Why the 300 mag for the small caliber in the battery?

[Markschu]

Reading Boddington's book on safari rifles, his survey of PH's states that most recommend 300 mag as the small caliber in your rifle battery. That seems too big to me. I would think you would use the 375 for DG as well as large plains game then a 270 or 7mm for smaller plains game. Why the 300 mag?

 

[sestoppelman]

Beats me. I agree with your scenario. BTW Welcome to the forum. You see all kinds of combos show up in camp. Near the end of my first trip a guy showed up for a buffalo, PG hunt armed with a .375 H&H AND a .458 for buff! I have always just taken one rifle at a time. I plan to take 2 next trip but my boy will be along for his first trip over, so a .284 Win for him and my .405 Win for me, just because. Biggest thing I plan to shoot will be eland.

 

[Markschu]

I was planning on a 7 mm mag, 375 H&H, and maybe a 416 rigby if budget allows, although the 375 is probably sufficient for the buff and kudu.

 

[sestoppelman]

Were it me, I would take the .416 for the buff and the 7mag for PG. The .375 and the .416 are too close in capability. You can of course take as many guns as you are willing to deal with but it would be a pain.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Sir, the .300Win Mag is just a well balanced all round rifle that has a bit more legs than your average plains game rifle, which has proven itself over and over in Africa for many years. It is certainly not the begin and end all. The .270 and 7mm are some of your most popular rifles among locals here, and will be more than enough on any plains game package. If you are comfortable with any of those two rifles and shoot them well, then there is not much more for discussion here. Shot placement, with premium quality bullets of course, beats all.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[peras]

I personally own a 270,300 and 375.If you have the 375 for large and tough plainsgame(eland,blue wildebeest),you will not need the 300.However,if you are only hunting plainsgame and using one rifle the 300 will always be a firm favourite of mine.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I think worried/concerned PH's used to like newbies to be in the "use enough gun category" hence 300WM.

Now, I think more or most PH's are in the school of thought that you should bring the rifle you shoot best with high grade ammunition.

Min for DG is the 375, if you can't purchase that a 416 you'll be fine with the 375.


I took a 300WM (biggest in my safe currently)
I knew I was hunting an Eland, Leopard and a Giraffe. So it was the insurance.
my favourite (my 270Win.) came along for most PG


Bow for the Buffalo last trip and there was a .375 for back up.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Were it me, I would take the .416 for the buff and the 7mag for PG. The .375 and the .416 are too close in capability. You can of course take as many guns as you are willing to deal with but it would be a pain.

Sorry Sest, but will have to disagree with you. The difference in diameter of the .375 and .416 might not be big. Heck, the felt recoil on my .416 Rigby is even less than on my .375H&H, but at the business end, the Rigby is 10 times more rifle.

 

[Code4]

I was planning on a 7 mm mag, 375 H&H, and maybe a 416 rigby if budget allows, although the 375 is probably sufficient for the buff and kudu.

The 7mm is plenty of gun for a Kudu.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

The 7mm is plenty of gun for a Kudu.

:agree:

 

[LIBERTY]

Mr Boddington has a ton of experience in Africa and I can think of no reason to doubt his word on the subject of which gun to use. If I was going I would take 2 rifles, my 375H&H and my 300 win mag. Both loaded with Barnes TSX bullets. I'd probably never touch my 300 but just have it there as a spare. Once you have some experience of your own you can and should pick your own favorite calibers but don't be surprised if it turns out to be what Craig suggested to begin with. Good luck on the hunt!!!!! Liberty

 

[Heym 88]

If I were to hunt just plains game...instead of my .375 H&H....would prolly use my .300 H&H model 70. Just an old classic.

 

[Cliffy]

This is an interesting thread-

After 5 trips myself and watching 6 others on several more trips I will venture my thoughts giving well to the idea that my experience is in no way as wide as many on this forum.

I am thoroughly convinced that 7MM would be my minimum recommendation. 300 Win Mag or 338 Win Mag would be useful ONLY if you can shoot it well and have practiced with them a lot. I have 2 friends that brought over their 300s and they did very well with them BUT they shoot them all year over here. Many if not most hunters from here do not shoot their rifles enough. Just watch any of the hunting shows on TV. Ask PHs how well prepared our hunter are when they arrive over there. Now factor in someone buying a new 300 WM and shooting it 3 or 4 times and going to Africa with it. Many shooters do not do well with a 300 WM. This has been discussed on many forums for many years. As a round it's great, for many hunters it's not.

