i have been into safari hunting for quite awhile,all though mostly dangerous game.most plains game is taken with the same calibers you use for deer/elk.the 300 win is very popular as is the 7s,most guides would rather you bring the gun YOU can shoot the best.when dangerous game hunting the big 5(elephant,buffalo,lion,leopard ,and hippo ) the 375 h&h is the legal limit,no guide carry the 700 nitro express for real(its mainly for show)the doubles in 470 NE and 500s are very popular.and a handful of guides like jeff rann and mark sullivan carry the almighty 577 NE.and yes camo is a no no.here is a quick video on hunting elephants i posted ,and why they use big stopping guns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVWBRxk_2eI
African Hunting Questions
- Thread starter BrianBM
- Start date
A gun writer hunter here by the name of Nick Harvey went to Africa and used his
270 WBY MAG for all but the biggest and most dangerous game he killed black wildebeest with 130 GN Barnes-x and red hartebeest with 150 GN partition gold with emphatic results,
as long as you can shoot your rifle accurately and place your shot your 90% there.
270 WBY MAG for all but the biggest and most dangerous game he killed black wildebeest with 130 GN Barnes-x and red hartebeest with 150 GN partition gold with emphatic results,
as long as you can shoot your rifle accurately and place your shot your 90% there.
Gentlemen, thank you all.
Even in fantasy, I'm content to leave the big five to others. I'd like to hunt the way I fish ... the trip ends at the dinner table. My freezer wouldn't accommodate a hippo. On the advice of this thread, I will take any chance I can to sample springbok or eland; that will have to wait for my trip to Africa, since there's no legal importation of wild animal meats into the US.
Pending my arrival, I'll be content to practice marksmanship.
Even in fantasy, I'm content to leave the big five to others. I'd like to hunt the way I fish ... the trip ends at the dinner table. My freezer wouldn't accommodate a hippo. On the advice of this thread, I will take any chance I can to sample springbok or eland; that will have to wait for my trip to Africa, since there's no legal importation of wild animal meats into the US.
Pending my arrival, I'll be content to practice marksmanship.
Well, yes, but his skills are a bit above those of most hunters. I believe Roy Weatherby took most or all of the big 5 with his .257 magnum, and there was the one gent - Bell? - who took down all manner of elephant with a 7mm Mauser, but .... quite apart from changes in the law, it wouldn't be prudent for most of us to leave as little margin for error in shot placement or penetration as they did.
I wonder, do baby warthogs or bushpigs make good bacon? Or perhaps the cure isn't practical at African air temperatures. Not that there's anything wrong with sausage, of course.
I wonder, do baby warthogs or bushpigs make good bacon? Or perhaps the cure isn't practical at African air temperatures. Not that there's anything wrong with sausage, of course.
Brian, don't let anyone tell you that age or size affects the taste of our ferral hogs in the negative. It is diet, attitude when shot and meat handling that is at fault. Give a 350 pound boar hog a few weeks to heal after castration and being fed a quality feed and a .22 'tween the eyes at night and you will see it as far BETTER than any pork from a store.
This is one reason we like running dogs for hog hunting.
Brent
This is one reason we like running dogs for hog hunting.
Brent
Interesting ... hogdogs, you're capturing feral hogs with dogs and then giving them a bit of cultivation? Can't see anyone who lives in a citified area keeping the dogs needed. If I get down by you, I'll swap ya a couple of bottles of bourbon for some pork. I'm going to the rest of the world with a broadband hookup shortly; no doubt I can find video of pignapping - sounds like a hell of a way to spend an evening, following the dogs to net or lasso a pig. And then making him squeal soprano - ouch!
publius, I'll be content to get started with a nice 7mm-08 and a sight with excellent low-light properties.
Later this summer I'm taking my niece and nephew to the Orvis wingshooting school; we'll all learn how to properly handle a shotgun. I'm content to leave anything that needs a .458 and up to others.
publius, I'll be content to get started with a nice 7mm-08 and a sight with excellent low-light properties.
