Eland Cartridges for recoil sensitive shooter?

[375er]

I also recommend Decelerator, especially for heavy recoil rifles. Limbsaver are too soft and shooter still gets more felt recoil than needed. However, for a medium recoil rifle like 30-06 the Limbsaver might be fine ... or even better. I don't like their slip-on pads. Sidewalls are to soft and the pad moves around too much.

What is a "past recoil pad"?

Past recoil pads go over the shoulder with a simple harness system. Can be used either shoulder and come in several thicknesses. Work great in my experience.

 

[CBH Australia]

My lodge now has suppressors on their loner rifles . Easier on the client's shoulder and easier on the PH's hearing.

Take note of those saying to get him on sticks. He will need to be competent on sticks and ihe will feel less recol as opposed to bench shooting.

Suppressors are common in Africa and reasonably priced. You might get one for less than a Tax stamp in the US.

You may be able to hire or borrow one if you can't own one in your state. I can't own one here.

The only suppressor I've used was on a hire rifle, a 7mmRm and it seemed to take it some.

Suppressors are popular in Africa and Muzzle Brakes are not. But if you have a braked rifle and he is comfortable with it then let them know that's what you have.

The Ruger Scout rifle mentioned might be worth considering for the reasons mentioned and it's a stout barrel with a brake. Already hreaded to potentially take a suppressor .
If you go .308 there will be light loads available and work into a heavier load over time.

 

[Sourdough]

@channelkat book with a PH that has a suppressed .308, adjustable length of pull, adjustable comb height. If your son is already recoil sensitive he likely flinches also. A .30 cal won’t require as precision shot placement as smaller calibers will. @HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS has just such a rifle that clients can use. My wife used it with great success and loved it.

 

[The Engineer]

My investment banker took a large eland with a 270. Bullet placement is everything.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I'd go the silencer route. If cost is not prohibitive, see if the PH can buy one to fit the threads on your muzzle. It may take a few rounds to get it dialed in at the hunting venue but the reduction in recoil and muzzle blast would be worth the cost, even if it's just for one trip.

Having said that, shot placement and age and health of the animal will determine whether it goes TU or runs away. I've seen young animals take a mortal hit and seemingly run forever and old bucks take a marginal shot and drop in their tracks.

 

[ActionBob]

My boy is quite thin and recoil shy. He is currently shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have been willing to let him hunt elk with it (he hasn’t harvested one yet), but it wouldn’t be my first choice. Now we are in the early stages of planning a Namibia or SA hunt. I’m on a quest to complete the tiny ten, but he really wants an Eland.

Without getting into the rifle weight or other recoil mitigation efforts, what are the lowest recoiling cartridges we should be looking at for Eland? I don’t know where exactly we will be hunting yet, but I Id like to have him shooting something that can ethically be expected to dispatch an eland at reasonably distance.

Two more thoughts... If he has a 6.5 Creedmoor that he is comfortable with and used to shooting. You haven't said which rifle it is but there must surely be one in the same model available in a 308 as they generally fit in the same action. The 308 is pretty much capable of doing anything the 30-06 can with the exception of the extreme ammo options available for the 30-06. However a good 180 grain bullet will be plenty if well placed.

A second thought and I know this will get some dissenting opinions; Let him use his 6.5 Creedmoor. Us as heavy and well constructed bonded bullet you can find. Get him close with a clear target to the vitals and he can kill an eland with it. The Swedes us the 6.5x55 on moose.

On my first hunt I took a Creedmoor along. The PH loved it. However he had just recently completed a hunt with Niel Davies of Hornady testing the then newly introduced 6.5 Creedmoor. They shot a lot of game with it including eland. I believe he used 129 grain Interbond ammo and a Ruger 77 Hawkeye rifle. The biggest critter i took with mine was red hartebeest but it blew a spray of blood out the far shoulder and flopped it right there. Not ideal on eland but use a bullet that penetrates and put a hole through the vitals and the critter will die.

I would also argue for getting your son shooting from a standing position, on sticks. In fact I might argue to not have him shoot from a bench again before the hunt. All his shooting should be from practical hunting positions. Especially standing with the rifle on sticks. And loaded down ammo.

Put an animal in front of him and he won't feel any recoil so just pop in the hunting loads for the actual hunt, whichever caliber you select

 

[MS 9x56]

Hunting in Africa means standing while you shoot, the rifle rests on shooting sticks.
Go let him practice this shooting position instead of telling fairytales of recoil...