I am a very big proponent of the 30-06 with 180 grain premium bullets. It will work with any plains game animal and most shooters can shoot it well with little effort. It's good out to 250 yards and beyond but virtually all your shots will be under this distance.

As has been said, your first shot is what counts. So shoot something you are comfortable with. Most anyone can be comfortable with a 30-06.

I have Craig's book and I have talked with him a couple of times. He is extremely well qualified. But, given that, I think he would agree that many do not shoot a 300 WM very well. Too much gun for them and their experience.

For the average US hunter for big game a .375 would be all they would need and in many cases about all they could realistically handle. Most hunters will never fire 200 rounds from a big game rifle in their life time. Move to a 416 or any of the 458s and the problems only expand. I have seen a hunter bring a new $40,000 DR on safari and he didn't even know which trigger fired which barrel. Watching him reload was a lesson in comedy.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it

 

[sestoppelman]

Sorry Sest, but will have to disagree with you. The difference in diameter of the .375 and .416 might not be big. Heck, the felt recoil on my .416 Rigby is even less than on my .375H&H, but at the business end, the Rigby is 10 times more rifle.

Thats OK Marius, you can disagree with me! Wont be the first time. But you do agree with my basic point that the 7 mag with the .416 would be a good PG - buff combo no? The other point I was trying to make was that taking a .375 AND a .416 makes less sense than the 7mag 416 combo. Of course the .416 is more powerful than the .375. Ten times more?, no.

 

[Heym 88]

Couldn't agree more Cliffy

 

[Markschu]

Thanks everyone for their responses. The one thing I have had drilled into my head is to be totally facile with your weapons prior to a hunt. Every PH/guide say that to me before any hunt. I can't imagine going on a hunt without total familiarity with my rifle. It's cruel to the animals, frustrating for the guy busting his butt to get the animal in range, and a waste of money for the hunter. Hard to believe someone would buy the hunt of a lifetime and barely know how to load their rifle.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Thanks everyone for their responses. The one thing I have had drilled into my head is to be totally facile with your weapons prior to a hunt. Every PH/guide say that to me before any hunt. I can't imagine going on a hunt without total familiarity with my rifle. It's cruel to the animals, frustrating for the guy busting his butt to get the animal in range, and a waste of money for the hunter. Hard to believe someone would buy the hunt of a lifetime and barely know how to load their rifle.

Totally agree with your last sentence. I think it's probably prudent to keep in mind that CB probably wasn't saying that the .300WM was the only good choice, just perhaps what he thought was the best choice.

Is it the best choice for Springbok if a heavy for caliber bullet is used? Probably not. A light for caliber choice in .243 is arguably better. Is it the best choice in a heavy for caliber bullet when pursuing Waterbuck? A case could be made for that in my opinion. What it is in my opinion a great choice for an all around PG rifle. Are there other choices that are equally and in some circumstances better? No doubt, that's the great thing about having so many calibers available.

Make a good solid choice taking into account all the variables and go hunt with confidence!

 

[frog stealer]

For the average US hunter for big game a .375 would be all they would need and in many cases about all they could realistically handle. Most hunters will never fire 200 rounds from a big game rifle in their life time. Move to a 416 or any of the 458s and the problems only expand.

Based on my reloading records, I've shot my .416 Remmy 275 times in the 7 months I've owned it. I still think I have room for improvement. I couldn't imagine shooting a rifle only a few times before hunting with it! I was also told by many of my friends to go with a 300 mag, but opted for a 7x57 Mauser instead. Hopefully I made the right choice! Going after eland, kudu, and impala this May. And I'd like to maybe add a zebra if we see them...if it's OK with Marius that is!

 

[spike.t]

there is an article by boddington in the latest sci mag that has just turned up here, way behind you lot getting it in the usa i would imagine, and he wonders whether the smaller calibres, .270, .275/7x57 , 7mm08, and others of that type are better because people shoot them better. so dont worry about it just go with what you are comfortable with or want, as they all work fine.

 

[BRICKBURN]

there is an article by boddington in the latest sci mag that has just turned up here, way behind you lot getting it in the usa i would imagine, and he wonders whether the smaller calibres, .270, .275/7x57 , 7mm08, and others of that type are better because people shoot them better. so dont worry about it just go with what you are comfortable with or want, as they all work fine.

Finally came around to the proper way of thinking.

Rookies like Boddington, it sure takes them long enough to come around. :doh2: