Big Game/Safari Rifles - Let's see them...

[elm_creek_smith]

Don't have one. Was invited to go hunting antelope on a South African LTC's ranch and had enough money to get there from Germany and back and enough to buy a Whitworth Express Rifle in .375 H&H and ammo. Came home from tank gunnery and the wife said, "I bought my China! Isn't it beautiful?" I had no idea that Rosenthal China cost that much. Then, Jimmy Carter signed an executive order that forbid US military personnel from going to South Africa for any reason unless on official government business. The Whitworth Express Rifle was still in the rack at the Rod&Gun Club when we returned to CONUS, mocking me

 

[John Patrick]

I’m a lefty and had Dakota build me a 375H&H and a 30-06. It was back when you dealt with Dakota’s husband and wife owners. Can’t recall their names, which happens more frequently with time!

My 375H&H was my light rifle for safaris, a Marcel Thys sidelock double rifle was my heavy and primary rifle. I have the 375H&H but, like a fool, sold the Thys.

My 375H&H has more wear and has killed more game than my 30-06. And truly, the 375H&H is the most versatile cartridge in the world. I’ve killed game from tiny Sharpe’s grysbok at maybe 20lb to eland over 1,000lbs, all with just two loads, 300gr Trophy bonded soft points and 300gr Woodleigh solids.

I also own a pair of Greener sidelock shotguns made circa 1919, with their oak and leather case.

My wife and I sold our big house and haven’t settled on the new place yet so some of my guns are in my buddy’s gun vault for safe keeping. So some poor photos follow from when I was dropping if some 2 1/2” shells my bud needed.

First rifle of the three is my son’s right handed 9.3x62, then my 30-06 then 375H&H.

My Greeners are the third and fourth guns in.

 

[max503]

In the boomer category, here is my latest acquisition. It's a Greener 10 bore ball gun. This gun is exquisite. It's not for everybody, but I'm a confessed double addict.

Greener 10b Ball Gun - First Two Shots by Me. - YouTube

Curly

Thank you so much for this post. Old guns should be allowed to talk! I would love to try something like that on an Illinois whitetail.

 

[GSP Fan]

John you're thinking of Don Allen from Dakota, I never knew his wifes name. I lusted after a Dakota M10 for years and when I priced one how I wanted it it was outrageous. I had a custom #1 built for much less.
Houston Rick-there isn't to much game I'd be afraid to take with a 308 loaded with proper bullets and careful shot placement with the possible exception of the big bears and some of Africa's larger plains game. I have no experience with the Russian cartridge you mention. In many parts of Africa the minimum caliber for dangerous game is .375. As I have mentioned before I use all my rifles on deer. A 270 with 130 gr PSP will tear up a deer much more than my 375 or 416 Taylor. I can eat right to the hole

 

[CptCurl]

CptCurl,
Thanks for posting that video and the beautiful photos of that 10 bore. I really enjoyed watching that informative video and it is cool to put a face on a poster who has contributed to this forum. You are darn good in front of the camera. Did those shots hit the target?
Best to all,
Cap

Actually, believe it or not, they did! Here's the target:

That would be plenty good for the intended purpose of the gun.

Curly



While it's not benchrest accuracy, it was the first two shots fired by me from that bruiser.

 

[CptCurl]

I did fire two more rounds after those first two, but I shot them at a sandstone rock at 50 yards about the size of a gallon jug. It was obliterated!

Here's a peek at the four fired cases and two more loaded rounds I kept for later.

Please don't criticize the wrinkles in the balls. The day I cast them I just couldn't get my melt hot enough. The next batch will be much better.

Curly

 

[470Evans]

Don Allen's wife's name was Norma. I had an early LH Dakota action rifle in 416 Hoffman built by Robert Winter. Kinda regret selling it as it was a beauty.

 

[John Patrick]

CaptCurl and 470Evans, thanks for the Allens’ names.

