Aside from the 375H&H, which dangerous game cartridge has taken the most game?

[WAB]

Ah, I would, @WAB . But I cannot, only for the following reason:
Literally (and without exception) EVERY African game department was using this caliber for their elephant, hippopotamus and Cape buffalo culling programs from 1969 to 1991 (and thus accounted for elephant, hippopotamus & Cape buffalo in the thousands). In addition to the average visiting hunter & white hunter. When I was going on my African Safaris between 1974 & 1984… I have never seen a single white hunter who was armed with anything OTHER THAN A .458 Winchester Magnum as their dangerous game backup rifle of choice.

This page from Mike LaGrange’s book “Ballistics In Perspective“ sheds some crucial light on the matter. The sample illustrates how much the .458 Winchester Magnum was used during just 2 years of this time frame.
View attachment 548349View attachment 548350

I don’t disagree that it saw extensive use after 1956. However, the sheer volume of game shot before that date dwarfs what has been shot since.

Alas, we will never know for certain, but I feel the true answer lies in whatever cartridge was king between 1880 and WWII.

 

[grand veneur]

But @grand veneur , I did mention the 10.75x68mm Mauser.

I said:
In an issue of “Hatari Times”, Harald Wolf writes that the 10.75x68mm Mauser used to be the universally accepted hunting caliber of choice in the Belgian Congo.

Kenya made the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum the legal minimum for eland and most dangerous game in 1956, according to my White Hunter (Mr. Cheffings). I think that .400 bore was the minimum legally accepted caliber for rhinoceros & elephant.

Sorry, but I read it too late, you had already added something to your post.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I don’t disagree that it saw extensive use after 1956. However, the sheer volume of game shot before that date dwarfs what has been shot since.

Alas, we will never know for certain, but I feel the true answer lies in whatever cartridge was king between 1880 and WWII.

The only way we could know that one, would be by breaking down what was popular in each individual region.

So,
Mozambique- .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, 9.3x62
Belgian Congo- 10.75x68mm Mauser

I wish there was some way of finding out about the other places. The biggest issue that we have, is that rifles & ammunition for more than a dozen dangerous game calibers could all be sourced (none particularly easier or more difficult to find than the other) back when Kynoch was still running. So it might have boiled down to a lot of personal preference.

 

[WAB]

The only way we could know that one, would be by breaking down what was popular in each individual region.

So,
Mozambique- .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, 9.3x62
Belgian Congo- 10.75x68mm Mauser

I wish there was some way of finding out about the other places. The biggest issue that we have, is that rifles & ammunition for more than a dozen dangerous game calibers could all be sourced (none particularly easier or more difficult to find than the other) back when Kynoch was still running. So it might have boiled down to a lot of personal preference.

I would guess that it was whatever the settlers used to take out the large herds of buffalo.

 

[grand veneur]

The situation 1960 as far as British cartridges were concerned.

Gun Digest 1960 14th Annual Edition

 

[grand veneur]

Statement to the cartridge 458 Winchester Magnum in the same catalogue.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Statement to the cartridge 458 Winchester Magnum in the same catalogue.

View attachment 548379

Clearly, he never shot the .460 Weatherby Magnum.

 

[grand veneur]

It is mentioned, but otherwise no comments !

 

[IvW]

9.3x62mm
404 Jeff
458WM
416 Rigby got a lot of bling but killed a lot less

 

[CoElkHunter]

Statement to the cartridge 458 Winchester Magnum in the same catalogue.

View attachment 548379

"are an "overdose" for practically all other game with the exceptions of Indian tiger, Asian gaur and Alaskan brown bear. I would THINK my .338 Winchester Magnum would be completely adequate for hunting those species and became a factory cartridge the same year (1956) as the .458WM? I love my CZ 550 .458WM, but I'm not sure it would be necessary to hunt those species unless one just wanted to?

 

[John Wasmuth]

"are an "overdose" for practically all other game with the exceptions of Indian tiger, Asian gaur and Alaskan brown bear. I would THINK my .338 Winchester Magnum would be completely adequate for hunting those species and became a factory cartridge the same year (1956) as the .458WM? I love my CZ 550 .458WM, but I'm not sure it would be necessary to hunt those species unless one just wanted to?

Asian Guar might be a little iffy with a .338 Wm. Be like shooting a M-1Abrams with a 5.56x45….. but it’d be fun for a couple seconds any way

 

[PerH]

.338, 9,3 minimum with Hydro i think would be good for gaur , but I would also like 400 or .458

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Nothing under .500 bore (i.e .500 Nitro Express, .500 Jeffery, .505 Gibbs) should ever be used for tackling a gaur. And only the strongest constructed solids at a minimum velocity of 2100 fps.

 

[PerH]

Nothing under .500 bore (i.e .500 Nitro Express, .500 Jeffery, .505 Gibbs) should ever be used for tackling a gaur. And only the strongest constructed solids at a minimum velocity of 2100 fps.

NPB Hunting Solid bullets .500

100% lead-free bullets. Extreme penetration! CNC machined. Available in dangerous game calibers.

www.npb.as

Norwegian made and good ones . Hope some other types , like .458 follow soon .

 

[Hunter-Habib]

NPB Hunting Solid bullets .500

100% lead-free bullets. Extreme penetration! CNC machined. Available in dangerous game calibers.

www.npb.as

Norwegian made and good ones . Hope some other types , like .458 follow soon .

Hey, those are actually some nice looking solids, Per. I personally would prefer the nose to be slightly more flattened at the point, for enhancing straight line penetration.

 

[PerH]

Hey, those are actually some nice looking solids, Per. I personally would prefer the nose to be slightly more flattened at the point, for enhancing straight line penetration.

Ask them on their page in chat tomorrow with your suggestions on them . They would like that .
If something along then.303 design of yours there would make it even better.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’d have to guess the 303 is in the lead, followed by the 7.62x51.
there are probably more rifles chambers in 7.62x51 than any any other caliber.
If only considering sporting rifles I would guess the 9.3 62 then 458 Winchester.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

UPDATE

Tanzania- .404 Jeffery
Rhodesia (Before becoming Zimbabwe)- .404 Jeffery

 

[xausa]

Copy. I also know little about military weapons - but looks just like the one our scout carried - see here:

Saidi holding down our 6 in some proper bush shoes.

He was a heck of a nice guy. On the way back one evening, just at dark he all the sudden tapped the roof and asked Martin to stop. He jumped out and ran in front of the LC and picked up his hat. It had blown off his head three hours earlier in the day and he said nothing - just remembered where it fell. He spent the whole time in the sun with no hat.



View attachment 548190

Wnen I last visited Kenya Bunduki in 1974, my Nairobi gun shop of preference, I found a Westley Richards Ovundo O/U double rifle with hand detachable locks in caliber .350 Rigby No. 2 at a very reasonable price and proceeded to buy it. It was one of a pair belonging to the Maharaja of soandso and I fooled around with it until I decided that it was worthless to me without a scope and I knew of no one who could mount a scope on it without ruining the value, so I sold it. Recently, I saw the other half of the pair for sale on line, having been rebored and rechambered to 9.3X74R and fitted with a scope in Gereman claw mounts. You can imagine what my reaction was!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I’d say the 404 Jeff. The Jeff did all the heavy lifting before rigby showed up

UPDATE

Tanzania- .404 Jeffery
Rhodesia (Before becoming Zimbabwe)- .404 Jeffery

It had widespread use among game departments didn’t it? Almost standard issue?