc and then only if I didn't have the 9.3 handy.

I've recently put a Trijicon RMR on the 500 but haven't had a chance to take it to the range yet. It might be a game changer but I can't say just yet. Anyway, I still don't want to shoot buff much more than 50 yards or so and ele at about 1/2 that, but that's not due to not being able to shoot that distance. I just like to get close with DG.

I think that a laser range finder and a brown paper sack or piece of brown card board can answer that question quite easily for you.

1. make your best guess what the true lethal and ethical shot area is on your quarry up and down and side to side. Just below the spine to the bottom of the lung cavity and from in front of the diaphragm to the front of the humerus. That is in full broadside. If you are willing to take quartering shots although the up and down will not change much the side to distance can change for the worst quite a bit so if ;you are not going to wait on full broad side I would cut the target side to side/ front to diaphragm by at least a third.

2. Set your target up , hopefully in an area with some natural vegetation around and behind the target like an animal is usually seen in a hunting situation. Get close for the first shot 50 yrds off the sticks with a hard kicking rifle is a good place to start. shoot a right and a left. If you hit solidly center of mass on that target you know you are good to go at 50. Back up 75, 100 125 etc. as soon as you miss or just barely hit the paper then you are too far. If you are having fun and you hit at 100 and miss at 125 try at 110.

3. Take the rangefinder to Africa. Have a frank discussion with your guide and have him range your animal and let him know you will not shoot past your safe hit range. A wounded animal can take a lot a happiness out of what is usually one of the most rewarding fun things imaginable, an African safari.

Doubles and big bores are fun to hunt with but 300 to 400 yard shots at huge bull elk across a canyon or divide?, they were not ment for that kind of hunting..If your willing to pass on a trophy bull, then use the double..I do that sometimes with a 25--35 or 30-30, and I have passed up some big old bulls and huge Mule deer..Thats when you see the big boys of course.

On my African hunts I have shot 2 buffalo beyond 200 yards one of which we didn't recover until the following day and he had a 450-400 in his chest and the PHs 458 ACkley both bullets were perfect shots the criss crossed in his chest cavity..

Pierre and Saeed found the bull, eaten by Lions overnight. He had gone 5 plus miles and no blood trail. They had great fun with that discovery. I blamed it on my PH of course for forceing me to shoot..

The other bull was 225 yards and PH told me to shoot him, I took a rest held a foot over his back with irons as I recall and centered him, He just tipped over nose first in slow motion, The PH laughed and named him the teapot bull as he wad reminiscent of tea pouring out of a pot. I used the 450-400-3" Army/Navy or Jefferys???

Everything else as I recall was under 50 to 75 yards best I recall..

That said, SAble are hard to come, expensive as hell and tend to be shy, I would not go that far from home and deal with failure because I didn't take an extra bolt gun on my hunt..I most always took a 338, 375 or 9.3 along with a double..and glad I had it.

Thank you gentlemen for all the feedback, suggestions, and experiences. I have been practicing at longer ranges with my rifle-off sticks and my confidence is much boosted. I'm looking forward to hunting with my Son and taking a nice dugga boy with my double rifle. If something comes along a little longer I'm ready to make the shot

Thank you all,

Paul

I took a Puku through both shoulders in Zambia with my WR&Co 450#2 off sticks at a laser ranged 116 meters. I was using 500 gr A Frames and I didn’t have to flip up a leaf. I’d feel pretty comfortable shooting to 150 meters on a larger animal like kudu or eland.

I’ve gone out to 100 yards successfully many times with my 450NE. We have a steel ram target at the 200 yard range. When I hit that with iron sights it was like god grabbed it and plucked it off its chains.

Thank you all again for your advice and experiences...and to close the thread with my actual experience:

My son Brandon and I had a superb hunt in RSA for Buffalo and some PG about 2 weeks ago. After all my fretting and worry I ended up shooting my buffalo at about 115 yards first shot and then a finisher at about 40 yards. Shot my sable, which I was worried about, at a lasered 55 yards facing me, one shot DRT. In both cases, the 500 grain Swift A-Frame performed like a textbook perfect bullet expansion.

So the lesson I learned is that you can plan, practice, and prepare all you want for your safari but in the end, "it happens the way it happens", so just be ready for the unexpected.


Thanks again for the feedback.

Paul