Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Plains game rifle choice.

It’s either the 300Rum with 200 partitions(have 150 on hand), 7 mag and 143 Hammer Hunters/160 partitions or 6.5PRC with 140 partitions/grand slams. All shoot exceptionally well. Trip isn’t till next aug so lots of time to get ready. Menu includes Kudu, Waterbuck, zebra, blue wildebeast, impala, warthog. MAYBE Eland. Leaning toward the RUM and the 6.5 as the second gun. Appreciate the responses.


Thanks Roy

Roy:

Congrats on booking a safari. I've got a number of them under my belt. Be advised/cautious that depending on what country you're going to or even what province within a country, the 6.5 may not meet the minimum caliber legal requirement. Most, not all, have a minimum caliber requirement of anything 7mm diameter or larger for PG. Some countries or provinces MAY allow for the smallest species, like springbok, duiker and up to impala it may be a wiser choice to meet the 7mm min so there is no potential problems.

While "local" hunters may be allowed to use smaller caliber rifles, the rules can be a good bit different for the foreign/international hunter. Best to contact your PH/Outfitter directly for their recommendation. It's not so much an issue of the 6.5 being effective or not, it's more of a legal issue.

Michael

Leave the 300 RUM at home...

Michael I appreciate the info. It will be the Eastern Cape.


Roy

7RM with 160 gr. NAB over 67 gr. RL-26 at around 3K out of a 26" Sendero was a winner for my hunting bud last year. Lots of game, mostly DRT or DROT (dead right over there).

I did the loads; gun was sub MOA at 400 yds. He was pleased as was his PH. He said he could have sold that rig several times. One fellow hunter even borrowed it for a 300 yd. Impala shot. Boom, plop.

Although a bit heavy, he likes Senderos, has one in .270 for WT's. He said he knows what they'll do when he gets them there, doesn't mind packing them. Hard to argue with success. Ya gotta go with what you have confidence in and can handle well. I've read that outfitters aren't that impressed when a client pulls out a brand new, super stomper magnum. That sorta profiles a client, and not for the better.

DF.

Thanks DF. The 160 Nabs are difficult to come by at the moment. The 300 Rum and myself have been acquainted for 25+ years and have taken it all over the US and Canada. I can shoot it just as well as any of my rifles. I practice with all my rifles including the RUM fairly regularly out to 600. The 7mag is new to me(just picked up from Kurt/30338 here last yr) so that is a very good contender if I can get the right Bullets. I have the upmost confidence in any of them. I guess it depends what I have quality bullet wide on hand I guess.


Roy

Since you and that 300 RUM are "old friends", that's the one to take. Make more memories my friend, Life is short. Now, if you just want an new adventure, well, jump on that 7mm mag and make a "new friend". Personally, I like the Barnes monos in a Plains Game rifle, as you can take some pretty angling shots on a Trophy that (a) you went a long way to even get an opportunity for (b) expensive and you pay if you wound/lose it and (c) sometimes you the only shot you get will be one you would pass on with a less penetrating bullet. Thats been my experience anyhow, worth all of what you paid for it, ha. PM me, I know of a shop that has several boxes of 160 NAB!

Good advice, Jim.

If Roy is comfortable with his RUM and has the right bullets, why not.

The 7RM is always a good PG choice, so to me it would depend on what ammo/bullets are available and the gun he prefers.

Good luck, Roy.

Let us know how it goes. Pictures or it didn't happen...

DF

Roy:

No worries. The EC is beautiful province and a bit varied in terrain and cover. Tends to be a bit more open but again, huge variation depending on what specific area.

GENERALLY, most shooting in most of Africa is "generally" inside 200m. Most hunters/US clients don't practice nearly enough on standing shooting sticks before they go and honestly can not reliably hit the vitals very much beyond that - generality and there are always exceptions. Your PH may let you shoot beyond that, depending on the proficiency you demonstrate. Next, you have to ask yourself are you willing to pay the trophy fee if you wound the animal and it's not recovered because YOU buggered the shot. Can get a bit expensive and it may count against your "quota".

