Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Boddington's Survey

Is this old news and I just missed it?

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/shooting_tips/rs_essentialrifle_200808/index.html

The 270 Winchester is "the winner in this category" for African plains game...? I like it!

and he also states...



I hypothesize that better bullets help out both the 300 mags and the 270. They should also have helped the 7mms so there must be another reason they aren't as popular, though a small survey sample could have squewed the results.

Thanks for the link, an interesting article. I wonder if the reason for the uptick in 270 Win popularity might not be more exposure of the PHs to good results on African game by American hunters. I suspect as more regular guys - like us - head to SA with our everyday rifles (30-06, 270 Win, 300 mags) that we're used to shooting, dead 'tough' critters may be changing some PHs' minds about the 'right' PG cartridges. It may be fun to shoot blesboks and impalas with 375s but hardly necessary.

From the article: "The plains game safari remains one of the greatest bargains in the hunting world, which is why it has become so popular. Even so, bag limits keep shrinking, and licenses and trophy fees keep going up, and on the typical 10-day plains game safari, there will not be unlimited opportunities at the most prized animals such as kudu, gemsbok, sable and nyala--and finding really good specimens of even the most common animals is far from a slam dunk. All this means you need to choose the plains game rifle wisely."

Which is why I take issue to take anything lighter than one of the 300s. Even Craig himself admits he passed on the "greatest kudu I've ever seen" because he was carrying a 30 06 that day and when the kudu gave him a one and only fleeting shot (going away) he made the judgment call the 06 might not suffice. By is own admission, had he been carrying a 300, 33s or a 375, a Texas heart shot would not have been an issue. He's been on over 90, 90! safaris to date, but most of us do 3 or four if we're lucky.

That is why I carry the biggest and flattest shooting caliber I can use and not trifle with "romantic" cartidges, BP or heaven forbid a bow when I'm chasing down a 3500 dollar trophy fee sable. jorge

To paraphrase an old dead scribe, hunting and shooting is about fun and games. And what better fun than discussing the tools we'll use in the games. So, if carrying 375s for PG sets a hunter's heart afire, then tally-ho! But, something to be said for a well placed round of sufficient - but not overwhelming - power bringing down a trophy. To each his own, IMO.

I consider the 375 a great caliber for a one rifle safari in "most" part of Africa, particularly if say, the big stuff's involved. But as a strictly PG cartridge, it leaves much to be desired, especially where the ranges are long. The 300s are plenty, but my ideal PG caliber is the 33(if eland is on the docket), and specifically the 340. jorge

Jorge, I can't argue about eland cartridges. The single eland bull I've shot fell within 75 yds from a 180 gn Nosler PT from a 300 WSM at a bit short of 200 yds. The bullet penetrated at a shallow angle through a shoulder, both lungs/aorta and lodged under the off-side hide. Maybe I should have been carrying my 338 RUM or 358 Mag, but the 300 seemed to be enough. But admittedly, a single anecdote.

Jorge,

I always have a .375 along, and lately I use a 270 gr premium bullet. Next trip will be a .375 Ruger, and that cartridge with a 270 gr bullet has plenty of long range capability.

jim

I'm with you. I use a .300 Win. mag. for most plains game & even use it for deer & elk. Now for Eland I move up to the .376 Steyr which is a dandy cartridge. For DG my .416 Rigby will do the job.

If you got one shoulder, both lungs and the aorta, it wasn't a shallow angle shot. To do all of that it couldn't have been too far from broad side, maybe either quarter on or quarter off.

A shallow angle shot in my book is one where there is only hope for one lung at best and the aorta or heart. Entrance would have to be well behind the last rib. Much less angle either way and you've got a Texas heart shot or a frontal shot.

I wouldn't hesitate to hunt any plains game with a 30-06 and 180 or 200gr Partitions. Eland and grysbok included.

But if you're hunting dangerous game too, your light rifle ought to be legal for the dangerous game, and so a 375H&H, or in some countries a 9.3x64 makes the DG grade and makes the common sense minimum.

Remove the DG and then, since two rifles are as easy to bring as one - ie, one case - might as well bring a 30-06 and any other rifle.

JPK

I put a lot of stock into what you guys say! the 300 WSM is a dandy cartridge and more than enough for eland. I'm a neophyte at this, but I was just relating Boddington's own words. The rifle he was carrying that day when he passed on that kudu was a 3006. Also, I need to qualify what I said about BP. Wrote too hastily. I am fully aware of the exploits of guys like Shockey and Sharpsguy who posts here also had great performance out of his 45-110 at ungodly distances, but the average guy (like me) needs every angle. I shot my eland at approx 175 yards (with a 375, not by design by happenstance (I also had a 300 Weatherby with me). It just so happened that he was partially hidden and I mistook the shoulder for the rear leg. The 375 whacked him and broke the pelvic girdle, effectively anchoring the animal. I don't believe an 06 or 270 would have bailed my ass out of that bad shooting, but I was glad that 300 grain Swift did it's job. The bottom line is that with my 300 Weatherby I'd be comfortable to take just about anything. If I hunted AFrica like Boddington I would "experiment" more with other cartridges, but as of right now, I want ALL the edge I can get. jorge

jorgeI as usuall you hit the nail right on the head. When travelling that far and spending that much the flattest and hardest hitting is the only choice. Regards Dan

My apologies if the description of 'shallow angle' was interpreted as anything but a slight quartering-on shot. Because of the lack of standardized terminology on the orientation of animals when shot, I offered an anatomical description that would clearly depict the bullet's trajectory. As you well pointed out it was close to broadside. My only point is that the cartridge used was enough. Infrequently, it may be warranted to take on an unfavorable shot, and if so, I would be the last to argue against a 375 or similar medium. However, I think that Boddington's judgment in passing up a Texas heart shot at his departing kudu - from the article Jorge cites - is a better solution than being overgunned for most animals on a PG safari. If DG is part of the trip obviously the choices would change. Last, as Boddington pointed out - echoes of JOC - with the rare exceptional recoil-proof shooter excluded, most of us shoot lighter recoil rifles more accurately than heavier recoil rifles.

