Well my planned safari for next year is the latest victim of the economy and my unemployment. So now my reading, research and reloading is more or less an exercise in mental masturbation.

I never did decide which 2 rifles I was going to take over there. The trip was goin to be 10 days in Namibia; 3 days in the brush covered hills north of Windhoek hunting for greater Kudu, hartebeast, steenbuck, Hartman's zebra, and blesbuck, and 7 days hunting in the Kalahari desert hunting for gemsbuck (Oryx) and springbuck.

My original idea was to take my Winchester 70 in .375 H&H, it just didn't seem right going to Africa without a .375. I was going to team that rifle with my Model 70 stainless Featherweight in 7mm Mag. The 7 Mag I figured would be better for the open desert and a whole lot lighter to carry.

The more I've thought about it, I probably don't "need" the .375. I'm not going after anything dangerous and I'm thinking that something flatter shooting would be nice. So now I'm at plan B, take my .340 Weatherby Accumark and my Model 70 Sporter in .270. I think the .340 would be perfect for gemsbuck in the Kalahari and the .270 would be great for the smaller antelope.

Like I said, it's a mental exercise to keep me from boredom. I've started experimenting with different handloads for the rifles and I'm having fun with it. Who knows when I'll get to make the trip, but at least I'll be ready for it.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

Well my planned safari for next year is the latest victim of the economy and my unemployment. So now my reading, research and reloading is more or less an exercise in mental masturbation.

I never did decide which 2 rifles I was going to take over there. The trip was goin to be 10 days in Namibia; 3 days in the brush covered hills north of Windhoek hunting for greater Kudu, hartebeast, steenbuck, Hartman's zebra, and blesbuck, and 7 days hunting in the Kalahari desert hunting for gemsbuck (Oryx) and springbuck.

My original idea was to take my Winchester 70 in .375 H&H, it just didn't seem right going to Africa without a .375. I was going to team that rifle with my Model 70 stainless Featherweight in 7mm Mag. The 7 Mag I figured would be better for the open desert and a whole lot lighter to carry.

The more I've thought about it, I probably don't "need" the .375. I'm not going after anything dangerous and I'm thinking that something flatter shooting would be nice. So now I'm at plan B, take my .340 Weatherby Accumark and my Model 70 Sporter in .270. I think the .340 would be perfect for gemsbuck in the Kalahari and the .270 would be great for the smaller antelope.

Like I said, it's a mental exercise to keep me from boredom. I've started experimenting with different handloads for the rifles and I'm having fun with it. Who knows when I'll get to make the trip, but at least I'll be ready for it.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

My $.02..take the 375. My favorite big caliber has always been the 375H&H. I have had several #1 Rugers in the caliber and they are great. I remember one deer season I had just gotten one and wanted to hunt with it. I bought a box of Federal Premium with a 250gr bullet (the lightest factory round) cuz I didnt have time to reload. Didnt kill a deer but but shot several crows off a 3 day old carcass at $2.00 a whack. Great Fun!!!!!

A friend went to Africa a couple of years ago. His guide told him to bring only the caliber of rifle you can get ammo for over there. Between customs, the airlines and whatever he was told it was not uncommon to end up missing your ammo when you got to your destination.

He chose to bring a .300 Win Mag with 180 grain Accubonds. Said the rifle and ammo did everything he needed it to do.

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

...you need a double rifle for Africa...





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A Country Boy Can Survive

i see that a nice safari is down to about 3k US not ncluding tips or airfaire

id take a .375 or .416rem and a 300 or 7 mag

My favorite purely plains game caliber and I have done well over 30 safaris as well as culls is a wild cat 338. Your best choice in a standard caliber is the 340. It is flat enough shooting for long range work in the semi arid or desert type hunts and it is big enough for the largest of the antelope. Use a well constructed bullet like a Nosler Partition. You can argue that it is on the large size for smaller antelope but so what! Be proficient with one caliber and keep it simple. The only time you will need a second gun is for dangerous game.

Len

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Len

A friends family made several hunting trips to Africa in the 60's. When I asked what guns they used his dad proudly showed me a Remington 600 in 350 Mag and a Sako o/u combo gun in 222 over 16ga. Both struck me as curious firearms because you don't see many of either one. He claimed they worked for him on everything from elephant down. The Sako was probably made for the European market because it was 16ga rather than 12ga, had a claw type scope mount set up, and express sights.

A pair of Winchester M-70's, in 375 H%H and 300 H&H.
Might as well dream of classics

You must be able to get ammo, and the caliber(s) must meet local specifications for the animals sought. In some jurisdictions, a .375 or even .400 caliber is required for some species.

You may not be hunting dangerous species, but there's an outside chance that they will hunt YOU! A Cape buffalo that has had its leg mangled in a native poacher's snare may be in a really ragged mood, and some lions are still man-eaters. And so on...

I'd suggest a .30/06 and a .375 H&H Magnum. The Model 70 would be my first choice, probably followed by CZ or Sako products.

The .270 can replace the .30/06, but the latter is a little better on large animals, if fate decrees that you have to use it on one. The .270 has been popular in Southern Africa for decades, so ammo should be no problem.

