Is there a perfect plains game calibre?

[Labman]

No such thing as the perfect caliber since many different calibers will work fine. My favorite is the .338 win Mag. I shoot 225Gr. Nosler Partitions and they just plain work. I've shot everything from Jackels to Eland with mine. Howevr, my last Eland was shot with a 150 Gr. Partition from my .270 Win. It went down just as fast as the ones shot with the .338. Shot placement is the most important factor.

 

[Professor Mawla]

My vote goes to the venerable .338 Winchester Magnum and 250 grain Nosler Partition soft nosed factory loads . Absolutely flawless for any of the plains game up to the size of eland .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'll respectfully disagree. An eland has far more in common with a moose than a cape buffalo. A forty is absolutely not necessary. One reason the 33's (or the Whelen) make such a good choice with 220 to 250 gr bullets is they'll handle everything from up close to as far as a PH is likely to let a client attempt a shot. In fact, in traditional walk down of an eland, a forty would be an absolute handicap both due to weight and potential range limitations. And yes, I will definitely take a longer shot with my .338 Win Mag than my .404.

I personally have used a .375 on Cape and Livingstone eland, but that was because I was hunting Cape buffalo on the same safari (and no I don't recommend a forty as particularly needed on cape buffalo either). Where a long day of hiking is likely, I much prefer a rifle that totes more like a 30-06 than a M-60.

Were I going on a PG hunt tomorrow where eland would be featured, my rifle would be one of my .300's or a .338.

@Red Leg
Thank you kind sir for mentioning the Whelen in your reply , yes the Whelen is a f one cartridge for all plains game.
Bob

 

[Ike85123]

300wm has always been my favorite. 150gr to 200gr. Rabbit to eland, its a one stop shop.
I don't reload. So to me, its the best thing since tom&jerry !
I might graduate to the whelen, after i fihure out the deal with reloading. Haha

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Art, nothing against a 35 whelan they are great BUT I can move a 200gr 300WM way faster than 2700fps with a handload all day every day.
Hydrostatic shock is what destroys the internal organs and turns the lungs to jelly its the transfer of the energy to the critters vital organs.
So the limiting factor is the shooter period. if you cant hit the vital organs then the best gun and caliber in the world is a waste.
some guys might shoot a 270 very well, give them more recoil and they cant hit SH*T so the best for them a 270, some can shoot a favorite 375 like a dream and that's best for them.
it all going to be personal and we all have our favorite go to toys!

@Buckdog
Unfortunately @Art Lambart II down loads his Whelen. When you load the Whelen properly to up to 2,950 with the Woodleigh 225 grain PPSP it shows a clean pair of heels to the 300 at any range and a 250 grain @ 2,700 fps is even better.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

EENE, MEENE, MINEY, MOE...… unless you can think of a better way to make up your mind. In truth I'll bet that most of us have the same dilemma.

@Shootist43
Hush my mouth but one way to make the decision easier is to own less rifles. That's why I trimmed down to 3. What one won't handle the next one will.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

No such thing as the perfect caliber since many different calibers will work fine. My favorite is the .338 win Mag. I shoot 225Gr. Nosler Partitions and they just plain work. I've shot everything from Jackels to Eland with mine. Howevr, my last Eland was shot with a 150 Gr. Partition from my .270 Win. It went down just as fast as the ones shot with the .338. Shot placement is the most important factor.

those partitions will work well until one lets you down.
don't ask me how i know this.
then you might go to swifts, which will do what the noslers purport to do, which is to be consistently reliable.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Then, there's those who take the time to get good at range estimation and/or spend the money to get a good pair of laser range finding binoculars. And learn the art and science of wind estimation. And learn to apply the results to their trajectories. And get the appropriate hold-overs or scope adjustments for the distant targets. And know how well they can hold the rifle in whatever shooting position is available....
... I'm not there. I haven't put in the practice with a rifle.

@perttime
Then there's others that know there rifles and sight in for a point blank range where the bullet rises no moe than 3" or falls no more than 3".
That makes my 25 fine out to 300+ yards and with a backline hold on a fallow deer out to 450yards. Not that I shoot that far.
With my Whelen and accubonds I can hold dead centre on most game to 300+ yards and get a good kill shot anywhere from muzzle to 325 yards without compensating. Hold, pull trigger and collect game.
Bib

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

"whiz bang super killer" gave me a chuckle.
Tortoise and the hare story in there somewhere...

@BeeMaa
That's what I thought you liked mate the wizz bang supper killer instead of the old tried and true like the 06, the Whelen, 9.3x62 and the 375.
The wizz bang superkillers are a flash in the pan that have limited uses.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Your right the 338 recoil is pretty heavy and sharp compared to the 375 which feels just as heavy but not nearly as sharp. If that makes sense.

