First Trip To Africa

[Morga]

I've had some coffee and some more things for you to consider and think about.

Unless you are sitting in a blind, most or your shooting is going to be from standing with shooting sticks. Why standing? Likely because the grass might be too tall for you to sit on the ground with sticks and see over. Or you might be using a tree or branch for a rest. My point being, can you CONSISTENTLY put a bullet in a 4" circle standing and off shooting sticks at 300m?

By consistently I mean to where you're willing to bet $2000.00 on your ONE shot chance. Because in effect, that is what you're doing. If you gut shoot a animal over there, you can just about figure it's gone and the trophy fee is payable.

Unless you're after species like mountain reedbuck or rhebok/vaal rebok or hunting in some open savanna area or the Okavango delta area, I just don't see your shooting ranges being beyond 200m.

Would be a very good idea for you to contact your PH and ask him what the normal shooting distances are in the area you'll be hunting.

Ty for the Advice well noted, yes I am a good enough marksman to maintain a 4 inch group. I will be hunting in in the Waterberg Mountains of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. If you hve had any experience in the regoin please pass on your thoughts.

 

[M McDindi]

I have not be directly in the Waterberg Mtns. I have been just across the boarder of the Limpopo river in Botswana's Tuli block - twice last year. That is a few hundred miles NW. of the general Waterberg area. The Tuli area was mostly lowland flood plane river bottom with some higher ground areas the begin the foothills just on the NW edge of where the Waterberg starts.

While you'll be hunting "the mountains", based on the species you're after, your more likely to be shooting in the valleys. Likely to be climbing up on the hillsides to glass down in the valleys for game to get up over the tree lines and then "make a plan" for your stalks down into the valleys.

You may have shots where the game is either above or below you so making minor aim point adjustments for the angle of the bullet going down or up through the animal will be important. KNOWING where the vitals are will be more important than the caliber of the rifle and the flatter the shooting caliber/bullet combination the better. You can always ask your PH to make long shots if you want, remember, you're not likely to be shooting from prone or very stable positions and still likely standing off of sticks.

My guess is, you'll be more down in the valleys then up in the mountains. Just my opine.

 

[375Fox]

Not trying to discredit any advice you’ve been provided, but best thing you can do is give your outfitter/PH a call. Once you talk with him you can better evaluate all the advice you’ve gotten. I’m sure your outfitter would love to talk hunting while they are on lockdown. Everyone overthinks their first and probably second safaris. If you don’t already have it on your phone download WhatsApp then you can call and text anywhere for free over WiFi, it is primary messaging system in Africa.

 

[Morga]

The whole wonderful benefit in planning is I have a year to do it.

 

[M McDindi]

Concur with what 375Fox said above about contacting your Outfitter/PH as I had mentioned earlier too.

Another thing to do is if your PH/Outfitter has a website, take at look at their photo galleries. Not so much for the animals in the foreground, but for the terrain, vegetation and cover in the background. Normally, those photos are taken within a few meters of where the animal expired.

 

[Morga]

So after speaking with the PH , the area is rolling hill sweeping out into open country , dotted open areas with scattered thick bush. Average range on most shots 100 to 200 yards. He said using a Muzzle break is not a problem and glad I notified him early, so at this point knowing I have limited mobility in some ways, he said the 300 Winchester Mag might be the better rifle to use in case of having to take longer shots. He thought my choice of ammo was fine with the Norma 180 Grain Bondstrike or a little heavier Nosler Custom Ammunition 300 Winchester Magnum 200 Grain AccuBond Spitzer. along with proper placement will do the job even on Eland.
Sighted in for 200 yards will will have less then a 2 inch high at 100 yards and les then 2 inch drop at 300 yards meaning with even the slightest correction will be dead on with the crosshairs. As For Optics will be using a 3-12x56mm Burris Fullfield 4 scope.

