One cartridge to hunt dangerous game for the rest of your life and it can't be a 375, what are you going with?

[colorado]

500 Jeffery. "They don't get up" and I have one

 

[Grat]

416 Rigby in a Hambrusch Magnum Mauser, Swarovski Z6 1-6x24. Worked perfect on Buffalo, some Plainsgame. On my 3rd Safari 2025 in Zimbabwe I will use it for Elephant.
If I would be in my 40 ties and not end of 60ties I would look for a Westley Richards double with droplocks in 450/400 or 470. My 375 HH Double from Hauptmann - if I would hunt Buffalo and Plainsgame- I love Double Rifles

 

[fsrmg1]

I would have to turn to my Winchester M1895 .405 WCF, loaded with quality 350 grainers such as a Swift at about 2250 fps. This carries about 4000 fpe, with a bullet having near .300 S.D. Should do the job on anything that I'll likely ever be going after.

 

[Green Chile]

I've been checking 416 Rigby loads today for a hunt later this month for buff...400 TSX's but I'm going to load some 350 TSX for a later hunt. I have a friend who uses that bullet in his 416 Rigby for everything out to 300 yards (except ele of course). It's a one load covers all. Throw in solids for ele and you are covered.

 

[mrpoindexter]

950 grain Grizzlystik arrow with a forged Alaskan broadhead.

 

[dogcat1]

.416 Rigby!! What else???

Can you Baba Yaga??? That is what a .416 Rigby is!

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Okay, if someone is taking my .375, he will darn well replace it & it'll cost him!
He'll supply me with a nice double .450-400 3" and enough components to last me two years.

 

[Surgeon1]

1.Heym 450-400 DR
2. Dakota 76 416 Rigby traveler

With 338 LM barrel
3. 404J

 

[Bandera]

I think I would stick with the 450-400 NE.
I have a Ruger No.1 H 450-400 NE.
Hind sight being what is, if I was starting over buying guns… I would have purchased a Heym or Merkel double rifle to start with.

 

[double rifle newbie]

450NE or 416RM

 

[Monski]

404 Jeffery, although I have yet to hunt with it. 2nd place would be my .505 Gibbs, not as versatile but damn I love it!

 

[PCC600]

404 Jeffery, although I have yet to hunt with it. 2nd place would be my .505 Gibbs, not as versatile but damn I love it!

Yes I think they are pretty good too . Got a 1925 vintage 404 on a SSB Mauser Magnum action and a 505G on a SSB action ( and a new 505 under construction ) . Just fantastic cartridges . Throw in a 303 for plains game and you have a very symmetrical battery .

 

[Edward Wright]

I would look at 416, if I could only have one. I think 416 Remington mag has many good qualities. No I don’t own it, but my 458 Lott is limited in it range . A 416 could give you both range and punch.

 

[festuscat]

Tough question but 500 NE for me.

 

[ActionBob]

If I could have only one and it needed to be for the rest of my life.... It would be a bespoke bolt rifle such as a Rigby, probably in 416 Rigby as I may want less recoil as I get older, otherwise the 450 Rigby seems like an awesome cartridge. If it was a Jeffrey it would of course be in 404 Jeffrey. So either a 404 or a 416. I would also have the rifle custom fitted and embellished. To me a double is just not as universal to be the only Dangerous Game rifle I could own.

 

[PCC600]

If I could have only one and it needed to be for the rest of my life.... It would be a bespoke bolt rifle such as a Rigby, probably in 416 Rigby as I may want less recoil as I get older, otherwise the 450 Rigby seems like an awesome cartridge. If it was a Jeffrey it would of course be in 404 Jeffrey. So either a 404 or a 416. I would also have the rifle custom fitted and embellished. To me a double is just not as universal to be the only Dangerous Game rifle I could own.

I think all your suggestions are great options . Got all of them and they certainly work . I have Rigby rifles in both 416 ( Big Game) and 450 (PH model) . After shooting them a lot I do think the 450 is nicer to shoot in the slightly heavier PH rifle . The 450 can easily be used out to 200yds ( I knocked over some pigs at that range ) . The big advantage for me is that while 500 grain ( and even 550s) work well the 450R can shoot 400 grain pills as well . It is more versatile than the 416 . Also if reloading you can use necked up 416 brass for the 450. And 458 calibre pills are easy to get .

 

[michael458]

This is a fun thread, and there is no right or wrong choices, its about what you would choose. But it has to go beyond just the "Cartridge", there has to be more to it than just that one component. How about the platform/Rifle? How about the most important component, the bullet? I think you have to consider these two components to come up with a proper decision.

Cartridge for Dangerous Game............

Well, this narrows the selection well...... not a cartridge that is capable of doing other jobs, not an all around cartridge, one that is barely or not adequate for dangerous game, but good for impala and white tail deer too....... No, Dangerous Game only cartridge, no other considerations involved.

Dangerous game will have at the top end buffalo, hippo, and elephant. At the bottom end a 125 lb leopard....... in between lion/bear and throw in the odd crocodile I think as well.....

You have to plan for the biggest of this category, not the smallest. What might be perfect for the 125 lb leopard, probably won't be for the elephant. What is perfect for the elephant, can be made do for the 125 lb leopard with proper choice of bullets........