Check with your hunter to be sure what ammo is available, especially if you have to buy any in a small bush shop.

T-Star

A close friend made two safaris to Africa in the 1990's.
He carried a Remington 700 in .300 WinMag and another in .375 H&H.
He took everything from dikar to Cape Buffalo.

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John

I noticed on Gunbroker there were dealers selling Remington 700 SPS Dangerous Game 375 H&H rifles for $519.95. I'm tempted to buy one so I can dream about the day that I might be going on a safari.

I hear you. I have had this feeling for 20-some years now, and have always found other things I felt like I "had to do" with the money. But I have not given up yet!

I put my vote in for your .340. That was going to be my choice. I still have the rifle. It shoots like a laser with 250 Noslers and IMR 4350, but I would probably take factory loads, rather than my handloads... maybe.

The .340 makes a lot of horsepower and shoots fairly flat, yet is not too punishing. It is about the biggest rifle I have 100% confidence in my ability to shoot.

What about a shotgun? Are you planning to go anywhere that a shotgun could be used for some wingshooting? That thought has always intrigued me, once I heard about it. I have a Benelli SBE I have set aside, just in case the need ever develops.

(I wish I hadn't read this thread... )

Get a Winchester 70 or CZ Mauser action in .458 Lott.

In a pinch, .458 Win Mag can be used, and it will do anything you need it to when it needs to be done.

I've heard stories about .458 being "not enough gun" from my friend that has gone over there.
Both times he used a Merkel in .470 Nitro.
He stated that at times, he felt under-gunned with that!

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Lost it all in a boat accident

For Namibia or South Africa on a plains game hunt, I doubt you'd need anything larger than a .375H&H, probably do just fine with a dirty-oh six or 300 Mag (300 H&H would be good too). I do agree, however, that not taking a .375H&H would be like leaving an important part home.
In two hunts (So. Africa and Tanzania), I killed nearly all my game with my Winchester 70 375H&H, but did use a .270 Ruger M77 on a Waterbuck at 350 yards, and the results were not what I'd hoped for. I would definately stay with 30 caliber as a minimum, but take the .375H&H, you won't go wrong.
On the subject of dangerous game, the .375 is the minimum you should consider, but I'll tell you when stalking on a Cape Buffalo to 7-10 yards, you'll question what you were thinking of when looking back on it. If I ever go back on another dangerous game hunt I'll take my Winchester .458 Lott, that'll get it done. My next hunt may be to Namibia, the Caprivi strip, and flat dog is on the menu, which means my light rifle will get some work, and that'll be a .375H&H.

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.............SmithNut

A .375 sounds very versatile for a variety of antelope and big cat, but if I'm going after buffalo, or the "big nasty" as I would call them, I would want something a little heavier. At least a .416, and probably a .458 would give a little more peace of mind at close quarters. Now if we're just dreaming then I'll go with a fine English sidelock double in .500 BPE, Thank you very much. You know, the famous (or infamous if you're an elephant,) Karamojo Bell only needed one rifle, a 7mm Mauser. What a master.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I'd be one of the ones thinking about the dangerous game that might be on the honery side while I was in the brush. The 375 would be a fine choice as others have mentioned. A 375 or one of the various 416s would make a great one gun safari.

I've always heard for a one gun safari should consist of a 375 or a 416, a 2 gun safari should include something greater than or equal to 458 plus a nice 30 or 338 caliber for smaller game.

Take the 375! It will be adaquate for anything you encounter.

Cheers,
Sam

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Beware the man with one gun...

You had it right the first time... .375 H&H and a 7mm Remington.

Remember what they told you in school? Always stick with your first answer. If you go back and think too hard about it you'll think yourself right out of the correct choice.

Your two sound fine. I went on a plains game hunt a few years ago and took a .30-06. It worked great for me. The extra rifle I really wish I had brought would have been a .22 RF!

The 375 is very marginal on dangerous game buff & jumbo. You rarely see a PH carrying a 375 the only one I personally know who carried one by choice was John Northcoat the few other just could not afford a bigger rifle. It is only highly recommended as a lot of PH's feel its about all the recoil a client can handle.Place a properly constructed bullet right you will have no problem but when things go wrong or your shot is not spot on a larger caliber really comes into its own. But if your not concerned with killing your own animal you can always fall back on the PH.

A 416 Rigby or Remington is a much better choice.

Len

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Len

Riot gun just in case. they might just have a change of heart about the great white hunter.

If you are not hunting any game that requires a big bore by law, only plains game, then I would take a .300 Win Mag. That's a classic, traditional plains chambering and ammo should be easy to find. Then, a good 12 gauge side-x-side. I hear the wingshooting there is exceptional!

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" I said, good DAY! "

Went over to RSA twice, and took all manner of plains game from little impala to a Livingston Eland. I can't recall anything requiring a 2nd shot.

Used a .375 H&H and a .280 rem on the first trip. Shot almost everything with the three seven five and 300 gr Swift A-Frames. Though did use the .280 at longer ranges on a blesbok and a very nice bushbuck. Used 175 gr Noslers.

