Hows this 7x64 load for plains game?

[hainew]

Hi fellas,

I'm starting to do my homework for a trip in 2023 or 2024. Over the years I've let all my rifles go except one, a musgrave czech mauser in 7x64 with a 1-6 meopta on it currently (czech on czech just seemed to make sense). This delivers me 0.5 moa consistently, launching 160-165gr bullets at around 2850. I've used this on everything from Muntjac to Moose out to 300 yards, a few goats and sheep beyond. I'd like to take this rifle with me to Africa, changing as little about my set-up as possible because familiarity breeds success. But I read often that you want a tougher bullet than the acubonds and bondstrikes that I use at the moment.

A mate who reloads worked me up an almost identical load using Peregrine VLR4's, 165gr mono launched at 2850 stays within 4" out to nearly 250 yards, where it's hitting with 2195ft/lbs. Suitable for plains game?

You hear a lot about people using 180gr out of a 308 or 200 from a 30-06, and this round seems to be very similar energy wise, but it's trading bullet weight for velocity, but using a very tough and reliable mono. It seems many PH's don't like a high velocity approach, but this isn't some Weatherby, and the main reason seems to be bullet failure which hardly applies with the Peregrine at these speeds?

Would anybody not like it is I turned up with this load? And where would you set its limits? Would you let me shoot at a Wilderbeast? Sable? An Eland? (I actually would like to hunt Sable the other two are more hypothetical) Should I just accept that there's no need to replicate the ballistics of my normal loads and use a heavy lead bullet, or the flat VGR3? Should I just buy exactly the same rifle/scope combo in .375H&H and practise with it? (I did used to own one which I shot scrub bulls in Aus with).

Any thoughts or advice would be really appreciated!

 

[Areaonereal]

You are good to go with that load…..eland, hmmmm. It can work, just limit range and shot placement.

 

[AZDAVE]

Your 7x64 will work fine, bullet placement is the most important element. It is on the light side for eland but as @Areaonereal stated limit the range.

As to your second question on should you buy a 375 and practice with it? You have come to the wrong site to ask about should you buy another rifle or a 375 I would say yes to getting the 375 just because everyone should own one! Just ask my wife, as she has claimed one of mine.

 

[oldfart009]

I owned one for a while and hunted both deer and elk with it. I would not hesitate to use it on game up to Moose (=European elk) with a good premium bullet. I traded mine because it was relatively heavy and I hunt mostly in the mountains here in the U.S. and prefer lighter rifles, especially now that I am in my 60s...

 

[TucsonFX4]

I think your set with Accubonds or the Peregrine. Typically, due to the toughness of the monos, you will drop bullet weight to gain velocity (and because barrel twist can be limiting factor) because they typically need a bit more velocity to aid in expansion. You could always ask the outfitters you talk to, but I tend to think just stick with the Accubonds

 

[Graham Hunter]

I have yet to bloody my 7x64. That will happen in May on the Eastern Cape. However I have shot a lot of game with my 280 Rem which is virtualy the same, from Deer to Moose and Elk. It is also my wifes favorite caliber and she has also shot animals up to Gemsbok and Black Wildbeest. Everything was shot with Nosler Partitions 150 or 160gr.

 

[sestoppelman]

Thats a good load, you can gain a little over that but not enough for any critter to know the difference.
I am also a fan of the MEO scopes, have several, I prefer them over Leupold all day long.

 

[GeoffB]

My mate and I hunted Africa in 2018 and he used a CZ in 7 X 64 on everything from Springbuck up to Eland. He took some of the medium to larger plains game with it as well like Waterbuck, Gemsbuck, Kudu, Zebra and Eland with well placed shots using the 160gr Accubond. The 7 X 64 is well liked by many PH's in Africa for plains game. They will also like the fact you have used your rifle a lot and are comfortable with it.
I took a Sable on my second trip with a .270 win and 150gr Accubond at 194 yards. My PH was comfortable with me using the .270 on a Sable. Same for you, talk to your PH about your intention to bring your 7 X 64.
As @AZDAVE said bullet placement is the most important factor.
Take your rifle with your favorite load and enjoy what Africa has to offer.

 

[rookhawk]

You are good to go with that load…..eland, hmmmm. It can work, just limit range and shot placement.

My son shoots a 7x64. 140gr Barnes ttsx at 2950fps. He shot an eland right through the heart. The herd scattered, all the trackers were sure it ran with the herd and then split off a mile away. Not a drop of blood on the ground. Not one.

After an hour of fruitless searching a tracker decided to just walk in a different direction because he saw a broken twig or two. There the eland lay, no blood, less than 200 yards from the shot.

A 7x64 will kill eland. A 375 will make a much faster recovery.

 

[KAROO WILD Safaris]

I use a CZ 7x64 with 160 grain Woodleigh bullets as our main "camp gun". It's actually my favorite caliber and I love everything about it. We've hunted lots of big Eland with it, never had a problem putting one down. I have several larger caliber options for Eland but almost never use anything other than the 7x64. It's always a balance between accuracy and size of the caliber (recoil) and a 7x64 is a very easy rifle to shoot well. I would have no hesitation in bringing it to Africa to use for all plains game.

 

[YancyW]

I use a CZ 7x64 with 160 grain Woodleigh bullets as our main "camp gun". It's actually my favorite caliber and I love everything about it. We've hunted lots of big Eland with it, never had a problem putting one down. I have several larger caliber options for Eland but almost never use anything other than the 7x64. It's always a balance between accuracy and size of the caliber (recoil) and a 7x64 is a very easy rifle to shoot well. I would have no hesitation in bringing it to Africa to use for all plains game.

Here is your answer.

 

[Longwalker]

Yes! Use your familiar rifle and load with confidence!