longbranch*
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria,BC.
I would take my .300 H+H pre-64 Winchester and .375 Browning. If those are to much for my wife to shoot.....I'd take someone else's wife. ha,ha.
need a new rifle with s.africa in mind
- Thread starter skoal
- Start date
308 is on the light side for Zebra but still usable with good bullets. It would be fine for smaller plains game and is quite popular in RSA. 300 win mag would be great and is also very popular with both locals and visiting hunters in RSA. If your wife and you can both shoot the 300 well them go with that.
Make sure to check expected ranges in the area you are hunting. Typically in the bush shots will be close and a rilfe that handles well and allows you to make shots quickly is better than a slightly unwieldy rifle set up for longer range shots. However in the mountains of the highveldt or in the Karoo the extra range of the 300 win mag would be a benefit.
Good luck on your hunt and enjoy your time in South Africa, it is a remarkably beautiful country.
Make sure to check expected ranges in the area you are hunting. Typically in the bush shots will be close and a rilfe that handles well and allows you to make shots quickly is better than a slightly unwieldy rifle set up for longer range shots. However in the mountains of the highveldt or in the Karoo the extra range of the 300 win mag would be a benefit.
Good luck on your hunt and enjoy your time in South Africa, it is a remarkably beautiful country.
For what you are intend shooting, anything from a 6.5 (any flavour) to 375 Holland will do it for you.
Having lived most of my life out there, (and hunted for at least 30 of those years) - I'll share a little secret with you!
Most of the game killed in SA was done with a 7x57 (that's what the boers used) followed in modern times, by the venerable 30-06.
I allways favoured a 7x64 while friends and neighbours used 7mm rem mags, 270's and 308's....not everyone runs around shooting buffalo, elephants, lions and leopards (we leave those to the well heeled tourist) but when we did get the urge, then a 9.3x62 or the 375Holland would do for us.
Having lived most of my life out there, (and hunted for at least 30 of those years) - I'll share a little secret with you!
Most of the game killed in SA was done with a 7x57 (that's what the boers used) followed in modern times, by the venerable 30-06.
I allways favoured a 7x64 while friends and neighbours used 7mm rem mags, 270's and 308's....not everyone runs around shooting buffalo, elephants, lions and leopards (we leave those to the well heeled tourist) but when we did get the urge, then a 9.3x62 or the 375Holland would do for us.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I think Neo nailed it; if there's no dangerous game on the menu, one of your .308s will do nicely. If you insist on a new rifle, my vote is for a .375, just because it does everything so well.
This is Africa you're talking about, so if you don't already own one, you now have the perfect excuse to get yourself a .375H&H. It'll do the job on all the small stuff with aplomb, and if you decide to take an Eland (2000lbs, + or -) it will seem...and will be...perfect. And if you aren't going to hunt buffalo, then an Eland hunt is the next best thing, absolutely one of the coolest, most exciting and most "African" hunts you could ever hope to do.
Just one other thing: you won't have the lovely Canadian weather to deal with, so if you buy a gun for the trip, you can treat yourself to something with nice bluing and a beautiful walnut stock. Synthetic/stainless guns have their place, but Africa certainly isn't it.
You're welcome!
Just one other thing: you won't have the lovely Canadian weather to deal with, so if you buy a gun for the trip, you can treat yourself to something with nice bluing and a beautiful walnut stock. Synthetic/stainless guns have their place, but Africa certainly isn't it.
You're welcome!
Hmmmmm wheres thats wife under 30 thread again? Lol
Thanks for all the replys guys, ive allready decided that I may take a .308 with me but will be buying something else as well as far as the wife knows I need another one
So many good arguments for both the .375 and the .300 win I have lots of time to decide and practice with it some people pm'd me that you can usually rent your gun when your down there. Financially that makes sense but I tend to have a personal attachment to guns I take game with.
There were alot of people that replied that I was hoping would and thanks again.
Hmmmmm wheres thats wife under 30 thread again? Lol
Thanks for all the replys guys, ive allready decided that I may take a .308 with me but will be buying something else as well as far as the wife knows I need another one
So many good arguments for both the .375 and the .300 win I have lots of time to decide and practice with it some people pm'd me that you can usually rent your gun when your down there. Financially that makes sense but I tend to have a personal attachment to guns I take game with.
There were alot of people that replied that I was hoping would and thanks again.
Well if you're set on a new rifle, then as Boomer says, it absolutely needs to be a .375 (and since we're talking about Africa, it had better be a .375 H&H -- sorry Gatehouse!
).Boomer was very deferential and polite by saying it should be a .375 "because it does everything so well." Had he given you the brutal truth, it's because after one trip to Africa, you'll be back for another. And on that one, if you're like the rest of us, you'll be hunting a buffalo and will actually need a .375. Trust me on this...
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
Shoot what's comfortable. I very well may be wrong... But I can't see a zebra being tougher then a moose or an elk, those seem to die fine with that. Not sure about the eland, but I would think confidence and reasonable range and placement would be accomplished with this as well. Btw this is my internet opinion, I have absolutely no experience with hunting African game (unless you ask me on a different Internet forum lol)
A friend of mine has taken impala to giraffe, and many points between, with a 30-06. Personally, I would put more concern into how comfortable the rifle is to carry, shoulder and shoot than I would into its chambering.
Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
I will also throw a CZ 550 Safari on the table in .375h&h. Or another vote for 9.3x62.
If there was a do all cartridge, then shopping for a hunting rifle wouldn't be anywhere near as fun.
If there was a do all cartridge, then shopping for a hunting rifle wouldn't be anywhere near as fun.
10.5 pounds with a VX3 3.5-10 and Warne rings. Not too terrible to ride around on a truck and walk around on flat ground. Rifles always seem to weigh less when you're shooting a couple animals a day.
Great recommendation and wonderful rifle. Another to consider, for probably even less money and with a walnut stock and surprisingly beautiful gloss blue finish, is the Zastava as sold by TradeEx and others. Classic Mauser action and classic African cartridge, a winning combo for a first (or tenth!) safari.
