How to Kill an Elephant?

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How do you kill a purple elephant? Use a purple elephant gun. How do you kill a gray elephant? Strangle it until it turns purple and then shoot it with the purple elephant gun haha get it.:)

But on a more serious not i am going on a safari in June and i dont know what to take with me.
 
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Herds have to be culled in some areas. You could volunteer to go and have them captured and transported to other areas.
 
But on a more serious not i am going on a safari in June and i dont know what to take with me.
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I've never been on Safari or shot an Elephant, this is just what I would like to take 'if' I were going.

A Blaser S2 Safari in .470 Nitro Express and a good bolt action in .300 Weatherby, for leopards, plains game, etc either a Weatherby Mark 5 Outfitter or a Blaser R 93. I'd probably use the S2 with the express sights and put an 2.5-10x56 Schmidt und Bender on the .300.

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Blaser S2 Safari
 
Ok Bwana........I'll get you a nice Blaser or heym 500 NE

WildclassicAlaska TM

On the other hand, a real man would use a 6.5x54MS.....
 
From my exstensive research back in my days of dreaming when I read about every last volume by Peter Capstick, and a few others from different authors, and more recent videos on the subject, here is what I think.
Most PH's probably would not let you try and take a leopard with anything less than a .375 H&H unless they know your abilities to be excellent. It's just not worth it to risk tracking a wounded cat.
At the same time, peter capstick used .375 effectively against elephant for years. (its all in the bullet)
If you can only afford one gun, it should be something bigger, like a .470 Nitro.
And, for plains game of the elk size on down, a .300 Win Mag should do fine.
A good bolt action is usually far less expensive then a double, although some pretty good doubles from French factorys and such can be had for about 15,000. (as compared to Holland & Holland, the premier makers of the double, who's "working rifles" start at around fifty or sixty thousand)
The best thing I can tell you is to buy Dangerous-Game Rifles by Terry Wieland.
it is written for someone exactly in your situation. It will tell you what you need to know to make an educated decision.

Eli W.
 
A good bolt action is usually far less expensive then a double, although some pretty good doubles from French factorys and such can be had for about 15,000.
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Blaser or heyms can be had for less than 10K

WildaffordableAlaska TM
 
You use the gun that the guides provide you,you shoot only when they tell you to shoot and at what elephant they tell you to shoot .

And you make sure that there is a qualified guide that is a marksman with you just in case you make Mr.Elephant mad by bouncing a large caliber rifle round off his thick skull instead of bashing it into it.

Have fun hunting something the size of an eighteen wheeler that thinks you should'nt be on HIS piece of real estate.:D
 
African hunting has never interested me. I guess I watched too many Tarzan movies. Hunting with an army of guides and gun bearers, well it just never looked like hunting to me. Besides who is going to pack out an elephant and how would I cook one, my grill is too small to BBQ the ribs.
 
Besides who is going to pack out an elephant...
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You're talking about some of the poorest countries in the world. NOTHING will go to waste, everything will be eaten or used in some fashion.
seriously why would you kill an elephant
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Limited habitat. If the population is not controlled they'll starve.

In addition, the hunting license costs generally go to conservation/management/poaching control and the animal itself is used to feed the local populace.

Anyone who thinks that elephant hunting is pointless, wasteful or otherwise has negative effects can rapidly dispel that idea if they're willing to do some research starting with an open mind. The contrast between what happens to elephants in areas where hunting has been discontinued and what happens in areas where legal hunting still takes place is striking.
 
I have a 458 lott i took out an american bison in 1 shot i dont know if thats enough for something that big. I have 20 k devoted to the hunt just for gun.
 
A .458 should be plenty. Use that 20k for ammo and practice, practice, practice. Its more about shot placement than anything.
 
The .458 Lott will do fine and dandy. My own choice would be a 4 bore double, but I like over kill for something that can stomp me into jelly;-)

You should talk with your guide about what you need. I'd bet they're better at giving elephant hunting advice than most of the folks on this board.

BTW Hunters are the original tree huggers. We have been conservationists since before the word was invented.
 
You use the gun that the guides provide you,you shoot only when they tell you to shoot and at what elephant they tell you to shoot .

And you make sure that there is a qualified guide that is a marksman with you just in case you make Mr.Elephant mad by bouncing a large caliber rifle round off his thick skull instead of bashing it into it.
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I have not heard of PH's ('professional hunters', rather than 'guides') supplying a rifle to use as the norm, unless the clients gun malfunctions/breaks during the trip. First of all, most PHs use pretty spendy guns (its their living and life on the line) and, more importantly, they expect their client to be able to actually use the rifle proficiently, which means a lot of practice with the gun you are going to be using BEFORE you show up in the bush.
As far as shooting when they tell you, that is true.

Secondly, the only way to legally hunt in Africa (so far as I am aware) for a foreigner is with a Professional Hunter, and while their are some better than others, if they have been in the business very long, you can bet they know how to put an animal down in a hurry.

Again, to shop for a rifle, buy the book 'Dangerous-Game Rifles' by Terry Wieland.

The author has been on dozens of safaris, and has the money and/or connections to have used dozens of different guns.
The book covers doubles and bolt actions, different manufacturers, cartridges, and a section on practicing for a safari.

Eli W.
 
Some might note that posts that meet the description of Off Topic or Just Plain Silly aren't there any more. That's an ongoing process...
 
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