Plains Game rifle choice... Am I crazy???

[Doug Hamilton]

For many years the name Mossberg was always attached to he cheapest, least accurate .22s on the shelf. Now they make center fire rifles that are supposed to be pretty good, though still inexpensive. I want CRF in any rifle that could possibly be used on DG. I'd have a hard time buying one. Does that make me a rifle snob?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I had something to say on the original post that @MT_Fin put up, then I saw how old it was. Anyway, it is a relevant post still today so I will resurrect the post in it's original vain if you will indulge me. I often see folks here discussing a rifle option for PG, but with an African flavour to it. But then someone says "but you might just want to do DG too", and then the whole thing inevitably devolves to the 375 in some form and the plot is lost.
For me, let your PG be PG and DG be DG.
Then in true African flavour you can choose something like a Ruger No1 in 300 H&H; light , highly dependable and accurate and able to take any eland clicking. Perhaps @Doug3006 would be kind enough to show us his beautiful example which I had the privilege to carry in Limpopo.
On the DG side you are then free to embrace Africa with the very correct and appropriate double, up to 450/400 if you are mainly after buffalo, and maybe a 470 of 500 if elephant are on the ticket.
And, of course, wear a pith helmet!

 

[mark-hunter]

I can get a Ruger Guide Gun or Hawkeye African in 375 Ruger out of my head. Am I being crazy being ill only be after PG this round. I would love to hunt DG in the future and I could use a lighter load for elk/bear here at home too. Thoughts on 375 just for PG? Of course they chamber them in 300win as well, but that doesn’t seem as exciting as a 375!

I have done 4 safaris so far, and of those 4, two safaris I have done with 375 HH on plains game.
Go for it.
If you can choose ammunition, take 270 grains, TTSX.

I have some Dangerous game plans in the future, but also plains game. All those plans include exclusively 375 rifle. I am not considering anything else.

Go for it, and never look back.

 

[sgt_zim]

For many years the name Mossberg was always attached to he cheapest, least accurate .22s on the shelf. Now they make center fire rifles that are supposed to be pretty good, though still inexpensive. I want CRF in any rifle that could possibly be used on DG. I'd have a hard time buying one. Does that make me a rifle snob?

The problem with the Patriot is that it's 6.5#. That's just an entirely unsuitable platform for this kind of cartridge, and it's nothing to do with aesthetics or CRF v PF.

A 300 gr bullet fired at 2500 fps out of a 6.5# rifle is going to generate 60+ ft lbs of free recoil at somewhere around 25 fps. "Snappy" recoil would be an understatement.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

The problem with the Patriot is that it's 6.5#. That's just an entirely unsuitable platform for this kind of cartridge, and it's nothing to do with aesthetics or CRF v PF.

A 300 gr bullet fired at 2500 fps out of a 6.5# rifle is going to generate 60+ ft lbs of free recoil at somewhere around 25 fps. "Snappy" recoil would be an understatement.

And I'm still not buying one. ;-).

 

[Doug3006]

I had something to say on the original post that @MT_Fin put up, then I saw how old it was. Anyway, it is a relevant post still today so I will resurrect the post in it's original vain if you will indulge me. I often see folks here discussing a rifle option for PG, but with an African flavour to it. But then someone says "but you might just want to do DG too", and then the whole thing inevitably devolves to the 375 in some form and the plot is lost.
For me, let your PG be PG and DG be DG.
Then in true African flavour you can choose something like a Ruger No1 in 300 H&H; light , highly dependable and accurate and able to take any eland clicking. Perhaps @Doug3006 would be kind enough to show us his beautiful example which I had the privilege to carry in Limpopo.
On the DG side you are then free to embrace Africa with the very correct and appropriate double, up to 450/400 if you are mainly after buffalo, and maybe a 470 of 500 if elephant are on the ticket.
And, of course, wear a pith helmet!

Hi Kevin! Thanks for your kind words. Here’s a picture of my Ruger #1 in 300 H&H. I’ve decided to take it to Namibia for a leopard hunt in April. Omaruru isn’t that far from your place. Hop in you Landie and join me, my son Chris and of course @Jeff505 !

 

[Newboomer]

No you are not crazy! In my book it doesn’t take much to get me thinking about a new rifle. The 375 Ruger in the Guide Gun will do plains game or Dangerous Game. My Guide Gun is a bit bigger in 416 Ruger.
View attachment 271211
My son took two warthogs with this rifle one afternoon and a giraffe another day. At first I didn’t much care for the color of the stock but it grows on you!

