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Joined: Nov 2003
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For those of you who hunt plains game relatively frequently, have you sorted out a standard rifle/scope/ammo combination that works for you? If so, let's hear the details.

Also, if you have established a standard shooting practice routine prior to a safari, let's hear the details of your program.


Thanks, RS

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300WM Blaser K-95 pushing 168TSX about 2950. Z3 scope. Small, packs nice, and accurate.

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30/06 Custom Pre-64, 168TSX, Z6 1.7-10x42 Everything I hit seems to die quickly w/o much drama.

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Made 2 trips... My rifle was my old .300 WM with 200 gr. Partitions over a loaded of Re22.. Clean kills, few bullets recovered..


Molon Labe
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I use a Weatherby Mark X 257 Weatherby Magnum. 120 grain Nosler Partions or factory Federal Premiere 115 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw soft points. Wears a Swarovski 3-12 with 30mm main tube 50mm objective. That is my "light" gun. Taken everything from duiker to kudu with DRT 1 shot kills. I feel it is a perfect leopard gun. But, my all around plains game gun is my Winchester M70 Super Express in 375 H&H. Maybe not the ideal plains game rig but I shoot it well and love to use it in Africa. And quite often I am combo hunting that needs a versatile gun. 375 does it. Wears an old Red field 3-9 scope. As far as ammo goes, I have used all sorts of factory 270-300 grain loads. Plain Jane green box Remington Cor-lockt and Federal blue box as well. Used the Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw soft point and Hornady fmj. I know,... Factory ammo on a safari?? I work sick crazy hours and quite often don't have the time to workup a nice hand load. At least work allows me to sqweek out a few safaris. No B.S. those Corlokts are good plains game bullets IN THE 375 H&H. I wouldn't use them in a smaller super magnum. Common cup and core seperation or very small weight retention. Shot gemsbok with a "Texas heart shot" and the 270 gr. Went the entire length of the bull. Mangled up in his neck! No lead at all. Just copper jacket. Same can be said for Federals Hi-Shok. Soft points. For $60 they are fine. For practice shooting I do a few of the bench, then stand and shoot with an African style 3 prong shooting stick. Few boozoos give me a stupid look. Everybody else knows-safari hunter..And I always do a bit of the Ol' Harris bipod as well. My 375 has Leopold QR scope mounts so I even do a bit of open sight iron work. I truly love shooting with iron sights. Plus, I won't be a sucker when @#$$% hits the fan with my rifle being dropped, knocked over or whatever and out steps that 62 inch Kudu or 46 inch Sable.

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Last few years it's been a BACO Winchester 70 Supergrade rebarreled to 300 H&H. 180 Partitions over H4831SC. Swaro 2,5-10x42 in DD Leupold mounts.

Been working on a 30-06 Featherweight in the same set-up but it hasn't quite jelled yet.

Paired with the 300 is a G series Model 70 in 375 H&H I built. Supergrade stock, Swaro 1.5-6x42 in DD mounts. 300 grain A Frames over H4350 or 270 A Frames, TSXs or Hornady Interlocks over Reloader 15, depending on what game is planned for.


Winchester rifles and Swarovski scopes.
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Used a bunch over the years, this one worked as good as any, and better than most. Interarms /30-06 165-180 grain premiums, your choice. Leupold 1-4X



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Kimber 8400 Montana in 300WSM. Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 in Talley LW mounts. Handloads using CCI primers, Federal cases, RL17 and Barnes 168 TTSX.

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Sure seems like the whole "killing African game" thing gets way overthunk. We're not curing cancer here, just killing critters that are mere mortals, just like every other big game animal. Use a good quality bullet out of a rifle you would normally use on any big game(and most importantly.....shoot very well!) Most importantly; place your shot where it needs to land, and you're done! We've used a 9.3x74R on the large end, and a 7-08 on the small end. Everything died. Have friends who have used many cartridges in between......same result. A reasonably constructed bullet placed with care. That's a standard plains game(or any big game) rig. Obviously, you don't want to hunt the larger PG like eland with .222. Just use some common sense and go for it.

Jeff

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Thanks Dad.

IC B3

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Forgive my simplistic post. I'll try to be more dramatic next time.......

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For last 18 trips...270 Win. M700 Ti, NULA M24, M78 Sportsman.

Mostly used 130 TTSX but before them I used TSX, Swift Scirroco & A frame, FailSafe and others. Would be very happy with nothing other than TTSX for plains game.

Leupold 3x9...three different models.

Easy peasy....

Last edited by RinB; 05/19/17.


“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Posted by Brad.
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.30/06 and 180 gr Nosler Partitions.


Life Member SCI
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Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association

Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell

Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard

Ken
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7Magnificent, 160AB's.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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First trip RSA June 2013 used Win. 70 in .300 WBY,220 gr. Partition at 2870fps.Kudu very dead from 240 yd.,impala.warthog,no problem.Tough going away shot on zebra from 150 yd. glad I had the horsepower,penetrated 3-4 ft. of high rib cage and animal still went 120 yd.Also took a very nice cape buffalo bull.
Second trip RSA July 2016,decided to go the classic route.Custom stocked P64 Win. 70 in .270,handloaded with 140 gr. Barnes TSX at 3000 fps.One shot kill on zebra from 60 yd.Shooting through the edge of light brush on waterbuck,dead after 40 yd. dash.Wildebeest at 100 yd. down but required a finisher after it regained it's feet(somehow).Gemsbok shot too high and too far back had to be tracked 200 yd. for the finisher. Yes, the P64's are better!
Satisfactory performance from both rounds but do like the extra wallop of the bigger cartridge.Can't stress enough that shot placement is the most important factor!
Would like to return again for sable and croc and maybe another buff.Planning to take a .35 Brown-Whelan with 250 gr. Partitions for the smaller ones.
Best of Luck on your trip!

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300Weatherby MK V De Luxe with 180gr TTSXs or Nosler Partitions. Both in 180gr.


A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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300 Weatherby, Leopold 4.5-14x, B&C Reptile, 168 gr TTSX

Weekly practice off the sticks with reduced power cast bullets, and frequent off hand practice at home with a pellet rifle


SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF

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Normally a custom Remington Model 721 .300 H&H.....but lately I don't take any rifles to Africa....it's simply a lot easier to just rent the outfitter's gun.....usually a .30-06 and a .30-06 is actually all that's needed

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I don't have a favourite because I've only hunted African plains game once. But my PH supplied his personal rifle for me to use, as he does with many of his clients. That rifle was also used extensively for culling on his property. It has killed several hundred head of game. The PH says this is ideal for him and his clients:
Sako AV deluxe 30-06 with Swarovski 3-9 x 40 scope, and a suppressor. Shooting handholds with Barnes TSX 168 gr. bullets at about 2850 fps. He uses it on everything up to Eland in size.

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Doesn't matter much. Any 30-06 or .300 magnum with 165 or 180 grain premium bullets works fine. 3-9X variable scope.

Preparation? Verify zero and shoot 20 or 30 shots offhand.


Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.

Democrats would burn this country to the ground, if they could rule over the ashes.
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