PLAINS GAME CALIBER

I've killed most of my plains game up to eland with a cheap Speer .270gr .375 boat-tail spitzer. Except for a blesbuck that I originally hit too high (entirely my fault), all animals fell at the first shot and stayed down.

Any adequately heavy-for caliber bullet at moderate velocities will kill plains game reliably. I know this may sound like blasphemy, but to me the usefulness of premium bullets is more relevant 1) with very high velocities and/or 2) on heavy, dangerous game.
 
When I went to Africa for the first time (June '24) I knew I would be renting a rifle from PH. I was amazed at the caliber choice. .308. I knew the .308 was a great North American deer round, but I thought pursuing much heavier animals (Kudu, Zebra, Wildebeest etc) would require a heavier round. The .308 worked flawlessly. Nothing traveled over 50 yards after being hit and only 1 animal required a second shot. I was amazed by that little Marlin X7 .308 with a 180 Grain Federal Fusion.
Exactly what I used and had lots of bang flops
 
My first Safari was a PG practice run for a later Safari for more challenging game. On the first trip, I took a 308 loaded with 180g Fed Fusion ammo and a 375HH loaded with Barnes TSX. I had planned on using the 375 for most of the game on my list but ended up doing just the opposite. The 308 worked so well that I took five animals with it and ALL were one shot kills and most dropped DRT. I had tried to use 180g A-frames but my rifle would not shoot them to acceptable accuracy out past 100y.

Both rifles were vintage FN Belgian Browning pieces from the 1960's and both performed very well. I also took a nice Blue Wildebeest with the 375HH. It did take three shots but only to end it quickly. The first shot was terminal. Ran 60y and piled up.

For PG use this next trip, I plan to return with a 375HH for PG and DG and also bring either a 30-06 with 180g Sciroccos, or a 7mm Mag with 175g Fusions, or a 7mm/08 loaded with 150g Sciroccos. I am blessed with options and think all three highly capable.

FN Browning 308.jpg
Barnes 375HH 300g TSX.jpgNyala.jpgWildebeest.jpgStud Duiker.jpgGhost Pepper Bushbuck.jpgGemsbok Bull.jpgImpala.jpg
 
.308 with 168 grain Barnes TTSX or 180 Swift Aframes
 
6.5 Creedmoor with Barnes TTSX. My son and I have put everything down with it from Kudu to Duiker! Zebra at 30 yards to Jackal at 400 yards. My first few trips I used a 30-06 with Barnes 180’s I believe.
 
6.5 Creedmoor with Barnes TTSX. My son and I have put everything down with it from Kudu to Duiker! Zebra at 30 yards to Jackal at 400 yards. My first few trips I used a 30-06 with Barnes 180’s I believe.
I would use 6.5 PRC on a dedicated plains game hunt.
 
From here on out it will be a CZ550 in 30-06 with Barnes 168gr TTSX.

When my .257 Roberts is finished I'll use the 100gr TTSX.
 
What is everyone's "Go To" caliber for Gamsbok, Kudu, Impala, etc... And what bullet?

I personally had taken a .300 Winchester Magnum with the 180 Gr Barnes TTSX bullets. They shoot fast and flat, and the bullets don't break up on impact, minimizing the damage to the trophy while still dispatching the animals quickly and ethically. But that was my personal choice.

As we develop our Safari line of ammunition, we can't just load big bore ammo. What is your "go to" caliber and bullet?
@PENDLETON AMMUNITION
When my son and I hunted Namibia he took his 308 loaded with Nosler accubonds. Performance couldn't be faulted.
I took a 35 Whelen loaded with a variety of projectiles. It also performed faultlessly.
Woodleighs, accubonds and swift A frames along with 225gn Barnes would all be fine.
Bob
 
After many years of hunting, I have become convinced that "Enough Gun" has much less to do with the size of the caliber than it does with the shooters ability to place a single, well aimed first shot into the vital zone of the prey, all while using a bullet of sufficient structure and momentum to penetrate deep enough to kill the animal. The size of the hole, be it 6mm, 7mm, 30cal or 375cal has much less to do with the results as long as the hunter knows when and where to place that first shot.

While there might be more room for error with the larger, heavier calibers, they come with their own set of handicaps such as more recoil, and more bullet drop on longer shots.

Spend the necessary time with your rifle and chosen caliber to be "Expert" in its field use and choose bullets of high quality. There are more good bullets out there these days than bad. Just don't choose a frangible varmint bullet to shoot a Kudu and you should be OK. Don't choose a solid or FMJ to shoot deer. If you want more "Bang-Flop" type kills, then go bigger and faster. If you do not mind doing some minor tracking then the choice may be less critical. Just be ethical and avoid taking shots so far out that the bullet is not delivering sufficient energy for a good kill. Even if your marksmanship skills with allow such shots, they should not be taken. We are better hunters than that. For large game, I try to limit my shots to the range where the bullet arrives at a minimum of 2000fps using a heavy for caliber bullet.

i.e. For a 30-06 loaded with 180g Barnes TTSX that works out to about 400y. Not every hunter or rifle is able to deliver acceptable accuracy at that distance. From a bench or prone off of a rucksack, I can make such a shot at 400y but for hunting, shooting off sticks, I limit my shots to 300y to allow for those other variables and prefer to get within 200-250y whenever possible. I cannot think of many cases where I would have needed to shoot further. Possibly if out West on smaller game like Pronghorn.
 
I used a 7mm RM with 140 gr Nosler BT bullets on my 1st South African hunt. The PHs and Outfitter said that was too light of a bullet, but it made one shot kills on my Kudu, Black Wildebeest, and Gemsbok.

In subsequent hunts I used my .375 RUM once with 300 gr Barnes TSX bullets and another year with 270 gr TSX bullets.

Two hunts with my 7mm RM and 160 gr Nosler Accubond bullets.

Then another South African PG hunt with my .300 Wby and 168 gr TSX bullets.

And two Mozambique hunts with my .300 Wby and 168 gr TTSX bullets.

Bulllet placement is most important.
 

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Hi gents we have very little openings left for 2025 if anyone is interested in a last minute hunt!

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Shoot me a message ASAP to book your spot 2026 is also filling up fast! will start posting 2026 dates soon!
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schwerpunkt88 wrote on Robmill70's profile.
Morning Rob, Any feeling for how the 300 H&H shoots? How's the barrel condition?
 
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