I kind of have to agree with JorgeI regarding the 300 RUM. No question, it is a fine caliber and you'll not be "under gunned" if you take it. Question will be more of how you handle the recoil and the shooting sticks. Just to give you an idea, a simple 308 Win with a 150gr TSX (not the TTSX they open too fast) at 2950 fps will do complete broadside shoulder pass thrus on everything on your list except eland out to 200m. On eland, inside 125m it may pass thru and beyond it will likely be just under the offside skin.

African PG have a reputation for being "tough". That is somewhat deserved and maybe a little myth. There are a couple of reasons they've obtained this reputation.

One is, depending on the species, they do have somewhat thicker skins than a typical American deer species. Mostly because they retain their horns year round and don't just fight during the rut. If you ever get a chance to see a couple of big gemsbok bulls REALLY go at it, it is seriously vicious!!!

The next reason is all PG species have a very thick "subcutaneous membrane". This is a white kind of fatty layer of tissue that lays between the skin and the muscles and covers their entire body. The purpose of this membrane is, it acts a bit like puncture sealant in a car tire. If the skin is broken/scratched/punctured etc it fills in to help stop bleeding/infection etc. So, sometimes with very small caliber bullets, you could make a perfect heart shot that passes completely thru but, there won't be a visible drop of blood on either side or on the ground.

Third reason is....hate to say this but....it's due to poor shot placement by the client. They don't actually take the time to study the bone structure and organ placement in PG. They simply "think" it's just like all the whitetail deer they've shot and end up putting the bullets too far back and hitting between the lungs and guts and nothing "vital" and the rodeo is on. Give the afore mentioned subcutaneous membrane sealing up holes, unless you happen to hit the liver and it bleeds out over the course of several kilometres, it's gone. And if you clipped the stomach or guts, it will be dead in a week but not before a lot of suffering.

Another reason for pour shot placement is, not enough time practicing off standing sticks and not being confident in being able to put the bullet where it is supposed to go and ending up just trying for a "center of mass" hit thinking that just putting a bullet anywhere in the critter will be fine. Again, can be a very expensive trigger pull for you and a prolonged and agonizing death for the animal.

Just my simple thoughts and others will have other opines and thoughts too.

Michael

Of the three, the 7mmRM will be the easiest to find in Africa, or your PH may have some backup ammo to help you out, in the event of lost ammo with the airlines.

Having said that, I have taken a 35 Whelen twice to Africa, so the odds of losing my ammo was worth the risk, since I really wanted to use it.

Enjoy your safari!

RTSJ,

Of the three you mention, my own choice would be the 7mm, IF no other options were to be considered.
I have taken, and used, several rifles on 4 safaris to Africa, including my .300 Weatherby on the first trip to Namibia, my guide's 7x57 for a number of plains game as well in S. Africa, a .375 Ruger for everything from Springbok to Lion, and on my last hunt, a .30-06, with 165 gr. Barnes TSX bullets, for the tiny antelopes.

Were I to return to Africa for another plains game hunt, for anything and everything from duiker to eland, my choice would unquestionably be the .30-06, again. In my own personal experience, nothing is as versatile or capable for any and every situation you might encounter- and with a bullet like the TSX, you are ready for any game that might be presented. Ammo for the '06 is likely to be more available than for most calibers you might be using, as well. My choice of rifle was a Browning X-Bolt, topped with a Leupold 2.5-8x VX3 in Talley LW mounts, all-up weight of 7.5 lbs- a real joy to carry around, and crazy accurate with the Barnes bullet.

You don't need the RUM for any of the species you mention, and in general, long range shooting is not a necessity.

If you have lots of time before your trip, enjoy the preparation- it's half the fun of the experience! I would also recommend Craig Boddington's book, 'Safari Rifles II', as an excellent read regarding all things safari rifle related.

7mag and 160 partition at 2900+ fps is never a bad choice. I'd take that in a heartbeat.