Later this summer I'm taking my niece and nephew to the Orvis wingshooting school; we'll all learn how to properly handle a shotgun. I'm content to leave anything that needs a .458 and up to others.
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
I've had good meals even from bigger hogs as long as they were cleaned and cooled quickly. The bigger ones are hard to handle though. I keep a come-along in the truck for hoisting and loading.
Other than Eland and dangerous game, the .30-06 to .338 is plenty of bullet. I know one guy that did fine on plains game with a 6.5 and some good shooting. He was using 140 grain bullets. I used a .30-06 on the smaller stuff with no problems what so ever. Kudu and buff I used a .375 H&H.
Other than Eland and dangerous game, the .30-06 to .338 is plenty of bullet. I know one guy that did fine on plains game with a 6.5 and some good shooting. He was using 140 grain bullets. I used a .30-06 on the smaller stuff with no problems what so ever. Kudu and buff I used a .375 H&H.
Para Bellum
New member
7x57 = 7mm Mauser = .275 Rigby
The 7x57mm can offer very good penetrating ability due to a fast twist rate that enables it to fire long, heavy bullets with a high sectional density. This made it popular in Africa, where it was used on animals up to and including elephants, for which it was particularly favoured by noted ivory hunter W. D. M. Bell, who shot 1,011 elephants using a 7x57mm rifle, when most ivory hunters were using larger-caliber rifles. It was also the favored cartridge of Eleanor O'Connor, wife of famous hunter and author Jack O'Connor. Eleanor accompanied her husband on multiple hunting expeditions all over the world, killing small and large game with the 7x57mm. Though not as popular today, the 7x57mm is still produced by most major ammunition manufacturers and many modern rifles are available chambered for the cartridge.
More on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7x57mm_Mauser
The 7x57mm can offer very good penetrating ability due to a fast twist rate that enables it to fire long, heavy bullets with a high sectional density. This made it popular in Africa, where it was used on animals up to and including elephants, for which it was particularly favoured by noted ivory hunter W. D. M. Bell, who shot 1,011 elephants using a 7x57mm rifle, when most ivory hunters were using larger-caliber rifles. It was also the favored cartridge of Eleanor O'Connor, wife of famous hunter and author Jack O'Connor. Eleanor accompanied her husband on multiple hunting expeditions all over the world, killing small and large game with the 7x57mm. Though not as popular today, the 7x57mm is still produced by most major ammunition manufacturers and many modern rifles are available chambered for the cartridge.
More on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7x57mm_Mauser
Mr. Bell possessed a degree of skill that first-time hunters (me) may admire, but don't possess. Further, nobody seems to be making an action sized for 7x57. If the action's longer, why not put a bigger cartridge in it? The ballistics of a 7mm-08 seem modestly superior to those of 7x57, from what I've read, and that defines 7mm-08 as my personal minimum. If I get to Africa, I'll take that, and go up from there.
All things - like ammunition availability - being considered, I'd rather go looking for plains game with a .338WM then anything else. If some kindly fluke of local rules allows me to bring in a custom rifle and lots of ammo, why not .338-06?
A big enough hole for plains game, from what I've read. Not so much as to punish the shoulder unduly, if sighting in (or just indulging in target practice before going out). As I noted, I'll leave the Big 5 for those who really want'em.
After this thread, given lt dan's observations (based on vastly more experience then I'll ever have) I'm going to go surf the internet for farm-raised eland. I like veal.
All things - like ammunition availability - being considered, I'd rather go looking for plains game with a .338WM then anything else. If some kindly fluke of local rules allows me to bring in a custom rifle and lots of ammo, why not .338-06?
A big enough hole for plains game, from what I've read. Not so much as to punish the shoulder unduly, if sighting in (or just indulging in target practice before going out). As I noted, I'll leave the Big 5 for those who really want'em.
