When is enough gun actually enough?

[Elton]

As i normally browse through the threads when i am bored i noticed something interesting, as well as expected. There is a trend that i am noticing regarding bigger caliber rifles becoming the norm. This together with another thread i read about 3 favorite rifles, where i noticed a bunch of 30 06 and very few 308. Now this is dead beat horse as we all know. It is faster and packs a little more punch etc etc etc. But if that's the case then surely a 300win mag is better?

And if a 300win mag is better, the. Surely a 338 win mag beats the 300? And IF a 338 is better then a 300. Then The 375 is absolutely better than the 338.

O but lets not forget the 416 Rigby?

You see where i am getting. So this got me thinking that when do we decide "what enough" gun is?

Please feel free to give your feedback or Rant. Both are fun to read.

 

[PARA45]

For me, the 375 H&H recoil is the max my 165 lbs frame will stand without having to use a muzzle break. I have everything covered from the 22-250 to the 375 H&H, and depending on where I'm going and what I'm hunting is what dictates what gun & caliber I take. For what I can afford and most likely hunt I think I am will covered. If I ever have enough $$ to hunt an elephant, I may consider something bigger, or just go with the minimum caliber the 375 H&H. I know I have many overlaps in calibers, and I am ok with it, I love guns, and in some cases I own two of the same caliber. I may have an addiction, who knows.

I hope this makes sense and kind of answers your question from my personal view.

 

[JimP]

I find that it is always nice to have too much power in a cartridge than too little for the animal that I am hunting.

But you will find very few hunters that go after rabbits with a 416 Rigby.

In a ideal scenario you'll be hunting the animals with a rifle caliber that isn't too small for it. After that it is just personal preference on what you hunt with. I like the 340 Weatherby on animals the size of north America elk ang it works quite well on any African plains game.

Will lighter calibers work on the same animals? Yes they will, but how boaring that would be if we restricted ourselves to just a few calibers?

 

[Elton]

Bow and arrow for elephant? No recoil and will make for a hell of a story?

For me, the 375 H&H recoil is the max my 165 lbs frame will stand without having to use a muzzle break. I have everything covered from the 22-250 to the 375 H&H, and depending on where I'm going and what I'm hunting is what dictates what gun & caliber I take. For what I can afford and most likely hunt I think I am will covered. If I ever have enough $$ to hunt an elephant, I may consider something bigger, or just go with the minimum caliber the 375 H&H. I know I have many overlaps in calibers, and I am ok with it, I love guns, and in some cases I own two of the same caliber. I may have an addiction, who knows.

I hope this makes sense and kind of answers your question from my personal view.

 

[Fabnosh]

Yes, a good point.

For PG then it's down to what one can shoot the best in all circumstances that has sufficient knock down power to ensure a humane kill and, as you mention, pretty much all of those will do the job quite satisfactorily.....so with being sensible pretty much anything around 30 cal will suffice. For DG however, the equation slightly shifts in favour of having sufficient stopping power to very definitely stop the beast. Ok, there will be a PH to provide some adult supervision but ultimately one is up close and personal and having a little margin for error is usually most welcome.

That said, too much gun that the shooter is not comfortable with could generate a worse outcome than a lesser calibre that is shot well. So if your .375 nails it every time for you and your 470 makes you flinch. Then go for the .375 and delight in good shot placement.

I'll need one of my kids to phone asking for money before I'm in the mood to rant lol

FN

 

[Elton]

I find that it is always nice to have too much power in a cartridge than too little for the animal that I am hunting.

But you will find very few hunters that go after rabbits with a 416 Rigby.

In a ideal scenario you'll be hunting the animals with a rifle caliber that isn't too small for it. After that it is just personal preference on what you hunt with. I like the 340 Weatherby on animals the size of north America elk ang it works quite well on any African plains game.

Will lighter calibers work on the same animals? Yes they will, but how boaring that would be if we restricted ourselves to just a few calibers?

Here in South Africa we are kind of restricted considering the terrible laws on owning firearms. Hence the question.

My brother in law believed in a bush rifle and a plains rifle. He always had a 375 and a 270.

 

[curtism1234]

You get to too much gun when you start mutilating the animal you intend to eat. With today's bullet choice, some of this can be mitigated

 

[Elton]

Yes, a good point.

For PG then it's down to what one can shoot the best in all circumstances that has sufficient knock down power to ensure a humane kill and, as you mention, pretty much all of those will do the job quite satisfactorily.....so with being sensible pretty much anything around 30 cal will suffice. For DG however, the equation slightly shifts in favour of having sufficient stopping power to very definitely stop the beast. Ok, there will be a PH to provide some adult supervision but ultimately one is up close and personal and having a little margin for error is usually most welcome.

