Best gun for hunting Cape buffalo?

[Bert the Turtle]

If you shoot that A-bolt a lot, you may want to consider one in 375. I use an A-bolt in 30-06 as my light rifle and a Granite Mountain Mauser actioned 404 for my medium-heavy. I am so used to the tang safety on the A-bolt and have so much time using that rifle that I had a tang safety installed on the Mauser. That alone cost me more than a lot of factory rifles, but that's how it is. I am so used to a tang safety that I don't consciously think about it any more- when I shot my kudu, I had a fleeting chance at it, just put the rifle on target and shot. I never thought about it, but I removed the safety automatically. Thousands of repetitions doing that between rifle and shotgun. So I knew I wanted the same automatic response on a dangerous game rifle.

The reason I say consider an A-bolt is that there are a few differences between the A-bolt and some other actions. First is the tang safety, second is the 60 degree bolt throw. If you have considerable experience with the A-bolt, the 90 degree throw of a Mauser action will seem odd- you end up a lot closer to the scope than you do with an A-Bolt. Because I was in the market for something "nicer" I didn't follow my own advice, but as a purely practical matter, it makes sense to be as familiar with your weapons as possible. The fewer adjustments you have to make, the better. I'm not saying the A-bolt is an inherently better action (although it has been 100% reliable for me); I am saying that it is better to have your primarily weapons handle as similarly as possible. Less to think about, and in a crunch, people revert to what is most familiar.

I guess now I'll have to have an '06 made to match my 404. To maintain the familiarity and all. ;]

 

[matt85]

So a lot of people have been mentioning this Winchester safari express... Has anybody shot this? What are some good caliber configurations? Thanks.

i have shot all three currently available Winchester Safari Express rifles and currently own a Winchester Safari Express in 416 RM.

link: http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=001C&mid=535204

the Winchester M70 Safari is easily the best bang for your buck safari rifle on the market at the moment! here in the US the average price is around 1100-1200 US dollars which puts it in the same price range as CZ. the Winchester rifle comes with a beautifully smooth reliable action reinforced with two cross bolts for added protection against stock splitting (never heard of a Win Safari splitting a stock). the Winchester trigger is crisp, creep free, and adjustable which in my opinion already puts it ahead of the game compared to other rifles in the same price range.

the two real flaws to the Win M70 Safari are the rather short stock (13.75" LOP) and that all the Safari rifles are built using the same barrel diameter. this means the 375 H&H version will have a very thick heavy barrel while the 458 WM version will have a very light thin barrel. the Winchester website will claim they all weight 9 pounds but this is incorrect, the 375 actually weighs closer to 10 pounds and the 458 WM weighs closer to 8 pounds while the 416 sits in the middle at 9 pounds. in my opinion the 375 is too muzzle heavy and the 458 is just too light for caliber without a scope. the Safari in 416 is easily the best choice as it has almost perfect balance and when you mount a scope it seems to sit at a perfect 10.5 pounds which is easy to carry and easy to shoot.

as for the 416 RM VS the 416 Rigby: i dont ever bother running either cartridge over 400gr at 2300fps, a 400gr .416" bullet at 2300fps will kill ANYTHING! actually my DG load for the 416 RM at the moment is a 400gr Swift A-frame at 2250fps and i would trust this load to put down the grumpiest of buffalo. the main difference between the two cartridges is the 416 RM is cheaper to get brass/ammunition for while the 416 Rigby has more history and can fit longer bullets like the 400gr Barnes TSX due to its massive case capacity.

-matt

 

[Dragan miloševič]

Ok so I'm going to consider this Winchester safari m70 express is .416 rem mag. It seems like a dependable rifle and cartridge. the price range is manageable. Also, should I bring a back up rifle? I've heard of people talking about a backup rifle on here. What would you guys recommend?

