Your preferred DG cartridge

[sgt_zim]

If you could only pick one...

 

[KJE81]

Went with the .375 H&H for its versatility, also went with it in my "one gun to hunt the world".

 

[WyoBull]

[emoji[emoji6]][emoji6] H&H here as well. Can hunt anything “big” that I will ever realistically hunt.

 

[spike.t]

As usual with these things I can't choose one......

416 rigby
470NE
500 jeff...

Don't have 470 anymore...

 

[towserthemouser]

I always remember taking a pistol course years ago. Sitting at lunch one day, we all got into a discussion about various pistol calibers. Which is best, 9mm with magazine capacity, 45 ACP with bigger heavier bullets and battle-proven ability, 10mm with velocity, etc.

Finally someone turned to the instructor who was quietly eating his lunch and asked him, "If you knew you were gonna be in a gunfight, which pistol would you choose?"

He chewed a bit, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and drawled, "Well, boys, if I KNEW I was gonna be in a gunfight, I'd choose the 12 gauge shotgun in the trunk."

You could have heard a pin drop. Lesson learned.

In this application, it all depends on the situation, right? Trying to reduce the number of rifles to carry on a plane, maybe want to shoot some PG and also have the ability to take a buffalo hiding in thick cover with branches and brush all around him? The scoped 375 or possibly the 416 all day long. Trying to shoot a leopard at last light off a rest in a blind? Again, the scoped 375.

Following up said leopard or buffalo if he's wounded and might come from close range in thick cover? Now you KNOW you're gonna be in a gunfight. Maybe the calculus changes a bit, huh? What about hunting anything in an area with thick cover and a lot of elephant cows? You start to ask yourself if it's only a tool for hunting, or are you choosing a tool for self-defense? Maybe you start to value sheer power and quick-handling characteristics above all else......

I voted 470NE, but I love 'em all.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I love pretty much all of them, but I am never going to say no to a 416.

The 505/510 class is a close second for me.

 

[BJH65]

416 Rigby is my first choice for the overall versatility on the Big Five or Dangerous Seven. Couldn’t go wrong with the good old 375 H&H either.

458 Lott after the above. All chambered in CZ 550/Brno 602 or CRF Winchester M70.

 

[deewayne2003]

I’ve only taken one African dangerous animal, but the .470 worked wonderfully.

 

[ftrovato]

After having several elephants on several occasions on my (first) safari pointing out that I stood between them and the water they so desperately needed, I vote for bigger is always better. I'll stick with carrying my 500 NE.

 

[KCSafari]

Mine would be 416 Rigby or 404 Jeffery. Ammo is typically available if it gets lost on the way to Africa.

 

[IvW]

Cannot be only 1......

375 H&H
404 Jeff or the 400 H&H the latter actually being a very well thought out design and performer....
458 Sabi (basically a 458 Jeff)
500 Jeff

 

[Wyatt Smith]

If only one probably the 416 rigby. I think it would be awful hard to do better than a 50 something if chasing elephants and buffalo in thick brush.

 

[grand veneur]

My preferred DG caliber depends on which world I am in at the moment.

From a practical point of view the caliber 458 and from a traditional point of view the caliber 510, maybe depending on the rifle used, also the caliber 585. This primarily means the cartridges 460 Weatherby Magnum, 500 Jeffery/Schüler or 577 Nitro Express.

 

[DIRTYHARRYBALLISTICS]

If you could only pick one...

My .500 Bushwhacker. All the power of the .500 Nitro, but with 5 shots, and it cost about 25 grand less than a. 500 Nitro double. So there's that.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

404J

It's what I have. One DGR is enough.

 

[375Ruger416]

Agree - Very difficult to only choose one.

I only own a 375 and think it or a 416 are the best calibers for clients due to versatility and shootability. For PH’s, or those lucky enough to do regular buffalo or elephant hunts, I’d go 470 or 458. Something 458 or larger anyway.

In fact, I’d like to try a 416 for my Blaser R8, but don’t know if I can handle the recoil well enough to shoot it as well as a 375. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to find out. Love hunting plains game, haven’t tried buffalo yet, but aspire to.

 

[grand veneur]

404J

It's what I have. One DGR is enough.

That can be discussed. Sure, you only need one for a specific hunt, but a replacement for the next hunt, in case the only one make any problems, is good too. The collector's desire for such rifles also plays a role over the years.

 

[sgt_zim]

Agree - Very difficult to only choose one.

I only own a 375 and think it or a 416 are the best calibers for clients due to versatility and shootability. For PH’s, or those lucky enough to do regular buffalo or elephant hunts, I’d go 470 or 458. Something 458 or larger anyway.

In fact, I’d like to try a 416 for my Blaser R8, but don’t know if I can handle the recoil well enough to shoot it as well as a 375. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to find out. Love hunting plains game, haven’t tried buffalo yet, but aspire to.

I found with my 404J that a proper fit takes a lot of starch out of felt recoil.

There's a bigger jump from 30-06 to 375 than there is from 375 to 416 or 404J if you hand load your own to around 2250 or 2300 fps.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That can be discussed. Sure, you only need one for a specific hunt, but a replacement for the next hunt, in case the only one make any problems, is good too. The collector's desire for such rifles also plays a role over the years.

Right. That should read one DGR gun is enough for me. I would never take more than one on safari. My plains game rifle crapped on safari (actually the new scope crapped). I used a rental to finish up shooting my kudu.

 

[grand veneur]

I also only take one DG rifle with me, but what was meant was if the only one is defect and stays by the gunmaker for a few months to be repaired, which is not uncommon for some gunmakers, another DG rifle is an advantage if a DG hunting opportunity is available at short notice. Sure, these are all primarily theoretical considerations, but in practice something like this could happen.