8 Bore Safari

[sheetmetalglock]

Check out Zimbabwe Ben, best value and huge spaces. You can get a big bull, in wide open conservancies, for $7,000 with some plains game included. Check out Touch Africa Safaris. When I was over I was culling, so it's shoot what they say and less cushy than a lot of safari operations, but for a young guy like me absolutely perfect. Took this old bull out of a herd, he was keeping the fresh blood out, and an old blue wildebeest, and truckload of impala (literally) among other game. In all I spent less than most South Africa ranch plains game 1 week hunts, even with airfare figured in. Zim's got bigger spaces, great big game, and a truly wild flavour.

Did you shoot that with a mini-14 ardent? Nice btw

[Bob]

John ,showed the wife your trip and both of us are envious. Come on Max Lotto.

[brybenn]

Nice wildebeest ardent. And to mr wolverine I will most certainly keep you in mind. It might not be next year but the year after that may be the one for sure as I've started a savings fund already and am currently shopping for the gun so ill have a lot of time to shoot it and get a perfect feel for it. Thanks for the info

[Ardent]

Nice wildebeest ardent. And to mr wolverine I will most certainly keep you in mind. It might not be next year but the year after that may be the one for sure as I've started a savings fund already and am currently shopping for the gun so ill have a lot of time to shoot it and get a perfect feel for it. Thanks for the info

I'd recommend a good, controlled round feed .375 H&H; you'll never need another rifle, worldwide. Though you'll certainly want them, just as Mr. Hipwell has shown very nicely with the gorgeous golden era 8 bores. Early on (this is still me, as well) spend your money on your hunts not your rifles, the Winchester M70 would only set you back $1,100 used and is a top notch tool.

If you get a nice Winchester M70 CRF/Classic, Magnum Mauser, or Ruger RSM/Magnum .375 you certainly won't be disappointed. They're easy to shoot, shoot flat enough to be an excellent plains game rifle, can load heavy enough to be an excellent dangerous game rifle, and you can get ammunition anywhere from Northern Canada to Southern Zimbabwe. Plus, they have a nice habit of shooting to the same point of aim with multiple bullet weights and loads. I'll end my tangent there.

[brybenn]

I'm looking at a 375hh actually. As I don't intend to take elephant. I've been looking at cz 550s and I'm going this weekend to check out a mauser action 375. All my rifles are short barrelled 22" at most so if I settle on the cz I mite cut the barrel back as the ones I've handled would feel better slightly shorter. What bullet type did you use?

[Ardent]

I used three bullets in Africa, as I had a lot of shooting opportunity as I went to engage in culling, and those were the 270gr TSX, the 300gr TSX, and a single Federal 270gr soft point as a comparison to the TSXs. The 300gr TSX did the important work, the others were used in the aforementioned cull hunting, and it performed flawlessly. My PH was pleased to see I'd loaded TSXs, and said he prefers seeing them show up in camp over any other buffalo bullet. And he kills a lot of buffalo!

CZ550 would serve you very well indeed, and don't feel a .375 limits you on elephant- I'm still wrangling to set up my elephant hunt and feel no qualms about my choice, my 'trusty' RSM. .375 H&H has likely taken more elephant than any other cartridge too (likely challenged by 9.3x62, which is less powerful) so I wouldn't be too concerned.

[Papaclaude]

CZ550 would serve you very well indeed, and don't feel a .375 limits you on elephant- I'm still wrangling to set up my elephant hunt and feel no qualms about my choice, my 'trusty' RSM. .375 H&H has likely taken more elephant than any other cartridge too (likely challenged by 9.3x62, which is less powerful) so I wouldn't be too concerned.

I recall reading somewhere that the venerable old .303 Brit is the caliber that killed the most elephants. I can't recall who the author was, but he was one of the early 20th century ivory hunters. They used FMJ .303. Don't know if it's true or not.

[Kveldulf]

John, I am very curious how you manage the recoil from such a monster. (Mind you, I am sensitive to recoil -- I once bruised my shoulder with a .22. Really! It was a bad fit.) How does it compare to a typical hunting rifle like a .303 or .308, or a 12 gauge?

As you can guess, I seldom shoot and have never hunted. I do support hunting in theory, just don't do it myself.

[Goldenlakepete]

I recall reading somewhere that the venerable old .303 Brit is the caliber that killed the most elephants. I can't recall who the author was, but he was one of the early 20th century ivory hunters. They used FMJ .303. Don't know if it's true or not.

You might have been thinking of Alexander Lake, the author of the book "Killers in Africa, the Truth about Animals Lying in Wait and Hunters Lying in Print". He mostly used a .303 on everything.

In his book "African Rifles and Cartridges" John "Pondoro" Taylor credits the old ivory hunter Bell with 1,011 elephants - mostly taken with a 7MM Mauser.
Taylor says about the .303 that it has wounded and lost a lot of game in Africa.
Taylor himself was fond of the 450/.400.

[Wally]

Wow. Guess wolverine is doing well. That doesn't look like a cheap hunt! Memories to last a lifetime, no doubt.