First time on plains game

[xbr897]

I have not yet been on a safari, but I plan to join the club in the next one to two years.
... I am confident I will enjoy the hunt more with my own rifle and not a camp rifle, but it would be nice to know a camp rifle is available if the worst should happen to mine. ...

This can admittedly be different depending on the exact camp rifle available, but I will say that I did not enjoy my first safari any less by using the PH's rental rifle instead of the Blaser R8 that I had pretty much specifically purchased for this hunt. I had to bail on taking the R8 at the last minute due to some miscommunication around the permit and concerns with transiting in LAX and flying on British Airways.

Once I was in camp and had fired the PH's rifle on the range, I didn't think any of not having brought my rifle. My enjoyment of the Safari was in just being in SA, finding and stalking the animals, the company of the PH/Tracking during our days hunting, and the other hunters & PHs & property owners in the evenings for dinner.

I don't think it works well for any outfitter to have a bad camp rifle. Sure, they may be worn and nicked up a bit, but it shouldn't be bad shooting. That would cause too much work for an outfitter/PH knowing the odds of a miss or bad hit are higher.

The rifle I was using was an old Sako 30-06 (made in 1980s) with a basic Vortex 4-12x scope on it. But that thing shot very well and was comfortable. Other than my miss on a Springbuck, 4 other animals were taken with a single shot placed pretty much where my PH requested. By the last day my PH was confident in my shooting and I was confident in the rifle to take a cliff to valley ~280 yard shot at a Kudu, which went less than 10 yards after the hit.

I do plan to have things lined up better to take my own rifle next year. I don't think it will make the hunt all that much different though in term of enjoyment.

 

[matt vejar]

Take your 404 and whichever light rifle you shoot the best!

 

[Berettaco]

My last trip I hunted buff and pg - I took my 404J and a 270win. Obviously used the 404J on my buff but it also took care of smaller stuff because that’s what I had in my hands. After I had my buff I switched over to the 270 and had a great time. Your 404J and 300Win will be a great combo

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Your 404Jeff will be fine alone or compliment it with the .300WM if you don’t want an excuse to buy another rifle.

I’ve fallen in love with the .375H&H as a caliber. I’ve now killed Dik Dik on up to a Buffalo with it, and had it while tracking Elephant. The only animals I’ve killed with something else are a Waterbuck and Impala with my bow, and an Impala with a Pre64 M70 on 300H&H. I suspect it’ll always be one of the rifles I take with me.

 

[Luederitz]

I'm sure this has been discussed time and time again, but here it goes. I am planning on my first Africa trip next year, for plains game and hopefully a buff. My question is rifle/caliber/bullet on the plains game. There is so much hearsay and b* out there that I'm second guessing my pick. For my buff I have no questions, I'm taking a 404 Jeff. Plains game I have options. I have a 300 win that I shoot well, and loves 180 ttsx. I have a 338 win that I also shoot well, loves 225 tsx and a frames. Am I on the right track? I certainly don't need a 375 for an elk sized antelope?

I have not yet been on a safari, but I plan to join the club in the next one to two years.

My thoughts are based off of reading many suggestions and opinions on here, as well as knowing my own risk/stress levels and tolerances. I am confident I will enjoy the hunt more with my own rifle and not a camp rifle, but it would be nice to know a camp rifle is available if the worst should happen to mine. I also believe taking only one rifle and one bullet is the way I will go, at least for my first safari. Admittedly, I don’t believe DG will be part of my first safari, so that simplifies my decision-making some. I currently own a 300WM and a 375H&H. Initially I was mentally committed to taking the 300, but I’m starting to lean towards the 375. I will say that I haven’t yet picked an outfitter or region I will hunt, so that will definitely play a role in the rifle. If shots will be under 200, the 375H&H will be favored, if over 200 then I will likely favor the 300WM. Time May alter these metrics those. I’m fairly confident I don’t want to take two rifles for my first safari. That may change for any subsequent safaris though.

For plains game anything from .300 Win Mag to .338 Win Mag up to .375 H&H Mag is perfect.
Good rifle scope with 42/50 mm objective and 2,5/3-10/12 magnification. No illumination needed.
TTSX, Partition and A-Frame are good choices, use what´s most precise.
The .300 Win Mag with 180grs (lead) or 165grs lead-free.
The .338 Win Mag with 225grs bullet, for the .375 H&H bullets with 260/270 grs are a good choice for flatter ballistics.

Most important: training from shooting sticks!

 

[cdub]

I have always liked a 2 gun approach. My 2 gun safaris have consisted of a 416 Rigby with 400g tsx or 400g barnes solids, and a 300 H&H shooting 180g ttsx...Unless you just want to, there is no reason to go with more than a 300 with 180g bullet for plains game.

On my DG hunts, DG was obviously the primary target. Plains game would be only chance encounters until my primary was in the salt, so I always left the cruiser with my 416 in hand. I have had chance encounters on reedbuck and hyena on the way back to the cruiser after an unsuccessful buffalo stalk - I simply just shot them with the 416.

Once the main target is down, then I have switched to carrying my 300 and relied on my PH with the big gun. A couple of experiences have shifted my thoughts a little on that. If I were on another safari area with a high probability of running into elephants, I would still carry my 300, but have a tracker carry my 416 as well. You feel very small in the presence of a group of elephant with a 300 in your hand...I was never in any real danger, but I would have felt better if I could have simply switched guns.

 

[mdwest]

nothing wrong with either your 300 WM or your 338... pick one, and go for it..

I have taken everything from impala to zebra to blues to nyala, etc.. etc.. with a .308 loaded with 168gr TTSX at about 2700 fps with no problems at all.. the only PG I think I might hesitate on with my 308 would be a large eland.. and to be truthful I have seen a monster eland fall to a 30-06 and another monster fall to a 35 whelen... (you don't need a big bore.. or even a magnum mid-bore for them)...

If you put the projectile in the right place.. there isn't a PG species that wont fall to either of your options..

 

[Philip Glass]

I have not yet been on a safari, but I plan to join the club in the next one to two years.

My thoughts are based off of reading many suggestions and opinions on here, as well as knowing my own risk/stress levels and tolerances. I am confident I will enjoy the hunt more with my own rifle and not a camp rifle, but it would be nice to know a camp rifle is available if the worst should happen to mine. I also believe taking only one rifle and one bullet is the way I will go, at least for my first safari. Admittedly, I don’t believe DG will be part of my first safari, so that simplifies my decision-making some. I currently own a 300WM and a 375H&H. Initially I was mentally committed to taking the 300, but I’m starting to lean towards the 375. I will say that I haven’t yet picked an outfitter or region I will hunt, so that will definitely play a role in the rifle. If shots will be under 200, the 375H&H will be favored, if over 200 then I will likely favor the 300WM. Time May alter these metrics those. I’m fairly confident I don’t want to take two rifles for my first safari. That may change for any subsequent safaris though.

This will be fun to plan and AH will help tremendously. You are correct in your assessment of which one to take and to only take one. The PG hunts ive been doing lately have had some very long shots involved. Not knowing where you are going and what you are hunting I would still say take the .300 and be able to hit 300 yard shots off sticks.
Regards,
Philip