Minimum caliber for Zebra?

[Red Leg]

No I dont...because the moose have heavy bones I use my .375H&H on them, to be able to shoot frontal shots when the animal is squaring towards me without fearing inferior bullets to break up on them bones..

OK - you're right - I guess that could be read that I implied all. How about "many of our Scandinavian ......"

 

[Pheroze]

View attachment 58957
This one stepped forward just as I squeezed the trigger! I would have been a tad low in the chevrons....but I still got lungs. Instead of dropping him in his tracks he ran 1/4 of a mile! I shot him with a 300 win mag 180 grain Ballistic Silver Tips. If it had been the Swede I think the results would have been the same......a little bit of a track. If your daughter can shoot the rifle well go for it!

Sorry dude, can't take your advice seriously with that avatar...

Nice Zebra btw...

 

[CAustin]

Sorry dude, can't take your advice seriously with that avatar...

Nice Zebra btw...

Have you seen yours????

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi All, re the Zebra and a softer recoiling option.

In my previous response, I was that enthused, I forgot to add my opinion would be a minimum of 150 grain bullet and a quality one at that.

I noticed that RED LEG was positive towards the 6.5x55, but added, opt for a 156g bullet if possible. Rightly you want to be comfortable with your rifle, to aid good shot placement, so get in plenty of practice and practice of sticks.

The 308 170g bullet combination we used last time worked well for us.

PH’s give good advice, so take some time to take in what they say and enjoy your trip.

Rgds

 

[Savage Hunter]

My wife killed this zebra using a 7-08 Accubond 140gr

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Mr. 16 Gauge: Your story sounds familiar to mine. My daughters would occaisionally go to the range with me and plink with 22s, but none ever expressed an interest in hunting. Then one day my youngest daughter said, Dad, I think I want to give African hunting a try. My guess is, the guys she knows at college are all deer and duck hunters, but African hunting is a whole different league. Anyways, I prepared my daughter by shooting a bolt action 223 and a 270. She did quite well from the bench and off sticks. I thought about moving up to the 30-06 and 338 WM, but I decided not to. Didn't want to create a recoil flinch. I knew my daughter was comfortable with the recoil of the 270, but I also knew we'd be using the PH's 300 WM. I figured that shooting off of sticks and during the excitement of the hunt and shot, the difference in recoil wouldn't be noticed. Seemed to have work. My daughter took a nice Mountain Zebra in Namibia with about a 200 yard shoot. It ran a fair ways, but we got it.

 

[Spooksar]

I would avoid any pure copper bullets like the TSX, they need a higher impact velocity to open up.

 

[BRICKBURN]

If a 130 grain .270 Win can do the job, I think you should be just fine.

Exit

Evidence in the boiler room.

 

[AZDAVE]

Shot placement is the rule of the day. Stalk in close and wait for the perfect broadside shot and make sure you provide pics and a good hunt report. However I did shoot mine with my 450NE, because that is what was in my hands when Africa gave me a zebra.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just curious as to what the "common wisdom" is on minimum cartridges for zebra? Would a 6.6x55 Swede with premium bullets be considered too light?
Thanks in advance.............

@ Mr 16 gauge if the 6.5 Swede will handle moose it should handle plains game with the right bullet and correct shot placement. I used the 35 Whelen with 225grain Woodleigh PPSP.
My son used humus Howa 308. Other have gone down to the 257 Roberts up to and past the 416 rem mag.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just curious as to what the "common wisdom" is on minimum cartridges for zebra? Would a 6.6x55 Swede with premium bullets be considered too light?
Thanks in advance.............

@ Mr 16 gauge if the 6.5 Swede will handle moose it should handle plains game with the right bullet and correct shot placement. I used the 35 Whelen with 225grain Woodleigh PPSP.
My son used humus Howa 308. Other have gone down to the 257 Roberts up to and past the 416 rem mag.
Bob

With the reason of your daughter just starting out I would use that 6.6 x55 and not worry about it. The more relaxed she is when taken the shot and not worrying about the gun kicking the stuffing out of her the better. The right shot comes along and she hits it right it is just as dead with that gun as the 30-06.

The biggest step will be getting her shooting good off of the sticks once she is ready.

@Mr 16 gauge
Get her shooting off the sticks from the start with the 22 and others as she works her way up. Don't forget field position as well.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just curious as to what the "common wisdom" is on minimum cartridges for zebra? Would a 6.6x55 Swede with premium bullets be considered too light?
Thanks in advance.............

@ Mr 16 gauge if the 6.5 Swede will handle moose it should handle plains game with the right bullet and correct shot placement. I used the 35 Whelen with 225grain Woodleigh PPSP.
My son used humus Howa 308. Other have gone down to the 257 Roberts up to and past the 416 rem mag.
Bob

With the reason of your daughter just starting out I would use that 6.6 x55 and not worry about it. The more relaxed she is when taken the shot and not worrying about the gun kicking the stuffing out of her the better. The right shot comes along and she hits it right it is just as dead with that gun as the 30-06.

