Most efficient 3 cartridge spread for dangerous game?

[Bandera]

30-06
375 Ruger
450-400 NE

 

[Sarg]

I wanted a two rifle battery that I could use to.take any large animal anywhere in the world. I settled on a .300 WM, and a .458 WM. Two guns are much easier to transport than three or more. But now I think of lion or a NA great bear. Neither of those two seem perfect. I think a .375 H&H or 9.3 x 62 may be the thing I need to add.

So my list is:

.300 Win Mag
.375 H&H (or 9.3x62, or .375 Ruger)
.458 Win Mag (or .458 Lott, if you must)

This is very close, I had a take down Win M70 SS in 338Win mag & had plans on adding 458win barrel but the Gunsmith died that did the first part & it didn’t happen .
160gr to 300gr - 338Win & 300gr to 500gr .458Win covered it all but a nice .500 or .577 would do the rest ?

 

[BeeMaa]

Being universally DG capable means a minimum of 375H&H (or equivalent).

My choices would be...
375H&H Blaser R8
416RM Blaser R8
500/416NE Krieghoff Big Five or Blaser S2...or possibly a 470NE if I had my druthers.

 

[BJH65]

These are what I currently possess that fall in this category.

CZ 550 Kevlar 9.3x62. (Top)
CZ 550 Magnum 416 Rigby. (Middle)
Custom Robar/AHR Brno 458 Lott. (Bottom)

 

[fourfive8]

What I have and won’t change.

375 HH bolt with low power scope
416 Rem bolt with low power scope
450 Watts bolt with low power scope

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

scoped .450-400 for lion, leopard
.500 NE for everything else.

At least that is what I am going for in the future though I took my leopard with a scoped 9.3x74R double a few years ago.

If you’re interested I know where a pretty PreWar Rigby Sidelock in 9.3x74R is right now. If you’re interested shoot me a PM and I can get you the details.

 

[Sarg]

If you’re interested I know where a pretty PreWar Rigby Sidelock in 9.3x74R is right now. If you’re interested shoot me a PM and I can get you the details.

Would very much like to see pics of that !

Is it a rechambered .400/360NE of some type, I ask as this is regularly done on some .400/360 I have a Westerly Richards .400/360NE unfortunately a true .360 not .366

 

[Tanks]

If you’re interested I know where a pretty PreWar Rigby Sidelock in 9.3x74R is right now. If you’re interested shoot me a PM and I can get you the details.

Thanks, but I still have my 9.3x74R Heym lefty double.

 

[Capebuffalo]

This is very close, I had a take down Win M70 SS in 338Win mag & had plans on adding 458win barrel but the Gunsmith died that did the first part & it didn’t happen .
160gr to 300gr - 338Win & 300gr to 500gr .458Win covered it all but a nice .500 or .577 would do the rest ?

I agree, Sarg. The 338 WM can not be left out of the conversation. Kills as good as 375 H&H and 9.362, but can add some range too. Although legislation blocks it for DG in some countries, it is excellent on larger PG, and where allowed on DG the performance is great according to everybody who used it for that purpose.

 

[IvW]

I agree, Sarg. The 338 WM can not be left out of the conversation. Kills as good as 375 H&H and 9.362, but can add some range too. Although legislation blocks it for DG in some countries, it is excellent on larger PG, and where allowed on DG the performance is great according to everybody who used it for that purpose.

I dont understand how you come to this conclusion please inform us.

 

[Capebuffalo]

I don't want to convince anybody. Just saying out of own experience that the 338 WM is a great cartridge to have in any rifle battery for larger PG and some DG (cats and bears) when moving around in DG territory.

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

.375 H&H
.338 Jarrett
.300 Jarrett

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I don't want to convince anybody. Just saying out of own experience that the 338 WM is a great cartridge to have in any rifle battery for larger PG and some DG (cats and bears) when moving around in DG territory.

I don't own a .338, but it sounds right to me.