A Remington KS in 300 RUM with 200gr Accubonds was my rifle on my first safari, and that was in the Eastern Cape as well. If you plan on including Eland, or Wildebeast at long range, you'll appreciate the extra horsepower. I took 16 animals with 17 rounds on that trip.

I have two that have killed all of my plains game. A custom shop M70 in .375 H&H and an M70 classic in 7x57 Mauser.

One thing I've seen happen several times with various hunters on plains game hunts is while they may shoot a .300+ magnum of whatever sort well on a typical North American hunt (which generally only involves one, or maybe 2-3 animals) they can get little weary of the recoil on a safari, where 4-6 to maybe a dozen may be taken. Some who brought a second, less powerful rifle often ended up using it more effectively as the safari went on.

This isn't always true, by any means--one of my hunting partners in RSA in 2007 used a .375 H&H throughout the 2-week safari, and another used a .338 Winchester Magnum very effectively. But quite a few do grow weary of even a .300 after several days.

Well guys I guess I’m gonna be taking a new one. I just bought a lefty Sako AV Deluxe in 375 H&H. Has nothing to do with need but oh man did I want one and this trip for sure will just be more special using it. Now to find Ammo and or reloading supplies and some glass to top it with.


Roy.

^^^^^What MuleDeer said!!!

I have experienced multi shot multi day magnum fatigue…my shooting began degrading after a few days and got much worse and I wasn’t using a mega magnum 30. This is a really good reason to buy that new rifle.

RTSJ
You are officially out of the frying pan….

I will second MD's sound advice. I would take the 7 RM and have. Ammo will be available, recoil is moderate. Can be easily shot off of sticks where a rifle with more recoil becomes more challenging. One rifle is a lot easier than two at airports and customs. Countries like England require a bonded agent to handle rifles and ammo while you are there, charges are per rifle. Baggage fees will add up. I like to take down my rifles and carry them inside a single duffel bag with all my other clothing. Essentials go in a small carry on.

You posted while I was writing this. A 375 is made for Africa, I find the recoil less objectionable than some of the bigger 300 magnums. For soft skinned game the 250-260 grain bullets have done well, either monos or Noslers.

Hope you can find some components.

Easy, 7 mag and 160 partitions.

Oh, and have a hell of a time, take your wife too, if she likes it like mine, it's a hell of a lot easier to crack the checkbook when they're jumping up and down to go more than you are.

For travel go with Patrick at Travel With Guns. He will give you correct info re firearms, case, 4457, permits etc.
There is some incorrect advice on here already.

I'll 2nd Travel With Guns. They'll handle everything including meet,greet, clearing rifles, etc. I'd also highly recommend Africa Sky Guest House if you have to spend the night. Free beers, great food. If you don't want to leave the airport but still have to spend the night in J'Burg, City Lodge in the airport is great. Congrats on the new rifle......may you get that 50+ kudu bull in your sights.

Appreciate it Johnny! Man I’m having some serious issues finding brass or ammo! Any of u guys got some extra brass floating around??

Yep she’s going! Have a buddy and his wife going as well. They will do the excursions together. And have a fellow fire member(Sako76) joining us as well. Anyone wanting to join shout at me.


Roy

NICE! man, you guys are going to have a blast!

Or 160 gr. NAB’s, whichever was available and if both, the better shooting one.

Terminal performance, pretty close.

7RM with 160’s has a pretty good PG track record.

DF

10/4 on the AB's, my personal preference actually.

Yeah, I remember your write up. That was the inspiration for the loads I put together for my hunting bud’s PG hunt.

These days it may just boil down to what you can find, or have on hand.

DF

Can't go wrong with the .375 for sure! Nostalgic, effective, and a real killer. My own use of the 375 H&H (we shared one in our party, 4 hunts) was with the then available Winchester ammo with the 270 Failsafe. Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Blesbok, hartebeest, some at pretty long range. Have a ball pard!