I like the laminated stocks in green or gray. Kinda like natural camo and they add a bit of flair.

 

[rifletuner]

When I did my first plains game hunt in South Africa I was planning to take my 308 Win. But it was with a gunsmith for some modifications, and as the hunt got closer and I had to organise permits etc, I realised the 308 was not going to be ready in time.

At that time, my only choice was to take my Sako AV 375 H&H. I developed a load with the original Barnes X 250gn bullet that gave me great accuracy and it turned out that it gave me great performance on plains game from springbok to zebra.

As others have already mentioned, a 7mm, 30 cal etc rifle will do everything you need. But a 375 will handle everything with no problems. Take what you want and enjoy your hunt.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Hi Kevin! Thanks for your kind words. Here’s a picture of my Ruger #1 in 300 H&H. I’ve decided to take it to Namibia for a leopard hunt in April. Omaruru isn’t that far from your place. Hop in you Landie and join me, my son Chris and of course @Jeff505 !
View attachment 636130

Good thing you have given me notice Doug, Namibia would be a two week journey in Carruthers! Have a wonderful time.
Tess and I recently did Harare to Eastern Cape and then back via Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Botswana, Maun, Victoria Falls, and back to Harare via the Gokwe bush road. 74 days in all, very pleasant.

Here is Carruthers in the Central Kalahari.

 

[Doug3006]

What an adventure! If you leave on April 1st, you’ll arrive in camp about when we do on the 16th. That’s no hill for a climber! Stay well my friend.

 

[spike.t]

Good thing you have given me notice Doug, Namibia would be a two week journey in Carruthers! Have a wonderful time.
Tess and I recently did Harare to Eastern Cape and then back via Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Botswana, Maun, Victoria Falls, and back to Harare via the Gokwe bush road. 74 days in all, very pleasant.View attachment 636195
Here is Carruthers in the Central Kalahari.

All I can say is WOW......

 

[DelRock83]

No way would I want to shoot a 6.5# rifle in 375 Ruger. The Ruger rifles in that caliber are 8#, and I still think even that's a little light.

Also what you're going to run into with even the medium bores like 375 and 9.3x62 is fit. LOP is important, and comb height is probably even more important to help with recoil. If you don't have a good cheek weld because the comb on that Mossberg sits too low, it's going to slap the shit out of your face every time you pull the trigger, and it'll be made worse by only weighing 6.5#.

For me, that rifle is a total non-starter.

Oh ok I know these questions may sound silly, but I want to at least have my ducks in row somewhat b4 even booking a safari

 

[sgt_zim]

Oh ok I know these questions may sound silly, but I want to at least have my ducks in row somewhat b4 even booking a safari

No biggie. It was a good question from someone who just didn't know. Seven or eight years ago, I asked the same sort of questions.

I knew a couple years ago when I bought my 404 Jeffrey I was going to have issues because of fit. Sure enough, I went out and fired it in its OEM configuration - too short LOP and low comb slapped the shit out of my face.

An additional 1" on the LOP and a Bradley cheek rest later, it's a nice shooter. It was, fortunately, already in the 9 lb neighborhood, though I wouldn't mind adding another 11 ounces to it with a mercury recoil reducer. Throw in the scope and a full magazine, I'd be right at 10.5 lbs.

My gripe with Mossberg is they're going to turn off a bunch of shooters to the idea of shooting cartridges that are entirely manageable and even fun to shoot who're going to believe that all 375s have awful recoil like their Patriot does.

Budget is an issue for many of us, but you should be able to find a Win M70 Express or a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H for around $1500 - there are a couple Rugers on gunbroker right now that are in that price range.

 

[DelRock83]

No biggie. It was a good question from someone who just didn't know. Seven or eight years ago, I asked the same sort of questions.

I knew a couple years ago when I bought my 404 Jeffrey I was going to have issues because of fit. Sure enough, I went out and fired it in its OEM configuration - too short LOP and low comb slapped the shit out of my face.

An additional 1" on the LOP and a Bradley cheek rest later, it's a nice shooter. It was, fortunately, already in the 9 lb neighborhood, though I wouldn't mind adding another 11 ounces to it with a mercury recoil reducer. Throw in the scope and a full magazine, I'd be right at 10.5 lbs.

My gripe with Mossberg is they're going to turn off a bunch of shooters to the idea of shooting cartridges that are entirely manageable and even fun to shoot who're going to believe that all 375s have awful recoil like their Patriot does.

