I think I would go with 9.3x74r or 450-400 3”, I heard good things on the latest one, like manageable recoil/soft shove, good reach a good thing in North America I think and definitely enough for it all! That said I never shot that caliber, so maybe Ardent can tell us more about it?!?!
Preferred caliber choice for a double rifle?
- Thread starter Northern Shooter
- Start date
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Edited to be kinder to the .450-400, I personally find it a Nitro Express themed .45-70 with really poor bullet selection. I get on a bit of a tilt about slow chamberings though, so definitely need to form your own opinion. I just found them not to hold up in comparison to modern cartridges (2400fps+) with modern bullets afield.
It is the kindest cartridge carrying the Nitro Express name, and lots of fun on the range.
It is the kindest cartridge carrying the Nitro Express name, and lots of fun on the range.
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There's a reason a PH will smile when a client shows up with a single rifle chambered in .375. So long as you can shoot it well, you can shoot everything with it -- from duikers to elephants, with a forgiving trajectory that works from 30 feet to 300 yards. However... When the critters can hit back, I lean much more towards big, heavy pieces of lead moving at a pedestrian velocity. Not for thin-skinned game, but certainly for thick-skinned. I'll be the first to admit that my field experience is just enough to form an opinion based on a very limited sample, but having shot buffalo with both a .375 and a .450/400, I'd say the latter was a dramatically harder thumper from the buffalo's perspective. And on elephant, it's an even bigger difference (though the same can be said for the difference between the .450/400 and the .470) -- and I was glad I wasn't carrying an .375 when that went down. But again, limited sample size. The one thing I have shot enough of with both cartridges to have a fairly firm opinion about is giraffe. Again, the 450/400 was the clear winner and consistently dropped the quarry faster and more authoritatively. None of which is to say the .375 isn't a marvellously versatile and effective round. It's just that I don't think that a rifle bore can be too big when something that weighs between 1,500 and 10,000 lbs is 30 feet away and looking at you like you owe it money
I don't have much experience in the double rifle/dangerous game arena but I would have the same thought in my mind, a double in .375 H&H Flanged would edge out a .450-400 for me with the right bullets. I suppose if all I had were chunks of lead to send and too much sauce would blow up the bullets I might change my tune, but with modern bullets being what they are I'll favor bullet construction + velocity over mass + frontal area.
From the 9.3's to the 700 Nitro, it's going to pound the crap out of you!!! With only my 9.3x74R, I fired 40 rounds to self regulate the barrels. I prefer to go back playing box-lacrosse, accompanied with slashes, cross and body checks along, with the odd fight!
There's a reason a PH will smile when a client shows up with a single rifle chambered in .375. So long as you can shoot it well, you can shoot everything with it -- from duikers to elephants, with a forgiving trajectory that works from 30 feet to 300 yards. However... When the critters can hit back, I lean much more towards big, heavy pieces of lead moving at a pedestrian velocity. Not for thin-skinned game, but certainly for thick-skinned. I'll be the first to admit that my field experience is just enough to form an opinion based on a very limited sample, but having shot buffalo with both a .375 and a .450/400, I'd say the latter was a dramatically harder thumper from the buffalo's perspective. And on elephant, it's an even bigger difference (though the same can be said for the difference between the .450/400 and the .470) -- and I was glad I wasn't carrying an .375 when that went down. But again, limited sample size. The one thing I have shot enough of with both cartridges to have a fairly firm opinion about is giraffe. Again, the 450/400 was the clear winner and consistently dropped the quarry faster and more authoritatively. None of which is to say the .375 isn't a marvellously versatile and effective round. It's just that I don't think that a rifle bore can be too big when something that weighs between 1,500 and 10,000 lbs is 30 feet away and looking at you like you owe it money
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Agree... and very nice elephant.
My double has arrived, ended up going with a Merkel in 470NE. I also own a 375HH, 416 Rigby and 458WM.