 

[bassasdaindia]

Ok so I'm going to consider this Winchester safari m70 express is .416 rem mag. It seems like a dependable rifle and cartridge. the price range is manageable. Also, should I bring a back up rifle? I've heard of people talking about a backup rifle on here. What would you guys recommend?

take another M70 in 416 Remington

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

take another M70 in 416 Remington

I like it bassasdaindia.
Witold

 

[CAustin]

Ruger 416 Guide Gun! Will take down anything in Africa as I said from warthog to Elephant. Here is proof that it does a fine job on Cape Buffalo!

Proof of damage done to Nyala, medium size plains game!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

View attachment 49439
Ruger 416 Guide Gun! Will take down anything in Africa as I said from warthog to Elephant. Here is proof that it does a fine job on Cape Buffalo!
View attachment 49440
Proof of damage done to Nyala, medium size plains game!

Great caliber but I prefer 404Jeffery.

 

[matt85]

im a big fan of carrying a back up rifle as it seems like i always have some kind of trouble out in the bush. on my last hunt the red dot optic on my 505 Gibbs quit working because it got soaked in the rain (thankfully this was after i shot my buffalo). the hunt before that i found my scope to have lost zero and didn't have time to fix it.

what you use as a back up rifle is up to you but it should be suitable for all game you plan on taking. in my case i used a 505 Gibbs backed up with a 416 RM.

-matt

 

[Sika98k]

Lol why not ask a simpler question like "What is the meaning of life?"

42

 

[Dragan miloševič]

Dragon you are about to open a big can of worms here but that's ok! You must have a minimum 375 caliber. That being said how much money do you want to spend. Are you going after all the big five or just the Cape buffalo ?

For right now I plan on just going for buffalo. So, do you think a .416 Remington magnum is a adequate choice for buf hunting ?

 

[Dragan miloševič]

I could not choose for my buff hunt in 2013, so I took my 375 H&H and my 416 Rigby. Always good to have a spare gun...

What company is your 375 H&H and .416 rigby made by?

 

[CAustin]

For right now I plan on just going for buffalo. So, do you think a .416 Remington magnum is a adequate choice for buf hunting ?

Absolutely the 416 Rem Mag will get the job done

 

[Dragan miloševič]

.... And do yo intend to take PG on the same hunt? There are a lot of folks here with favorites in both caliber and action (I love my scoped S2 Blaser double). However, I firmly believe that the "best" rifle and caliber for a new buffalo hunter is a .375 bolt action, scoped with the best piece of glass he can afford having a low end range of 1 or 1.5, and firing a quality expanding 300 gr bullet. With such a rifle you can cleanly take buffalo up close and personal and still drop a kudu at 250 yards. Quality rifles run the price gambit from the CZ thru Dakotas and Blasers to some of the finest custom built rifles in the world. You will have fun on this quest and will receive a lot of firmly held opinions.

thank for the response! I've been considering one weapon that appeals to me. The Mauser 98 .404 Jeffery. Is this a good buffalo rifle?many .416 rigby's you recommend?

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I use 404Jeffery. Mauser M98 in 404Jeffery is very good for buffalo.
You will be contented Dragan.Very good choice.
Good luck.
Witold

 

[Velo Dog]

Ok so I'm going to consider this Winchester safari m70 express is .416 rem mag. It seems like a dependable rifle and cartridge. the price range is manageable. Also, should I bring a back up rifle? I've heard of people talking about a backup rifle on here. What would you guys recommend?

Hi Dragan Milosevic,

I do not bother with bringing two rifles around the world.
All of the PH's I have had the pleasure of meeting all own at least one spare rifle.
Being a rifle nut first and a hunter second, I do like to use my own.
However, not so much as to want to lug an extra one, extra ammunition for another caliber, etc.
Fact is, when bringing a scoped rifle, I don't even bring a spare scope any more.

I just have quick detachable scope rings and iron sights on all my rifles (for Africa or otherwise) for the odd chance that I damage my scope way out in the bush.
Off would come the broken scope, into my pocket or the Tracker's day pack, then I would then press on with iron sights.
So far, the above described busted scope plan has worked perfectly, because I have not had to put it into action, LOL.