When you are a lefty your light rifle has to be suitable and legal for the largest game you hunt since the chance of a lefty loaner is near zero if your heavy rifle is out of action. Since Cape buffalo and elephant were the primary target I brought my 375H&H as my light rifle.

Never did shoot a Cape buffalo or elephant with the 375.

CaptCurl, the 9.3x62’s roots in Southern Africa run longer and deeper than the 375H&H. It’s origin is Germany and it was a common rifle among the Boer.

It is still very common in Southern Africa.

It is legal for Cape buffalo and elephant in several countries, particularly Zimbabwe, where I’ve done my hunting.

The 9.3 is .366” and the standard 9.3x62 load is 286grs at 2350fps, whereas the standard 375H&H load is 300grs at 2450fps.

The 9.3 fits a standard Mauser action, the 375 requires a magnum length action.

 

[kmyers]

Large caliber here does mean Marlin lever action.

Top is a 1895 in .45-70. My favorite centerfire rifle and caliber.

Bottom is a Guide gun in .450 Marlin. I picked it up quite cheap and had only been fired about 10 times. The original owner decided that a 7 pound or so rifle firing a .45 caliber 350 grain bullet at just over 2000 FPS did have a thump. I picked up the rifle and 4 and a half boxes of ammo fairly inexpensively.

 

[SmithNut]

Lot of nice Marlins showing up

Love the Marlins, they are truly a legitimate "big bore" and with modern ammo they would certainly be a good big game choice (assuming this cartridge/rifle combo is legal where you are hunting).

Here's the three in my safe, the Guide gun and the Trapper are my Daughter's and the 1895 on the left is mine.... she has all the cool looking toys..

 

[SmithNut]

SmithNut, I have never been or never will hunt game big enough to need one of these rifles. But, I had a thought. How 'bout I send you a nice composite stock for this rifle, and you send me the OLD crummy wood stock.......it looks like I could get a few pairs of target grips made out of it!! Seriously, beautiful!
Larry

Please send pic of the composite stock............... NOT!

 

[Warboar]

Being a lefty myself I am limited when it comes to left handed rifles. I was fortunate enough to find a left handed 375 Ruger Hawkeye African model on clearance at CDNN for a steal. It is very accurate and easy to find a load that works. So far i've killed a Wild Bull(Bovine) and a couple of coyotes. I took it with me Elk hunting but decided to grab the 7 Rem Mag because bad weather rolled in and that's the day the Elk decided to cooperate with getting in front of me and allowing me to fill the freezer.

Prior to buying the Ruger I bought a couple P-14 actions and was sourcing parts to build a 375 H&H and a 458 Win Mag. I have everything for the 375 H&H but since I have the Ruger it's kind of redundant. That and the fact that it'll be a right handed rifle.

 

[SmithNut]

Mini-Thumper

Here's another favorite....

Remington Model 7 in 350 Remington Magnum. This little rifle started out as a standard production gun (not Custom Shop).

Had gunsmith Dan Cowan work it over, added the banded front sight, barrel sling attachment and the express rear sight.

This thing "thumps" and is quite the shooter. If one needed this much firepower and planned on humping a rifle over lots of ground, this is the ticket. Very handy.

Enjoy......

 

[SmithNut]

..snip..... There's a custom M77 in 416 Taylor..snip,,,,,,,,,,,,

Congrats! I've only seen one - ever - and it was at the Cabelas in Lacey, WA (near Olympia) about 20-22 years or so back. Stunning rifle with a phenomenal Circassian Walnut stock - beautiful...

At the time I didn't know anything about the 416 Taylor round and decided to research it when I got home, when I went back a couple days later it had already been sold, darn shame, it was a stunning gun..

Got pics????

 

[Warboar]

Here's another favorite....

Remington Model 7 in 350 Remington Magnum. This little rifle started out as a standard production gun (not Custom Shop).

Had gunsmith Dan Cowan work it over, added the banded front sight, barrel sling attachment and the express rear sight.

This thing "thumps" and is quite the shooter. If one needed this much firepower and planned on humping a rifle over lots of ground, this is the ticket. Very handy.