So seems things are getting Narrowed down a bit.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I can see your point , the 300 WM as I use it does seem to drive holes in things, my normal load I use here in the U.S. is the 180 grain Norma Bondstrike, honestly with the 9.3x62 I might even go old school with round nose ammunition but the Barnes you mentioned works great to , with the base info I can do some math in my head with a 286 grain Barnes and it standard cartridge velocity if I zeroed the Mauser at 200 yards, it would be about 2 inches high at 100 and 4 to 5 inches in drop at 300 would have to fire a few rounds to gauge it.

Morga
I would forget the Barnes and just go a good 286 grain accubonds. Combines range and power with goo expansion.
Cheers mate Bob
I used 225grain accubonds without issues in my Whelen

225grain accubonds from my frontal shot kudu

 

[Morga]

Well that is if the 9.3x62 is on the table listening to what the PH said he seemed to strongly recommend for me the 300 WM over the 9.3x62.

The Average Velocity of the Norma Bodstrike at 100 yard with my 26 inch barrel on the 300 WM I have is Veelocity 3100 Energy 3900 , 200 yards Velocity 3000 Energy 3500 , 300 yards Velocity 2800 Enery 3100

 

[M McDindi]

Morga - well, now you know how to get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice!!

The area sounds like the upland areas of the south end of the Tuli area I was at and going back again this Aug.

Free tip. My wife and I live inside the city limits but have a small size privacy fenced backyard and are about 30min from our outdoor shooting range/club. Unfortunately, the rules at the range/club only allow shooting from the benches and range is limited to 100yds.

So, we still practice standing off shooting sticks in the backyard with a little metal bullet trap made for .22LR that we put a little Crossman swinging gong set in front of. Set that at 25yds and put little nickel size pink (her choice) paper dots on the gongs. We have a pair of Gamo Whisper .177 air rifles and take turns on the sticks. It takes a good bit of practice to be able hit those little pink dots EVERY time. If you can keep your hits on those pink dots at 25yds that just about translates into a 2", give or take, circle at 100yds.

Sounds a bit hokey, but we can spend 30min every other evening and it makes a HUGE difference in our ability off sticks once there and a can of 500 pellets is just a few bucks.

 

[Morga]

I will practice whenever I get the Chance my local range in AZ is some distance but I usually get to it twice a month, but the heat is just about to soar, I will buy some sticks from Cabelas and work on my stand shooting. But I think the little setup you have is pretty cool.

 

[Tgood1]

I will echo what another has posted prior, using sticks shoot uphill and downhill at varying angles, regularly. It will effect point of impact and how u use the sticks. Glad to hear you are learning as much as I do here

 

[M McDindi]

Let me know if and when you want some tips for shooting off sticks. I don't claim to know all the tricks but I'll be happy to share what works for us.

 

[Morga]

Morga - the 240gr W-W is a fine bullet. I've looked over the species you're interested in taking: "Eland, Kudu up to 54 inches, Nyala, and Limpopo Bushbuck" and I'd like to offer up a little advice to consider.

The Limpopo Bushbuck is about the size of big southern US whitetail deer. 120-150lbs max. They are only about 12" or so thick trough the shoulders.

The Nyala is NOT as big as they seem in photos. They have very long hair along the underside of their belly that make them appear to have a bigger body than they do. They are actually about the size of norther US whitetail and run 225-300lbs or so. They are at max 18" through the shoulders. Side note: because of the long belly hair the biggest mistake made is to aim too LOW on the shoulder.

A kudu is about the same body size an American elk but they are not as think through the shoulders and they don't have the longer/thicker hair on their bodies as elk do and they don't wallow in mud. My wife describes them as being "elegant". Good bulls will go 600-700lbs or so and be around 24" through the shoulders.

Eland are big and heavy but they are not as thick through the shoulders as you would think. They do have heavy necks and heavy hind quarters but through the shoulders in the vital triangle not so much. Maybe 30" give or take.

