Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa What are the most common double rifle calibers?

Just curious and purely for conversation sake. What caliber or calibers are the most common, well behaved and effective double rifle calibers used today in Africa. I'm sure there are a couple that just load easy, regulate well and put down game better than others. I've never been to Africa or even fired a double rifle but I'm just curious as to what is the double rifle equivalent to a 30-'06/270/308 you get the idea. I know my 30-'06 No.1 is one of those combinations that I swear some times I could load 58 grains of Folgers special roast behind a 150 whatever and it would shoot well.

I have had the fun and privilege to have fired 3 double rifles. One,courtesy of SteveNO was his 450/400. easy handling and easy shooting. A winner. 2 and 3 courtesy of our redoubtable Gunner500 was a Schilling 500NE and the other a fine V-C 577NE. The 500 was not so bad. Easy to hit both shots at 50m. The 577NE was a real cannon. If I had tried to let go the second round as quick as I did the 500,I woulda shot down Skylab. The recoil wuz "a bit stout"!!

The stoutest recoiling rifle I have shot that I can remember was my Ruger No.1 that I loaded into stupid range. I recall a load the used enough H4198 to push a 350gr hardcast in the neighborhood of 2400fps or so. Heavy on the or so like 2468 fps on a chorny. Being 6'2" and having a tendency to creep up on the stock I was happy that I decided to go with a NECG peep on that rig. Outside of that the worst I can remember was touching of a 10 ga as a kid (13 yoa) not that 10 ga's are terrible just ones that are NEF single shot 10ga's. That sucked a whole lot.

9.3x74R, 375 Flanged, and 450/400 would probably fit your description pretty well.

Interesting, I would have expected something larger. Are those efficient on elephant. I realize elephant have been dispatched with 7X57's but I thought maybe something in 458 or 475 would have been more popular. I seriously considered getting a Ruger No.1 in 9.3X74R. I just like the looks of that old, long round and it seems like it would be a great bear round.

470 NE

.470 NE is probably the most common caliber. .450-400may (or may not) be second. 9.3X74R makes a noticeably smaller and less expensive rifle. All are legal for DG in Zimbabwe. All double rifles are less accurate and lower velocity than popular American calibers like .308 or .270.

Above .470 you have .500, which is not really a hunting rifle but a stopping rifle.

The purpose of a double, in my opinion, is to fire two quick shots at very close range on something bearing down on you. this is a situation most of us never encounter in North America.

By far the 470 NE is the most common double in Africa. The 500 Jeff is a close second and because lack of ammunition availability determines what caliber you use, the 9.3 X 74 is hardly ever used and falls just outside the legal caliber size for DG hunting.

For 375 flanged I'm afraid you will be holding it and never firing it. Some years ago a Finn wanted to hunt a buffalo with his 375 flanged but forgot his ammunition at home (yes it can and does happen) so the only place we could find ammunition was a 3,5 hour drive. Worst was the ammo dated to 1972 and that's from when it was in the shops safe.

Reloading is the way to go for these large calibers. A box of 500 gr Hornady solids over here sets me back about $ 240 compared to whatever Cabelas has it for.

Pieter

Asking your PH if they would like projectiles brought in may be a good ice breaker. Barnes banded solids $40/ 25 is what I have used. I dont know Hornady price but for $240 150 bullets could be brought. I think tthat would make a nice starter gift for a reloader.

Randy

9.3X74R
470NE
450/400 3"
500NE

It would be a gift like few other. We try not to shoot a hunters' animals on his behalf but it does happen we fire a few rounds and eventually it adds up. Of course no amount of rounds will ever be enough if a life is saved (or lost) but the cost does get to your pocket by Christmas.

Interesting gents. Thanks for the info it will give me something to read up on. By the sounds of it a quality, fast and smooth working bolt would be the way to go that is chambered in something more pocket friendly.

I own 500/416, 375, and 9.3x74. They cover the range from tusker to PG with plenty of overlap.