An all round rifle caliber , for Africa and elsewhere

[375er]

7x57mm Mauser
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Or

.30-06 Springfield
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When this man speaks people should listen.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

When this man speaks people should listen.

Please, thank you so much for your words of appreciation. But I feel so embarrassed when fellow hunters hold me to such high standards. I’m very fallible & flawed.

 

[375er]

Please, thank you so much for your words of appreciation. But I feel so embarrassed when fellow hunters hold me to such high standards. I’m very fallible.

Kind Sir, you have been and done things most on this forum can't even dream about. Your opinion matters greatly! I stand by my statement. Modern whizz-bang are not necessarily worth the marketing hype.

 

[375er]

Please, thank you so much for your words of appreciation. But I feel so embarrassed when fellow hunters hold me to such high standards. I’m very fallible & flawed.

Arguing with you on rifle cartridges is akin to arguing with Harry Selby on the merits of the .416 Rigby. Pointless.

 

[Certus]

For absolutely anything? 9.3x62. Not overkill for most things, will work for the bigger stuff.

.375H&H? Anyone saying that is basing it on nostalgia. The .375 Ruger trumps it because the Ruger fits into a standard length action and gets same performance. That’s my reasoning, at least.
As for me, in Australia, I went a Howa in .30-06 for the do it all in this country rifle. Reliable, sturdy, accurate, what’s not to like? All at budget pricing.
It would do it all in South America, North America and Europe also.

 

[375er]

For absolutely anything? 9.3x62. Not overkill for most things, will work for the bigger stuff.

.375H&H? Anyone saying that is basing it on nostalgia. The .375 Ruger trumps it because the Ruger fits into a standard length action and gets same performance. That’s my reasoning, at least.
As for me, in Australia, I went a Howa in .30-06 for the do it all in this country rifle. Reliable, sturdy, accurate, what’s not to like? All at budget pricing.
It would do it all in South America, North America and Europe also.

Well, the .375 H&H is more than nostalgia. That long tapered case was done for a reason. It eliminates extraction problems that that supercedes a shorter case and action.

 

[skydiver386]

Let me pose the question in another way, since we're talking about "Africa and elsewhere."

I'd like to know of a realistic sport-hunting situation in which a .375 H&H would not be suitable. Biased? Who, me?

According to many members of this forum, Elk hunting in the Western U.S.

 

[375er]

According to many members of this forum, Elk hunting in the Western U.S.

Check your skirt at the door!

 

[skydiver386]

Check your skirt at the door!

I'd have no problem hunting Elk in the U S. with a 375 H&H, but when I suggested it for Elk others balked at such a thing.

 

[375er]

I'd have no problem hunting Elk in the U S. with a 375 H&H, but when I suggested it for Elk others balked at such a thing.

Obvious visigoths, pure commoners....

 

[Tom Leoni]

Well, I'll be going to elk-hunt in Utah later this year, and I'll be taking my .375 H&H.

 

[skydiver386]

Please, thank you so much for your words of appreciation. But I feel so embarrassed when fellow hunters hold me to such high standards. I’m very fallible & flawed.

Quite to the contrary my friend.

Any man that goes after man eating Bengal Tigers with a 12gauge Sikender single shot shotgun and a 5 cell Maglight has my undying respect.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Quite to the contrary my friend.

Any man that goes after man eating Bengal Tigers with a 12gauge Sikender single shot shotgun and a 5 cell Maglight has my undying respect.

It was either that or lose my job !

But thank you so much. I'm incredibly humbled that you enjoyed my autobiography so immensely.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Let me pose the question in another way, since we're talking about "Africa and elsewhere."

I'd like to know of a realistic sport-hunting situation in which a .375 H&H would not be suitable. Biased? Who, me?

Body shots on bull elephants. I unfortunately learnt this the hard way during my first elephant hunt in Botswana.

 

[shark_za]

.30-06 is like a boiled chicken breast.
It will feed you but has no flavour or appeal.

Get a 300 H&H that is basically a 30-06 ++ and do everything with it.
But its spicey and delicious.

 

[MS 9x56]

Please, thank you so much for your words of appreciation. But I feel so embarrassed when fellow hunters hold me to such high standards. I’m very fallible & flawed.

You may be fallible and flawed, but you sir are one helluva hunter, not to mention a consummate gentleman. I applaud you sir.

 

[CBH Australia]

Quite to the contrary my friend.

Any man that goes after man eating Bengal Tigers with a 12gauge Sikender single shot shotgun and a 5 cell Maglight has my undying respect.

See, shot placement matters.
If you can shoot left handed and carry hold the Maglite over your right shoulder like security you can club it if you foul the shot, hopefully.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

You may be fallible and flawed, but you sir are one helluva hunter, not to mention a consummate gentleman. I applaud you sir.

Why, thank you. I always strive to be helpful towards my fellow man.

 

[Deleted member 104187]

I thought this would be an interesting subject on here as African animals are notorious for being tough.

I’ve been considering changing my .270 after 15-20 years ‘just because’. Despite that, it just works.

I’m starting to think that there’s an optimum range between recoil and knockdown. Leaning more towards an accurate, milder caliber where before I thought more leeway was better.

What would you consider the minimum suitable calibers for hunting Africa plains game that would double as a deer rifle? 7x57 comes up on here a lot. 6.5CM too small? 6.5PRC is really tempting me.
I appreciate eland are probably a separate subject.


I appreciate bullet choice is likely as important. I always thought if I ever changed the .270 it would be for a .30-06 but now less seems to be more. I have used a 6.5x55,(home loaded) a lot in the past few years and again, accurate and mild and still drops deer.


Interested in thoughts

I haven’t been to Africa yet. However, I have recently become a fan of my 35 Whelen. It can shoot accurately out to 200 yards. The bullet has a large cross-sectional area. It leaves a big exit hole and I saw a guy use one on an African hunt on television recently in which he shot an Eland at a pretty long distance. The Eland went about 40 feet and piled up. As far as using it for the United States, you can use it for deer all the way up to Moose and I’ve heard some guys use them where you’re able to hunt large bears my original purpose of buying that caliber was for black bear which I haven’t killed yet they are too damned smart.

 

[Terranova]

9,3x64 Brenneke....

HWL

Bonjour à tous,

Voici probablement un des meilleurs calibres au monde. Un des rares qui permet le tir du plus petit gibier au plus gros, y compris les pachydermes. Qui malgré sa puissance, possède un recul acceptable et s'accommode parfaitement d'une lunette de visée. Il est très précis et adapté aux tirs à longue distance avec les ogives dédiées. C'est un calibre stable et régulier, peu influencé par les conditions atmosphériques et qui fait son travail. Avis aux amateurs...

Bien cordialement,

Eric