 

[Sarg]

I don't want to convince anybody. Just saying out of own experience that the 338 WM is a great cartridge to have in any rifle battery for larger PG and some DG (cats and bears) when moving around in DG territory.

I use a 338/06 & it is a great cartridge for a reloader, also have a few 9.3x62 it is a very fine cartridge as well but more on the heavier bullets & game, 338/06 can nudge the 300Win in velocity .

The 338Win can again be loaded up to do almost anything, unfortunately not Africa wide DG legal (with suitable back up eg PH) I worked in a Commercial portable Buffalo abattoirs, doing a fair bit of shooting, we were at the start supplied with M70 338Win with 300gr Winchester factory ammo, killed all buffalo extremely well even with chest shots (we also had a Pet Food Chain where body shots were acceptable) as we had to brain shoot for human consumption the boss then supplied us with 30/06 & 308 using military ammo as cheaper less wear on us & well the bullet was meant to be in the brain any way theoretically !

in these early years ammunition & components for the 338Win were hard to acquire in the Outback & some of our ammo was amazingly loaded with necked down .358Norma Mag cases, also a fine cartridge with better bullets of today.

 

[Capebuffalo]

I use a 338/06 & it is a great cartridge for a reloader, also have a few 9.3x62 it is a very fine cartridge as well but more on the heavier bullets & game, 338/06 can nudge the 300Win in velocity .

The 338Win can again be loaded up to do almost anything, unfortunately not Africa wide DG legal (with suitable back up eg PH) I worked in a Commercial portable Buffalo abattoirs, doing a fair bit of shooting, we were at the start supplied with M70 338Win with 300gr Winchester factory ammo, killed all buffalo extremely well even with chest shots (we also had a Pet Food Chain where body shots were acceptable) as we had to brain shoot for human consumption the boss then supplied us with 30/06 & 308 using military ammo as cheaper less wear on us & well the bullet was meant to be in the brain any way theoretically !

in these early years ammunition & components for the 338Win were hard to acquire in the Outback & some of our ammo was amazingly loaded with necked down .358Norma Mag cases, also a fine cartridge with better bullets of today.

Interesting! Thanks for your valuable contribution to our forum, Sarg!

 

[Jack Stevens]

Well, it bears keeping in mind the thread title if you want to respond with a relevant set of cartridges:

Most Efficient 3 Cartridge Spread for Dangerous Game?

So what a given cartridge might do on non-dangerous/plains game is irrelevant.

And a threesome of DG cartridges that covers African DG would also cover Alaskan DG too, certainly the big bruins.

.350 Remington Magnum (250grn bullets @ short range in forested or brushy/bushy terrain);

.375 H&H (300grn bullets @ longer, more open ranges);

.404 Jeffrey.

 

[BeeMaa]

Well, it bears keeping in mind the thread title if you want to respond with a relevant set of cartridges:


So what a given cartridge might do on non-dangerous/plains game is irrelevant.

And a threesome of DG cartridges that covers African DG would also cover Alaskan DG too, certainly the big bruins.

.350 Remington Magnum (250grn bullets @ short range in forested or brushy/bushy terrain);

.375 H&H (300grn bullets @ longer, more open ranges);

.404 Jeffrey.

Except the 350RM isn't legal for DG in Africa. However, it would be fine for the bears of North America.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Except the 350RM isn't legal for DG in Africa. However, it would be fine for the bears of North America.

What about leopard and lion? .359 RM still wouldn't be my first choice, but it would be legal.

 

[BeeMaa]

What about leopard and lion? .359 RM still wouldn't be my first choice, but it would be legal.

I see what you are saying but it's not legal for ALL dangerous game in Africa. That was my only point.

 

[BryceM]

I don’t know what the best is, but this is probably where I’ll be in a year or two:

.375 H&H bolt
.416 Rigby bolt
.470 NE double

The double, just cuz I want one, and I think it would be fun to try eles again. That’s about all the recoil I figure I can shoot reasonably well.