What calibre? (Yet again)

[BeeMaa]

If there is any chance of adding Cape buffalo to the menu, I'd go with the 375H&H for a "one-gun" safari. And let's face it, there's always a chance. Top quality 300 grain expanding bullets (Barnes TSX, Swift A-Frame, Norma Oryx or Federal TBBC) will have you covered for everything on your list except the smaller ones. For those you can use solids like CEB Safari Solids or Woodleigh Hydros.

 

[AimSmall]

Certainly the 'ought-6' will handle it, but why do have a 375?

Have a great trip!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

A friend has booked a 2:1 hunt in Namibia in 2025 and his hunting partner now looks like he will have to drop out, so he has asked me about going.

It looks absolutely fantastic, all walk and stalk in the Erongo hills. No vehicle access, so everything has to be carried from what he has said.

The species available are:

Zebra
Springbok
Kudu
Duiker
Steenbok
Oryx

I have a Blaser R8 with a 30-06 and 375 barrel. Is it worth taking both?

I imagine it would be a pain to carry both around but the email from the agent states that he prefers clients to use a minimum of 300 win mag on zebra.

I am very tempted by a 338-06 built by a gunsmith friend who has a superb reputation. A cancelled order, but I am concerned about the spectre of missing ammunition. He is selling it for the cost of the action only, as he advises me the UK Firearms licencing will only permit use overseas, so of very little use here, so he is expecting to rebarrel it again in order to sell it.

Congratulations. Unless you just want to spend the money you have the perfect 2 rifles. 30.06 180 grain bullets TSX will kill any Zebra and of course 375 is a great round. Not too mention Oryx & Kudu are tough animals also.

 

[spike.t]

No buff...so 30-06....

 

[Red Leg]

No buff...so 30-06....

Yep, I have hunted the Erongo a lot and one would be hard pressed to locate a buffalo roaming the area. However, lots of leopards to go with the Kudu, Oryx, and Hartmann's zebra. Now, were a calf killer offered for a fire sale price, the '06 would be my choice for it as well.

 

[Northern Shooter]

What other barrels do you own? A 338 WM would make for a happy medium.

 

[Borderer]

What other barrels do you own? A 338 WM would make for a happy medium.

Just a .22 Hornet.

 

[Borderer]

Thanks for all the advice. Seems like the 30-06 would be ideal.

I was very tempted by the 338-06 as a medium ground, but the inability to buy ammunition in Africa seriously puts me off, although it is an unbelievable price (US550) for a rifle that I know shoots 0.5" at 100 yards.

 

[ThinusS]

Either the .30-06 or the .375 will work well, I really do not think that carting around a second barrel is worth the hassle.

 

[roverandbrew]

Just the 30-06.

 

[FlyGuy]

Flip a coin and take whichever….
30-06 with any quality 180gr bullet is perfect.
375H&H with any quality 270gr bullet is also perfect.
Shots in the Erongo region are seldom further than 300m.

 

[DLSJR]

This is really simple, take the 30-06 and don’t look back. It’s all you need for everything you mentioned. There are no buffalo in the Erongo Mountains so no need for the 375.

Zebras - all but one Zebra my son and I have shot were with a 270 Winchester and 150 grain Partitions or TSX. They all died pretty much within 50 yards of where they were shot. If a 270 kills them just fine, a 30-06 certainly does as well.

Tiny Stuff - everyone suggests loading solids in your 375 for the tiny antelope. Guess what; solids in your 30-06 kill them every bit as dead.

There isn’t a single animal on your list that’d know the difference between being shot with a 30-06 and a 375 as long as you put a quality bullet in the right place.

Keep it simple.

 

[Rosch]

I met an Afrikaans farmer in Namibia a couple of years ago. He was running a substantial cattle operation and very keen on hunting, with a bit of an eland obsession. He told me that he finds it very amusing to see people turning up with all sorts of rifles to hunt mainly Eland on his farm.

He told me that he had only every used a 308 for all plains game. He couldn't understand the fuss about everything else.

I had once the plessure hunting with an africaans farmer, who used exclusivly the 243Win on HIS farmland and HIS game in HIS time with HIS trackers! Needless to say that he was an incredible good shooter, going from the car (driver seat) just for neck and head!
Not my way nor advice, has the taste of butchers style!
You, dear threadowner, will pay a hell of money to hunt only in on foot area, limited time and opportunities
to make this trip a successfull project!
I was living 15 years down there and my advise is, take the 375 h&h,
get some premium middle weight bullets, practice practice practice and get used to aime over sticks for long shots! So equiped hit big holes in everything You are shooting at!
Big holes means good blood, good tracks, quick finds, more time for hunting the rest!
The 338-06 is nice to have but with 30-06 and 375 You go around the world and hunt everything, which was Your plan by purchasing from the beginning, wasn‘t it?

 

[ftrovato]

Zebra are tough. If I were using a 30 caliber bullet I would want nothing lighter that 200 grains in a premium expanding bullet. Personally, I'm a big bore fan so I'd just use the 375 knowing I will get similar (if not better penetration) from any angle with more tissue damage.

I took this Zebra with a front quartering shot with my 416 Rigby (400 grain Swift A-Frame). The bullet entered inside of his front left leg just below the shoulder, stopped inside and in front of the right rear leg. The impact took him off his feet hard! He struggled up and ran 100 yards, slowly went down and got up and RAN another 50 yards. Then went slowly down and kept his head up for 45 seconds before he put his head down and expired. Fought hard right to the end!

AND you're going to AFRICA! The land that bigger calibers were invented for! Use your 375 and have fun!

Most importantly, Shoot Small!

 

[KCSafari]

30-06 is perfect for all those animals. No need for another caliber.