Budget is an issue for many of us, but you should be able to find a Win M70 Express or a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H for around $1500 - there are a couple Rugers on gunbroker right now that are in that price range.

Right..and to be honest I'm pretty sure that my 30-06 or 300 win mag covers the gambit of plains game but I KNOW how my luck is like a swirling wind I'll get there with the intent of just shooting plains game and we'll see a trophy lion or something lol

 

[DelRock83]

No biggie. It was a good question from someone who just didn't know. Seven or eight years ago, I asked the same sort of questions.

I knew a couple years ago when I bought my 404 Jeffrey I was going to have issues because of fit. Sure enough, I went out and fired it in its OEM configuration - too short LOP and low comb slapped the shit out of my face.

An additional 1" on the LOP and a Bradley cheek rest later, it's a nice shooter. It was, fortunately, already in the 9 lb neighborhood, though I wouldn't mind adding another 11 ounces to it with a mercury recoil reducer. Throw in the scope and a full magazine, I'd be right at 10.5 lbs.

My gripe with Mossberg is they're going to turn off a bunch of shooters to the idea of shooting cartridges that are entirely manageable and even fun to shoot who're going to believe that all 375s have awful recoil like their Patriot does.

Budget is an issue for many of us, but you should be able to find a Win M70 Express or a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H for around $1500 - there are a couple Rugers on gunbroker right now that are in that price range.

Right..and to be honest I'm pretty sure that my 30-06 or 300 win mag covers the gambit of plains game but I KNOW how my luck is like a swirling wind I'll get there with the intent of just shooting plains game and we'll see a trophy lion or something

Right..and to be honest I'm pretty sure that my 30-06 or 300 win mag covers the gambit of plains game but I KNOW how my luck is like a swirling wind I'll get there with the intent of just shooting plains game and we'll see a trophy lion or something lol

That's why I was researching some surplus Husqvarna mausers in 9.3x62....not too much money spend on a "once every blue moon" rifle set up......

 

[sgt_zim]

Right..and to be honest I'm pretty sure that my 30-06 or 300 win mag covers the gambit of plains game but I KNOW how my luck is like a swirling wind I'll get there with the intent of just shooting plains game and we'll see a trophy lion or something

That's why I was researching some surplus Husqvarna mausers in 9.3x62....not too much money spend on a "once every blue moon" rifle set up......

You could also buy a 30-06 and just do a barrel swap if you want a 9.3x62. Again, rifle weight is going to be a potential issue. My 9.3x62 is right at 10 lbs, including scope and a full magazine. The original stock cracked just in front of the trigger, so I replaced it with a Boyd's laminate and had Gordy & Sons in Houston steel bed it.

My son's JP Sauer 100 in 9.3x62 is 8 lbs. I'll add mercury to it, and I'm sure he's going to put a can on it, which will bring it pretty close to 10 lbs as well.

9.3x62 may seem like overkill for white tails, but a 286 gr bullet and a modest velocity of 2350 or 2400 fps is just about perfect. You'll ruin more venison with a 150 gr 30-06 at 2900 fps. As I've done, you'll likely find yourself taking it to the deer woods far more often than you imagine you might. Even a 300 gr 375 H&H at 2450 or 2500 fps will ruin less venison.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello all,
I am in the middle of first safari planning overload and having a grand time researching and soaking up as much info as possible. I would love some feedback on rifle/chambering choice..........

My first trip will be most likely looking for wildebeest, Zebra, Blesbok, Warthog, and maybe impala. I have standard caliber rifles which I hunt with here in MT but none of them scream AFRICA!!!!!! as they as synthetic stocked etc. I’m thinking I need a new rifle to play with and practice with while waiting until next year to go, which I think can only add to the excitement.

The recommended calibers on the PH’s website are 30-06 and 300 win with average shots being 150m or less (but possibly more).

I can get a Ruger Guide Gun or Hawkeye African in 375 Ruger out of my head. Am I being crazy being ill only be after PG this round. I would love to hunt DG in the future and I could use a lighter load for elk/bear here at home too. Thoughts on 375 just for PG? Of course they chamber them in 300win as well, but that doesn’t seem as exciting as a 375!

Also, any input of Guide gun vs Hawkeye African? Thoughts on shorter 20” barrel vs 23”?

Thank in advance, if you can’t tell, I’m excited!!

