First Safari! Most versatile Plains Game cartridge...

[Sika98k]

I am with @YancyW and @mdwest ... all will not only work but work well, bullet type is more important, and the strong likelihood is that all of your shots will be under 300.

In my experience your first shots will be Well under 300. The PH has to assess your capabilities. Firstly on the range prior to even going. Is the guy familiar with his rifle ? Is he safe with it ? Can he shoot it ?
Out in the field he’s (the PH) going to get you as close as possible on your first couple of shots even if it means getting busted. It’s all part of the fun.

 

[Longwalker]

You asked for an opinion between three cartridges .308, .300 Win mag, and .375. You said it would be for game no bigger than Kudu.
More than half the answers were ".30-06" which is amusing. You said you don't want one. There is no practical discernible difference between the performance of a .308 and a .30-06 on game Kudu size or smaller. If you like the .308, it will do the job. I personally like the size and weight and handling characteristics of .308 rifles if the action is the proper size for the cartridge. And the practise ammo is cheap and readily available. It's a good choice.
If you've shot a .300 magnum much, you can decide for yourself if the longer barrel, heavier rifle, and more muzzle blast and recoil and expense to shoot vs. a .308 is worth it to YOU. Some think the faster bullet gives them an advantage. I'm not one of them, but if it gives you more confidence to use the bigger cartridge for medium sized plains game at under 300 yd range, then you have your answer.
The .375 H&H is wonderful, one of my favourite cartridges. I even used mine last fall for hunting whitetail deer. Effective but not an ideal match for the job. Likewise, a .375 is unnecessarily powerful for hunting Kudu and smaller plains game. If you want one, and can shoot it well, there is no practical reason not to shoot a .375 other than rifle size and weight and the cost of practise ammo.

 

[saswart]

You said a side you will be coming to SA for hunt on PG... Depending where you hunt, you will never hunt and shoot in excess of 250/300. If you hunt in the Bushveld areas, this would be less, if you go mountainous/Kalahari maybe 300. Further than that is the exception and possible if a hunter wants it.

The conditions where you hunt in USA I do not now at all, but I would say the 308 would be more than enough, unless you are the type that want to hunt 300+meter as you mentioned, then 300 WM would probably be better. You can also always reduce the loads on the 300 if you are going to hunt in bushveld here. Then get yourself the 375 when you come again for the Buff.

.

 

[Nkawu]

As a South African that primarily hunts plains game up to Blue Wildebeest in size (similar to a big Kudu) and predominantly in the Limpopo bushveld, with some Eastern Cape hunting from time to time, I would pick the 308 with good 180gn bullets. I know many locals that use this combo, including myself, with great results. I’ve seen Eland fall to 180 gn Sierra GameKings, and as others have mentioned your shot distances are likely to be 100-200m max. Don’t pick an overly large or complicated scope because in my experience game animals present themselves for only a brief moment so shots are normally taken relatively quickly. A 3-9x40 with a duplex reticle is about perfect in my books. For a plains game hunt I would chose a rifle and scope combo that you are most comfortable with as a priority over calibre.

 

[IvW]

Just back from a meat hunt in the bushveldt.
Closest shot was 22 meters longest was 73 meters.....no need for speed.
We used a 7x57mm
I would go 7x57mm or 9.3x62mm or similar.

 

[chslongrange8]

You can never go wrong with a 375 H&H pushing a 300 gr bullet at 2500 to 2550 fps, especially if that 300 gr is a Barnes TSX.

I wound up stumbling on a Winchester Model 70 Super Express in .375 H&H and snagged it at retail. I figured it was a sign. Very much appreciate the advice!

You're correct - I'm VERY lucky and don't forget it. Looking forward to a lifetime of safaris!

 

[chslongrange8]

As a South African that primarily hunts plains game up to Blue Wildebeest in size (similar to a big Kudu) and predominantly in the Limpopo bushveld, with some Eastern Cape hunting from time to time, I would pick the 308 with good 180gn bullets. I know many locals that use this combo, including myself, with great results. I’ve seen Eland fall to 180 gn Sierra GameKings, and as others have mentioned your shot distances are likely to be 100-200m max. Don’t pick an overly large or complicated scope because in my experience game animals present themselves for only a brief moment so shots are normally taken relatively quickly. A 3-9x40 with a duplex reticle is about perfect in my books. For a plains game hunt I would chose a rifle and scope combo that you are most comfortable with as a priority over calibre.

Thank you! Decided to stick with my .308, and pick up a .375 H&H. That'll be my two-gun battery.

 

[chslongrange8]

I am a little late here to give my opinion on your question. First of all welcome to AH, I am always excited and jealous of everyone who gets to go on their first safari. It is the greatest experience any hunter or outdoors person can do.

In my opinion for Africa, you cannot go wrong with either the 30-06 or the 375 H&H both are classic safari cartridges. They also make a good pair but they do excellent by themselves. If you have buffalo in your future the 375 H&H would be recommended. Though the 30-06 has killed many a buffalo in its days. The only trouble can be that many African countries have minimum caliber requirements for dangerous games.

