An ALL Round Rifle for Hunting Anywhere in the World

H

Hard Ball

New member
In the thread on selecting an all round rifle for hunting aywhere in Nort America .416 Rigby made the interesting point tht his selection would be based on the ability of the rifle he selected to do the job anywhere in the world;
If you had to pick one rifle to use in all types of hunting anywhere in the world, what would your choice be?
I would select my Winchester Model 70 in .375 H&H Magnum with a four power scope.
 
Easy choice.

.375 H&H. Probably the GREATEST all-around ever produced. Overpowered for North American game, but you can't deny its record in Asia and Africa.

However, because of caliber restrictions in some nations, it wouldn't work. You'd have to go up to something like a .416 Rigby.

Which leads me to an interesting choice if the .375 couldn't be used in my destination...

.458 Win. Mag., which can be downloaded to levels approaching the .45-70...

Or, even the .45-70 itself, which, in the proper rifle, can be loaded up to levels very near the .458.

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Smith & Wesson is dead to me.

If you want a Smith & Wesson, buy USED!
 
CZ 550 Magnum in 375 H&H. Leupold 4x gold ring scope and QD mounts.

No cartridge is as widespread for use in hunting... from the polar cap in the north to the capetown SA.

Its the minimum caliber for "dangerous game" in most countries though some have said its "light" for the biggest of the big five. Few of us will ever shoot a rhino or an elephant or a minki whale or a polar bear. But ALL of those animals have fallen to the 375.

It will be my next rifle.
 
I would choose my 375HH Mag with either a 1.75X6 scope or a 1.5X5 scope.I want plenty of field of view and I don't need any more power to hit at any resonable range.I have never shot any gun that feeds and works any smoother or slicker than my 375 Rem 700.hunters in Africa hunt everything from the little gemsbrook to elephant with the 375.Mine has shot several inch and a half groups at my 200yd range.What more could any one ask for.
 
I would take a .22 long rifle. Preferrably a semi-auto. It will feed you in any part of the world and ammo should be relatively easy to come by.
 
Do you really mean "pick one rifle to use in all types of hunting anywhere in the world, what would your choice be?"

Does that mean everything from rabbits and ringnecks to elk and elephants? Did you want to eat those rabbits or just vaporize 'em?

Since you specified "rifle", then that apparently leaves out ducks and grouse unless you're a dang good shot.

It doesn't exist - at least not as a single barreled weapon. Maybe a dream gun with an over and under .458/.22 - or a triple barrel with shotgun too.

So what, exactly, do you mean by
"all types of hunting anywhere in the world"
 
Ah, c'mon, Solitar. How much bird hunting is done with rifles? Some few people may do so, but 0.01% isn't significant, is it?

And shooting small game with something like a .375 isn't gonna vaporize anything. Given the bullet design and relatively slow velocity, there'll be a pencil-sized hole poked through. Expansion would be rare event.

FWIW, Art
 
Not to mention that the .375 is also a very nice downloaded with lead bullets.

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Smith & Wesson is dead to me.

If you want a Smith & Wesson, buy USED!
 
Solitar
It's obvious you have never hunted Texas jack rabbits. They are extremely fierce and often charge when wounded! The .375 Magnum is the minimum caliber to consider when you go after them!

Seriously, I take your point. I was thinking in terms of light game, deer, antelope, gazelle, etc up to and including elephants. I should have staed that more clearly.
 
Art, almost nobody shooting birds with rifles was exactly my point.

Another consideration for little critters is the cost of the round vs the value of the meat. A $2 cartridge for a quarter pound of meat is hardly worth it.

Hard Ball, You do have a good point. Even a large caliber won't be too bad on antelope - given it doesn't expand and blow away an entire shoulder.
 
"I would take a .22 long rifle."

Bernie thinks outside the box. Yet, I always equate .22LR with scrawny eats. My bias.

Rick
 
I have shot several deer with the 375 using 230 grain Speers with no problems.I did shoot one doe broadside through the lungs and bullet did not expand.The deer ran about 100 yards down Hill into a steep ravine I always hate it when they do that.I have had the very same thing happen with the 270 and the 308 in the past.The bullet wound was about the same. Everything else I have shot has piled up almost instantly to a few yards.Meat damage has never been that bad.No worse than several other calibers I have used.I have never recovered a bullet though,and that is the way I like it.If one does run at least I got a blood trail.It is not my favorite gun for deer size game,But I could happly hunt deer with it the rest of my life without any reservations whatsoever.I might get bored using the same gun all the time though, but that would happen with any gun I use.
 
It's inteesting that there is substantial agreement so far that the best choice would be a .35 or .375 Magnum rifle.
 
While I do have the .375 H&H M70, I think there is a better choice. The .340 Weatherby or the Dakota Arms equivilent. If either cartridge was a bit more wide spread (ammo availability or for gifts in far off places) I would switch over.

A very strong case can also be made for the .416 series.

If you've never shot small game with a big bore, you'll be shocked at the lack of meat destruction. I have killed things as small as rabbits and birds with a .375.

Giz
 
If dangerous game was in the equation, then the 375. If not, the 300 magnum, either by Weatherby or Winchester.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike Irwin:
...However, because of caliber restrictions in some nations, it wouldn't work. You'd have to go up to something like a .416 Rigby. ...
[/quote]

Mike, I know Kenya used to require "over .40 caliber" for hunting the largest game, but that's rather academic, since Kenya's been closed to hunting for decades. I'm not aware of any other caliber restrictions. Kinetic energy restrictions are on the books in places like Zambia, but I believe the .375 H&H qualifies.

Today, specifically, where is the .375 not allowed?
 
Hank,

I thought there were caliber restrictions in a couple of other nations, as well...

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Smith & Wesson is dead to me.

If you want a Smith & Wesson, buy USED!
 
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