Advice needed Dangerous Game rifle

[xausa]

It strikes me as odd that no one has raised the issue which is the deciding one for me: thin skin dangerous game, or thick skin? I would classify lion and leopard in the former category and buffalo, rhino and elephant in the latter. I consider the .375 H&H ideal for thin skin dangerous game, but would be hesitant to use it for the others. I have always used my .458WM and wildcat .505 SRE for them, and never regretted the extra power they bring with them. I also used soft points for thin skinned game and solids for the thick skinned varieties.

If you are thoroughly confident of your shooting skills under all circumstances, or if you are content to fire the first shot at thick skinned game and let your professional hunter back you up should you fail to make an effective shot, by all means go with the .375 H&H and solids, but if you want the satisfaction of taking the world's largest game without assistance, opt for a more powerful caliber. Practice with reduced loads and sight in off the bench using a "lead sled" type device. You will never notice the recoil in the heat of the moment, when the time comes to actually take a shot at dangerous game.

 

[Tanks]

As far as shooting goes, the big boys probably aren’t the best place to start.

The OP already has used a .375 on a buffalo and the next step up is the .404J and the "big boys" start with a .5XX.

I vote skip the big boys and stick with the .375. Hit probability will be greater as will shoulder and face survival.

The OP is not asking advice on a .505 Gibbs etc., .404J is just a small step up.

In regards to reloading, case prep etc. is completely different between pistol and rifle. Doing one will not prep someone for the other. I reload pistol on a progressive at a leisurely rate of 2K rounds or so an hour. Much more batch oriented with the rifle reloading. Not to mention heck of a less quantity per reloading session.

 

[375er]

It strikes me as odd that no one has raised the issue which is the deciding one for me: thin skin dangerous game, or thick skin? I would classify lion and leopard in the former category and buffalo, rhino and elephant in the latter. I consider the .375 H&H ideal for thin skin dangerous game, but would be hesitant to use it for the others. I have always used my .458WM and wildcat .505 SRE for them, and never regretted the extra power they bring with them. I also used soft points for thin skinned game and solids for the thick skinned varieties.

If you are thoroughly confident of your shooting skills under all circumstances, or if you are content to fire the first shot at thick skinned game and let your professional hunter back you up should you fail to make an effective shot, by all means go with the .375 H&H and solids, but if you want the satisfaction of taking the world's largest game without assistance, opt for a more powerful caliber. Practice with reduced loads and sight in off the bench using a "lead sled" type device. You will never notice the recoil in the heat of the moment, when the time comes to actually take a shot at dangerous game.

Harry Selby himself once posted on another site about how much he liked the .375 and that he was more impressed with it every time he saw it used. Hard to argue with a man of his experience and stature. Put a good bullet in the right place, game over.

 

[Tom Leoni]

As far as needing it, there's dangerous game and dangerous game. Except perhaps for pachyderms under certain conditions, a .375 H&H is more than adequate for pretty much anything that walks. And even then, I bet that many PHs would rather a client tackle elephant or hippo with with a .375 that he shoots confidently rather than with a .400+ that may make him flinch. The difference in recoil is not huge, but it's noticeable.

A well-placed 300 gr bullet from a .375 will bring down an elephant or hippo just as well as a 400 grainer. It's also true that if I had to stop a charge from a buffalo, a pachyderm, or even a lion, I'd rather have a .400+ than a .375--but the likelihood of me having to do so is quite slim.

Now, if you instead want a dangerous game rifle, that's a whole different ball of wax--and I completely sympathize (*grin*). The .416 Rigby is one of the best-designed cartridges in history and if you look at the case profile, it's amazingly ahead of its time as it came out a full year before the .375 H&H. The .404 was Jeffery's attempt at duplicating the ballistics of the older .450-400 NE in a bolt gun with reliable feeding. If velocity and energy are your bag, the Rigby will give you 300 ft/sec and a full 1,100 ft/lbs more in original factory ballistics. Naturally, if you handload your mileage may vary. The difference in frontal area is, in my opinion, negligible--.416 versus .423.

What I said about the .416 Rigby is also true for the other non-Weatherby .416s, give or take a few tens fps. I handload for everything I shoot, so ammo availability is an issue on which you'll have to make your own considerations.

Hey, I know: get both!

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

There is no bad choice in calibres mentioned, 375, 404, 416 etc. A rifle that operates reliably paired with quality projectiles is just as important as calibre if not more important. Also don't let the "client" comments cloud your judgement too much, I see a lot of comments on here about client vs PH. I live in a world where I hunt dangerous game on my own frequently as well as occasionally on guided hunts and I say if you are confident in shooting the bigger calibres well and that's what you want then go for it.

 

[IvW]

If you already have a 375 get a 404 Jeff loaded with 450gr bullets for DG.....

 

[IvW]

You get light for caliber high velocity fanatics who often also like new calibers then you get those who prefer old proven heavy for caliber at modest proven velocity fanatics.....I am part of the latter.....a 404 Jeff as a dedicated DG game rifle with 450gr premium bullets at 2200 fps is better than a 416 R....it will also take 1 more round in the chamber....at lower recoil.....paired with a 375 with 300gr bullets you are ready for anything......

 

[TTundra]

but if you want the satisfaction of taking the world's largest game without assistance, opt for a more powerful caliber.

Simple statement but deep meaning. Something I hope for in my hunts.

 

[Rule 303]

I have a 416 Rigby simply because I could not afford the price CZ were asking for the 404. I too was tossing up which to get at the time. I was told it was easier to find Ammo and components for the Rigby. Yes the Rigby does boot more than most in that range. However I am very happy with the Rigby.