Best medium game cartridge

>>>>I'll second the comment about the 7mm-08. Basically a 7x57 with a bit more horsepower, but still less rocoil than the .308.<<<<<

Actually, the 7mm-08 has LESS horsepower than the 7x57 - if both are loaded to their full potential. In reality, I don't think there's any difference.
 
Sorry, Been away for quite a few weeks with motorcycle injuries. Went against everything that i asked andbought a .270Win Mag from a buddy.

Rifle is a Wilsons Barrel with a Mauser K98 action and hand made stock. Full of lovely engravings to. Not to mention an execellent scope. Rifle fits and points like a dream and the cartridge will do the job on the plains although some farmers do not let you shoot this calibre in the bushveld due to the velocity, as they reckon the grass and branches will deflect the shot and you end up with a wounded animal, which will have to be searched for and if you dont find it you pay but who cares as the injuries mentioned above have sort of put me out of bushveldt hunting as the walking is a problem (knees collapsed). Some of the farmers here even charge R50 (suppose u can say $50 although the exchange rate is R7.70 to a $1) per shot including the kill.

The farmers where I live are prepared to take me out in thier 4x4's and distance shooting will have to be done. About 150meters plus with nothing in the way to deflect the bullet.

Know the man well and know his rifles. at the end i think I bought and excellent rifle for a excellent price. I just hope with our new firearm laws i get a licsence (have four pin shooting guns a .22 Silouhette rifle and we are only allowed 4, unles you are a bona fide sportsman or hunter). As was mentioned the 7mm 08 is not available here.Quite a few of the hunters here have swithced to .270 and 243 so its quite popular and ammo is quite cheap and I am kitted out to reload

After chatting with a lot of hunters and doing some reading. Both the 308 and 7x57 had a good reception and come well recommended with people using particularly 7x57 on cape buffalo and elan. Although as mentioned shot placement was emphasised (who wants to caught in the bush with a wounded Cape Buffalo certainly not me).

Thanks guys, for the advice it was well recieved and I,m deffinately buying a 308 next year when I recieve my bona fide sportsman. The Ruger fits and points extremely well and I cant get it out of my mind. So heres hoping.
 
Glad you were able to find a gun that you are happy with and good luck with obtaining your sportsman. The exchange rate almost makes me wish I was coming there this May as opposed to next.

Cheers!
 
The .270 is for sure a great cartridge. If there is any truth to what I've read about the greater toughness and vitality of African plains animals compared to our U.S. deer, I'd suggest controlled-expansion bullets such as the Nosler...

Good hunting!

Art
 
7x57 on Cape Buff! Egad! I plan on using my .45-70, when I finally make it over the big pond...

From what I've read, African game is typically tougher. If ammo were available, I think I might've gone for an 8mm Rem Mag, or one of the 9.3mm's...
 
Spectre, whatcha do is, ya sneak up reeaaallly close and stick the muzzle in the ear. Of the buffalo. If ya goof, the buffalo sticks it...Oh, well.

:), Art
 
I recall Capstick writing of a lady who used a 7x57, but he said she was a crack shot. I think Cappy usually went with a .375 (which is fur piece from a .308!).

I recall Rich saying that he had decided that a .308 was too light for even African Plains game. Also, Eric Ching wrote that he had trouble cleanly taking game with even his .350 Rem Mag (almost the ballistic twin of the .35 Whelen).

[Edited by Spectre on 03-13-2001 at 04:56 PM]
 
Spectre, after reading well over 20 or 30 books on African hunting, my guess is that it's the same old deal: Placement, placement, placement. I say this in part because I've read comments from apparently-experienced locals about the wonders of the .243 on plains game. "Dropped like a rock", on 150-lb to 350-lb critters.

Apparently some of these great hunters just weren't as good at shooting as they were at writing about hunting. Kinda like my car racing daze: "Okay, guy. Let's see if you can drive as fast as you can talk!"

:), Art
 
:D

Those who can, do. Those who can't- critique!

Anyway, while definitely a valid point, I recall that Grant's zebras go up to 600 lbs. I also recall that the only animal Eric shot with his .308 was a little impala that he plugged in both lungs. It went down, then bounced back up, and ran for a little longer. I personally think through the lungs is a decent, if not exceptional shot.
 
I guess a half-dozen whitetails I've shot in the lungs--guessing I missed the heart an inch or three--instantly went down and then got up and ran for maybe 50 yards or so before going down for good. IIRC, this included .270, '06 and .243. Maybe two on each, I ain't fer sure. But I've never had a good, solid forward body shot where the deer went far enough to worry about.

On stuff like the African buffalo, his running 50 yards when you start out 40 yards from him can be--troublesome?

:), Art
 
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