Your ideal 3 gun & 3 cartridge trio to hunt all things Africa.

[Houston Bill]

I’m going to go with what I got! And with these three I will wade into a herd of Tusked Cow Elephant, face down Cape Buff, and take nine planes game including Kudu and Bush Buck and hopefully Sable on the Save this coming July…

Big Bore - Winchester Custom Shop 458 WinMag

Large Bore - Winchester Pre-64 375 H&H

Small Bore - Winchester Pre-64 300 H&H

These are the three!

View attachment 649738

View attachment 649737

Nice rifles, beautiful wood!

 

[Houston Bill]

Forgot to add
Everything Left Handed!!!

How do you like your LARM double? They are not that well known but I think they make a very high quality double. The late Cal Pappas certainly spoke highly of the brand.

 

[Houston Bill]

BIG BORE DOUBLE
A Heym Jumbo in .600 Nitro Express

BIG BORE BOLT ACTION
Mauser Model 98 Magnum in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum

SMALL BORE BOLT ACTION
Mauser Model 98 Diplomat in 7x57mm Mauser


Fun Note: Hey, I just noticed that all three of my choices coincidentally happen to be German guns !

Hello @Hunter-Habib, do you own a Heym jumbo in 600 NE? The late Cal Pappas would certainly approve of your choice for your big bore double!

 

[DLSJR]

My currant 3 are all Winchester model 70’s, as follows:

Heavy - Pre-64 in .416 Hoffman

Medium - Pre-64 in .375 H&H

Light - post-64 in .338 Win Mag.

Double - it used to be a Rigby in 470 NE. Next one will also be a 470 NE but probably a Kreighof or Verney Carron.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hello @Hunter-Habib, do you own a Heym jumbo in 600 NE? The late Cal Pappas would certainly approve of your choice for your big bore double!

I have hunted hippopotamus bull on land with one, Bill. But unfortunately, the heaviest rifle I personally own (till now) is a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. But a Heym.Jumbo in .600 Nitro Express is one of my dream firearms.

 

[Happy Myles]

416 Rigby and 300 Win Mag for normal hunt
If my focus is on elephant substitute my 300 with my 450 Ackley.

 

[Surgeon1]

1.Heym 450-400 with red dot and Swift A-frames
Dakota 375 H&H. 300gr A=frames
Dakota 300WM 200gr A-frames

2. Other options: for an area with elephant
Heym 470NE red dot 500gr A=fames
Dakota Traveler in 375 H&H and 458 Lott

3. Yet to try option but on the list:
Very Accurate
Dakota Traveler in 338 Lapua & 416 Rigby
The set is almost too nice to hunt with

I'm a big fan of a double and love A-frames. Their Breakaway Solids are nice if an elephant encounter is a possibility! the Heym doubles and. the Traveler fit in a Pelican 1680 with laser cut inserts under 50#

 

[PerH]

I am going to scrap this .458 I have ( there is some pictures of it here )

And then I’m thinking of maybe another .458 later , but not sure which one that should be . As some future big game or dg is turning up , and .458 bullets is cheaper to find and load for than say a .416

So I really need some advice that won’t break the bank on what to do .

 

[casey]

All left hand
My custom Remington 700 in 7mm stw or Remington 700 in .338 rum
Remington 700 in .416 Rem
Rigby Shikari in .470

 

[Scanos]

Heavy Rifle: Verney Carron .500.NE or Custom CZ 550 .500 Jeffery
Medium:. Custom Mauser 98 .375 H&H
Lighter Rifle: Weatherby Mark V .300 Weatherby

I have consolidated down to two rifles the last several trips. The Verney or the .500 Jeffery and my .375. I have used the .375 as my plains game rifle. It works well on plains game and is a back up for my heavy.

 

[Newboomer]

Heavy Rifle: Verney Carron .500.NE or Custom CZ 550 .500 Jeffery
Medium:. Custom Mauser 98 .375 H&H
Lighter Rifle: Weatherby Mark V .300 Weatherby

I have consolidated down to two rifles the last several trips. The Verney or the .500 Jeffery and my .375. I have used the .375 as my plains game rifle. It works well on plains game and is a back up for my heavy.

I see a need for just two: MRC 30-06 for pg and Win 70 .375HH for dg. With the right load you have everything covered. Worked for me on several hunts.

 

[franzfmdavis]

A couple stipulations.

1. The options must include one big bore double rifle (>.0.40), one large bore bolt action (0.375 and up) and one small bore bolt action (under 0.375).
2. Choices must include 3 rifles (no single rifle with switch-barrel configuration wizardry).
3. Choices must be either rifles that you currently own or are within reasonable grasp of owning i.e. No Holland & Holland doubles unless you are that guy.
4. Provide reasoning for your selections.

Big Bore Double - Merkel 160 AE - 470NE.
I own the rifle. It's relatively affordable, and supposedly one of more rugged examples at this price point. 470NE because it's the most readily available NE ammo, ballistics are enough to drop anything that walks while not being excessive or punishing.

Large Bore Bolt Action - Rigby Big Game - 416 Rigby
The quintessential pairing in a Rigby rifle. It's fancy enough to be a wall hanger but just affordable enough to be attainable for the average guy. When considering large plains game and dangerous game, the 416's can fill that do-it-all role just as well, if not better than the 375's. Being able to take 300m shots with 300gr or producing a larger visible reaction on the Big V than the 375.

Small Bore Bolt Action - Mauser 98 - 7X57 Mauser. Another classic pairing with the proven CRF design and history. I will be ordering a new Mauser 98 in 2025. The 7x57 cartridge is often referred to as the small bore darling of Africa given it's history. Light recoiling, flat trajectory, ideal for small to medium sized plains game.

What would your trio include?

I second your choices, but with one minor change, I would opt for the .275 Rigby over the 7x57 (such as the Rigby Highland Stalker finishing of the Mauser 98)

 

[franzfmdavis]

For Africa only

Westley Richards Sidelock DR .500 Nitro View attachment 649626

Westley Richards magazine in .375 H&H


View attachment 649627

Fanzoj Kipplauf KB with 2 barrels one 9.3 x74 and one .308 Winn


View attachment 649628View attachment 649629View attachment 649630

I think you meant to post these in the “Beautiful Gun Photographs” thread, right?

 

[Altitude sickness]

Franz, the OP wanted rifle and caliber that you own or could own. I meant for them to be here.

 

[Northern Shooter]

The 7X57 / 275 Rigby seems to be a popular small bore option.

 

[CBH Australia]

The 7X57 / 275 Rigby seems to be a popular small bore option.

I think the reason why is in the post above as copied below

Small Bore Bolt Action - Mauser 98 - 7X57 Mauser. Another classic pairing with the proven CRF design and history. I will be ordering a new Mauser 98 in 2025. The 7x57 cartridge is often referred to as the small bore darling of Africa given it's history. Light recoiling, flat trajectory,

 

[Russ16]

I’d fine a nice classic English double in a large bore caliber. Saw a nice William Cashmore the other day that would fit the bill.

Model 70 in .375. Already have a Safari Express that was a 1 of 200 edition for SCI but I’d like a classic one.

Model 70 in 30-06. The one I’ve been using since I inherited it from my great grandfather will continue to fit the bill.