I my opinion a 180gr mono metal bullet (TSX and NOT the TTSX) will work marvelously for you. In the bushbuck, nyala and kudu they will leave small entry and exit holes and little damage to the hides. Very important for your flat skin rugs or mounts. On the eland, that bullet in just a 308W will very likely pass through if you're inside 150m.

In general, all African antelope species are thinner across or through the bodies due in part to the high summer temps. Harder to keep a think body cool whereas deer, elk/stag species in the colder latitudes, thicker bodies help retain heat in the winters.

The reason I recommend the TSX over the TTSX is the rate of expansion is higher in the TTSX and they don't drive as deep.

Next benefit is there will be a good bit less recoil and they will be much flatter shooting. If you zero for a point blank range of 150m, at 100m you'll be about 1-1 1/2" high, dead on at 150m and 1-1 1/2" low at 200. The vital triangle on the smallest species your after, the bushbuck, is about a 4"circle. Means out to 200m all you've got to do is put the cross hairs in the vital triangle and squeeze. No guess work.

My last thought are these. While I don't know what part of RSA you're going to but, I do know that the species your after are all "bushweld" species and not open savanna. The limpopo bushbuck and nyala are actually more "riverine" and thick cover. Similar with the kudu being a "browser" and not a "grazer" they will be in the mopane/acacia treed areas. Eland are "combo" feeders, browes and graze. My point being, I just don't think you're shooting distances are going to be much more the 150m.

Just my opine - others will have different ones too.

I would happily look into using the TSX for the 300 WM problem is they don't make a cartridge for the 300 WM they only have TTSX the ones you advised against, an I do not reload ammunition. I thought the Woodliegh being a soft tip with a lower velocity would be a ideal round compared to most of the Polymer tips that would go right through.

I did find this round would welcome your thoughts on it, , Nosler Trophy Grade Ammunition 300 Winchester Magnum 200 Grain Partition

 

[M McDindi]

I think Hornady does factory loads for 300WM with the GMX bullets. Mono-metal with plastic tip. I've used a few of them, 250gr (hand loads -projectiles only) in my 375 Ruger. Only took a couple of oryx with them and they worked just fine - like a hot knife thru butter. Very little meat damage and nice neat holes. If your PH is happy with the Norma's or Nosler's, he's likely seen them perform first hand in that caliber and on the game your after. If he's happy with a conventional "bonded" cup & core on eland then even the tipped mono-metals that you can get in factory loads should be fine too.

In the end, it will come down to which of the factory ammo you have to choose from is the most accurate in your specific rifle. Get a box or two of each and give them a go at the range. Be sure to keep the barrel cool as it would be on your first shot in the bush. It's that first shot that counts the most.

This site has some GREAT shot placement photos - study them well.

Also, a quick though on the recoil worry. When your standing, freehand or off sticks or kneeling or sitting on your butt off sticks or over branch or limb, the felt recoil is NOT even close to what you feel sitting off a bench with bags. Yes, has a little bit to do with adrenalin, but mostly with when standing, your upper body is in a more upright position and is able to "roll", flex and absorb the recoil easier.

Another tip off the bench with heavy recoiling rifles is to sit up straighter in the chair and use higher bags and not lay on the rifle. Sitting lower or laying on the rifle tends to transfer the recoil straight back into your shoulder and bach. By sitting up higher and straighter, the recoil is still transferred to your shoulder, but your entire upper body can roll back with it. This is how we practice from the bench with everything from 30-06 and up and why my wife can pull the trigger on her 375 Ruger all day off the bench and 15-20 full house loads on the 458WM on the bench. If you see her photo with the impala on my intro post, she's only 5' 4" and 130lbs.

I've pulled the trigger a few times on a 500NE and a 500Jeffery standing and I would NEVER willingly pull the trigger on either one from sitting at a bench. Even the big bore DR and big bore bolt rifle makers do their test fires and regulation shots from a standing bench.

