Hello charlesbounty,
If you will email your PH and ask what specific ammunition he recommends, you could happily disregard the following epic novel.
If that is not an option, I hope you will find comfort in my long-winded speech:
High velocity spitzers are not the best choice for the majority of Limpopo District / game species / hunting conditions.
Most of the hunting is in what they call The Lowveld.
It is rolling ground, with plenty of thorny trees and some brush, although the grass itself will be well trampled by the game, before you arrive in Sept.
At glance, the majority of the Lowveld reminds me of Napa Valley California and surrounding foothills, prior to the vineyards that dominate it now (not that there's anything wrong with vineyards, especially Malbec vineyards, by dang).
Likewise, the Lowveld is laced with riverine forest, here and there which is almost, but not quite jungle.
These riverine conditions remind me of The Ozarks of Southern Missouri / Northern Arkansas.
Much of Limpopo is crawling with many types of game (unless you booked with a crook who does not have access to a minimum of about 100,000 acres of self sustaining / game rich real estate, and much larger hunting concessions are so much the better).
Close range shooting is the name of the game, with 75 yards being about the average distance.
The Highveld is quite another story.
If your PH plans to take you up there, 200 yard shots are not rare.
That lofty area (still part of Limpopo) is typically around 7,000 ft above sea level, and not much for trees.
It's gently rolling grassland, with rocks sticking up here and there to conceal your crawling into position for a shot.
It's about like what we Americanos call "prairie" or "plains" but, in this case it is actually on top of a mountain range (Draakensberg Mts), something like but not exactly like the Mesas of some of our Western States, such as AZ, NM etc.
Long BORING story short: If you will be hunting only the Lowveld, the good old 220 grain Hornady RNSP at about 2400 FPS worked well for me in the .30-06, and although it's not what I'd choose for the Highveld, I used it there and it worked fine.
My longest shot up there was about 200 yds, on a black w.beest bull.
Had to shoot him twice but that's because my first shot was a tic too high on the shoulder, no fault of the bullet, only the fault of the shooter.
Sadly, it is pretty much impossible to find 220 grain round nose .30-06 ammunition in live factory ammo any more.
If I were making ready for hunting BOTH Lowveld and Highveld, I'd prefer 180 grain bullets, as they shoot a bit flatter for the Highveld, yet will break bones at close range Lowveld conditions as well.
Whether reloading or not, I would settle for nothing less than 180 grain Swift A-Frame these days (might as well spend a little more for a sturdier bullet, just in case).
I suppose it'd be called a semi-spitzer but oh well, Swift does not make that one in a round nose shape to my knowledge.
Even at 2600 fps, a .30 bullet of 180 grains will fly mighty flat, in big game hunting terms.
I believe Remington loads it currently in .30-06.
It's not cheap but way cheaper than a wounded and lost wildebeest, or what-have-you.
Do not be fooled by our American deer, they carry their heart/lungs just behind the shoulder.
Most (but not all) African antelopes carry theirs about directly between the shoulders and I believe their bones are a bit more stout than our critters are over here, at least that is my impression after having shot quite a few African so called plains game critters, as well as quite a few deer and such in The USA.
In other words, on broadside shots, and quartering toward you shots, you must break through a shoulder bone to pierce the heart/lungs.
That is why high velocity spitzers are not the best choice for your particular Safari.
Whatever bullet you go with, be sure to practice, practice, practice.....and then practice some more.
Again, that will not be cheap but worlds cheaper than losing a wounded big game animal.
I tend to be long winded and for that I apologize.
Best of luck with your safari,
Velo Dog.