Second trip over I brought only a .338-06 with 250 gr Swift A-Frames and the same .280 Rem but with the same 175 gr NP's. Again..all one shot kills.

Ranges in Namibia CAN be on the long side. The idea of the 7mm is fine but I'd use tough bullets.

The #1 goal...proper placement.

FN in MT

Or maybe plan C, take the .340 and the 7 Mag.

Realistically it makes the most sense for the hunt. I wouldn't be going after dangerous game and I'm not bound by any minimum bore restrictions. My 7 Mag is a relatively lightweight rifle and it does pack a respectale punch. The .340 was what I originally had in mind for the Kalahari portion of the hunt. Ranges can be extremely long for Gemsbuck and the rifle is set with a 3.5-10x mil dot scope.

I did have a couple of conversations with my outfitter. They are not to fond of Weatherbys in any chambering. They've seen a lot of over pressure loads and sticky extraction and stuck cases in the hot weather. The Weatherby for me would be a handloading proposition with 250 gr. Barnes TSX bullets. Loads would be tested in the 100+ degree heat of the Phoenix summer before going.

They were also very encouraging of bringing over a .270. While I wouldn't have a second thought about using a .270 on the smaller African antelope, the bigger stuff would cause me to think twice. With my luck I'd be staring through the scope at a trophy class greater Kudu with a .270 thinking why in the hell didn't I bring something bigger...

There really isn't a "reason" for the .375 on the trip other than the coolness factor. I bought the rifle the day that I heard Winchester was closing the New Haven plant. I thought it could very well be my last chance to get a 70 in .375 H&H and someday I would take it to Africa. I've got it set up with a Nikon 1.5-6 scope and sighted in with 300gr. loads so it really is set up more for bushvelde hunting rather than open plains. But like Smithnut said, leaving it at home would feel like leaving a very important part behind.

Lots of good ideas and experience, please keep it coming.

You mentioned greater kudu and the .270. Jack O'Connor took a few big kudu with his .270. I believe that he did use Nosler bullets.
His wife got a kudu with a 7X57mm, I believe, or her .30/06. (Those were the only two calibers that she used. Eleanor even shot a tiger with that .30/06!)

Interesting information. It's always hard to argue with actual experience, but somehow this sounds a bit suspect.

I always debated with myself, my handloads vs. factory loads, but would have a hard time believing Weatherby factory ammunition, used in a Weatherby rifle, would be a problem. Weatherby is undoubtedly aware a good percentage of their product is used in Africa. It seems improbable that they would not make appropriate allowances. No reasonable allowance may make up for sloppy maintenance of the rifle, and/or poor handling and storage of ammunition, but under sensible conditions, I find the picture they paint at odds with Weatherby's very considerable reputation for doing things right. They have never been hesitant to produce a quality product, nor squeemish about demanding to be paid for same.

It is not uncommon to see Weatherby chamberings in custom rifles, very probably with differing chamber and freebore dimensions, and of course nowadays we see the more popular Weatherby calibers being loaded by other companies. Maybe these two things, and the inevitable hot-rodded handloads, are the source of their discontent... ? I certainly have never been able to replicate Weatherby factory ammunition with my handloads, and consider it foolhardy to try.

I don't have experience with Weatherby calibers, but I'd suspect that they'd be pretty hard to buy ammo for if yours was lost. That's an important issues with respect to what you take. In South Africa, you should be able to buy most common calibers and many European chamberings when traveling through Johannesburg or Cape Town, when going directly to other less-populated/modernized countries I'd say it's going to be tougher to buy anything beyond the most commonly seen calibers.
Stuff gets lost when traveling, I lucked out on my trip to Tanzania in 2000, my rifles/shotgun and ammo cases made it, along with my hand carry stuff, but my duffle bag with cloths, hunting shoes and other goodies didn't make it to me until the day we left our hunting camp - when the airlines finally found it they had a bush place send it to the Selous, lucky I had my extra clothes (hand carry) and the daily laundry service in the camp.

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.............SmithNut

I'd run with the .340 Weatherby for everything on your list. African game is wild, tough and can be hard to kill. I'd opt for being overgunned rather than risk the lingering death of a lost animal.

My second rifle would not be the .375. I'd opt for a 40 something that someone will carry for you. This is in case something over there tries to convert you into a statistic.

I'd ship at least my ammo ahead or arrange to buy it there. Work it out with your PH. Then I'd ship more ammo with the guns. The goal is more than one shipment of ammo to insure you have something to hunt with.

What I'd really want to know is what the PH has available to deal with terrorists, poachers, cutthroats and criminals.

planned an africa trip about 10yrs. ago and had dakota rifles in 340 weatherby and 416rigby. was not a big problem flying at that time. ammo was available for both if need be. was taking handloads with a-square bullets for the various beasties. then shoulder surgery halted all larger rifle shooting,so didn't get to go. ph said caliber selection was excellent for virtually anything.

You could actually get by with just a single rifle. Simply get yourself a Heym double rifle with fitted barrel sets in .470 N.E., .30-06, and 20 gauge. That should suffice for killing most things in most places.