300 Win Mag options?

[IvW]

I currently shoot a Rem 700 Sendero in 7mm Rem Mag and a Savage 10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. I am a complete rookie when it comes to Africa, so any suggestions or information is much appreciated.

You have all you need for a PG hunt right here with the right bullets you are set to go...

Spend the US$ 2000 on more animals not a new rifle.....

 

[IvW]

I have killed pretty much all plains game with a 6.5 creedmore

Not legal for all plains game in SA....

 

[The Engineer]

I have used a 300 Win and factory 200gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws on over 20 species of plains game from Klipspringer to Eland with only an occasional second shot required. I have stuck with the Bear Claws as they shoot minute of angle in my rifle and work well. If I were starting now I would probably explore the "more modern bullets".

That being said, from my experience shot placement combined with a penetrating bullet is much more critical than power. IE: Do not use a caliber any larger than you can shoot well.

Enjoy your safari.

 

[fourfive8]

If you peruse enough of these threads you'll notice some common themes and common choices for types and brands of bullets from many sources, some more experienced than others. Commonly recommended bullets would include such as A Frames and TSXs both of which I have tested and used a lot and would recommend.

In addition, another I forgot to mention in my earlier post is the TBBC or Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. I have used this bullet but not to the extent of the A Frame or TSX. Currently there seems to be some sources of loaded ammunition with this bullet but it is hit or miss and has been even harder in the past to come by on a regular basis as a reloading component. The TBBC is a design that seems to perform very well over a wide range of impact velocities. Unfortunately, there are/have only been a total three similarly designed bonded bullets- The TBBC, the Rhino Softpoint and the North Fork Softpoint.... and none are easy to come by! One is currently available but primarily in RSA- the Rhino bonded soft point. The second WAS available here in US until recently when the company shut down- The North Fork Bonded Softpoint. It is currently being considered for production and importing back into the US by another company. And lastly the earliest design of the three- the TBBC. The availability of the TBBC as a component bullet was/has been so inconsistent that I never bothered with it except for a few factory rounds so loaded.

As I stated earlier in another post- there are quite a few bonded lead core bullets on the market, with many, IMO, simply designed for catching a share of the market hype surrounding the "bonded" bullet. If they have a thin, conventionally designed copper cup bonded to a standard lead core... they are better than a frangible old style cup and core but not by much! They will fail on tough tissue or bone and may not stand up well even on soft tissue if impact velocity is beyond a narrow range. So buyer/user beware! Such examples would include: the Federal Fusion and the Remington Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded. Even the Norma Oryx, which is a popular bonded bullet is NOT a particularly tough bullet- possibly slightly better than the other two mentioned.

Here's a pic of a 175 gr 7 mm TBBC out of a Rem Mag recovered from an impala. Quite a bit of loss of nose mass but very controlled expansion as the jacket thickens near the solid base. In addition to the basic bonding of the jacket to the core, the jacket tapered-to-solid base is THE design feature common to the group of three mentioned- TBBC, North Fork Softpoint and Rhino Softpoint. It is not a perfect mushroom and a little lop sided but did the job well.

 

[chashardy]

Model 70 Winchester 300 winmag is my light rifle for plains game and it's heavy enough for big plains game animals like eland. I use 200 grain Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Bear Claw ammo. Great combination. I bought the Model 70 supergrade with maple stock and put a Leupold 6-12X30 red dot scope on it. Perfect rifle for plains game and only about $1600 total for rifle and scope.

 

[MISportsman]

I have a savage 116 weather warrior .300 win mag that I love! It is about the most accurate rifle I have and its light enough to carry all day. Being so light its a bit peppy off the bench, but use a lead sled rest to sight in and you will be fine. Its not bad at all to shoot off hand. As said before a good .30-06 and keep shots within 300-400 yds and you will be fine also.

 

[Goose Cracker]

As others have said your 7mm RM will be fine and the animals won't know the difference. I'd stick with heavy for caliber premium bullets like an A Frame or a TBBC, also as others have suggested. The Federal factory load with 175g TBBC would be perfect if you can get it to shoot in your rifle.

If you simply must have a 300WM (and to be fair, everyone *should* have a 30oWM just because) I love my Christensen. It's an older model 14 steel-barreled rifle before the Mesa model was introduced. Seems to shoot everything sub-MOA and is the softest shooting 300WM I've shot. My sons fight over it. Youngest used it in Canada in Nov on whitetail and I took it to Africa in 2017. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a Ridgeline or Mesa in 300WM, or any other caliber for that matter. Comes with a Timney, a fluted bolt, and a threaded barrel ready for a suppressor. All for less than $1700 (Ridgeline). But there are loads of great rifles to choose from these days.

I have a Mesa in 6.5CM that also is a tack driver with lots of different ammo.

Finally, as has been mentioned - whatever you decide to take practice with shooting sticks a lot. Then practice more. I used my rimfires when practicing off sticks early on to save $. Then shoot your hunting rifle off sticks at 100 and 200 yards until comfortable with your groups. I also did lots and lots of dry-fire practice with my hunting rifle (as in 5-10 trigger pulls a day on the sticks virtually every day for a couple months before departure).

 

[Ridgewalker]

PBrick, something you need to be aware of. I didn’t see anyone mention above. If you draw blood from an animal, you pay for the animal. This is pretty much universal.

When you practice off sticks, set them up. Practice until comfortable at what ever max distance you plan to shoot (I would suggest 200 yards max). Sling your rifle. Start to count or use a phone timer. In my experience you may have 5 seconds to get a killing shot off before the animal moves. In Africa, they rarely stand there staring at you like a whitetail deer. They seem to keep moving, so be prepared.

Oh you’re going to have a grand time for sure!