After this thread, given lt dan's observations (based on vastly more experience then I'll ever have) I'm going to go surf the internet for farm-raised eland. I like veal.
.
Brian please note the following that is probably not a well known fact overseas: to the northern part of south-Africa is what's known as the "bushveldt". this region is very popular with overseas hunters and i am sure that most American hunters hunt there when they visit s-Africa. i have hunted there as well. now most but not all of the game farmers there do not allow for a calibre less than .30. the reasoning behind this is that in the dense bush the small branches tends to have a larger accuracy effect on the smaller calibres. so a decision was made that .30 will be the smallest allowed. whether you agree with this or not, this is common practice. what is true is that due to the .30 and up the killing power increases and i believe this influenced to a large extent the decision, because tracking a wounded animal in the bushveldt is tricky business. the guys local to that region think this rule is responsible for less non lethal shots.
that is why when you ask a gun shop owner ,in sa, what is the best all rounder he suggest any .30 calibre like the 308win 300wm 30-06 and so on. so the second rifle you buy can either be larger than .30 or smaller.
so back to your opening thread. you will probably be able to shoot the game you mentioned with the 7mm-08 but you might not be allowed to. is it fair? no, but it is the rule of the land.
It's the hunter, not the weapon
I am going to South Africa in May. I will be taking my tried and true Custom 870.I will using the Remington Accutip Sabot slugs. Staying under a 100yards the 12gauge will be than enough for plains game. As for warthog it's a face only mother would love, or a hog hunter like me. As for camo, most places see it as paramilitary and not recommend as you might be mistaken, espsecially for the blacks, as a fighter or poacher.
I am going to South Africa in May. I will be taking my tried and true Custom 870.I will using the Remington Accutip Sabot slugs. Staying under a 100yards the 12gauge will be than enough for plains game. As for warthog it's a face only mother would love, or a hog hunter like me. As for camo, most places see it as paramilitary and not recommend as you might be mistaken, espsecially for the blacks, as a fighter or poacher.
bwheasler. i am sure that the 12gauge slug will be more than enough for plains game. how ever the chances of finding plains game under 100 yards are less than slim. don't worry about the camo , it has been legal for more than ten years. however very few local hunters use them as it often draw friendly banter from other hunters. it is often seen as pretentious and local hunters will more often than not use jeans with a mix of khaki. this does not apply to foreign hunters or bow hunters. hope you enjoy it over here and i hope you have a good wart-hog hunt.
On my trips to Africa, I have shot a goodly number of plains game and a few dg animals using everything from an E.A. Brown 6.5 brm to .375 h&h. My latest hunt was a Cape Buff using a 9.3x62 and really liked it for just about everything else too. If I could have only one gun to take it would be that or the .375. My PH said to bring whatever I shot best- placement and a good penetrating bullet would do the rest. The kudu I shot with the 6.5 went down just as fast as the one I shot with the .375 if not faster. My PH used a 30-06 for everything except dangerous game. Most PH's don't carry rifles when hunting plains game with clients unless they are likely to run into dg during the hunt. He figured it was my hunt, not his. I am beginning to see more black PH's depending on what countries you hunt in. The tools of the trade are expensive and so is the learning curve. Expense can be a barrier of itself. As far as camo, there are some countries that prohibit it and you really don't need it, so why bother. I have seen everything work from jeans and t-shirt to Willis&Geiger sheik. Live the dream and have some fun with the guys and gals. Never let money stand between you and your pleasure.
maddog31751
Inactive
Well, on our trip to RSA[last July], I took a .45-70 guide gun, my son took a NEF .30-06 handi rifle. My buddy took a Marlin XLR .308 MX. My buddy's son took a ruger hawkeye, .338 mag. All of the guns worked well. We took 30 head of plains game, on a 10 day hunt. Take what you shoot well, and are comfortable with. Didn't see a critter that couldn't have been shot with a .30-06, and a good 180 gr. bullet.