My first 2 trips to Namibia I brought a .300 WSM Model 70 Winchester and it worked well. My last 3 trips, I went with my PH’s camp rifles, a Savage .308 and a Mauser 8X68mm for larger Plainsgame like Eland or Waterbuck. I got sick of the extra charges for baggage handling, plus the hassles with TSA/ CBP going and coming. I carryon a single Red Oxx soft side bag and never have to worry about baggage theft or pilferage passing through JoBerg.

when i go i plan on just taking the lowly 30-06 for plains game 165 gr. Nosler Partitions and just a regular bolt rifle with 2 both scopes sighted in one on rifle one spare ,picatinny mnts.

I took a Blaser with 30/06 and a 375 H&H barrels, and hand loads for both — 168-gr TSX’s and 270-gr TSX’s loaded respectively. I started and finished with the 375 and had a ball with it but both cartridges were very accurate in the Blaser, and the ‘06 would have been perfectly fine.

I’m glad you got the 375. Frankly the 300 RUM made me shudder as in any kind of heavily brushed country, you just don’t need it, though I’m sure there are applications for it somewhere, and.. it’s just my opinion.

The beauty of the 375 is not that it’s needed but that it’s just not too much either. I took most of the plains game with one shot with the exception of a gemsbok which I hit a bit too high the first time — their very long spinous processes give it that very deep chested look, even though their chest area, top to bottom, is not abnormally sized.

I’m sure there are many good OTC 375 loads that would work fine, but I found the 270-gr TSX about perfect for the 375.

I ended up getting dies, brass and quite a few Bullets to play with. Have 4 boxes of 270 Tsx, and 275 Hammer ShockHammers. I’m sure one of those will get the nod for africa. Think I’m gonna take it to Texas in oct for my Aoudad/axis hunt. Good break in test for it. Got a few boxes of the Speer 285 Grand Slams i think I’ll load up. Also found a nice gloss 2.5-8 to throw on it as well. It’s all starting to come together! Thanks for all the suggestions.



Roy

I used H4350 under the TSX’s for about 2750 fps and though my longest shot in the Namibian brush was on a very nice kudu at about 200-210 yards, only a big zebra at about 100 yds. stopped one. Otherwise all exited with all dropping where they stood. They are also usually very accurate.

This load also printed several 3-shot groups at a 100 yds. under .5” so most of the time, which is usually true, it was more accurate than I was. It was just a great hunting load.

The 375 H&H is the intersectionality (I just wanted to use that word 😊) of the all physical laws and human capability.

Another interesting option with the .375 H&H is the Cutting Edge Bullets Raptor.

This group out of my M-70 SS New Haven Classic surprised me. It's just three shots but gives an idea what this bullet can do.

Also, the Raptor frags and is very effective on appropriate game animals. I've read that some PH's do like these bullets.

They're sorta expensive but are effective. I'd suggest practicing with cheaper bullets, saving these for game.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/375-235gr-er-extended-range-raptor

DF

I'll second that motion.

In fact..leave it in the classifieds...

I have been 15 times and used nearly every option for Africa.
For plains game - 280 Rem to .300 WM
For dangerous game - .375 HH

If only taking one rifle - .375 HH

Better yet, rent a rifle from your outfit or PH. I have done that on most hunts. Cheaper in the long run. Easier traveling as well....

Forget the days of taking your own rifle unless you will spend an extra $400 to $1000 to take your own gun....

The 375 H&H is an excellent cartridge and, in my opinion, an excellent choice for plains game. That's what I've used pushing 300 grain Swift A Frames . Yes, blue wildebeests are tough but so are the zebras. The 375 H&H will do it all without the violent recoil of the faster cartridges. The "kick" is more of a push.

Good luck on your safari!

T.S.

If it's a CRF, it would make a great platform to build a .404J. If a Remington or similar with that type extractor, alteration of the bolt face to accommdate the .404 case rim may not be feasible...

DF

In that case it would also make a good .375 without much modification.

It would with almost no alterations like building a .404J.

DF

It’s a Sako AV Deluxe. Yes CRF but I’m happy with it just staying a 375 for now. Just picked it up today. Leupold gloss 2.5-8 will be in this weekend and will be ready to start load development. It sure is a pretty rifle!


