Refining your dangerous game cartridge selection over the years.

[Northern Shooter]

I'm curious which progression many here went through in terms of the dangerous game cartridges that have cycled in and out of their collection.

For example, did you start out with the likes of 375HH but ended up swapping it out for one of the 416's for a better DG all-rounder?

Was your first 416 a Rigby but eventually switched to a 416 RemMag or Ruger for more affordable ammo costs?

Did you first own a 458 WinMag only to upgrade to a 458 Lott or 450 Rigby?

Did you ditch your 40 cals entirely in favor for one of the heavier hitters like the 500 Jeffery or 505 Gibbs?

Did you condense your initial collection down to a core group of cartridges which covered all your DG needs and minimized any overlap?

As someone who owns a 375HH, 416 Rigby, 458 WM and 470NE I find myself asking these questions.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I started with a .375 H&H Encore, bought a Ruger #1 .375 H&H, got drunk and bid on a M70 Safari Express .375 H&H, won it, bought a bunch of .458 Lott at the Nosler sale then needed a rifle, bought a .458 Lott Ruger #1. I can give you a bunch of reasons why I still have it all, but mainly because I don't have a showroom island in my kitchen.

If I had all the knowledge about all the calibers and it all to do over again, I'd keep the #1s and buy an R8 in Lott and Win Mag and call it a day.

I really like the idea of a .50 like @Rafiki built because he outsmarted all the weaknesses of the .500 NE.

The .500 Jeffrey is an amazing caliber, but I have only seen one man master it and he doesn't own the gun anymore. They seem to be things kept for a time and passed on to others.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I purchased a 375H&H and 458WM at the same time from an AH member.

I was actually looking for a 416 Rigby, 458 Lott, or a 375H&H as these calibers are nostalgic to Africa safari calibers.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I got a 458 wind bag to start with …..as it cost me nothing, I just had to put it together (came from my gunsmith friend as a pile of bits) and then my 404 Jeffrey I built from another pile of bits from the same guy. Don’t know if I’ll build another big bore but the 416 Taylor interests me, that could just be a barrel swap…
Gumpy

 

[SRvet]

I started with a hand built Mauser actioned rifle by a well renowned UK gunmaker caller TT Proctor in .375 before a planned trip to RSA for buffalo. My son was backing me up on this hunt and wanted more in his hands than a .308 so I ended up buying a cheap .458 Win Mag for him. Subsequently I found another TT proctor rifle in .458 Lott and gave that a new home as well. Both are tack drivers if I do my part!

 

[ve7poi]

Blarer R8 in:
375 H&H
404J custom bbl
458 lott - if not taking DR
Merkel 140 AE in 500 NE

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

I started with a RH SAKO .375 H&H and a CZ in .375 H&H. I shot several animals with the SAKO, but shot it left handed, including a Buff.

Then I ordered a new LH SAKO 85L in .375H&H and took it on 2 Safaris. I sent it off to have it further accurized, to include a NF scope, and custom ammo developed. I shoot it well, even though it is light for a DG rifle. I love that rifle!

I also have a LH 450 Dakota that I have fired. I bought it with the intent of shooting Elephant and Buff with. We’ll see…

I’m not recoil sensitive, so I’ll just have to see how accurate that 450 is after I get scoped and shot…

 

[cperso]

Started off using my Sako 375h&h for DG then went to a Win Model 70 416 Rem Mag then a CZ550 450 Rigby.
Still own and use all three.

 

[Fenstar]

It’s funny how we all start drinking milk and water, but evolve to gin and bourbon. My Safari tastes have evolved the same… 30-06, to .375, then .404J and .416 Rigby… .458 WM to the .458 Lott. I almost stalled on the Lott because it did DG so efficiently- but to no avail a double .450 NE, magazine .450 Rigby, to the .500J (love it!) and the .505 Gibbs (want to love it!). But at the end of the day, if I had to pick one, it’s the wonderfully efficient, historically rich, 9.3x62!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Blarer R8 in:
375 H&H
404J custom bbl
458 lott - if not taking DR
Merkel 140 AE in 500 NE

How do you like your Merkel?

 

[Rare Breed]

I'm curious which progression many here went through in terms of the dangerous game cartridges that have cycled in and out of their collection.

For example, did you start out with the likes of 375HH but ended up swapping it out for one of the 416's for a better DG all-rounder?

Was your first 416 a Rigby but eventually switched to a 416 RemMag or Ruger for more affordable ammo costs?

Did you first own a 458 WinMag only to upgrade to a 458 Lott or 450 Rigby?

Did you ditch your 40 cals entirely in favor for one of the heavier hitters like the 500 Jeffery or 505 Gibbs?

Did you condense your initial collection down to a core group of cartridges which covered all your DG needs and minimized any overlap?

As someone who owns a 375HH, 416 Rigby, 458 WM and 470NE I find myself asking these questions.

I started with a 375 HH. Then the DR bit me and I ended up buying 7 of them from 450-400, 470 to 500 NE. Now I just keep the 470 NE

 

[Rem700stw]

Kimber Caprivi 375 H&H
CZ 550 9.3x62
CZ 550 404 Jeffrey
CZ 416 Rigby
Manton 470
W.J. Jeffrey 450-400
Chapuis 9.3x74
Kimber Caprivi 458 Lott