Young gun Colorado

[PARA45]

Welcome aboard! Beautiful trophies, and congratulations on your future marriage and safari. BTW, I'd like to hear the story on the bear.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello Stetsonham,

Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

The .308 Winchester, shooting 180 grainers is a good choice for most species of African so called “plains game”.
If your wife can shoot well with it, over the sticks from standing position, you will not have to bring two separate calibers of ammunition.
Also, if your wife is interested in reducing recoil as much as possible, without sacrificing effectiveness, the 7x57 Mauser caliber, shooting 160 grain bullets is likewise a very good choice for most so called “plains game”.

Last but not least, most of us USA types these days seem to be madly in love with what I would call “gigantic” scopes, dripping with additional and totally unnecessary gimmicks (56 millimeter lenses, 30 millimeter tubes, lithium batteries, light bulbs, mil-dot reticules, video games, depth finders, weather stations, stock market monitors and the list is endless).
Some of the above is of course fictitious but not all of it.

However, if you are fond of variable power scopes, a basic but high quality 3X to 9X is more than adequate for 99% Africa’s non-dangerous game, including springbok hunting, way out in the flats, which in tactics, is extremely similar to hunting our pronghorn.
About the only Africa “plains game” scenario possibly not well suited for a 3 to 9X scope, might be jungle hunting, such as for bongo ?

Having said that, yours truly, definitely prefers nothing more than a simple, rugged (and now, way out of style) 4X rifle scope, for hunting pretty much anywhere, worldwide, Africa included.
When using a rented rifle that has a variable power scope on it, I set it at 4x and leave it there throughout my days of hunting with it.
I’ve witnessed more than one person messing around with the power ring on their variable scope when instead, they should’ve been firing a shot, only to have their critter bolt into the bush and thereby escape it’s demise.
Anyway, blah blah blah, LoL.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[Nyati]

 

[Stetsonham]

Stetson, unless you use them already, you will need to learn how to shoot off "sticks." There are several good articles on how to use them in the AH archives. The SEARCH function will help you find them. Providing your future wife can handle your 308, why not let her have it and get yourself something with a little more horsepower?

Yes I definitely already use sticks! I guided elk hunts in the fall for a couple years and realized very quickly that sticks are one of the best tools you can have. Welll I would give her mine only problem is she’s a lefty and I’m not, so she’s getting a new one. I personally want to by a .375 and was looking at the Winchester safari express. Only problem is it seems they are very hard to come by. I figured the .308 will work on this trip and I’ll upgrade for the next trip. (Hoping to do an eland hunt next time)

 

[Justhunt]

Welcome!

 

[Stetsonham]

Welcome aboard! Beautiful trophies, and congratulations on your future marriage and safari. BTW, I'd like to hear the story on the bear.

Thank you sir! Maybe I’ll type up a field report on it.

 

[R.M.C.]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Stetsonham]

Hello Stetsonham,

Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

The .308 Winchester, shooting 180 grainers is a good choice for most species of African so called “plains game”.
If your wife can shoot well with it, over the sticks from standing position, you will not have to bring two separate calibers of ammunition.
Also, if your wife is interested in reducing recoil as much as possible, without sacrificing effectiveness, the 7x57 Mauser caliber, shooting 160 grain bullets is likewise a very good choice for most so called “plains game”.

Last but not least, most of us USA types these days seem to be madly in love with what I would call “gigantic” scopes, dripping with additional and totally unnecessary gimmicks (56 millimeter lenses, 30 millimeter tubes, lithium batteries, light bulbs, mil-dot reticules, video games, depth finders, weather stations, stock market monitors and the list is endless).
Some of the above is of course fictitious but not all of it.

However, if you are fond of variable power scopes, a basic but high quality 3X to 9X is more than adequate for 99% Africa’s non-dangerous game, including springbok hunting, way out in the flats, which in tactics, is extremely similar to hunting our pronghorn.
About the only Africa “plains game” scenario possibly not well suited for a 3 to 9X scope, might be jungle hunting, such as for bongo ?

Having said that, yours truly, definitely prefers nothing more than a simple, rugged (and now, way out of style) 4X rifle scope, for hunting pretty much anywhere, worldwide, Africa included.
When using a rented rifle that has a variable power scope on it, I set it at 4x and leave it there throughout my days of hunting with it.
I’ve witnessed more than one person messing around with the power ring on their variable scope when instead, they should’ve been firing a shot, only to have their critter bolt into the bush and thereby escape it’s demise.
Anyway, blah blah blah, LoL.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

That you for the advice! From my perspective I agree completely with what you said and I’m definitely not one who is into the long range scopes and systems. I like to keep things simple and even in my hunting of the western states I never take shots over 350-400 yards which I can easily accomplish with a normal simple scope.

 

[CAustin]

Welcome to AH

 

[jpr792]

Dear Stetson

Enjoy the planning process for your African safari.
Share your safari experiences with us.

 

[Woodcarver]

Welcome to AH! from another Coloradoan!

 

[Stetsonham]

Welcome to AH! from another Coloradoan!

Hello and thank you

 

[krish]

Welcome to AH.
KRISH