Enjoy......

SmithNut,

I had a 350 Rem Mag Model 7 almost exactly like that. It was bone stock but man was it a great gun. It's certainly one gun that I wish I never got rid of. It shot the 225gr Sierra like a dream.

Like you said the gun is perfect for packing around.

There is a guy I know that bought a Remington 700 BDL chambered in the 350 Rem Mag. He was having a heck of a time trying to locate ammo for it. The pictures of the rifle he sent me looked like it had a super nice piece of wood on it and was a high gloss and very nice bluing.

I've seen Ruger M77s also chambered in 350RM. I'm told they have more room in the magazine to load the 225gr Barnes which the Model 7 wasn't able to do.

If I do find another rifle chambered in 350RM I will more than likely pick it up as it was such a great cartridge. I would prefer the Model 7 again because it was so light weight and packable.

 

[CB3]

This is a Nightowl’s Gunsmithing (Salt Lake City) 458 Lott Mauser 98 build. Nice soft recoil pad, excellent compensator. Cape Buffalo laser engraved on the right side of the stock.

Warm up with .458 Winchester, then up the recoil 15% for even more fun. For about 10 rounds, it’s worth it.

The cartridges left to right are the Barnes 458 Lott 500 grn TSX, then two shorter 500 grn 458 Win solids. Finally, just for comparison, a Barnes .300 Win Mag 180 grn TTSX.

 

[Llance]

Beautiful firearms. Dumb question that I would rather ask here than Google, could the "Big Game" be effectively taken with Winchester 308 or Russian 39x54R? Is there a significant greater risk of a non-lethal shot or regulatory requirements? From someone who has never been to Alaska or Africa to hunt. Texas deer and wild pigs are not big game. Thanks!

Please remember there are no dumb questions only dumb answers from folks with the intelligence of a pizzle ant.

Every game animal on the African continent has been taken with nothing more than a 7X57 Mauser. Is it ethical. only you can answer that, but it would not be for me.

.308 and 7.62X54R and .30-06 are all in the same class with the .308 being only a hundred fps less than the .30-06 and about equal in power to the 7.62X54R. With the right loading I would not hesitate to use any of the three for any North American game animal however they would not be my first choice for moose or Kodiak bear. A 5"38C naval gun would be my first choice if face to face with a Kodiak bear and a 3"50C if facing an angry moose or angry Polar Bear.

 

[Bill Raby]

4 Bore rifle. It will throw 4 ounces of lead with a 550 grain powder charge. Recoil is exciting.

 

[Tom K]

I'm too lazy to be a hunter so I can't really call mine a big game rifle, but I do have a left-handed .460 Weatherby with Lazermark stock that I like to take to the plinking range once in a while.

My target of choice is a one-gallon can of hominy corn at about 20 yards.

Interestingly, the gun which I bought NIB in 1994 via Shotgun News came with a 100yd test target with a three shot group that measured 1.3". After firing a few shots from the bench to zero the scope, I shot a 100yd group of 1.7" with virtually identical relative shot placement.

Like many others posting here, I also have a nice 1895 Marlin in .45-70. I was at a gun show in OKC (also in 1994) and happened to run into my oldest nephew. We cruised the aisles for a bit together until we came to one of my favorite dealers at the time. I spotted the Marlin on the table and quietly said to my nephew, "I can probably get that for $250."

The dealer came over and I asked him what he had the Marlin priced at and he said, "$250." I told my nephew, "Dang, he called my bluff!" and paid the man.

 

[dsf]

CPTCURL, you may recall in a John Wayne western, not sure of the name o movie, maybe the "Searchers" ?. Anyway, John and his friends finally locate Richard Boone, and prepare to confront him. John tells one of his companions "to go get a shogun, get a Greener." I never really saw one, but yours is really a beautiful shotgun. Maybe it is the one John Wayne wanted for his confrontation with Richard Boone. SF VET

Big Jake.

Lots of great quotes in that movie.