 

[Ryan]

First off, why go away from the Bondstrike? It is built well, shown to expand fast, but retain weight and should do the job just fine on all species mentioned. Since it is built for longer range shooting it could be argued it would expand too much at closer ranges, similar to the Nosler Accubond Long Range bullets. So, how have the Bondstrikes performed for you in the 200 yard or less range? A nyala is the size of a mule deer. A kudu more like an elk, but a bit narrower in my opinion.

That said there is also nothing wrong with the TTSX if you wanted to use it in Barnes VorTX ammo. I used a 30-06 with 168 grain TTSX on my first two hunts in Namibia. fFactory ammo one hunt, hand loads the next. Nothing went more than a couple feet with the largest animals being a zebra and two kudu and the smallest a springbok. They do often pass through, but as they show they expand quickly causing great trauma, and retain their weight. The polymer tip actually helps in consistent expansions. There are lots of great reports about them here including @ Brickburns one
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/making-my-way-to-barnes.36029/

Making My Way To BARNES

 

[Morga]

Well I have not actually been hunting in some time due to physical limitations I am probably just second guessing myself and will stick with the PH advice on ammo. I would love to take my 30-06 in this hunt but it is a M1 Garand and unless my info is wrong you cant hunt in the RSA with semi automatic rifles.

 

[Ryan]

Well I have not actually been hunting in some time due to physical limitations I am probably just second guessing myself and will stick with the PH advice on ammo. I would love to take my 30-06 in this hunt but it is a M1 Garand and unless my info is wrong you cant hunt in the RSA with semi automatic rifles.

Yeah, getting a Garand in would be interesting. The 300 WM is an excellent choice, stick with it. There's a lot of great choices out there in that caliber for factory ammo if you are unsure of the Bondstrike. And aside from we've covered Swift loads factory ammo in 300 Win Mag in 180 grain Scirocco II and A-Frame bullets. Both have long proven records, each has their merits and I'm not sure the animals would be any less dead with either. Perhaps pick up a box of each and see how they shoot.

 

[375Fox]

I would happily look into using the TSX for the 300 WM problem is they don't make a cartridge for the 300 WM they only have TTSX the ones you advised against, an I do not reload ammunition. I thought the Woodliegh being a soft tip with a lower velocity would be a ideal round compared to most of the Polymer tips that would go right through.

I did find this round would welcome your thoughts on it, , Nosler Trophy Grade Ammunition 300 Winchester Magnum 200 Grain Partition

I like Barnes bullets as well. TTSX are quality bullets too. If you actually want to look into 300 win with TSX. These are quality bullets. Remington factory ammo with Barnes TSX bullets. I was short on hand loads during my trip in March so I bought 2 boxes to supplement my hand loads.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021033069?pid=190415

 

[Morga]

I like Barnes bullets as well. TTSX are quality bullets too. If you actually want to look into 300 win with TSX. These are quality bullets. Remington factory ammo with Barnes TSX bullets. I was short on hand loads during my trip in March so I bought 2 boxes to supplement my hand loads.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021033069?pid=190415

Funny I was looking at Midway for different ammo choices this morning as well , I have used Remington Ammunition since some of my first hunting trips

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Well that is if the 9.3x62 is on the table listening to what the PH said he seemed to strongly recommend for me the 300 WM over the 9.3x62.

The Average Velocity of the Norma Bodstrike at 100 yard with my 26 inch barrel on the 300 WM I have is Veelocity 3100 Energy 3900 , 200 yards Velocity 3000 Energy 3500 , 300 yards Velocity 2800 Enery 3100

Morga
35 Whelen 225grain accubond muzzle velocity of 2,850 fps Muzzle energy 4,000+ fpe
225 grain woodleigh PPSP MV 2,950 me 4,300+ for
250 grain Speer hotcore at MV 2,700 me 4,000 fpe
Bob