Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Africa Rifle Choice for the Memsahib?

You could probably do a lot worse than a Tikka SS Laminate in 270. Pretty sure they come in LH versions. You could trim the stock length to fit and put on a better pad.

A nice condition LH PF Model 70 in a Boyds could be nice. Send it to Redneck for a going over/trigger job and have it cut to fit, new pad, and bedded.

I had reservations, too. But it shot .9" at 200 yards with the Barnes 168 TTSX factory ammo and it broke down into a very compact package in a small case. Scope was a Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x42 Locutec* rail mount with 4A reticle. Not having a traditional receiver, it was quite short in terms of overall length and carried well.

The R93 worked perfectly with no issues on the hunt. It came right back to zero upon reassembly despite a very long flight and several plane changes. Would I take it on a DG hunt? Absolutely not.

Other choices were a Satterly custom VZ24 in .30/06, an M70 featherweight super grade in 7x57 and a Winchester Custom Shop M70 in .300 Win.

The deciding factors were the light weight, the small travel case and the fine accuracy. Going back next year for another PG cull hunt and have not decided on the rifle yet. Also have .300 Win Mag, 9.3x62 Mauser, .338 Win Mag and .375 H&H barrels for the R93. Will likely sell all the other barrels except for the '06 and the 9.3x62.

BTW, the R93 with the 9.3x62 barrel and a Swaro scope with an illuminated circle dot reticle is a pig killer par excellence.

if you don`t mind a little recoil take a 300 win mag. 1st choice or a 30-06 2nd choice,but I would put a night force scope on my gun

I'm real partial to the 140 gr Accubond in the .270 Win, too.

But if I get her a .270, are you fellers gonna call us gay? Asking for a friend...

If its for her, its not gay.....


Cause she's a "she"....


Simple.




But I'd really look at a Barnes bullet if zebra is on the menu...

Let her shoot the savage 99 and see how she likes it. The 358 would be excellent for zebra. This hunting season, get her to hunt whitetail with it so she can build confidence and become familiar with the rifle. I suspect your PH will be fascinated by the 99. Darn few 99s on safari these days I should think.

T.S.

I like the idea of the 358 in the Savage also, if she likes it.

If not, I am in the 270 camp with a monometal bullet of some type.

You could start her with 110's for the deer/antelope in Texas then increase the weight for Africa. A 150gr bullet at 3000fps with Rel 26 would not be a disappointment.

Isn't the minimum caliber for Zebra in Zimbabwe 7mm (.284)?

Zimbabwe
• Class A Game 5300 Joule Minimum caliber 9.2mm in diameter (Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo)
• Class B Game 4300 Joule Minimum caliber 7.0mm in diameter (Lion, Giraffe, Eland)
• Class C Game 3000 Joule Minimum caliber 7.0mm in diameter (Leopard, Crocodile, Kudu, Oryx / Gemsbok, Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Zebra, Nyala, Sable Antelope, Waterbuck, Tsessebe, etc.)
• Class D Game 850 Joule Minimum caliber 5.56mm in diameter (Warthog, Impala, Reedbuck, Sitatunga, Duiker, Steenbok, Jackal, Game Birds, etc.)
• Black Powder Rifles Minimum caliber .40

I would go a 7-08 throwing 140 gr TSX’s in a rifle that fits her well and not look back. My most recent PH in Namibia just a month ago had a 270 Win minimum suggestion as the animals, particularly mountain zebra and gemsbuck are so tough. I used an old 30-06 FN Mauser with 168 gr TSX and all was fine. My neighbor here in Idaho (I am typing from BC at the moment) has killed local moose, elk and deer and she likely goes 125# though is well fit. I’ll be back in Texas end of August and if you want to pay a visit I can line up a number of rounds and rifles she can try.

I used a .308 on multiple African trips. A 180 grain Barnes is a great bullet and will do a number on just about anything over there. I took my zebra head-on at 150 yards and the bullet ran the entire length of his body and was under the hide on his rear. Whatever you chose, pick a bullet that will penetrate--it's not about shock. The trackers will find it, even if they go just a bit farther.

I agree. Penetration is paramount!

T.S.

Doc,I have 3-.270's and I don't care if someone calls me gay. I would just say "Yes,the .270 makes me happy" and leave it at that.

OK...The Rainbow Coalition has spoken....

270 or a 7x57 and load them down a bit till she's us to the recoil and noise, but if you don't want her to go again load the 06 to the nuts and turn her loose! but what ever you do don't take a gaymoore too Africa just ain't right. the gaymoore the new kid on the block!

Not all women are recoil shy. My wife shoots a 35 Whelen.

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If she is partial to a 270 stop right there and start seeing if any fit her. The Weatherby ladies rifle might be an option but I would rather have a fitted wooden stock. If you have time a pattern could be made to fit her perfectly and then sent off to a duplicator. Or cut down a standard stock and fit her later if she becomes a regular hunter.

A really sweet rifle would be a NULA or Fieldcraft in 6.5 Creedmoor but get the 270. If she wants to one up her brothers the WSM and especially the 270 Weatherby could be viable choices.

James, my late Grandfather used his 270Win to kill assorted plains game, including Zebra, Kudu and Eland. He used his trusty Winchester Power Points, a mediocre bullet by today’s standards, and never lost an animal. Your bride will be fine with it.

hrmph, only three 270's, rookie
3- 700's
3- classics
2-O'Conner commemoratives
1-Pre 64

probably some I have forgot about