How about 7x57mm and .375 H&H for a Safari paring?

[PAUL_MAUSER]

I know cartridge choices beyond a certain feasibility threshold for the game being hunted become a very personal choice based off of things like nostalgia, personal favorites or just simply what you have on hand.

I picked up a minty unfired 1977 Ruger M77 tang safety a couple weeks ago in 7x57mm as a starting point for my safari rifle paring for plains game. I always wanted that caliber so that was a nostalgia choice for me. This evening after much pondering and soul searching, I picked up a new Winchester M70 Safari Express in 375 H&H Mag. Thats also a nostalgia pick as I remember shooting one as a kid my dad had, and I shot it quite well even being of thinner proportions and wasn't hindered by the recoil at all.

My personal reasoning for not going with the .416 Remington or 458 Win etc. is that I hope to venture into the realm of double rifles eventually and figure if I'm going larger than the 375 H&H I would step up to a 470 NE or larger and that will be in a proper double rifle once I am sufficiently educated on them and ready to outlay that kind of cash.

I know the 375 H&H is billed as the one-gun safari by many but if someone had aspirations of chasing plains game and dangerous game on the same trip and has the 2 rifles above how much better could one reasonably do caliber choice wise? It's raining and cold here and I'm bored so I figured I would banter cartridge choices with y'all for a bit

 

[cash_tx]

I don't think a more timeless and suitable cartridge pairing exists, IMO. Well done!

 

[Flipper Dude]

I’ve never taken my 375 H&H as my heavy rifle. I’ve taken it as my only rifle, and as my light rifle. Your plan will be just fine as long as you kill your DG first! Or at least have an appy. along to carry your other rifle. You’ll have to carry ammo for both.

 

[Red Leg]

Looks like you have already made the decision, and it is a fine one if you are determined to bring two rifles. I did once - the whole African battery thing can be very enticing. If going on a DG / PG combination hunt, then I have found nothing better, simpler or lighter with which to travel internationally than a .375. It will easily manage anything from a dik dik to an elephant. On my last pure PG hunt, I used a .275 (7x57) and it handled everything from blue duiker to sable. In my case, ease of travel is far more important than multiple rifles.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My pairing of choice.

A .375 Holland & Holland Magnum (a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom with aftermarket M16 extractor fitted)

A 7x57mm Mauser (a Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe)

I personally couldn’t be happier with my choices.

The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is my dangerous game rifle (perfectly acceptable for everything except body shots on bull elephant).

The 7x57mm Mauser is my plains game rifle.

I have also used the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum on plains game with satisfactory results. When the occasion called for it, I have also used the 7x57mm Mauser on dangerous game with mixed success (a Royal Bengal tiger, leopards, crocodiles).

 

[PAUL_MAUSER]

My pairing of choice.
View attachment 661005
A .375 Holland & Holland Magnum (a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom with aftermarket M16 extractor fitted)
View attachment 661006
A 7x57mm Mauser (a Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe)

I couldn’t be happier with my choices.

I knew I had to be on the right track with this. Very nice rifles!

The 375 I shot as a kid was a Remington 700 stainless with a synthetic stock, I remember as well

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

A fine pairing. I think the 7x57 a little light for the bigger PG and thought that as my son shot his zebra and knocked it flat with his. Pick a proper bullet an place it correctly and you're good.

 

[pilar]

Good choices
Now gotta figure out what to shoot out of them
I’m partial to 270gr TSX and 140gr LRX if that were my choice of guns

 

[Red Leg]

Good choices
Now gotta figure out what to shoot out of them
I’m partial to 270gr TSX and 140gr LRX if that were my choice of guns

Or 300 gr A Frame and 170 gr Oryx - both of which have worked perfectly for me.

 

[Flipper Dude]

300g in the 375. Why bother loading a plains game bullet in it? You’ve brought another rifle for that.

 

[ftrovato]

I'm an Elmer Keith kind of guy. Last September I took around 14 animals with the 416 Rigby & 500 NE in Mozambique. They worked very well so I plan on sticking with this combo when I go back in 2026.

I Know their a big unnecessary combination but they work as far as I can shoot so...

Shoot what you shoot well and you'll be fine.

 

[PAUL_MAUSER]

I'm an Elmer Keith kind of guy. Last September I took around 14 animals with the 416 Rigby & 500 NE in Mozambique. They worked very well so I plan on sticking with this combo when I go back in 2026.

I Know their a big unnecessary combination but they work as far as I can shoot so...

Shoot what you shoot well and you'll be fine.


View attachment 661026

Nice rifles. Definitely aren't really any wrong choices when it comes to calibers within reason. It's part of the fun and keeps it interesting. If we all had the same calibers and rifles, it would be one less thing we could banter about.