We hunted kudu, gemsbok, zebra, red hartebeast, impala, warhog, blue wildebeast, and blesbok. Animal sizes ranged from 130 lbs up to 750/800 lbs.
With a couple of exceptions, most shots were 50-150 yds.
So basically, hunt with what you want, although I guess I'd reccomend 30 cal. or larger, but that don't mean ya can't gitter done with a .270/7mm.
Mad Dog
We hunted kudu, gemsbok, zebra, red hartebeast, impala, warhog, blue wildebeast, and blesbok. Animal sizes ranged from 130 lbs up to 750/800 lbs.
With a couple of exceptions, most shots were 50-150 yds.
So basically, hunt with what you want, although I guess I'd reccomend 30 cal. or larger, but that don't mean ya can't gitter done with a .270/7mm.
Mad Dog
HMMM. Spent about an hour talking to Ross Seyfried about shooting a cape buffalo with a handgun, and, I ended up with the sister guns to Ross's, and, it was supposed to have been owned by Ross, but, that was just a bit of a lie by Linebaugh to get me to go for the gun.
25th gun Linebaugh built.
For what it's worth, Ross Seyfried was World Pistol Champ right around that time, and, he put 5 shots of 350 grain 45 Colt at 1550 fps, 27.5 grains of H110, into that cape buffalo, and, it died near nose to nose. He was trapped under some huge thorn bushes, and, couldn't get to his rifle. He got those 5 shots off in under 2 seconds, about the time it takes a cape buffalo to charge from 25 yards.
That said, some friends of mine are going this year, and, they could bring anything they want. Last I heard, they had settled on double rifles, in 9.3 x 74R. This is the rimmed equal to the 9.3 x 62. With a 286 grain bullet, around 2400 fps, it will kill elephant to dukier. Guns for these calibers feel like 22 lrs to me, at least compared to my 375 H&H. If I had to carry a gun all day, I'll take the 6 pound double, or light 9.3 X 62 over the 10 pound 375 H&H.
Here's a world famous gunsmith hitting a jug with the Merkel:
and a picture of the Merkel on the bench:
If it was me, I'd take the 9.3 x 62, in a cheaper bolt gun, so when it gets stolen at the airport in South Africa, I'm not out the cost of a new car.
For perspective, here's my 375 CZ 550. It's huge, in comparision and weight, and, for an action that big, it really should have a cartridge like the 458 Lott, 475 Ackley, or something along that line...
25th gun Linebaugh built.
For what it's worth, Ross Seyfried was World Pistol Champ right around that time, and, he put 5 shots of 350 grain 45 Colt at 1550 fps, 27.5 grains of H110, into that cape buffalo, and, it died near nose to nose. He was trapped under some huge thorn bushes, and, couldn't get to his rifle. He got those 5 shots off in under 2 seconds, about the time it takes a cape buffalo to charge from 25 yards.
That said, some friends of mine are going this year, and, they could bring anything they want. Last I heard, they had settled on double rifles, in 9.3 x 74R. This is the rimmed equal to the 9.3 x 62. With a 286 grain bullet, around 2400 fps, it will kill elephant to dukier. Guns for these calibers feel like 22 lrs to me, at least compared to my 375 H&H. If I had to carry a gun all day, I'll take the 6 pound double, or light 9.3 X 62 over the 10 pound 375 H&H.
Here's a world famous gunsmith hitting a jug with the Merkel:
and a picture of the Merkel on the bench:
If it was me, I'd take the 9.3 x 62, in a cheaper bolt gun, so when it gets stolen at the airport in South Africa, I'm not out the cost of a new car.
For perspective, here's my 375 CZ 550. It's huge, in comparision and weight, and, for an action that big, it really should have a cartridge like the 458 Lott, 475 Ackley, or something along that line...