When considering elephant, buffalo and hippo, Caliber of the cartridge is important. For me, that starts at .458 Caliber and I think optimum at .500-.510 caliber. Rifles that come in larger calibers are just more than I want to carry around all day long, and I think are more cumbersome for me to put to work quickly if required. I love .458 caliber, it is more versatile overall than the larger .500-.510s....... Any of the 458s would be a dandy choice............ 458 hits harder than .416.......... and in the same view .500 hits harder than .458. I have not seen any difference in this between .458 and .474, but have seen differences in 458 to .500.

For caliber, I am going to go to .500 caliber to hit the biggest, the hardest. I can make some bullet choices down from there to sort out the lesser size DG.

Now, What 500 caliber Cartridge?

What rifles do I have personally that would meet my requirements?

I have in hand a giant 12lb Ruger Magnum in 510 Wells..... .510 caliber, can easy shoot 570 #13s at 2400 fps +, long musket barrel of 24 inches.............. No, not this one, it is just way more weight, length than I am going to carry around in the field. It is cumbersome, it is not handy, it is not fast. No, it is out.........

I have 500 MDM, rifles come in with 20 inch barrels, from 8.25-8.5 lbs depending on the wood. Cartridge is capable of sending 500 gr CEB #13 Solids down range at 2400 fps, these will end to end buffalo, easy, capable of 525 gr CEB #13 Solids at 2300 fps, more than capable of slamming all the heavies. Of course in the case of buffalo there are many capable trauma inflicting bullets to start the buffalo dance, followed by the solids....... and these just slam buffalo to the extreme. And while I have put many days in the field with this cartridge/rifle, It only comes in Second on my List.

I have lesser .500 caliber cartridges, 50 B&M capable of 500 Solids at 2150 fps, 18 inch barrel, 7.5-8 lbs, light, and short, very fast, very handy, very easy to work with, and also would not be a bad choice at all for this mission, but for the purposes of this thread, I think I want something in between the bigger 500 MDM and the 50 B&M..............

That in between cartridge comes in with a 18 inch barrel as well, same contour as the smaller 50 B&M. It uses a Winchester RUM long action, utilizes a 2.5 inch RUM case, dead in between the other two .500s........ Standard weight is around 8 lbs. It is only 1/2 inch longer than the 50 B&M and a full 2 inches shorter than the bigger 500 MDM. It is capable of 500 CEB #13 Solids at 2250 fps, 525 CEB #13 Solids at 2170 fps, various 450 gr North Fork and CEB solids at 2400 fps, all of these more than capable of the heavies and hit them hard. Trauma inflicting bullets from 410 gr to 450 gr, 2400 fps to 2500 fps...... rips and slams buffalo into submission. One of the great advantages of using this cartridge, it can utilize Talon Tips in the Raptors and work through the magazine, this Talon Tip adds 125-150 fps impact at 50 yards, substantial with these type bullets.

Rifle is extremely handy, fast, easy to carry all day, handles incredibly well. It is short enough not to be cumbersome, and if needed quickly at very close range, it is a fighter for sure.

I think for ME, I choose what is designated as the 500 B&M, 2.5 inch RUM to .500 caliber. It is not a popular rifle/cartridge, reason is, I never turned it loose like the other cartridges, it was more of an experiment for me personally. There are only two of these in existence, I have both. One is stocked with an Accurate Innovations Bastogne Stock, and the other is an Accurate Innovations Myrtle Stock......... Let me show you my Choice for this Thread;

Bastogne stocked 18 inch 500 B&M Matte Black Gunkote finish

Myrtle Stock 18 inch GunKote Finish 500 B&M;

 

[ActionBob]

At the bottom end a 125 lb leopard....... in between lion/bear and throw in the odd crocodile I think as well.....

My leopard was 135 pounds and I'm hoping to hold out for bigger on the next one

And from my experience, a smaller fast cartridge is more effective on cats in general but especially leopard. So I think in this scenario laid out by the OP, I'd prefer to use a fast light for caliber 416 or 404, or if allowed, a 338 Win Mag, 300 magnum or a fast .35 caliber for leopard.

 

[michael458]

My leopard was 135 pounds and I'm hoping to hold out for bigger on the next one

Holy Cow, maybe I should have went with more cartridge, I was only counting on 125 lbs......


No offense, just good fun..............

So I think in this scenario laid out by the OP, I'd prefer to use a fast light for caliber 416 or 404, or if allowed, a 338 Win Mag, 300 magnum or a fast .35 caliber for leopard.

Laid out by the OP;

One cartridge to hunt dangerous game for the rest of your life​

So, I have bullets, that would work for the heavies in 338, .308, and 358 caliber.......... But I just don't think that meets my personal "Best Cartridge for Dangerous Game". I believe I would rather work down than to have to worry about working UP........... Yes, no doubt cats respond to velocity, I concur........ I think I can work down for all the cats to a 335 Raptor at 2650 fps and get by fine with cats and bears of all sorts....... and starting at .500 caliber........ I have not tried the 300 Raptors, but suspect I could hit 2750 or more with those....... In the possible concern of ripping a 125-135 lb cat in half with that Raptor, I might opt for a good 375 gr Solid at reduced velocity of 2500 fps or so as well....... While a solid is not needed, .500 caliber, at 2500 fps and not taking the risk of turning one leopard into two half leopards, it might be wise......... LOL

Like I said, a fun little thread to consider all sorts of ideas...............

 

[PARA45]

I would have to go with what I have, and that is a Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby, or my Win Mod 70 Safari Express in 416 Rem Mag. However, if I had a choice and $$$, I would go with what @ActionBob described above.