 

[meigsbucks]

If you want to buy a new rifle, may I recommend you purchase a .223 “practice rifle”. Preferably a Remington 700 as it is the same action as your 7 mag. This will provide you with plenty of inexpensive practice. And don’t forget about your good old .22 lr. Practice field positions, off sticks and offhand. That said, still practice with the rifle you’ll use in Africa.
Putting a good bullet in the right place are the main criteria in lethality.
IMO: Your 7mm Rem Mag with a good 160-175 gr bullet ( Barnes or Swift would be my choices) should do the job on everything if you do your part, although I would prefer a heavier rifle for eland.
Me... I’m a two gun guy and if I go on another PG hunt will probably take a 7mm mag and a .338 mag.

 

[Newboomer]

Pbrick,
Take your 7RM with Barnes 160g TSX. It will take any pg in Africa. Took mine on my first safari and collected game from springbok to zebra at ranges from 50 to 268 yards. One shot kills. Save your bucks for other animals. You may have a list but I guarantee you it will lengthen. You will see something you "just can't live without".

 

[BeeMaa]

You will see something you "just can't live without".

It's like candy at the checkout line at the grocery store.
You know you don't NEED a Baby Ruth, but damn it would look good hanging on my wall.
...wait...I think I got that mixed up.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Welcome!

I agree with other posters... a 300 WM is a wonderful cartridge for African PG, but isn’t a necessary minimum at all..

Much depends on what you are hunting and where..

Are we talking eland or impala? 100 yard shots or 300 yard shots..

SA is a big place with lots of diversity in both game and terrain..

For what it’s worth I’ve taken everything from impala and warthog to blue wildebeest and a host of other animals with either a .308 or a 7mm Mauser.. and never once did I feel under gunned when making a decision to squeeze the trigger

Actually, this is why so many including myself love the .300 Win Mag.
100 yds-300 Yds.. Don't matter.

Steinbok or Eland.. Don't matter.

I chose a Christensen Arms Custom II a few years ago as my go anywhere crescent wrench after trying in vain to find ammo for one of my whiz bang boutique magnums. Its been after Elk, Moose, Deer, and to Africa and I wouldn't change a thing. Super light and shoots so soft with the titanium brake my daughter took her first whitetail at the age of 10. I really didn't want to buy a new scope for the original hunt so I borrowed a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18x44 BT off another rifle and it never left.

I have 4 different factory loads that shoot 1/2"-3/4". It does only like 180 gr. plus, which is ok with me. So I have a bunch of Barnes Vortx 180gr.

The OP can buy a real nice rifle under $2k, far under. I'd still like a Remington Model 700 CDL-SF. Something about the stainless fluted barrel and wood stock excites me.

 

[CBH Australia]

What grain missile do you recommend?

I too am thinking of a .300wm , 1 reason I want it reason 2 I see a secondhand Tikka at a good price and I have other Tikka so I can reconfigure stocks etc at will as they are modular

That said i have just done my firs time African Safari using the outfitter 7mmRM
I believe his load was with 154gn Hornady SST, he is a keen hunter and I used it on Warthog, Impala, Kudu cow and Bull and a Blue Wildebeeste. All down with one shot but some did make a short run but shots were fatal.
If you want to carry the Sendero then it will work.
I would also like a Sendero but not as a hunting rifle as such due to the weight.
I used a The outfitter Sako 7mmRM wit he swarovski scope and suppressor. I didn’t complain about the weight etc. I can now see the improvements Sako have over Tikka but that comes at a cost obviously.

 

[BenKK]

Stick to your Remington Sendero. My Dad took his (7mm STW) to the Eastern Cape and it performed magnificently, very accurate.

 

[MarkB]

PBrick

The caliber does not matter, ALL that DOES matter is the right bullet in the right spot. Many calibers kill when that is done correct. If you need an excuse to buy a new gun, by all means use the safari as that excuse but be able to kill with it.

MB

 

[Fastrig]

I currently shoot a Rem 700 Sendero in 7mm Rem Mag and a Savage 10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. I am a complete rookie when it comes to Africa, so any suggestions or information is much appreciated.

My PH is lending me his 7mm rem mag for a kudu hunt....would say that is plenty of rifle for PG outside of an eland, though it would do that in a pinch with good ammo and shot placement.

 

[James Cook]

300 WM will kill Eland also. Caught with that rifle in my hand on a zebra stalk. Shot an eland at 255 yds quartering away. Fell w/in 100 yards of where I shot it. My PH said if he had to pick one rifle for all plains game, it would be the 300 WM.

 

[Tra3]

@CBH Australia did you just recently finish a hunt? I recall that you were going recently.
Hunt report?
Bullet performance from that 7 mag?
Did you gain a pound or two from good food?

 

[ActionBob]

According to their book, Dick and Mary Cabela took a 7mm Rem mag and a 375 on their various African Hunts.

As for a 300 win mag, as mentioned a M70 is a great choice. As is a Ruger Hawkeye, but I prefer a Mark II in fact my Mark II Express models in 300 and 338 win mag are a couple of my favorites.

But I just bought a Mauser M12 to have a removable magazine, haven't shot it yet but it sure us pretty and feels good.

And if you have a Remington and love, stick with that!

 

[Fastrig]

According to their book, Dick and Mary Cabela took a 7mm Rem mag and a 375 on their various African Hunts.

As for a 300 win mag, as mentioned a M70 is a great choice. As is a Ruger Hawkeye, but I prefer a Mark II in fact my Mark II Express models in 300 and 338 win mag are a couple of my favorites.

But I just bought a Mauser M12 to have a removable magazine, haven't shot it yet but it sure us pretty and feels good.

And if you have a Remington and love, stick with that!

You are going to love the M12....mine is in 9.3x62, with the Max thumb hole stock, and is my favorite rifle to carry and shoot.