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I take a very simple standpoint: it's the bullet and the necessary velocity that makes a cartridge adequate, not its designation. My (albeit somewhat antiquated) Hornady reloading manual says that in a .45-70 I can push a 500gr .458 bullet at 1,300 to 1,800 feet per second. The same bullet in a...

From what I hear in the industry, the .375 Ruger is flagging in popularity, while the .375 H&H remains as hopping as it has been in the last 113 years. As a 25-year industry professional, I know the dual effect of 1) pressure from management to introduce new product every year and 2) launching...

...And you are a damned good independent sales rep. You are an amazing partner to your customers and a veritable encyclopedia of firearms knowledge, handloading and hunting, not to mention an entertaining storyteller and a fun drinking companion. I am proud to work with you, as is the rest of...

I honestly think that a .30-06 or a non-magnum 7mm, both with good, heavy-for-caliber bullets would be hard to beat for all-around use on African plains game. Ditto for a cartridge like the 8x57mm. I don't see a need for the increased pyrotechnics of a magnum caliber (I know, I hunt with a .375...

Here are mine: 1 - My "baby"--H&H .375 Flanged Magnum, with which I've already hunted 3 continents (soon to be 4): Here's my Watson Brothers Martini in .303, lying against an old pepper tree in Africa: Here's my Westley Richards Model 97 in .500 NE, currently being worked on: And here's...

I'm still unclear about what different people mean by "best." Fastest? If so, why? With the most sectional density? With the largest frontal diameter and the most sectional density? Striking the perfect balance between proven deadliness and ease of carrying and shooting? To me, the best big...

Yep. I'm boxing up my Henry and sending it to Steven Bertram, who said that he can ream it and turn it around in mere days.

I've killed most of my plains game up to eland with a cheap Speer .270gr .375 boat-tail spitzer. Except for a blesbuck that I originally hit too high (entirely my fault), all animals fell at the first shot and stayed down. Any adequately heavy-for caliber bullet at moderate velocities will...

Yet another reason I'm happy I left Europe and I live in the God-Blessed US of A. With the EU, Western Europe has turned its back on its past and all the good things it gave itself and the world. That futuristic, end-of-history bureaucratic technocracy is nothing I'll ever want to deal with. And...

Every time I see a question like this (very valid, BTW), I'd always like to amend it as follows: "What would be the best caliber for [insert 250+ lb African animal] if the .375/9.3 class cartridges didn't exist?"

Heck, I use a single shot for every game I hunt, and when the desire to get a buffalo will hit me, I will not deviate from my preference. Here is a sample of my single shots: from the top, Westley Richards M. 97 in .500 NE, Watson Brothers Martini in .303, and my default go-to rifle, my Holland...

I only got a fairly annoying flu at the tail end of my last safari. Fortunately, though, I had already ticked off the main list of animals I wanted to take and I spent my last two days enjoying some beautiful South African sun outside of my cottage.

I am 100% with @Hunter-Habib on this, and not just because he argues as one of the very few who has hunted lion both captive-bred and in the wild. Disclaimer: I have zero interest in ever killing a lion, also because doing so would feel like going against a member of my family (given my last...

Like others have said: the .375 H&H is a perfect cartridge for either one. Either that, or its European cousins. Easy peasy.

Conagher!

- Who gave you that black eye? - Nobody gave it to me, son--I fought for it. Let's see who gets this without using Google.

Close--Yes, it's Crossfire Trail, but it's the scene when Selleck and his compadres first walk into the bar. That speech is directed at the bartender. One of my favorite Westerns.

I am an uncompromising snob in very many other respects, but my N. 1 requisite for a safari hat (besides looking good and traditional) is that it has to be crushable. I have to be able to stuff it in my backpack while traveling and wearing my earphones or sleeping in the plane, and it has to pop...

I use safaris as an opportunity to give a nod to tradition, in line with the classic rifles I carry. Beretta safari jacket: Tag safari jacket: Midway safari jacket: Bottom line: dress as you like, have the image you want to project and, most of all, have fun and be comfortable.

I guess I'm going through a phase. Before going to Africa, I of course dreamed of kudu and buffalo, like (probably) most people do when they have only a cursory knowledge of sub-tropical game. But once I got a sense of the dizzying array of plains game available, my attention shifted almost...

One early morning, I was in Africa and got lucky enough to kill 3 of the Big 5 in the space of just a couple hours. First a lion. Then, we spotted a 60-pounder bull elephant, pursued him for what seemed like an eternity, and upon felling him, a magnificent book-of-records class Cape buffalo...

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

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? :p

Franz, you're as bad as me: a rifle battery is like a golfbag--each shot deserves its own specialized tool! :ROFLMAO: Here's what I would use: 1. Elephant: a Westley Richards .577 double rifle 2. Hippo: a Jeffery .500 magazine rifle 3. Lion: a .375 H&H (double or magazine) loaded with...

I'm following the 11th Commandment: "If thou hast no kids (that thou knowest of), thou shalt devote thy money to buy thyself a fine rifle every year." @ftrovato and @VertigoBE - I think I have just solved my "which second rifle?" dilemma. Ten to one, this puppy is coming with me to the Karoo...

Lovely! I’ll contact Westley Richards and see if they have the record too!

Yes!

All ~ Bragging time: I have just scored this lovely Westley Richards Mauser in .275 HV (7x57mm). My guess is that it was made sometime in the early 20th century, but best thing of all, it's been relined in England during its working life, thus has a mirror bore and is an absolute tack-driver...

I love the 7mm-08. It's a splendid cartridge. The only reason why I don't own one is that it didn't exist in the era of the rifles I like. Only potential drawback I see compared to other 7mm cartridges is that its short neck makes the use of the splendid 175gr bullets a problem. But with (say)...

God bless him and his family and friends, who must be suffering beyond belief. I will say, however, that if I had to choose the mode of my own death, I'd choose this one a million times over a prolonged illness, or God forbid passing after years of dementia. A relatively quick death while...

Hi, @Tug ~ Interesting thread. Though not appreciated by all, cartridge efficiency is something that many powderheads care about--gun writers being particularly famous for waxing technical about it. Less powder creating less recoil and muzzle flash, ability to chamber in a shorter action, sheer...

While I personally have no use for a .450 WM, it is a splendid cartridge in its own right. The versatility of the .458 diameter, with the plethora of bullets available, is truly staggering. You essentially have a .45-70 Springfield carbine load all the way to a .450 Nitro Express. I really like...

I dunno. I've hunted Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, Texas and many other states on behalf of my companies (Beretta USA, then Benelli USA). But when it comes to paying for my own hunts--which I do most often--I see the cost and the hassle associated even with a half-decent elk hunt here in...

As someone who manages another French brand (Chapuis), I had heard that already months ago. It appears that management has decided to focus on military/defense and abandon the production of sporting rifles. I have found this extremely disconcerting, since I know the quality of the rifles they...

BTW, one thing I'm a bit unclear on, which may impact my choice. When importing a rifle to South Africa, does the rifle *have* to be stamped with the same caliber as the ammo you're bringing? My Alex Henry does not have a caliber designation on it, for instance. I'm also getting a 7x57 that is...

Get a nice Zeiss Conquest V6 and you will never look back. It's perfect, and you will never need better quality or more magnification--well worth the extra few hundreds you're going to spend.

It’s your handle, flanged magnum flavor! I load it with 270gr boat-tail spitzers and it’s a mild shooter and an absolute killer.

Sorry (not really!) for reviving the thread... I have booked my safari and my flights, so my 2025 Springbok Slam + whatever else the gods send my way is happening for sure. Wheels up on Aug. 26. Besides my beloved H&H single shot (the one in my profile pic), which will get the lion's share of...

I ended up contacting Africa Sky, where I also booked a room since I arrive at 7:40 PM an my plane for Port Elizabeth isn't until 1 PM the next day. They will do my permit, meet me, help me through customs and drive me to the hotel. Thanks everyone for your excellent suggestions. I had used...

Wow, that’s so very helpful! Thank you!!!!

Gentlemen--here's an update. I have tried to contact Steven Bertram, who also has a .500 Westley Model 97 of mine to do some work on it. Was not able to get a hold of him. Today I talked to J.J., and he seems to think that his slightly tweaking the chamber (and possibly the extractor) to fit...

Hi, Dave, do you have contact info for Ken Owen? Thank you - Tom

Hi, Bryan--thanks for the heads-up. I'm interested in knowing more about your experience with this. I have dozens of vintage rifles and this is the first time I've experienced this problem.

All ~ I have recently acquired a lovely Alex Henry .450 BPE single shot, probably from the mid 1880s. Upon attempting to insert an empty resized case, it appears that the head is slightly too wide for the chamber, thereby preventing the case to fully insert. It's probably a matter of just a few...

All ~ I'll be taking the direct Delta flight from Atlanta this year, meaning that I'll have to spend a night in Jo'burg before my connection to Port Elizabeth at 1 the next day. This thread is extremely helpful. Just to confirm, though: Once I take my rifles out of customs, I can take them...

CMK stole my thunder. If we are talking big-game hunting cartridges, I love to hate every number introduced after 1930. If I had to pick the cartridges that I see as lice in Satan's beard (in jest, of course) I would mention the various Lazzeronis, STWs, WSMs, WSSMs, 6.5 Creedmoor and its many...

First, always ask them to define their terms: what do they mean by "trophy hunting"? If the person is at all open minded and genuinely curious, this question will jumble them up enough to realize how little they truly know. The curve of the Dunning-Kruger effect can be quite a shocker once...

Yes, the one and only!

Hi, Mike! Hmmm... Somehow I never thought of the .450 BPE (or, in the guise in which I load it, .450 Nitro for Black) as a buff cartridge. But going back on my notes, I see that it was very much employed for such critters back in the days of yore. I guess I took my friend Ross Seyfried by the...

Too late for that... I've hunted with "works of art" for decades now. But I always have my Ballistol wipes handy, and none of my guns is any worse for wear.