If I was planning to hunt buffalo and plains game on the same safari with your Model 70 in .416 Remington caliber (fantastic choice for such a plan by the way), I would put a well made low power scope in sturdy, low, lever rings (Alaska Arms or the older model Talley ones) and hunt everything with 400 grain bullet.
In Africa, nobody will even look twice at a hunter who uses a heavy rifle on even the smaller antelopes, warhog, bushpig, etc.
I have shot klipspringer and bush duiker to name but two little ones, with the .375 H&H and 300 gr bullet.
It actually did a lot less damage to the meat and skins than such as a .270 or some such would likely have done.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Dragan miloševič]

Hi Dragan Milosevic,

I do not bother with bringing two rifles around the world.
All of the PH's I have had the pleasure of meeting all own at least one spare rifle.
Being a rifle nut first and a hunter second, I do like to use my own.
However, not so much as to want to lug an extra one, extra ammunition for another caliber, etc.
Fact is, when bringing a scoped rifle, I don't even bring a spare scope any more.

I just have quick detachable scope rings and iron sights on all my rifles (for Africa or otherwise) for the odd chance that I damage my scope way out in the bush.
Off would come the broken scope, into my pocket or the Tracker's day pack, then I would then press on with iron sights.
So far, the above described busted scope plan has worked perfectly, because I have not had to put it into action, LOL.

If I was planning to hunt buffalo and plains game on the same safari with your Model 70 in .416 Remington caliber (fantastic choice for such a plan by the way), I would put a well made low power scope in sturdy, low, lever rings (Alaska Arms or the older model Talley ones) and hunt everything with 400 grain bullet.
In Africa, nobody will even look twice at a hunter who uses a heavy rifle on even the smaller antelopes, warhog, bushpig, etc.
I have shot klipspringer and bush duiker to name but two little ones, with the .375 H&H and 300 gr bullet.
It actually did a lot less damage to the meat and skins than such as a .270 or some such would likely have done.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Thank you! So I will eventually buy a Mauser 98 in 404 Jeffery, or a Winchester 70 safari

 

[Velo Dog]

Thank you! So I will eventually buy a Mauser 98 in 404 Jeffery, or a Winchester 70 safari

You are welcome Dragan,

My preference between those two would be the .404 Mauser but, admittedly it is only due to history/nostalgia, not some imaginary ballistic advantage.
It is highly unlikely that any animal, from elephant to dik dik would be able to tell the difference between having been taken with one or the other of those two excellent cartridges.
Quite a few years ago, I had fired a friend's Pre-War .404 Jeffery Mauser and then, I made a sober oath to one day own a .404 myself.

Have been on the search ever since but so far, have only found various well made .404's with rather high prices on them.
So, eventually I bought a CZ 550 Magnum in .416 Rigby (another historic/nostalgic cartridge) on sale at a Cabela's store in Minnesota and had it modified to my liking.
The barrel is now about 24 inches, custom front sight, larger bolt knob welded on, barrel band swivel, Model 70 style "safety" and a couple other misc. modifications by an excellent Gunsmith here.

One of these days I am bound to find the right price on a .404 (that is not some hack job Star Trek looking mess) and I will then join the ranks of .404 owners.
Until that glorious moment, the Rigby is my "large medium" or however folks say it.
Haven't shot anything except targets with it yet but it is very accurate (CZs usually are, even when an inch or so is cut off the barrel evidently).

I predict that you will not go wrong with either the Mauser .404 or the Winchester Model 70 in .416 Remington that you have mentioned.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[browningbbr]

What company is your 375 H&H and .416 rigby made by?

The 375 H&H is a custom rifle built on a Montana Rifle Co 1999 action. The 416 is a Ruger with a little bit of work done to improve cartridge feeding and trigger performance.

 

[Pondoro]

From experience I am a staunch believer in bringing 2 rifles or at least a spare scope..

Last year my hunting buddy and I were on a very remote farm in southern Namibia when Murphy struck. My buddys Zeiss scope broke down big time, but luckily he brought a spare...problem solved..

Rifles can break down, firing pins may brake, stocks may crack...even mainsprings may brake on century old double rifles..etc. etc.

Soo I guess Pondoros idiom is....bring that extra rifle..