Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Plains Game Calibres.

I'd drink a toohey to that,,, or two!

Aussielad...
Not quite apples to apples, but I used a 35 Whelen to take everything up to, and including, eland. The Whelen is a tad below the 9.3. About half my shots were over 200 yards, some around 260-280. When I saw that huge eland some 225 yards away I was wishing I had a .375 as some folks recommended.

I was using 250 gr Northfork (a round-nose bullet) and they did quite well. Due to the limitations at my range at the time I could only practice to 200 yards. But, the data I collected doing that matched well with the drop charts I worked up on the 'puter. So, I was confident shooting over 200 yards, and the hold-over worked well.

Most importantly I practed extensively off the sticks. A misplaced bullet, regardless of caliber or design, is pretty much worthless if not placed in the vital zone.

I would not have had any qualms about using a 270 on anything up to, but excluding, eland. But, one never knows what game will present an opportunity at any given moment. One could be after kudu only to have a huge eland appear. I would rather have the heavier rifle on hand, particularly since perfect broadside shots aren't always presented.

Yes, I've read that the 270 has taken a goodly amount of plainsgame. But I preferred to be ready for a wider range of game situations. I would take the 9.3.

Borealis Bob, and other contributors.
Thanks all for your input.
As you pointed out above, I would rather have enough gun (limited to what I have in the safe), then be caught short. So I agree, I would take the 9.3 over the 270.

knowing what i know from years of plains game hunting in africa, my first consideration for this kind of hunting would be a flat shooter. secondly that flat shooter must have the ability to kill any plains game once the bullet reached the animal.

to do this you need nothing more than a 30-06. if you wan to bring along your 9.3. do so. a very popular calibre in africa. just keep in mind that the success with plains game hunting is more often than not the hunters ability to judge distance and then compensate acordingly. in that respect the 9.3 can be a constant challenge.

too often i see so called experts recomending, that you need a lot of gun to kill african plains game. the best one i have seen is where an "expert" told a potential african hunter that for hunting gemsbok he needs at least a 338wm. i will go on record to say that that is nonsense.

i friend of mine shoots many kudu a year for his butchery for the local venison market. he does this with a 270 130 grn shelf ammo.

if i can only bring one gun, my preference would be a 300 mag. if i can bring two i would add the 243win.

then again this can be overcome by spending many a hour on the range practising longer shots.

good hunting over here.