I've loosely followed along with all the posts here. Like a lot of other similar posts asking similar basic question, "Is XXX caliber good enough....."
I think too many people spend a bit too much time worrying about this and way over-thinking it all. Very understandable for someone who's making their first and possibly once in a lifetime or life long dream trip. Without any direct fist hand knowledge of the actual body sizes of the various species, unknown terrane of the hunting area, is it bushveld or open long shots etc, etc. It's normal for us to want to have the best we can do and use the best we can have.
There has been something very important mentioned a couple of times in previous posts in this thread that I'm not sure have hit home like they should. That's the importance of being able to shoot off either 2 or 3 legged standing shooting sticks. I've seen first hand, way too many guys obsess with getting their rifle dialed in to the holy grail of "sub-MOA" off a shooting bench but, NOT put the time and effort required to seriously practice off standing shooting sticks a 100yds. They pitch up proud as punch with their sub-MOA rifle but, they shoot well the first day off the bench during verification sight-in but, they themselves are 20-MOA shooters off the sticks. It can be a VERY frustrating, VERY humbling and VERT expensive trip.
After a lot of trips with a lot of guys and myself included, I am a firm believer in K.I.S.S - Keep it Stupid Simple. I've seen way too many guys pitch up with WAY over equipped for a typical bushveld hunt where 99% of ALL shots are typically under 200m. They show up with way over powered variable power scopes, scopes with "twisty turrets", scopes with bubble levels, integral range finders or hand held range finders etc, etc, etc., AND they INSIST on lazing EVERY shot and "doping" their twisty turrets for EVERY (sub 200m) shot with their variable scope set at the highest possible magnification. Then they think, shooting of standing shooting sticks is "no big deal" and you stand behind them and you actually watch the muzzle swing wildly all over Africa because the can't see/find the animal standing 100-150m away. Then when they see the first sign of "hair" they pull the trigger no mater and wound the animal and the tracking rodeo is on and the fee is due and payable - animal recovered or not.
Just about every PG legal caliber from 7mm dia and larger, if sighted in at 1 1/2" high at 100yds will still be spot on at 200yds. A good scope set at 4x and just put the crosshairs on the center of the vital triangle. VERY little need to correct for hold over/under. Most people, IF they even take the time to study the shot placement pictures, think the vital area is only that little small red dot. The reality is the vital area is a good bit bigger. Example is springbok, it's about a 4" circle. Impala, 6" circle, gemsbok 7" circle, kudu 9", zebra 10", eland 12+. The most common shot placement error US hunters make is shooting too far back like for whitetail or not confident in their shooting and opt for just getting lead in the body (very expensive choice). On a full broadside shot on African PG if you hit just a little bit behind the front leg, you're going to hit lung/liver and you're going to have a long track. The farther back you hit simply reduces your odds of recovery even further.
Guess my overall points are; a) use a rifle and caliber (recoil level) that you are comfortable shooting. b) Use a COMMON caliber in case ammo doesn't arrive. c) Use bullet weights that are considered "heavy for caliber". d) Strive to find the best factory or handload ammo that works in your rifle. DON'T obese over it. IF the best you can do is 2-MOA off the bench, but you can hit a 4" circle at 100yds EVERY TIME from standing sticks, you and your rifle will be fine. e) KISS - leave the fancy complicated stuff at home. A good 4x scope is all you really need on a rifle you trust, zeroed at 1 1/2" high at 100. Put the crosshairs in the vital triangle and SQUEESE and you'll have a very enjoyable and successful trip.
Agree with nearly all the things you say, except rather than not "obese" they shouldn't "obsess", although they shouldn't be obese anyway. Also, 1 1/2" at 100 is not high enough when you're not twisting turrets. The scope for most cartridges should be about 2 1/2" to 3" high at 100 yards.
