Best rifle for Namibia?

[Pondoro]

I had good results with my .375H&H in Namibia, shooting 260 Nosler Accubond, 235 grain Barnes X and 270 grain Remington factory...all worked well but those 260s impressed me..

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello all. I'm headed to Namibia in September for some plainsgame but am focusing on eland and giraffe. Any suggestions for best calibers for these species? I don't currently own anything larger than a 30.06 and am perfectly content with that rifles performance. However I'd really like to not only own but also get comfortable with a bigger bore rifle. Any suggestions would be appreciated

@Lobster.mike
If you want a good caliber for the bigger game in Namibia I personally wouldn't go past the 9.3x62. More than enough for the game you mentioned. Just load a good quality 286 grain, for all other plains game go for the 250grain accubonds.
Bob

 

[Professor Mawla]

Taking eland bulls into consideration , I would highly recommend a .338 Winchester Magnum . Employing a 250 grain Nosler Partition soft nosed factory load .

 

[postoak]

I would prefer a .338-06 with 250 grain bullets or 9.3 x 62 with 286 grain bullets over the .375.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I'd be interested to hear more about the 9.3x62. One of the nice things about the .375 HH is that ammo is easily available

Lobster.mike remember that there is not only a minimum calibre requirement for DG in Namibia, being 375, but also a minimum energy, being 5400 Joules. The 375H&H just makes that. My standard 375 Flanged Magnum does not, unless I soup it up a bit. Nice to be street legal for whatever pitches up anywhere on the globe, and thats 375H&H!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would prefer a .338-06 with 250 grain bullets or 9.3 x 62 with 286 grain bullets over the .375.

@postoak
I would prefer my stoutly loaded 35 Whelen with 250grain Woodleigh PPSP
Bob

 

[postoak]

Bob, I think I'd prefer something a little more than 250 grs. in a .35 caliber. What's available?

 

[postoak]

I just noticed the OP created this thread in Feb. 2019.

 

[Chukar]

And hasn't posted in a year or logged in for 11 months....

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, I think I'd prefer something a little more than 250 grs. in a .35 caliber. What's available?

@postoak
If'n you can't handle an Eland with a 35 Whelen loaded with a 250 grain Woodleigh PPSP @2,700 fps and 4,000 for of muzzle energy the thing must be armor plated. If a 338 win mag or 9.3x62 with similar energies will do the job I can't see the the Whelen not doing it. I would gladly take on a cape buffalo with it if it was legal.
Bob

 

[postoak]

I've gotten into slow moving round nose bullets. I'd go with the 275 grain bullet I see on MidwayUSA, if I still had my .35 Whelen.

BTW, I can only get 2425 fps with the 250 grain bullet in my .338-06. That makes it the ballistic equivalent of the .318 Westley Richards, but then that had a good rep.

I am loading my 9.3x62 to 2375 fps with 286 grain bullets but I could probably get 2425 fps with them too.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I've gotten into slow moving round nose bullets. I'd go with the 275 grain bullet I see on MidwayUSA, if I still had my .35 Whelen.

BTW, I can only get 2425 fps with the 250 grain bullet in my .338-06. That makes it the ballistic equivalent of the .318 Westley Richards, but then that had a good rep.

I am loading my 9.3x62 to 2375 fps with 286 grain bullets but I could probably get 2425 fps with them too.

@postoak
You can SAFELY get almost 2,500 fps with a 275gn and push a 310 gn woodleigh RNSP up to over 2,200 fps out of the Whelen.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

G

@postoak
I would prefer my stoutly loaded 35 Whelen with 250grain Woodleigh PPSP
Bob

Bob loves Namibia and the Whelen.

.375H&H keeps coming up, otherwise the Whelen makes sense if you want to go lighter.
Just means buying another rifle later if there is DG in you future.
I guess you can download a .375 if recoils is an issue. Shot placement is what is required so a sensible load at a sensible range may not need to be the fastest round for the rifle.

 

[autofire]

I have used my .308 on everything -warthog zebra, impala and wildebeast and it worked great. My .375 Ruger crushed eland, croc, kudu and waterbuck. I love standard action of .375 Ruger. But realize ammo availability is more limited than .375 H&H. You'll ne happy with whatever you decide. Have fun and good luck.

 

[CBH Australia]

I have used my .308 on everything -warthog zebra, impala and wildebeast and it worked great. My .375 Ruger crushed eland, croc, kudu and waterbuck. I love standard action of .375 Ruger. But realize ammo availability is more limited than .375 H&H. You'll ne happy with whatever you decide. Have fun and good luck.

Mmm, Croc, now there is something I might want to hunt.
.308 is widely used in Australia, has on probably any animal we have. It’s effective and popular

 

[gordon kings langley]

Stick to what the .30-06, and Nosler partition 200 gn
Fit for all plains game

 

[CoElkHunter]

And hasn't posted in a year or logged in for 11 months....

Maybe he did go Africa to hunt DG but didn’t “use enough gun”, so he’s MIA from here? Ha! Ha!