Shot distance

[mdwest]

A 300 mag will get the job done… but it’s really not necessary for Limpopo… you won’t have many opportunities to squeeze out the value of the speed and distance the mag provides.. and can accomplish the mission easily with something like a 30-06 or 308 that is likely lighter, more compact, less recoil, etc…

All that said… if you have a 300 mag and that’s the rifle you’re most comfortable with.. by all means, take it… it will absolutely do the job…

 

[rookhawk]

So continuing to read this thread and seeing most shot distances less than 200yards I’m wondering about caliber selection. Planning on taking .300 win mag next June to Limpopo. Curious why the wsm version should have stayed at home?

I've easily killed 100 animals in Africa with a 7x57 shooting 175gr partitions. They drop like mortars, and its still just fine. A 300WM has a MPBR that is astounding by comparison. The idea of a WSM or some other rifle is totally unnecessary and I've not seen a WSM or WSSM rifle that was stocked and scoped correctly for Africa-style hunting anyway.

I'll tell you what WILL screw up your hunt though, and its not caliber. Its stupid long-range gun stocks with their monte-carlo combs, with extra high rings, and big glass on top. Sure they work at home shooting prone, or at the range from a bench, but while you move your face around trying to get comfortable on sticks, then mess with your head angle to see through the telescope, then mess with the dial lowering it from 12x to 2x power, the animal standing at 40 yards is LONG gone. I'd wager <1% of the new rifles at Cabelas are suitable for Africa hunting by virtue of their stocks, optics selections, and ring selections in their store.

150gr-200gr bullet hitting an animal at least 1900fps with a scope set at between 1x-6x power is all you need for 99% of the shots in Africa. Lets not take the exceptional 1% case and make it the normative case. Pick your rifle with the lowest rings and fastest target acquisition optic in the lowest comb stock possible. The caliber that happens to be is not particularly high on the priority list and is less important than bullet selection.

14 trips over there, total amount of shots taken prone: 1. (and it was an eland in a velle and I was on a goma, about 200 yards diagonally way down) Farthest shots taken: Bushbuck at 345 yards with a 375HH off sticks, then a hyena at 265 yards, then a couple impala at 220 yards, the prone eland shot at 200 yards, and everything else was 150 yards or less. That's 14 trips, over 220 days in the bush, and the sample size just doesn't support the need for a sharpshooting rifle, you need a stalking rifle.

Speed of getting on the animal kills animals, not long range shooting technology. How fast can you be ready? It better be really damned fast.

 

[Elkeater]

I've easily killed 100 animals in Africa with a 7x57 shooting 175gr partitions. They drop like mortars, and its still just fine. A 300WM has a MPBR that is astounding by comparison. The idea of a WSM or some other rifle is totally unnecessary and I've not seen a WSM or WSSM rifle that was stocked and scoped correctly for Africa-style hunting anyway.

I'll tell you what WILL screw up your hunt though, and its not caliber. Its stupid long-range gun stocks with their monte-carlo combs, with extra high rings, and big glass on top. Sure they work at home shooting prone, or at the range from a bench, but while you move your face around trying to get comfortable on sticks, then mess with your head angle to see through the telescope, then mess with the dial lowering it from 12x to 2x power, the animal standing at 40 yards is LONG gone. I'd wager <1% of the new rifles at Cabelas are suitable for Africa hunting by virtue of their stocks, optics selections, and ring selections in their store.

150gr-200gr bullet hitting an animal at least 1900fps with a scope set at between 1x-6x power is all you need for 99% of the shots in Africa. Lets not take the exceptional 1% case and make it the normative case. Pick your rifle with the lowest rings and fastest target acquisition optic in the lowest comb stock possible. The caliber that happens to be is not particularly high on the priority list and is less important than bullet selection.

14 trips over there, total amount of shots taken prone: 1. (and it was an eland in a velle and I was on a goma, about 200 yards diagonally way down) Farthest shots taken: Bushbuck at 345 yards with a 375HH off sticks, then a hyena at 265 yards, then a couple impala at 220 yards, the prone eland shot at 200 yards, and everything else was 150 yards or less. That's 14 trips, over 220 days in the bush, and the sample size just doesn't support the need for a sharpshooting rifle, you need a stalking rifle.

Speed of getting on the animal kills animals, not long range shooting technology. How fast can you be ready? It better be really damned fast.

That all makes sense. On the plus side the .300 I was planning on taking is my Ruger m77 Hawkeye II. It’s stocked with walnut in a slim sporter style stock with a 24” sporter barrel. It wears a 3-9x40 scope set in low rings. I’ve killed a lot of elk here in the states with it at distances from 20-400 yards. I actually don’t own any other rifles configured this way. The rest are set up for long range shooting from the prone position. Here’s a stock photo but mine is basically the same thing. I would love a 7x57 but am trying to avoid purchasing a new rifle for this trip.

 

[rookhawk]

That all makes sense. On the plus side the .300 I was planning on taking is my Ruger m77 Hawkeye II. It’s stocked with walnut in a slim sporter style stock with a 24” sporter barrel. It wears a 3-9x40 scope set in low rings. I’ve killed a lot of elk here in the states with it at distances from 20-400 yards. I actually don’t own any other rifles configured this way. The rest are set up for long range shooting from the prone position. Here’s a stock photo but mine is basically the same thing. I would love a 7x57 but am trying to avoid purchasing a new rifle for this trip.View attachment 521679

That's your gun for Africa.

