Originally Posted by Riflehunter
Originally Posted by M3taco
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.

I recall back in the early 1970's it was most always suggested to sight in 3" high at 100 yds. I still do pretty much that today but my difference is the longest range I'd shoot at a big game animal is 300yds and have only done that one time just to say I did it. I shoot a 243, 25-06, 6.5x55, 260 Rem 6.5x06 and a 30-06. Every one of them gives me close to 270 yd dead on hold. That's with bullet path being 3" high at mid range and 3" low at MPBR. Has always worked well for me. Longest shot for me ever on big game was a deer at 330yds, range from range finder. Deer was hit in the chest and turned around and walked about ten feet and laid down dead. Did it just to say I'd done it, pretty poor reason to do it! Did that with my 6.5x06 and 140r Hornady interlock.

I've owned two 338 mags and one 7mm Mag in the past and what they taught me was I hate recoil with a passion. So the biggest thing I shoot any more in my 30-06 with 180gr bullet's. Got the magnum's shooting very well but had to shoot them a lot just to learn to handle the recoil and keep it manageable. Another thing might also come from them is that standard cartridges kill just as well as any magnum on most game with a proper and properly placed bullet's. Fishing in Alaska years ago I took along my 308 loaded with 200gr bullet's for bear protection. 200gr bullet was pretty slow in it and shot at best right at 2" at 100yds but I wasn't gonna shoot at anything near that far off and at 200gr the bullet was going to maintain weight and penetrate well from a 308 at closer range's!

I know at this point I'll never hunt Africa but if I did I'd use my 30-06. Then, of course I would not tackle any really dangerous game. If I was to go hunting dangerous game in North America, Grizzly or Brown bear, I'd take my 30-06 and probably would work up a 200gr load for it. I would not shoot at a distance where that might work against me. Like confine my shots to maybe 100yds or less and choose only the really good shots.

Last edited by DonFischer; 02/02/24.