Jorge,

Come on! You should have plenty of training and experience using light calibers and high angle of deflection shots. What's the muzzle energy to weight ratio between a 20 mm canon and a MIG 21? Seems like dangerous game hunting with light cailbers to me. (Please don't tell me you would just use your AIM-9. There is something unsporting about that.)

Seriously,

I have evolved into the bigger is better camp. 20 years ago, I took my first safari to RSA with a Ruger 7 mm Mag. Although it performed well, I was not pleased with how resistant Gemsbok seemed to be 160 Nosler Partitions. From the 7mm, I went to a 8mm Mag wildcat. Better, but not what I wanted. I found 9.3 X 62 and the search ended.

If the truth is to be known, the Texas Heart Shot on a big kudu is iffy with most calibers. It's just not a high percentage shot, and is likely to lead to a difficult follow up, or lost game. I've seen them work, but also spent a day and half tracking someone else's THS through the bush taking my time of the 2 X 1 safari.

The 7mm Mag will do fine in RSA. I have no trouble recommending it for all PG, including eland. I think it is a better choice than the .270 because of the choice of 160 grn bullets. It's flatter shooting than the 7 X 57, and that does make a difference if you are hunting in the Karoo or in Nambia where things are wide open. The PH's I know love the .300 Mags, and that's what they recommend.

Gentlemen:
I give the preface that I have been on precisely one safari. With full disclosure and disclaimer in place, I offer this experience.

I took a .325 to SA in the bushveld with JJHACK. My dad took a custom 9.3x62. My shots were not that difficult, with the longest being roughly 180 yds. Still, wildebeest, kudu, zebra, warthog, impala, waterbuck, gemsbok all perished with one shot (with zebra and waterbuck expiring within 25 steps, the rest DRT). I say this not as a testimony to bullet placement, but as an argument that for plains game only, the .325 was not only adequate but superb in its performance. It seems like a great compromise for those who want flat shooting but some mass with bullets (understanding my rudimentary physics of force= mass x acceleration).

By the way, is there anything more fun than recalling those experiences with your dad on the dark continent? Seeing game in their habitat? Leopard tracks? Baby rhinos? Getting cursed by baboons? Seeing the Southern Cross for the first time? Marvelous.

By the way, as a footnote: if you go on one safari in your lifetime for plains game, JJHACK is your man.

Out of necessity I used a borrowed .270 Winchester with 150gr PMP bullets on my last PG safari. Game ranged in size from mountain reedbuck up to blue wildebeest and, though the cartridge/bullet would not have been my first choice, it did the job. I will say that the .270 failed to exit on the larger species (partially due to bullet construction I'm certain) and required follow-up shots on the wildebeest.

I prefer a .300 WM with 200gr A-Frames (have yet to try the TSX in Africa) but the .270 killed everything just as dead.

Funny you should say that. A few years ago we pulled into Haifa for a port call and we had an opportunity to visit with the Israeli Air Force. Man talk about "head hunters" and the killer instinct, just look into an IAF Fighter Pilot's eyes! Anyhow we watched a bunch of gun camers films of their various target practice encounters with Arab MiGs. It was obvious that a lot of them were easy Sidewinder kills, but they chose to "Close to Guns". When asked, they with a sinister smile responded "It's more macho with guns"

Now back to reality, I find the 300 to be just about the perfect choice, particularly if longer ranges are involved. I'm sure the 9.3's a killer, but I lean towards a bit more speed as in the 340 Weatherby for example. I also like to add that I my uncle hunted Mozambique & Angola in the Colonial days with two rifles, a 458 Winchester Model 70 and a 270 of the same brand. except for elephant and buffalo, he took everything else, including lion with his 270 and old fashioned Winchester Silvertips. jorge

I've only been on 4 African hunts and purchased a .375 H&H for the first hunt, then took my .280 on the second and third hunts (always a one rifle hunt for me). The .280 performed excellently but... The .375 H&H screams Africa to me and it was my rifle of choice on the last hunt. The rifle worked great on everything I shot including tiny Steenbucks. Both PHs had .375 ammo in their glove box.

My hunts were all for plains game but we did see rhinos and elephants and I was glad to be carrying "...enough gun"

It's interesting to discuss what we think is "enough gun," but also interesting is the change among very experienced people - both Boddington and the PHs he surveyed.

Boddington, of the refused Kudu shot when he had "only" a 30-06, and the PHs who previously wanted clients to bring 7mm Rem Mags and up, both now recommending lighter calibers, is quite an opinion shift. Personally, I think the PHs are tired of tracking animals wounded by recoil-induced poor shooting, and I think Boddington himself saw the 270 and the 7mm-08 working under conditions he wouldn't have credited a few years earlier.

To paraphrase dogzapper, "It isn't energy that kills - it's holes."

As much as I like the 9.3, I wouldn't pick that out of my safe for Namibia or the Karoo. To open, too flat, too windy. I'd grab something that gave me 3000 fps at the muzzle and at least 140 grains on the pill. So I'd be back to the 7mm or 8mm Mag for that trip. 340 Roy is fine, but please, no muzzle break on that if you hunt with me!