What’s your ideal Dangerous Game bolt gun?

[Ryanlo]

What would be your ideal dg bolt gun.

Barrel length, caliber, sights and so on?

I have a CZ in 404. Shoulders nicely but seems so long. Just wanted to see what you all like

 

[dchamp]

Blaser R8 Kilombero in .416 Rem or .458 Lott, have both, 60cm barrel, red dot (Aimpoint H1- Docter) or any good 1-x
X24 scope. They're accurate, dependable, fast action and easy and comfortable to shoot.

 

[Odinsraven]

Saving for a 404j but love the 458 375 9.3's 416 rigby ....... don't tell the blonde ...

 

[matt85]

i like the idea of a fairly short barreled strait pull rifle in 458 Lott. ive had my eye on a Blaser R8 in 458 Lott for some time now but have other priorities. another fantastic option would be an AHR in 416/458 caliber.

-matt

 

[PaulT]

Of all the big bores I have owned in the past thirty years this has been, by a margin, my favorite.

Built for me by a very good friend in the U.S.

.500 MDM Ultra mag (.375 Ultra mag necked up to .50 cal)Win Mod 70 CRF, pacnor 20" barrel, Accurate Innovations English walnut stock with aluminum bedding block, NECG front and back sights. just over 8lb carry weight.

Shoots 450gn brass CEB's at 2450fps with mild loads and despite what a few on this forum opine these mono's will penetrate 6' - 8' of buffalo with monotonous regularity.

Short, light, fast handling and packing a mighty wallop.

I have stopped quite a few charges with this gun and shot quite a few buff with it in addition.

My idea of a perfect buff gun.

 

[bassasdaindia]

What would be your ideal dg bolt gun.

Barrel length, caliber, sights and so on?

I have a CZ in 404. Shoulders nicely but seems so long. Just wanted to see what you all like

All my CZ's in the 40 calibers have had there barrels shortened , they feel much better and function without any difference

 

[Pondoro]

2 Brno ZKK 602s, one in .375H&H and one .458Win. that is to become a .500 Jeffery..

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

My pre war .416 Rigby single square bridge Rigby!

 

[Timbo]

A toy-shop list of so many classic rifles come to mind!! But for me, it has to be my Mauser Mk.X in 458 Win Mag. A standard civillian Mauser action with a factory lapped barrel. Seated in a custom "cast-on" stock, topped with a Weaver Classic K scope on detachable top mounts. I get superb clover-leaf accuracy using reloads and Woodleigh projectiles. It's all the gun I ever need.

 

[CAustin]

I have a Ruger Guide Gun in 416 Ruger. It has a 20 inch barrel and weighs 8.1 pounds. It's a fine shooting rifle with or without the detachable break.
Taken elephant, lion, Cape buffalo, giraffe, Nyala and warthog with it. I have very much enjoyed taking it to the field!

 

[Red Leg]

My favorite “big bore” is a .375, and the guise I currently prefer is a Blaser R8 with the sporter weight barrel and Leica glass. It is like carrying a 30-06, is supremely accurate, and with the right 300 gr bullet, will kill anything on earth from 30 feet to 300 yards. No, it isn’t a classic stopping rifle. But, my job as a client is to put that first bullet exactly where it matters most. The R8 may be the finest rifle I have ever used for that purpose. And with detachable mounts, it is very fast with the factory open sights during a follow-up.

 

[zephyr]

I have a semi Custom (work done by me) Win Mod 70 .458 Lott 24" barrels. Took it on a Buff cull hunt down under like it a lot ....
If I was not a hard core Double Guy I would be putting together a 505 Gibbs on a Granite Mt action with 24" Barrels with Iron Sights...

 

[Ryanlo]

All my CZ's in the 40 calibers have had there barrels shortened , they feel much better and function without any difference

How short are you going with the barrels?

 

[Timbo]

How short are you going with the barrels?

Well, speaking only for myself, in my double I like the barrels so short I can see the head of the projectiles sticking out past the muzzle!! That way it helps me remember which one has the solid and which one has the soft!!

 

[bassasdaindia]

How short are you going with the barrels?

My 416, 404 and 375 are all cut to 23", while my 458 Lott is 22"

 

[Timbo]

My MkX Mauser 458WM is 23", and my Sprinter barrelled FN 9.3x62 is 24".

 

[RudiB]

If you are the hunter(client) a 375 scoped will do the job. If you can handle a .416 or .458 cal well, you will have better stopping power if needed. I like my clients to use a scoped(QD mounts) 375 cal with Barnes, Swift, Nosler or similar top quality bullet. My Brno 375 and 450 Rigby is cut to 22”.

 

[IvW]

1. Custom ZKK 602(Double square bridge mauser type), 24 inch barrel fitted with 140 degree shallow V open sights. .500 Jeffery, No belt or straight wall cartridge. 570 gr Rhino controlled expansion bullet or the 570 gr Rhino meplat brass solid.

2. Custom ZKK 602(Double square bridge mauser type), 24 inch barrel fitted with 140 degree shallow V open sights and pop up peep sight in rear receiver as well as a LX3 1-6x24 Lynx scope with German number 4 reticle and illuminated dot, fitted on Warne QD mounts. Caliber 375 H&H. I use the 380 gr Rhino controlled expanding bullet in this rifle for Buffalo and the 350 gr Rhino controlled expansion bullet for everything else in the bushveld.

3. ZKK 602 standard in 375 H&H. 25.5 inch barrel, with standard Brno open sights and pop up peep sight in rear square bridge of the receiver. Fitted with a LX3 2.5-15X50 Lynx scope fitted with SA hunters reticle and reticle illuminater and mounted with Warne QD mounts. Use Rhino 300 gr controlled expansion bullets or 260 gr Nosler accubonds. Cats and all longer range hunting.

4. Follow up on cats(I know they are not bolt guns), 24 inch Sidelock Brno shotgun, with 2 triggers, with Ghost ring rear sight and only use Brenneke slugs or 9.3x74R/12ga combination gun. Again only Brenneke slugs in the 12ga barrel and then 300 gr Rhino controlled expansion bullet in the 9.3x74R barrel. Bead and shallow V rear sight and in process of fitting an Aimpoint.

 

[Pondoro]

IvW...why do you use such heavy bullets as 350 and 380 in your .375H&H..?

I have read debates over this contra a 300 grainer, but what is your opinion..?

 

[IvW]

IvW...why do you use such heavy bullets as 350 and 380 in your .375H&H..?

I have read debates over this contra a 300 grainer, but what is your opinion..?

Hi Pondoro

In short they kill large DG such as Cape buffalo much better.

Higher weight means better sectional density, better momentum value, better weight retention and better straight line penetration. They are of weight forward design that eliminates any tumbling or veering off course after hitting the target(buffalo).

There is more bullet to work with and normally expand to two and a half times the original diameter. They do not exit on broadside shots on buffalo and are typically found just under the skin. You can therefore comfortably take a shot at a broadside buffalo that has another behind it without being concerned to wound another. They also expend or deposit all their energy inside the chest cavity of the buffalo where you want it.

They reduce the velocity which is great. The ideal killing speed for Cape Buffalo is 2200-2400 fps, anything more is just wasted.

The heavier bullets also bring the performance of the .375 up much closer to the .400 calibers. The 350 gr Rhino bullet has the exceptional sectional density of .356 and the 380 gr bullet has the extraordinary sectional density of .386! Hard to beat that.

The 375 is the minimum for DG in most countries and these bullets increase the effectiveness of the 375 considerably when used on DG.

Hope that helps explain why I like the heavy bullets in 375 H&H for DG hunting.

Regards
IvW