Btw. an Eland can be heavier than a buffalo. Please consider the legal minimum in the respective countries ( https://napha-namibia.com/qa/ ) and have a look in Chris Robertsons "the perfect shot".
His recommendation is 9,3mm / .375" or even a .40" caliber.

PS: our PH (>30 yrs experience on DG) this year in Zimbabwe complained that especially American hunting guests are not well trained and not capable to shoot well with adjusted calibers.

Being American I hate that I must agree with your Ph's opinion. We are no longer a nation of rifleman. Visit any range in America and you will be shocked at all the examples of improper and just plain bad shooting form. I am of the belief that the biggest reason for being afraid of recoil is simply due to poor shooting form. That said, I am sure that a 7x57 will kill an Eland with a well placed hit. That said, if it were me, I would go with the 9.3x62. Just one old hunters opinion.

 

[Red Leg]

Two more thoughts... If he has a 6.5 Creedmoor that he is comfortable with and used to shooting. You haven't said which rifle it is but there must surely be one in the same model available in a 308 as they generally fit in the same action. The 308 is pretty much capable of doing anything the 30-06 can with the exception of the extreme ammo options available for the 30-06. However a good 180 grain bullet will be plenty if well placed.

A second thought and I know this will get some dissenting opinions; Let him use his 6.5 Creedmoor. Us as heavy and well constructed bonded bullet you can find. Get him close with a clear target to the vitals and he can kill an eland with it. The Swedes us the 6.5x55 on moose.

On my first hunt I took a Creedmoor along. The PH loved it. However he had just recently completed a hunt with Niel Davies of Hornady testing the then newly introduced 6.5 Creedmoor. They shot a lot of game with it including eland. I believe he used 129 grain Interbond ammo and a Ruger 77 Hawkeye rifle. The biggest critter i took with mine was red hartebeest but it blew a spray of blood out the far shoulder and flopped it right there. Not ideal on eland but use a bullet that penetrates and put a hole through the vitals and the critter will die.

I would also argue for getting your son shooting from a standing position, on sticks. In fact I might argue to not have him shoot from a bench again before the hunt. All his shooting should be from practical hunting positions. Especially standing with the rifle on sticks. And loaded down ammo.

Put an animal in front of him and he won't feel any recoil so just pop in the hunting loads for the actual hunt, whichever caliber you select

Good point. I would shoot almost anything with my 6.5x57 and a heavily constructed 140+ gr bullet. It would not be my first choice for eland, but neither would my .275, but I would hardly feel unarmed with either.

 

[IvW]

Whilst I really love the 7x57 as recommended by other members, I believe that a 30/06 with a good 180 gr bonded bullet is better medicine for Eland especially if the shot is less than perfect.

I would let him practice with it slowly firing a few shots at gongs or something else reactive and fun whilst getting him used to the increase in recoil.

Best of luck with the hunt!

33% more recoil than a 175 7x57 at 2500fps which is too fast to start with.....

 

[ActionBob]

Good point. I would shoot almost anything with my 6.5x57 and a heavily constructed 140+ gr bullet. It would not be my first choice for eland, but neither would my .275, but I would hardly feel unarmed with either.

Especially if the kid likes the rifle, is comfortable and accurate with it.

I've seen poor decisions made by guides taking away a youngsters rifle and handing them their favorite loaner because it's a more appropriate caliber. A shot in vitals with a familiar rifle will always be better than a gut shot with a larger caliber in an unfamiliar rifle probably with a scope the kid can't see through properly.... I've seen too many cases where a scope isn't mounted properly for the individual and they are just not comfortable shooting the combo.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Especially if the kid likes the rifle, is comfortable and accurate with it.

I've seen poor decisions made by guides taking away a youngsters rifle and handing them their favorite loaner because it's a more appropriate caliber. A shot in vitals with a familiar rifle will always be better than a gut shot with a larger caliber in an unfamiliar rifle probably with a scope the kid can't see through properly.... I've seen too many cases where a scope isn't mounted properly for the individual and they are just not comfortable shooting the combo.

Good point! An accomplished shooter/hunter knows how to adjust to unfamiliar scope relief. A youngster maybe not so much. Shorter neck and shorter arms will put him further back on a gun with a "normal" LOP. If the scope is set up with "normal" eye relief, the youngster may have trouble getting on the animal with full field of view, become flustered, and mess up the shot.

