Small bores In Africa

JHC-II

JHC-II

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Round three for Africa next year, finishing the spiral horn quest. Nyala and bushbuck are my primary species and with that I'm taking a 6.5x55. Nice woodleighs so will most likely also gun for black gnu. But I'm thinking a small bore 223, 218bee or 218K Bee. Has anyone taken a tiny bore with them. Never keen on camp guns. Though I've done a lot of small game hunting with there point two twos. Would like to reach out a tad further for the little guys. Love to hear about your small bore hunts. Won't deny it I'm a warthog junkie
 
Our outfitter in Zimbabwe (John Sharp) spoke fondly about using a .22-250 for baboons.

Something flat-shooting like a .223 or .22-250 would be very cool as a second rifle if there is only plains game around.
 
If I go again, I'll definitely be bringing a second, smaller-bore rifle...maybe a .300H&H, but more likely a .375. :)
 
I have been to South Africa a few times ( I have freinds over there) and they accually laugh about North Americans bring there big boomers over there to shoot plains game. For Impala class animals they use 223, for Eland class animals 30-06
 
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JHC-II said:
Round three for Africa next year, finishing the spiral horn quest. Nyala and bushbuck are my primary species and with that I'm taking a 6.5x55. Nice woodleighs so will most likely also gun for black gnu. But I'm thinking a small bore 223, 218bee or 218K Bee. Has anyone taken a tiny bore with them. Never keen on camp guns. Though I've done a lot of small game hunting with there point two twos. Would like to reach out a tad further for the little guys. Love to hear about your small bore hunts. Won't deny it I'm a warthog junkie
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Love to see pics of your Bongo and Sitatunga............I don't have the sitatunga yet, but it's definitely on my list, as far as all the different bushbuck go I doubt I'll ever collect them all.
 
So what? Lots of guys here in Canada laugh if you shoot anything that has a bigger bore, produces more velocity, shoots heavier bullets, weighs more, makes more noise, recoils more or in any other way offends their delicate sensibilities any more than the absolute bare minimum choice.

I don't give a crap about it here...why would I worry there? :)
 
jjohnwm said:
So what? Lots of guys here in Canada laugh if you shoot anything that has a bigger bore, produces more velocity, shoots heavier bullets, weighs more, makes more noise, recoils more or in any other way offends their delicate sensibilities any more than the absolute bare minimum choice.

I don't give a crap about it here...why would I worry there? :)
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Locals seldom realize that the travelling hunter has a different set of priorities than the guy who lives there. He doesn't have a lifetime of tomorrows to get a better/another chance, and probably will never be back. Ammo costs mean almost nothing, and there are no prizes or discounts for using the smallest gun you can find. A local probably knows exactly what animal he is hunting that day and the conditions/terrain. The traveller is gearing up for the biggest species in an area he has never seen before.
 
Yup, you hear it constantly: "Well, the average (fill-in-the-animal-of-choice) weighs only (fill-in-average-weight). My ol' (fill-in-minimal-cartridge choice) will do the trick...if I do my part!" The problem is, you don't travel across the continent, or across the globe, hoping to shoot the average...you are actively seeking the above-average, and you do indeed have minimal time, and maybe just the one chance, to do it.

Just once I'd love to hear one of these guys say "Yup...I've shot 15 calf moose back home with my .223, all at 75 yards or less...always did the trick...but when I went on that once-in-a-lifetime Yukon hunt I saw this HUGE bull...musta been 70+inches. He was out at least 300 yards, and man, he was heavy...I had to let him walk...wow, that was a great hunt! Dang, how I wish I'd done taken my .243 instead!" :)
 
My favorite is the guide who will criticize one hunter for showing up with a new magnum on a large/dangerous game hunt, and the next guy for getting some field experience on smaller game with the same gun. That's the kind of brilliant observations that you can get from people who work for tips.
 
jjohnwm said:
Yup, you hear it constantly: "Well, the average (fill-in-the-animal-of-choice) weighs only (fill-in-average-weight). My ol' (fill-in-minimal-cartridge choice) will do the trick...if I do my part!" The problem is, you don't travel across the continent, or across the globe, hoping to shoot the average...you are actively seeking the above-average, and you do indeed have minimal time, and maybe just the one chance, to do it.

Just once I'd love to hear one of these guys say "Yup...I've shot 15 calf moose back home with my .223, all at 75 yards or less...always did the trick...but when I went on that once-in-a-lifetime Yukon hunt I saw this HUGE bull...musta been 70+inches. He was out at least 300 yards, and man, he was heavy...I had to let him walk...wow, that was a great hunt! Dang, how I wish I'd done taken my .243 instead!" :)
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yes, a full 100%
 
Should have elaborated. My southern spiral quest. Bongo and sitatunga just are not in the cards same with lord derby. Southern spiral quest eland, greater kudu, Cape kudu, Limpopo bush buck, Cape bush buck and nyala, with Cape bush buck and nyala being my last. Have a great hunt booked next March. Free range nyala and bushbuck just north of pietermaritzburg and then whip up to the Eastern side of Krueger for buff. Am thinking a 6.5 for nyala and bush buck. Will most likely be a loaner from angus for old blackie, but was humming over a tiny bore. For jackal, vervet and baboon. Or take some fmj for the 6.5. Every baboon and jackal I've hit with the 300h&h or the 7.5 french or 7x57 vaporized and the one bloody baboon I hit with a 375 was like a scene out of dog be gone
 
JHC-II said:
Should have elaborated. My southern spiral quest. Bongo and sitatunga just are not in the cards same with lord derby. Southern spiral quest eland, greater kudu, Cape kudu, Limpopo bush buck, Cape bush buck and nyala, with Cape bush buck and nyala being my last. Have a great hunt booked next March. Free range nyala and bushbuck just north of pietermaritzburg and then whip up to the Eastern side of Krueger for buff. Am thinking a 6.5 for nyala and bush buck. Will most likely be a loaner from angus for old blackie, but was humming over a tiny bore. For jackal, vervet and baboon. Or take some fmj for the 6.5. Every baboon and jackal I've hit with the 300h&h or the 7.5 french or 7x57 vaporized and the one bloody baboon I hit with a 375 was like a scene out of dog be gone
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I hadn't planned to shoot a baboon until I saw my brother's in the dirt. One look at that set of teeth and I knew I wanted one. Gave mine the old "back, and to the left" with The New King and now I have a delightful cranial jigsaw puzzle. Might do well to terrify some your men when my daughters hit their teens.
 
I was shooting hamadryas baboons up in Djibouti. They kept coming through the wire. Size of a small child. Get one of those on a leash amd you'd never have to worry about a boyfriend again
 
JHC-II said:
I was shooting hamadryas baboons up in Djibouti. They kept coming through the wire. Size of a small child. Get one of those on a leash amd you'd never have to worry about a boyfriend again
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My thought was replacing police dogs with baboons but that has been roundly poo-pooed from many quarters.
 
Admittedly not that well, not long ago JHC-II was my boss and a fellow airhead before a bunch of disastrous company reorganizations that pushed us both to greener pastures. As a side note he's one of the few guys I know with a life story you could write a hell of a book about, and is thus worthy of borrowing my third child the H&H if fitting.
 
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