Gun for South Africa

T

trooper3385

New member
I will be going to South Africa in July 2007 hunting. It will be along the Botswana boarder. The animals that I will have the opportunity to take will be medium size plains animals. For example: Gemsbuck, Blue Wildebeast, Kudu, Blesbok. I have a couple of rifles that I was planning on taking. The main one I was planning on using was going to be my 7mm Weatherby Mag and then take my Ruger #1 in a 7mm Rem Mag as a back up. I'm pretty sure the Weatherby loaded with 175 gr bullets should be fine, but I figured I would check with some guys that have experience hunting animals like these over there.
 
Are you using a guide? Ask them. A good friend who was hunting further north, said he used a .257 roberts loaded to +P using 100 grain partitions for all the light stuff and a .338 for everything else. He claims the .257 was much nicer shooting when you are wearing the thinnest shirt you have and no shoulder pad and when you are shooting five or six times a day at the plains animals. He says that for much of the small stuff, a .243, 6 mm rem or similar would be just terrific, I think the biggest he went for was a Sable. about the same as an elk. For that he used the .338
 
A missionary couple from S. Africa spoke at our church recently. After the service I spoke at length to this fellow. He told me that .243 and 30-06 are very popular hunting cartridges.

Jack
 
trooper, go over to accuratereloading.com and speak with the people there in either the Big Game or African forum,, several have numerous trips under their belt and a few are guides and outfitters/ PH's..

The 30-06 is well thought of, but if I understand the group over there your 7mm mag will work also and mite be the better round for the Wildabeast,, they don't call it the "poor man's buffaloe" for nothing..

Give Larry at Supieror Ammo a call and talk with him he can advise as well on ammo,,, For most all African game it seems they lean toward the heavier bullets in caliber
 
The 375 H&H is the minimum for dangerous game and eland. The outfitter says a 270 is the minimum for everything else. Maybe that is just at this place, the 270 is minimum. The group of people that I'm going with have been several times, but there all primarily bow hunters. I know I would be better off with a 30 cal. I wouldn't mind forking out some money for a new gun like a 338 or 300 weatherby mag, but on the otherhand, if I can stick with what I have, I could use the extra cash for taking some more animals. I think the 7mm weatherby should work just fine. It's always shot really well with most 175 gr bullets, so I think I'm going to see how it works out with the 175 gr swift a frame. The outfitter recommends either swift or barnes bullets. The 7mm rem mag that I have shoots really well with the 140 gr barnes. I don't know if that is going to be too light or not. Barnes recommends going 10 to 20 grains lighter with there bullets than what you normally use since theres bullets are so much longer. I would imagine it should be fine also. I was just curious what what you all think about sticking with what I have or going for a 30 cal. rifle.
 
IMHO, you've got the rifle end covered. I'd probably take another scope over a second rifle as scopes tend to be the weak link. The other big thing I'd do is start shooting those rifles. I hunted just north of Eliasrass (SP?) and the ranges varied from 25 feet to as far as you can see. My PH told me the biggest problem he sees is hunters shooting too slow. Out to 100 yards it needs to be but a couple of seconds for you to unlimber the rifle and get a good shot off. I'd suggest off hand shooting at paper plates and starting with your rifle in the carry position you favor.
 
Agree with Al as to the advisability of a spare scope and practice.

For the game you've listed, any caliber that you're comfortable with in North America will get the job done on these. On first trip, I took all listed (except Gemsbuck) with a .308.

To the extent that you may get the opportunity for something larger or more dangerous, the magnum calibers are certainly not a handicap.
Rich
 
trooper, alot of the PH's over there have a problem with the Barnes and its ilk,,they remember the early models that tended to act more like soilds,,, I think you'll find they prefer a little heavier slug then most Americans are used to using..

Antoher thing I keep hearing and being told, is remeber the vitals tend to set lower in the animals overr there and we tend to shoot to high.

Also if you haven't as of yet get a set of sticks and start practicing now
 
To Al Thompson:Who were you hunting with at Eliasras? I was there in '04 and hunted with Angus Brown Safaris. Excellent by the way.

I killed black wildebeest, impala, kudu, warthog, common blesbuk and a huge zebra, all with a 30-06 with 165 gr. Sierra Gamekings. All one shot kills but next time I intend to use Barnes TSX.
 
No good advice will be coming from this post, but I will say I am EXTREMELY JEALOUS. I've always wanted to go to Africa hunting, and have never had the opportunity.

Hope you have a GREAT time.:D
 
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