 

[channelkat]

Thank you all for your contributions. I really had no idea about the toughness or likely shooting conditions of an Eland. I think in total the posts paint a pretty accurate picture of what is really needed and ideal. There are a lot telling thoughts and good tips to incorporate to our range time. As of late I started making the boys plate myself serving him double rations and have been looking at suppressors. I know whatever I settle on will be threaded for suppressor.

 

[Labman]

I've shot a total of 6 Eland on various trips to Africa. One with a 375 H&H, four with my .338 Win Mag. and one with my .270 Win. 300 Gr. Northfork in the .375, 225 Gr. Nosler Partitions in the .338 and a 150 Gr. Partition in the .270. They all died rather quickly. The one shot with the .270 didn't run any further that the others. Left a blood trail that Stevie Wonder could have followed. Shot placement matters more than anything else.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Shot Placemend for Eland:
- minimum calibre 338Win
- recommended calibre 9,3Mauser or 375
My proposition 9,3x62Mauser

 

[375Fox]

I've shot a total of 6 Eland on various trips to Africa. One with a 375 H&H, four with my .338 Win Mag. and one with my .270 Win. 300 Gr. Northfork in the .375, 225 Gr. Nosler Partitions in the .338 and a 150 Gr. Partition in the .270. They all died rather quickly. The one shot with the .270 didn't run any further that the others. Left a blood trail that Stevie Wonder could have followed. Shot placement matters more than anything else.

That’s been my experience as well. 4 with a 375, 2 with a 300, 1 with a 308. They aren’t thick skinned animals but they do have mass. The 308 seemed more than appropriate for the shot I took but not all situations. Hopefully it will be a calm PH well suited for a younger hunter with a smaller cartridge in this situation, someone who can wait for the right shot.

 

[Rare Breed]

30-06 although a great cartridge recoils more than a 7x57mm...right bullet right shot placement Eland aint going nowhere....30-06 pulled shot eland going forever....

The 7x57mm is a truely great cartridge using premium heavy for caliber bullets it is a killer.....do not bow to the need for speed with lighter bullets....

I have killed Cape buffalo with one.

my choice would be the 7x57 which is also a 275 Rigby same cartridge. completely agree recoil much less than a 30-06 and will get the job done

 

[Borderer]

If you can get it, a mod

Previous recommendations for a suppressor are very good IMO..

Ive got a very light weight 308 that kicks like a rented mule.. Im a big guy.. plenty of meat on my bones to mitigate recoil.. and Im not recoil sensitive at all.. but that little 308 is painful to shoot..

I put a little YHM Resonator K on it.. and it now has substantially less recoil and noise than a .243 (less than a 7x57).. its an absolute joy to shoot..

If you could manage to either rent a suppressed camp rifle in 308, 30-06, etc... or purchase a suppressor for a 308, 30-06, etc.. I think you'd be in very good shape for eland shooting a 180gr out of a 308 or a 200 or 220 gr out of a 30-06..

If the suppressor is out of the question, then I agree with all of the 7x57 recommendations.. Thats a little on the light end for my personal tastes for eland.. But with the right bullet traveling at the right speed.. as long as the bullet is put where it belongs, I am absolutely certain it would kill an eland (and likely has killed thousands upon thousands of them over the years)..

agreed. A moderator changes things significantly. I have a moderated 375 H and H and it is fantastic. Recoil is much less than an unmoderated 30-06 in my view, probably similar to a 7x57, although I am convinced that the Blaser R8 professional stock shape helps things as well.

 

[channelkat]

I know the fit and stock shape most certainly affect felt recoil. I can feel it when it fits well ( I noticed just a half inch different LOP was enough to make a big difference on one of my rifles) but honestly besides perhaps the LOP, I can't really tell when looking at someone else those little differences that indeed help position the rifle and direct the recoil.

 

[Borderer]

Wow! I gotta get me one of those moderators that takes a .375 down to a 7x57...

It really is my honest opinion. I was amazed how gentle it is.

Part of the reason is probably in gun fit but I was very surprised what a massive difference it makes.

 

[Borderer]

I know the fit and stock shape most certainly affect felt recoil. I can feel it when it fits well ( I noticed just a half inch different LOP was enough to make a big difference on one of my rifles) but honestly besides perhaps the LOP, I can't really tell when looking at someone else those little differences that indeed help position the rifle and direct the recoil.

Very true. Thinking about it, the .375 stock is a good inch longer than the 7x57 I used to use and I am 3 stone heavier now, so I suspect that is a big part of the reason