I always recommend talking with your outfitter or just asking around to other outfitters. A few I know I can trust fully are Shaun Keeny Safaris, Epic Safaris, and John X Safaris, they are solid outfits and great honest people.

Either cartridge is an excellent choice, though if buffalo is in your future the 375 H&H might be the best opinion, great overall safari cartridge.

Hope this helps, even though my opinion is late to the game here, I hope it may help others who are asking the same question.

Thank you for the welcome, and the advice! I'm incredibly excited... just wish it wasn't so far into the future!

 

[chslongrange8]

You asked for an opinion between three cartridges .308, .300 Win mag, and .375. You said it would be for game no bigger than Kudu.
More than half the answers were ".30-06" which is amusing. You said you don't want one. There is no practical discernible difference between the performance of a .308 and a .30-06 on game Kudu size or smaller.

THANK YOU! This is exactly why I mentioned the .30-06 is not a caliber I'd consider. It is more than capable, and certainly a proven round - but I don't want one. I'd much prefer my .308 that has been a constant companion for years and is effectively the same for 95% of the hunting I do.

Aside from the above, this is one of the most helpful responses I've received. Thanks again!

 

[mdwest]

August 2023 isnt nearly as far away as you might think...

Many of us plan our African hunts anywhere from 6 months to 18 months in advance...

Im headed back over in July 2022.. that hunt was being planned in July of 2021.. while I was sitting in South Africa hunting, on a hunt that had been planned in the summer of 2019..

And...

We've already started making 2023 plans...

Lots of lead time is never a bad thing when planning an international hunt.. you just have to make sure you take advantage of the joy and excitement you can find in the planning phase so that its not wasted

 

[Rick HOlbert]

For what it's worth here is my 2 cents. I've used a .358 Winchester (handloaded) with great results. My daughter used a 308 Winchester with same results. Last couple of trips being on a kick to use classic "African" cartridges I've taken a 9.3X62 and a 375 H&H. The bigger medium bores will reach out there for longer shots if needed and hammer the bigger game like Eland. Meat/hide damage is minimal due to the heavier jackets designed for bigger game but still anchor game. With the 375 H&H you're good to go on that buff when the time is right. Some jurisdictions the 9.3 would do also.
Keep us posted on your prep and the hunt later on. Good luck friend.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Did you just say “ 30-06. I know it’s great, but I don’t want one”?

I need another martini.

 

[Tom Leoni]

The thing is, we must recognize that there is no *one* cartridge best-suited for this purpose. Anything from .270 to .375, pushing a relatively heavy-for-caliber bullet at velocities over 2000fps is perfectly adequate for killing plains game out to 200 yards, which is a realistic distance for your first safari. I would even include the 6.5mm in this range--I would trust my 6.5x54 MS with 160gr softs to kill any plains game reliably.

As for "versatile," I don't quite understand what it means in this context. It's fairly smart, while going on safari, to pick one load for any given caliber and stick with it for the duration, which eliminates the need to re-zero your rifle. Again, any of the calibers within the range above will kill anything from Steenbock to Eland, as long as you pick the right bullet and you place it in the right spot.

So it really comes down to which rifle and caliber speak to you the most. The fact that you discarded the .30-06 means that there is already some direction to your preference, which is OK. I'm a fan of traditional calibers for Africa--6.5x54, 7x57, .30-06, .303, .318, .375, so I get my kicks by taking vintage rifles chambered for these cartridges.

.308 is a very safe choice, and I wish you good luck and good hunting!

 

[Bert the Turtle]

A 308 is entirely adequate and is the least expensive to practice with. The latter is the important point. Get in plenty of trigger time and enjoy yourself before, during, and after the hunt.

 

[sureshot375]

Thank you! Decided to stick with my .308, and pick up a .375 H&H. That'll be my two-gun battery.

This is a good plan. You can do pretty much anything you want with these two rifles. Plus the .375 will be a fun new toy.

 

[dchum]

THANK YOU! This is exactly why I mentioned the .30-06 is not a caliber I'd consider. It is more than capable, and certainly a proven round - but I don't want one. I'd much prefer my .308 that has been a constant companion for years and is effectively the same for 95% of the hunting I do.

Aside from the above, this is one of the most helpful responses I've received. Thanks again!

You failed to mention you already own a 308 that you like!
Then yes, you getting a 30-06 would be a bit redundant. Just loosing some versatility in bullet weights. Which makes the 30-06 great IMHO

 

[CoElkHunter]

.338 Winchester Magnum.

 

[Pole Pole]

375 with expanding bullet. I like the way the heavy barrel steadies on sticks. How much walking will you really be doing? Other “it’s Africa” rounds would be the 7x57 and 300 H&H. Teddy Roosevelt carried a 30-06, actually, a 30-03 but close enough, to test the new “pointed bullets”.

 

[chslongrange8]

You failed to mention you already own a 308 that you like!
Then yes, you getting a 30-06 would be a bit redundant. Just loosing some versatility in bullet weights. Which makes the 30-06 great IMHO

Ah! I did, didn't I? I have a .308 that I absolutely love. You hit the nail on the head with the redundancy, especially since my first couple of trips will be in the bushveld.

 

[Philip Glass]

.300 Win would be the most versatile