Fin

@MT_Fin
Save your money until after your first trip. My son took a big standard Howa with a Hogue stock in 308 to Namibia. Perfect calibre for what you want to hunt.
Don't overthink the situation as you will end up frustrated..
Yes a nice 375 Ruger would do the job on all you want and then some but why when you have perfectly good rifles already. The may not scream Africa but then again neither dis my Savage Whelen with a plastic stock .
Would my hunt been more enjoyable with a classic African rifle like a nice 375 H&H or Rigby.

NO. I had more than enough of a great time with our plain Jane rifles. It's not the brand of rifle or calibre that makes the hunt. It's the game you harvest, the people you meet and the country you are in that makes the memories.

Imagine the stories you can tell the grand kids when you pull out your deer rifle and tell them how much of a good time you have with it in ( insert country) hunting African plains and how well it worked
An added bonus you can take a bit more game with the money you save on a new rifle
Bob

 

[poco]

No way would I want to shoot a 6.5# rifle in 375 Ruger. The Ruger rifles in that caliber are 8#, and I still think even that's a little light.

Also what you're going to run into with even the medium bores like 375 and 9.3x62 is fit. LOP is important, and comb height is probably even more important to help with recoil. If you don't have a good cheek weld because the comb on that Mossberg sits too low, it's going to slap the shit out of your face every time you pull the trigger, and it'll be made worse by only weighing 6.5#.

For me, that rifle is a total non-starter.

I have a mossberg 375 , and everything you mentioned is correct for a patriot
I bought it from a local guy on the cheap as a project gun , just to see if I could make it a good one
1st it got 1 1/2 pounds of lead shot added in the stock , then put foam in the hollow stock , capped it off with a kick ezz recoil pad and a foam cheek pad, had some tally QD bases and rings and a fire dot scope ( at this point I was thinking ( diamond in a goats ass ) , All this was done watching the evening news and having a few cocktails, so no harm no foul on time and money.
Bore sighted it and took it to the range at the farm and figured out 250gr hornday CX shot decent @ 100 ( picture above ) and started carrying it and plinking and hunting deer and other game , it’s no beauty but is a very functional rifle , very fun to shoot now compared to the puta madre burro I bought
It’s a pretty weather proof tough gun I feel better about riding in the truck then our sig saurer 375 or the M70 safari ( because I don’t want to beat them up if don’t need to)
Will it go to Africa? Maybe? Alaska yes

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Hello all,
I am in the middle of first safari planning overload and having a grand time researching and soaking up as much info as possible. I would love some feedback on rifle/chambering choice..........

My first trip will be most likely looking for wildebeest, Zebra, Blesbok, Warthog, and maybe impala. I have standard caliber rifles which I hunt with here in MT but none of them scream AFRICA!!!!!! as they as synthetic stocked etc. I’m thinking I need a new rifle to play with and practice with while waiting until next year to go, which I think can only add to the excitement.

The recommended calibers on the PH’s website are 30-06 and 300 win with average shots being 150m or less (but possibly more).

I can get a Ruger Guide Gun or Hawkeye African in 375 Ruger out of my head. Am I being crazy being ill only be after PG this round. I would love to hunt DG in the future and I could use a lighter load for elk/bear here at home too. Thoughts on 375 just for PG? Of course they chamber them in 300win as well, but that doesn’t seem as exciting as a 375!

Also, any input of Guide gun vs Hawkeye African? Thoughts on shorter 20” barrel vs 23”?

Thank in advance, if you can’t tell, I’m excited!!

Fin

If you want someone to talk you out of buying a new rifle, you've probably come to.the wrong place!

You won't need a .375 for any of the animals you've listed and if you have a .30-06 or even better a .300 Win Mag you're good to go. I've used both, but a zebra is big and can be tough, and what if you want an eland or giraffe after you get there?

I bought a .458 before my first safari and planned to sell it later, but carrying a real "African rifle" that I used to take a buffalo made the trip real for me and, of course, made it easier to decide I had to go back for more trips. Someday my grandson will inherit my rifles and know that "Papa" carried them in Africa. He will also know the stories that go with them.

If you want the .375, get it.

 

[skydiver386]

The problem with the Patriot is that it's 6.5#. That's just an entirely unsuitable platform for this kind of cartridge, and it's nothing to do with aesthetics or CRF v PF.

A 300 gr bullet fired at 2500 fps out of a 6.5# rifle is going to generate 60+ ft lbs of free recoil at somewhere around 25 fps. "Snappy" recoil would be an understatement.

I'd be willing to watch someone else shoot that rifle all day long.