New rifle, One and only for Africa

[Jamie D Van Roekel]

Thanks to everyone for all the help , I do have shooting experience with lighter calibers , just wondering for a good all round rifle to buy for my first in my name . Would a 30-06 or a 7X57 cause a lot of meat damage to a smaller animal if shot within 100 meters , eg a blesbok or impala , or even a pig . Would the meat damage be rather bad ? I’ve never shot with either of those Calibers

If you use a monometal bullet that holds its petals like a Barnes. It will do very little damage.

I have shot a rabbit with a 300 Win and 150 Barnes and done less damage then a 223 with a standard bullet.

 

[CJW]

Thanks to everyone for all the help , I do have shooting experience with lighter calibers , just wondering for a good all round rifle to buy for my first in my name . Would a 30-06 or a 7X57 cause a lot of meat damage to a smaller animal if shot within 100 meters , eg a blesbok or impala , or even a pig . Would the meat damage be rather bad ? I’ve never shot with either of those Calibers

Bullet composition, impact velocity, shot angle, all impact the amount of meat damage. Most times you'll get a broadside shot so just aim back a little at the lungs. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Kill the animal cleanly first and then worry about some damaged shoulder meat.

 

[Deleted member 74279]

Ha! But is the .375 a starter gun? Nope. How many different rifles did you have before you graduated to a .375? I’d estimate that very few of us started with a .375, and for good reason.
It is impressive to watch an experienced shooter, who happens to be female or of small stature, shoot a .375 or bigger.

my vote is for a .30-06, because of ammo availability. Otherwise my vote would be the 7 mm mag. (But, I started with a .270)

Why is it not a starter rifle? My first rifle was a .375. I was 16!

 

[Deleted member 74279]

Get a .375 h&h mag. You can hunt all the animals you mentioned and one day if you want you can take any of the dangerous game with it. There have been many times I've been greatful I was using a .375 and nothing smaller, our african game is very very tough. Sure, you can kill an eland with a smaller calibre.. but mess up your shot slightly and you're in trouble.. People complain about meat damage but that's because they don't know how to avoid heavy bone or are using inadequate bullets.
Maybe shoot one first if you are nervous of recoil, I promise its not as bad as all these sissies make it out to be.

 

[IvW]

He is a meat hunter starting out eland will e few and far between....never mind DG.....

7x57mm, 30=06, 7x64mm is all that is needed....

Also cobsider the cost of ammo......he is in SA.....

375 H&H is not a first rifle for a meat hunter.....

 

[BeeMaa]

Maybe shoot one first if you are nervous of recoil, I promise its not as bad as all these sissies make it out to be.

You are really good at making friends.

 

[Deleted member 74279]

You are really good at making friends.

Take me with a pinch for salt BeeMaa. I grew up with a .375 here in Africa. Had it since I was 16 and also started off hunting for meat. Perhaps I should have suggested something else but his initial question said something along the lines of "one rifle for africa". My sissies comment was born out of pure frustration with the endless concerns of excessive recoil with the .375..

 

[IvW]

With the 3 calibers suggested by the op it indicates recoil issues....hence I would not recommend 375 H&H for his requirement.....I own 2 and it is not a general meat hunters caliber....I also own a 500 Jeff which is also not everyones cup of tea for DG....

I know very few people who start off with a 375 H&H as a first rifle for PG as a meat hunter...

 

[BeeMaa]

Take me with a pinch for salt BeeMaa. I grew up with a .375 here in Africa. Had it since I was 16 and also started off hunting for meat. Perhaps I should have suggested something else but his initial question said something along the lines of "one rifle for africa". My sissies comment was born out of pure frustration with the endless concerns of excessive recoil with the .375..

Take yourself with a pinch of salt and read your response before you post it. If it sounds like you are coming on too strong...you probably are. Regardless of that, most people don't start off shooting a 375 at 16 years of age and if you don't understand that...well, I might be coming on a little too strong right now.

