Best two gun combination for Africa?

[njc110381]

Just a passing thought. If you had a .416 as a big calibre, what would you pair it with for a mixed game trip to Africa? I have a nice belted magnum action sat here, wondering what calibre to build? It's not controlled feed but for plains game I don't suppose it matters too much.

Of course I'm not expecting a single calibre answer, but it will be interesting to see what people think. I'm not writing off smaller rounds, it would be easy to pick up a .30-06 size bolt face.

 

[IvW]

Mine would be a 404 Jeff paired with a 300 H&H. I also have extensively used and respect the 7x57mm.

 

[njc110381]

Mine would be a 404 Jeff paired with a 300 H&H. I also have extensively used and respect the 7x57mm.

I used to have a 7x57/12g combination gun. It was a fantastic woods gun for deer and squirrels

 

[Red Leg]

Lots of stuff will work, but if you are looking for a do it all PG caliber (and leopard) it is had to beat a .300 magnum of some persuasion - H&H, Win Mag, Blaser whatever (the differences can not be discerned by anything you shoot with any of them). They offer maximum versatility, and I suspect two-thirds of the loaner camp guns in Africa for PG are .300 Win Mags.

 

[Mekaniks]

I would go with a .338 win mag and load 185g or 210g bullets and still have the ability to shoot up to 250g effectively.
With that and your .416 would have everything covered from PG to DG. And your belted magnum action should work.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My propostion: 275Rigby and 404Jeffery.

 

[YancyW]

On my list of builds I would like to do is a 264 win mag with a 1:7.5 twist, set up to shoot 160gr Woodleigh Welcore bullets. Even out of a 24" tube, should still be able to run in the low to mid 2900s.

 

[BB416]

On my recent trip to Zim I brought a pre 64 model 70 in 300 H&H with 200 grain A frame handloads to go along with 416 Rigby throwing 400 grain A frame handloads with 400 grain Barnes solids as backup. 2 impala, zebra, blue wildebeest fell to the 300, buffalo to the 416. Everything died with 1 shot. Big fan of the 300 H&H and 416 Rigby combo.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I always an 8mm rem mag would be pretty sweet

 

[Ridgewalker]

Lots of options, but...just in case ammo box goes missing, a 30 caliber, either 30-06 or 300 Win Mag are more likely to be found at gun stores. They both reload well. They both have a proven track record. They both handle either 180, or 200 gr bullets of all persuasions well.
Besides, I’m a 30 caliber kind of guy!

 

[rookhawk]

Small medium and large are the three gun safari ideals:

7x57 + 375HH + 416/458/470 is the combo. Any gun fails, you are still in business.

So for a 2 gun safari the key ingredient is indeed the medium, the .375HH.

For DG - 375 + 470
For plains game - 7x57 + 375.

Other scenarios for the small I liked - 318WR, 300HH, 300WM, 7x64, 7mm rem, etc.

 

[Ridgewalker]

OK, I’ll be straight here. I only take one rifle to Africa...a 375 H&H. It has worked well for me from duiker to Cape buffalo. From 15 yards to 300+ yards. But...if I ever do take a second rifle, it will most likely be either 30-06 or 300 Win Mag.
There, I feel better about being honest!

 

[rookhawk]

OK, I’ll be straight here. I only take one rifle to Africa...a 375 H&H. It has worked well for me from duiker to Cape buffalo. From 15 yards to 300+ yards. But...if I ever do take a second rifle, it will most likely be either 30-06 or 300 Win Mag.
There, I feel better about being honest!

Sounds fine, but you’re silly not to at least bring two .375HH with you. I’ve NEVER NOT had a gun issue on Safari:

Hunt:

1 - guns got lost
2 - scope was off on 7mm
3 - loose screw
4 - broken safety

Not cheap guns, not issues of maintenance. Just bad luck. Always have two guns, even if it’s two 375s.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Rookhawk, I do take two scopes, but I must rely on the PH to furnish a rifle if my rifle goes down. You have a valid point of a backup rifle, but
1 - if my two rifle Pelican case gets lost, both rifles would be gone.
2 - a second scope I have taken care of.
3 - loose screw, I’ve always been told I have one, but never figured out what to do about it.
4 - I try to go over my rifle pretty thoroughly before each trip, even multiple times in anticipation. Besides, who needs a safety! (Hope my PHes don’t read this!)

 

[Von S.]

Damn...

I like everyone of them as I simply have never seen a caliber or rifle that I couldn 't find some redeeming quality there in.

But I have a soft spot in my heart for the 264wm.

A 140 boat tail at 3200 + makes things fall down and not get up.

Though maybe everyones friend "One Day " (Pascal) just came back from Hunters Hill and made 17 one shot kills with his Weatherby 257 throwing 100 grain bullets out to 400 yards plus.

Which has more magic?

ONE DAY or Weatherby?

I' thinking both...

 

[Ryan]

For an all around plains game rifle in a belted mag I'd go with the 300 Win Mag.

 

[meigsbucks]

For me it’s my .416 Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan and in concurrence with Mekaniks, I’d go with a .338 mag, either .338 Win or RUM. Although, I’d go with a 225-250 gr bullets... Barnes or Swift. Second choice would be a .300 Win mag.

 

[Bushpig4Ever]

Drilling .30-06 16/70 plus double 9,3x74R

 

[HWL]

A Ruger No.1 in .450/400 NE 3" and one in .303 British....will make the next turn.

I hope I can smuggle a combination gun between, as I always did..... a shotgun barrel is essential.

A long list of unemployed candidates has to stay at home....




HWL

 

[brettp]

338 Win makes a wonderful PG round and pairs well with a 416.