 

[HookMeUpII]

Will be following this thread. I am hunting Limpopo in May with the same round, 300WM. Only insight I can offer was we were told:

a) Be good at 50-100 yds.
b) Get comfortable shooting off sticks.
c) Get comfortable taking 3-5 seconds, max, to acquire/stage/shoot.

300WM off the sticks is a good time. Ugh.

 

[Waterbuck2008]

d) No muzzle brakes.

 

[HookMeUpII]

d) No muzzle brakes.

Curious on this one. I see this comment thrown out in jest sometimes. However, what is the real consensus on this? My rifle is a non-threaded barrel, no brake. However, one member of our party does have one.

Is this just a courtesy recommendation?

 

[nomspc]

Muzzle brakes are loud. Your PH wants to be focused on the animal not on whether he’s going to lose an eardrum.

 

[shootist~]

With a muzzle brake your PH (and tracker, too) will have his fingers in his ears, and possibly his eyes squinted, instead of watching more closely or through binoculars. This from the two shots I observed from a guy in our group with a braked 300 WM.

 

[nomspc]

Limpopo in May 2 years ago was pretty thick; check out this roan. Most shots under 100, 1-6X scope was perfect.

 

[rookhawk]

Curious on this one. I see this comment thrown out in jest sometimes. However, what is the real consensus on this? My rifle is a non-threaded barrel, no brake. However, one member of our party does have one.

Is this just a courtesy recommendation?

It’s unpleasant for everyone except the shooter. Sort of a D-move. Encourage your friend not to bring it.

 

[HookMeUpII]

It’s unpleasant for everyone except the shooter. Sort of a D-move. Encourage your friend not to bring it.

It's my brother. I'll have to tell him. Thankfully it's threaded so he will just need to get a standard thread protector from Winchester (Model 70).

 

[375er]

It's my brother. I'll have to tell him. Thankfully it's threaded so he will just need to get a standard thread protector from Winchester (Model 70).

In the excitement you won't ever notice recoil anyway.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Will be following this thread. I am hunting Limpopo in May with the same round, 300WM. Only insight I can offer was we were told:

a) Be good at 50-100 yds.
b) Get comfortable shooting off sticks.
c) Get comfortable taking 3-5 seconds, max, to acquire/stage/shoot.

300WM off the sticks is a good time. Ugh.

E) Reload immediately, don’t “admire the shot”.

It’s not the end of the world with PG, but you’re ready if you need it.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

It's my brother. I'll have to tell him. Thankfully it's threaded so he will just need to get a standard thread protector from Winchester (Model 70).

Ditch the brake! I use one of these PAST/Caldwell should pads for most of the practice sessions. $36 from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013R8J48/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I use the 1/2" thick version when working up loads and practicing. My sessions are normally 40 to 60 rounds. Often for the last 6 to 10 rounds I remove the pad and shoot at close range rapid fire, just for fun!

Now, someone will wonder if my zero changes with and without the pad. Not that I've noticed. In Africa, without a pad of course, with my 458 Heym double sporting an SRO red dot, I've shot zebra at 108 meters and wildebeest at 150 meters!

 

[Doug3006]

I agree completely with @375er. You won’t notice recoil when shooting at game! My 458 Lott, for me at least, has beastly recoil. I love to shoot, but I’ll admit that the Lott is less than pleasant. However, I didn’t notice recoil at all on a Cape buffalo a couple of years ago. I shot, cycled another round and paid the insurance without giving recoil a thought.

 

[Vashper]

Are silencers or sound moderators not used there?

 

[Doug3006]

Are silencers or sound moderators not used there?

In Africa, seems like they are increasingly used, especially in SA. In the US, not so much From what I’m seeing.

 

[Desperatezulu]

150gr-200gr bullet hitting an animal at least 1900fps with a scope set at between 1x-6x power is all you need for 99% of the shots in Africa. Lets not take the exceptional 1% case and make it the normative case.

Don't underestimate or ignore this advice, especially with a speedy calibre like a 300WM.
For Limpopo ranges, you can use bullets as heavy as you like in the WM - 200-220gr would be ideal, doing 2600-2750f/s max at the muzzle. Anything going at 3000+ f/s is just tempting bullet failure at close ranges and (greater) deflection risk from a twig.
Anything from Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame or Barnes TSX in 200gr (or 220gr for the NP) is good bushveld medicine out of a 30 cal.

 

[rookhawk]

Don't underestimate or ignore this advice, especially with a speedy calibre like a 300WM.
For Limpopo ranges, you can use bullets as heavy as you like in the WM - 200-220gr would be ideal, doing 2600-2750f/s max at the muzzle. Anything going at 3000+ f/s is just tempting bullet failure at close ranges and (greater) deflection risk from a twig.
Anything from Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame or Barnes TSX in 200gr (or 220gr for the NP) is good bushveld medicine out of a 30 cal.

A 200-220gr Swift A-frame coming out of a 300WM would be a devastating setup for all practical shooting. While not legal and therefore not suggested, that setup would probably even kill a Buffalo. Eland, Sable, Kudu, Gemsbok, and all the rest would fear that setup if you can shoot swiftly with minimal screwing around off sticks.