That said, too much gun that the shooter is not comfortable with could generate a worse outcome than a lesser calibre that is shot well. So if your .375 nails it every time for you and your 470 makes you flinch. Then go for the .375 and delight in good shot placement.

I'll need one of my kids to phone asking for money before I'm in the mood to rant lol

FN

For dangerous game i fully understand taking a panzer tank to a buffalo hunt. Those things just don't always register that they are dead.

But i also see people going in the opposite direction with regards to taking a 243 on killing a Kudu. I personally miss the time when everyone settled around a 30 06 for the average of hunting.

 

[PARA45]

Oh, well, now everything changes, and my apologies for ASSuming that you were in the US. If that is the case, than I would choose the biggest caliber I could shoot real good for DG (that is legal), and something flat shooting for PG. Or just stick with the 375 H&H, but than I would want another rifle, because I like rifles. LOL!!!!

 

[Elton]

You get to too much gun when you start mutilating the animal you intend to eat. With today's bullet choice, some of this can be mitigated

This has been my understanding. But a large heavy caliber traveling slower does less meat damage. Again my brother in law is the example. He hunted Impala with a heavy slow 375. Made a nice tunnel through the impala but almost no blood shot meat.

 

[Elton]

Oh, well, now everything changes, and my apologies for ASSuming that you were in the US. If that is the case, than I would choose the biggest caliber I could shoot real good for DG (that is legal), and something flat shooting for PG. Or just stick with the 375 H&H, but than I would want another rifle, because I like rifles. LOL!!!!

Never ASSume hahaha. This is one of those cases where we are jealous of the USA. Being able to own different rifles.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

For dangerous game i fully understand taking a panzer tank to a buffalo hunt. Those things just don't always register that they are dead.

But i also see people going in the opposite direction with regards to taking a 243 on killing a Kudu. I personally miss the time when everyone settled around a 30 06 for the average of hunting.

As far as people going “too light” I have two thoughts/ideas:

1) Modern premium bullets have allowed lighter calibers to hit harder and more reliably than they used to. This may account for a renewed interest in using them for larger animals (for better or worse).

2) A lot of people on the web spout axioms without regard for what made them axioms. On the one side you get “use the largest you can shoot reliably” and on the opposite “shot placement is all that matters.” I see this in wild pig hunting discussions on other forums where the only suitable cartridges for a feral boar seem to be either .375 or .223 and nothing in between. The poor 30-06 suffers from being too powerful or too weak, depending on which extreme an internet expert sits on, which is, of course, nonsense.

 

[Fabnosh]

The 30-06 has probably dropped more game in it's history than many of the other popular calibres combined. It doesn't seem to be in fashion at the moment but it certainly will do pretty much anything asked of it and, given the incredible range of loading options, I'm surprised it's not more widely used.

FN

 

[mark-hunter]

When you define when there is a lower level of overkill in hunting, you will in the same time define when there is enough gun.

 

[Shootist43]

Personally I like where this is going. I prefer using a caliber that I consider commensurate for the game. My preferred caliber for deer & hog sized creatures is the 6.5 x 55 in a Swedish Mauser. Next up is the 35 Whelen. With it I would go up to Elk or Kudu. If I was expecting long range shots I gravitate towards a magnum, i.e.300 WM, 308 Norma, 338 WM. For larger animals and or DG I have number of larger calibers to choose from, like 375 H&H, 404 Jeffery, 416 Remington Mag or a 416 Rigby. The largest animal I've taken so far was a large Eland. My choice for that was a 404 Jeffery. That animal was unable to take a step forward or backward and simply collapsed in place. To the OP's point my original deer rifle was a 30-06, it was my primary rifle for about 15 years. Now I have choices. I kind of shake my head when I see folks hunting way over gunned.

 

[Newboomer]

Very interesting topic. My 2 cents: I have a 6.5 CR for varmints, smaller pg and American game up to elk. My 7RM for elk size and larger pg up to eland. 375HH for eland, dg and big bears. I could use my 375HH for everything but sometimes the extra power (and weight) is not warranted. I have 308 and 06 but 7RM covers that range. With the correct projectile in each caliber I'm set for anything.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

The problem for me is that I'm limited to only 2 rifles when I go to Africa so that has to be part of the thought process. I tend to bring a 300 WM with a suppressor and whichever is my current favorite large bore rifle...currently a custom 505 Gibbs.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

375H&H is enough for everything, the question is are you?

 

[Happy Myles]

The problem for me is that I'm limited to only 2 rifles when I go to Africa so that has to be part of the thought process. I tend to bring a 300 WM with a suppressor and whichever is my current favorite large bore rifle...currently a custom 505 Gibbs.

I do not think limiting yourself two rifles is a problem, it is a good idea. But you know that! Congratulations on all your wonderful trophies.

 

[ssubwave]

375H&H is enough for everything, the question is are you?

Don't think it can ever be enough