The biggest step will be getting her shooting good off of the sticks once she is ready.

@Mr 16 gauge
Get her shooting off the sticks from the start with the 22 and others as she works her way up. Don't forget field position as well.
Bob

You need a big gun for Zebra. Do not listen to the stories of people shooting them with small calibers. Sure anything can be done on occasion. But do you want to go to the other side of the Planet under gunned? If you are worried about recoil check out Edwards Recoil Reducer. Inexpensive, unique, and effective!
Have a great Safari!
Philip

@phillip Glass
Shot placement, shot placement, proper bullet selection, patience for the right shot and a rifle you shoot well will trump a poorly shot big gun any day.
Good ears to listen to what your PH is telling you and confidence in self and rifle equals one zebra rug and what ever else you shoot.
I don't know why but kids can kill game with rifles we consider inadequate but us adults need the biggest we can get.
My son killed as much with his 08 as I did with the Whelen. In hindsight the 308 would have done both of us.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi All, re the Zebra and a softer recoiling option.

In my previous response, I was that enthused, I forgot to add my opinion would be a minimum of 150 grain bullet and a quality one at that.

I noticed that RED LEG was positive towards the 6.5x55, but added, opt for a 156g bullet if possible. Rightly you want to be comfortable with your rifle, to aid good shot placement, so get in plenty of practice and practice of sticks.

The 308 170g bullet combination we used last time worked well for us.

PH’s give good advice, so take some time to take in what they say and enjoy your trip.

Rgds

@Novice Huntress
My son used Australian made outer edge projectiles 140grain in his 308 on zebra. 180 yards thru and thru slight quatrtering shot massive internal damage , travelled 20 yards. He also used 150 grain accubonds to good effect. Don't really need heavier bullet just a better bullet .
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would avoid any pure copper bullets like the TSX, they need a higher impact velocity to open up.

@Spooksar
The Australian made outer edge projectiles seem to open better than the Barnes and give a big classic mushroom instead of the petals. They even seem to expand on impala and Springbok despite their smaller sizes.
Bob

 

[Dr Ray]

I think going fir a minimum caliber may not be the best way to go.
Why take a risk of losing a great trophy? I suggest you go for a more powerful and bigger caliber than minimum.

 

[TOBY458]

I shot one high in the lungs with a 375 H&H using Swift A Frames and he went around 300 yards before going down. So shot placement is definitely very important as usual. The 300 grain bullet did pass completely through, so there was plenty of blood to follow. So, a good bullet that provides plenty of penetration is probably the most important thing to consider.

 

[Professor Mawla]

I should think very highly of a .30-06 Springfield and 220 grain Remington Core Lokt soft nosed factory loads .

 

[BeeMaa]

I think going fir a minimum caliber may not be the best way to go.
Why take a risk of losing a great trophy? I suggest you go for a more powerful and bigger caliber than minimum.

Agreed.
My PH was very happy with my choice of a 375H&H with 300 grain SAF's.
Took mine at 125 yards and about 3" behind the right chevron.
I got the right lung, but not the left one.
Ran about 100 yards pouring blood from the right side.
The exit wound is visible in this photo in a black stripe, 2 back from the chevron.
I was upset with myself on the poor shot at such close range.
But was thankful for a quick recovery, mostly due to using a 375 and SAF's.

I will emphasize that hitting the "chevron" is the most important.
Having the power of a 375 to reach the other side is important as well.
As for a minimum, Dr Kevin Robertson recommends .30 calibers or 7mmRM.
But you don't loose points for going above that.

If you have time to work your your daughter up to a 30-06, you should consider it.
Lots of 22lr practice with a few shots of the 6.5 for starters.
Slowly move up as her confidence grows.
As others have stated, the addition of a recoil reducer could be in order.

My wife started with a 270WIN and in less than a year was ready for a step up.
It was too close to our safari to be making a change, so we used the 270.
Now she's shooting a 300WM and 375H&H, quite a step up for her.
Slow and consistent practice is what got her there.
BTW - My wife is about 64" tall and 130#.

 

[mark-hunter]

As per my PH, wildebeest and zebra are animals most frequently lost due to poor shot, or wounding.
This should be considered.

So, "just some sufficient" caliber, with hunter not having to much experience (trigger time) should be avoided.

I shot my hartmann zebra, with 300H&H, and at the time I was aiming, I was afraid that even that is not enough. Looking through the scope, zebra was very big!
At that moment, I trully and sincerely wanted to have at least 9.3, or 375 HH. But, my shot was good and Zebra went down, with high shoulder hit and broken spine.

Zebra is large animal, cca 400 kg, and with such body mass it is true big game, in the rank of bear, moose, eland. (it is not a donkey)

 

[WAB]

I’ve shot a few with a 7x57 using 175 gr A-Frames at 2300 fps. It worked very well with full pass through on quartering and broadside shots.