 

[Deleted member 74279]

Take yourself with a pinch of salt and read your response before you post it. If it sounds like you are coming on too strong...you probably are. Regardless of that, most people don't start off shooting a 375 at 16 years of age and if you don't understand that...well, I might be coming on a little too strong right now.

Wow.. sounds like someone is having flashbacks from his scope eye.. maybe that 270 was loaded a bit hot for you.

 

[BeeMaa]

Wow.. sounds like someone is having flashbacks from his scope eye.. maybe that 270 was loaded a bit hot for you.

Treat people with respect and you will earn it back. No one wants to be bullied, regardless of what they shoot.

 

[Art Lambart II]

@Carter123 I'm a huge fan of medium bore rifles, if I lived in SA and had only one rifle to hunt PG it would be a 9.3x62.

 

[Longwalker]

One rifle for a beginner, of the cartridges listed in the original question... = .308! I started out hunting with a .308 for our Canadian game, and despite considerable experience since with other cartridges I have never had a very good reason to use anything else. I don't believe that as a beginner you will be able to take any practical advantage of the "more power" or "flatter trajectory" of some of the cartridges suggested previously. There are many advantages to using a commonly available cartridge that is "enough" is available in the rifle you want to buy, and is accurate, easy to shoot and cheap to purchase. I have coached many beginner hunters and have generally suggested the .308 to them. The result was not one complaint and success from varmints to moose.
As an acknowledgement to our American members, the very same could be said for the .30-06. and to our German members, the 8x57IS.
I also have also started some beginners with the 7mm08, which is the modern version of the 7x57. The 7x57 is a really nice old cartridge, but is practically obsolete. I have three 7x57 rifles and like them a lot. BUT Very few modern manufacturers chamber a rifle for that cartridge except for the rimmed version in break action single shots and doubles. Good used rifles are still on the market, but really, the 7mm08 is better than the 7x57 in all respects. Or just move up to a 7x64. Wonderful cartridge, and better than the .270 for any game weighing over 200 Kg. I base this on experience on Canadian elk and moose with the .270 and 7x64.
Please forget the .243 for general hunting. It is great for springbok and impala sized creatures, but runs out of capability with the bigger game.
Based on your South Africa location, In order of preference, the calibers I suggest are .308, 7x64, 30-06, 8x57IS, .270 or 7mm08 in that order, but subject to the rifles you find that you like, can afford, and fit you.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

Thanks to everyone for all the help , I do have shooting experience with lighter calibers , just wondering for a good all round rifle to buy for my first in my name . Would a 30-06 or a 7X57 cause a lot of meat damage to a smaller animal if shot within 100 meters , eg a blesbok or impala , or even a pig . Would the meat damage be rather bad ? I’ve never shot with either of those Calibers

Hey @Carter123 , Welcome to Africa Hunting.
You’ll be fine with either of those, or the 308 you mentioned in the first post. As you get more into the hunting you could get other rifles or work with different bullet weights if money and interest allows.
Depending on where in SA you’ll be hunting, those three would cover up to 90% of all hunting needs for 90% of hunters. For sure it works for me and all my non PH hunting friends.
Don’t worry so much about which of the three, go and try some rifles, get the one that suits/fits you and go hunting.

 

[shark_za]

375 H&H is not a first rifle for a meat hunter.....

Unless you are 5ft 1inch.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

30-06, 30-06, 30-06

oh did i mention 30-06

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

30-06 great caliber, great bullet selection.

 

[John Telford]

Although the 30-odd six is not my favourite Cartridge for africa ( not even in my top 10 list) it will do for your intended purposes quite adequately.

 

[Safari Dave]

I'd go with a 30/06, if I were in your shoes.


I asked 6 PH's in camp in Limpopo at the same time, which rifle cartridge they wish their clients would bring for plains game and each one said a 30/06.


I use mine (well one of my 5) 90 % of the time in the USA for deer and black bear.

 

[homeless]

My suggestion is the 300wm, the animals there have very tough skin, and with different nala tips you can choose from the duiker to the eland.

My first safary was with 7mmRM (2016) and the second with 300wm (2021)