Anybody here that has done it? What was you experience like?

I have been bitten by the handgun hunting bug BAD!!

Wondering what a .270 WSM built on an XP100 action would be like paired with a .500 S&W.

I've handgun hunted in South Africa several times. Some African countries don't permit handgun hunting at all.

Your prposed 270 WSM would be great for the majority of commonly hunted animals. The 500 S&W Magnum with the right bullet would take anything else.

That is pretty much my reasoning right there. Thanks.

I am no expert here, but the 270 WSM has a lot of powder to burn in a short barrel

Yea, it doesn't take long for the powder to burn; a few miliseconds. I have a 13 inch (once inch of that is brake) Encore barrel in 375 H&H Magnum which would have more powder and it burns just fine.

Awesome. What bullet and powder are you running in it? for my .375 H&H the go to load was the Sierra 250 gr Game King over a healthy dose of RL-15.

How hard is the recoil in your Encore?

The above is one load. In my opinion, RL-15 is the best powder for 270 and 300 grain bullets in the 375 H&H Magnum.

Recoil is brisk; similar to a braked 500 S&W Magnum. I put tape at the base of my thumb when shooting it in order to keep my skin intact and also wear a weight lifter's glove. A 270 WSM won't be nearly that bad.

One of my best hunting pards from a few yrs ago.....He took an Elephant and a Lion, along with a dozen head of plains game....all with a contender.

That is impressive.

Short barrels work

dang 375 h7h in a pistol sounds fun!

Have made three trips (Zambia) with a handgun for Buff. Used a single action revolver, 5 1/2 in barrel and iron sights. The point of the exercise IMO is that you have to get close and the stalk is the most exciting part. You get to make more stalks if your limit is inside 40 yds. Obviously eye age can rule this out (has for me at this time)but it sure is a lot of fun if you can do it. If any one is interested, e-mail me at [email protected] and I would be glad to share info on pistols, cals., loads, etc.
THIS IS AFRICA we are talking about so all current regs. regarding handguns need to be carefully vetted. As EH said "In Africa more than anywhere in the world, something can be true at first light and a lie by noon."

Handgun hunting is prohibited in Namibia. However, it is permitted in other countries, like South Africa. Especially when hunting in thick bushveld conditions where you can stalk to within 50 yards or so, that .500 S&W would be strong medicine for just about any species of plains game.

Just out of curiosity, is it any more difficult traveling to and from an overseas hunting destination with a handgun as opposed to a long gun?

Kingston,
The short answer is that yes, handgun restrictions are often more onerous than for long guns overseas as well as in the US. After my first trip Zambia (where handgun hunting was then allowed, don't know about currently) I made sure to fly direct to Lusaka with my bags checked thru since the regs. in SA were impossible for iron sighted revolvers. Back then the pistols "had to look like hunting weapons, not self defense weapons". The officer in charge told me he would let me thru this time even though my pistols had short barrels and no scopes Made for a long trip and concerns about missed connections in Jo'berg in subsequent years, but better than the alternative.
Truth be known, my worst moment as transferring from Newark to JFK with handguns when some inexperienced police officers, unaware of the exemption for airport transfers, wanted to cuff me and for a Sullivan Act violation.
Unreasonable fear of certain weapons is a worldwide phenomenon.