@jduckhunter
That's why I like the Whelen, the same or more power than the Whelen, loaded properly not to far behind the 375 and without the recoil of the 2. In my 9# Whelen with a 250 grain at 2,700 fps the recoil is 32#
Bob

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa
That's what I thought you liked mate the wizz bang supper killer instead of the old tried and true like the 06, the Whelen, 9.3x62 and the 375.
The wizz bang superkillers are a flash in the pan that have limited uses.
Bob

Nah, I'm good with the old stuff. Even though I know you don't consider the 300WM "old". If the 30-06 had the same bolt head as the 375H&H, I'd have chosen it.

 

[mark-hunter]

There is no perfect, or the best.
But, the caliber for PG must have:
1. Enough energy (legally required, and true energy)
2. Must be available locally.

For this reason., I consider following
30-06
300 win mag
338 win mag
375 H&H

If eland is considered, then last three.
Bullet medium weight to heavy per caliber.
Shooting distance up to 200 meters.

 

[YancyW]

6.5 Creedmoor 140gr Berger VLDs....

 

[lwaters]

There a lot of good plains game rifles. Anything from 7mm Mauser to the 375 will work just fine. The proper bullet is more important. I'm actually quite surprised the 7mm rem. mag. isn't mentioned more.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Nah, I'm good with the old stuff. Even though I know you don't consider the 300WM "old". If the 30-06 had the same bolt head as the 375H&H, I'd have chosen it.

@BeeMaa
That's what lathes are for mate. You could turn the rims down cut a new extractor groove and end up with a rebates rim like the 425WR.
Problem solved.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think I have the answer!
Duiker 223
Impala 243
Blesbok 257 Roberts
Nyala 7mm-08
Warthog 308
Kudu 7mm RM
Black wildebeest 30-06
Blue wildebeest 300 WM
Zebra 338 WM
Eland 9.3x62
Giraffe 375 H&H

Am I getting close?

@Ridgewalker
Easier all could be handled by any one of the following 35 Whelen, 9.3x62 or the little 338
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Allow me to add..Red Hartebeest 270 WIN

@BeeMaa
Forget the 270 mate, go to something real like the 280AI with a good accubond or swift Aframe.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Completely agree...

Eland is on the menu this summer.. A .35 Whelen with 225gr TTSX loaded to about 2600 fps is being used.. I think it will be nearly perfect eland medicine..

@mdwest
Put some coal on the fire and take that TSX up to 2,800 plus fps and have more of a good thing or load up some 250s to 2,700 fps
Bob

 

[Chickenfarmers]

My all-purpose rifle is a Remington 700 in 300 Win Mag. With my handloads I brew up everything from 110-220gr rounds and use it for woodchucks to bear. A super accurate, reliable, and strong all-around rifle/cartridge combo in my opinion. If you dont reload the 30-06 probably would be a better choice with a wider range of factory loaded bullet weights for versatility.

 

[bruce moulds]

@njc110381
The rifle you are confident with is the ideal plains game rifle if it has sufficient power and accuracy for the job. I used a 35 Whelen and my son used a 308 and found neither lacking.
I feel the 7mmSTW loaded with a good bullet like the 175 grain swift Aframe or a 150 or heavier Barnes would be more than enough. The 7x57 works so the STW will be even better as it fits you and you are comfortable with it. Just get plenty of practice off sticks.
Bob

bob, i believe you are right about the 7mmstw.
i have shot camels in the chest with 150 gn barnes at 3300 mv.
out to 100 yds you cannot tell the difference between that and a 375 or 9.3x64 for similar shot placement.
at further ranges past 200 they all have less effect.
the bigger calibres seem to hit a little harder out there than the stw, but the stw is easier to shoot accurately which balances out.
this raises the next point.
you mentioned point blank range in another post.
the stw can be sighted in dead on at 300 for a point blank range of 350 on bigger game.
that is a hell of a long way in the field, harder to hit well at, and harder to judge.
if you don't have time to chook around with rangefinders and other crap, rounds like the stw make a lot of sense.
that said the 340 wby is probably a far better choice for such as eland. (and camels).
the stw makes the 7x57 and 308 look like a popgun in comparison.
not only in trajectory, but in what is delivered. you can't put them in the same category.
i often hear guys state how well their small gun kills, only to find that they are quite happy to accept things running and staggering around after being hit.
morally i cannot accept that as ethical, and it makes me sick.
when there is a more deadly way it is the only way.
bruce.