Roy

A lefty! Tell you what, don’t use the 375. Pick another and I’ll help you out with this rifle. What do you want for it? 😀

Other than the handle being on the wrong side, very cool rifle.

DF

Morning George! Not gonna happen anytime soon!! Really do wish Sako would put a little softer pad on there and to boot it’s glued on. Wanted to replace with a Pachmeyer Decelerator pad but hate to cut the pad off and a slip on will make LOP a little too long.



Roy

Thanks DF!



Roy

You try it as is for awhile to see if you can live with that buttstock pad. It might be just fine. That Sako is fairly heavy and with the rolling recoil of the H&H, it might be an non-issue.

Yep, I'd rather shoot my .375 H&H, weighing around 9#'s all up with scope, than a 7# .300 Weatherby. One pushes, one slaps. I'd rather be pushed than slapped.

DF

Where I come from, slapping costs extra.

Gonna save my money....

DF

Roy--I took a 7-08 for warthog, impala and blesbok and the 270 Winchester for gemsbok and kudu because of a hand and elbow injury, they both worked fine but I felt a bit undergunned. When we go on this trip I will be bringing my Ruger African in 9.3x62 and either a Cooper 52 in 30-06 or a 7x57/275 Rigby in either Winchester or Ruger flavor! I have some Cutting Edge bullets if you want to try them out.

Sako76,

Why did you feel "a bit under-gunned"?

Sako76
You made excellent choices regarding either the 7-08 or 270W. At the ranges plains game is usually shot I don’t believe there is much difference. The 7-57 or the 30-06 will produce indistinguishable outcomes. Actually on most plains game the 9.3-62 won’t produce a decisive difference.

I believe a 7-08 is a more modern and standardized version of the 7-57. Both are a little more tractable than the 270W.
All are just great.

Ive shot a wide variety of plains game with the 7x57 and had great success. Have of course used others, and the 30-06 stands out as a good all around as well.

I like to shoot plains game with my open sighted big bore.It is a challenge to get up close and it's more fun too.I've not used a scope in years.

Your seven mag and 160 gr noslers seem to be about perfect ,the 300 will probably not be needed.

In the 7-08 I shot the 120 Barnes TTSX on impala, warthog and blesbok, all DRT just about. The kudu and gemsbok were shot with the 270 Winchester using Sako factory 156 Hammerheads that separated on both shots (75 and 50 yards). Both animals dropped at the shot, both needed finishers. John, I've always shot 180 grain bullets in 308's and 30-06's, I wanted to bring a 375 Ruger and a 35 Whelen but my injuries precluded it. I'd rather be overgunned than undergunned, especially when you pay for game when you draw blood whether it's recovered or not. Just being in Africa made me feel like I should be using a 375 H&H.

Looking at your choices the 7mm Rem Mag with 150-160 grain class bullets at 3,000+ fps will be plenty fine for dispatching the plains game you defined. Would bet most shots will be at or inside 250 yards. Setting a 250 yard zero is very useful for the 7mm Rem Mag thereby eliminating any real concern for holdover or hold under for most shots encountered. No need for the 300 RUM unless you want to absorb more recoil than necessary with no real benefit. Best of luck.

Another vote for the 7mm RM with 160 grain bullets. You don't mention the 30-06 , but that would be another great choice. On my only Africa Hunt so far, I used a .375 H&H for everything, but buffalo were on the docket, so that made my decision easy considering I wanted to take only one rifle.

My 2 cents based on personal experience.

Take 2 rifles. For a dream of a lifetime hunt should something happen to 1 rifle, you have to have a backup.

My guide recommended the .375 for an extended plains game hunt. He also recommended bringing a backup rifle preferably in .375 or alternatively a 30 06.

Instead, I had Match-Grade Arms build 2 Model 70's, one in 340 Weatherby and the other in 30 06. Both were scoped with Alpha Glass.

The 3-week hunt covering different areas in South Africa. Day number one after shooting a Bushbuck, the 340 Weatherby rifle was dropped from the Land Rover down the side of a rocky creek embankment by one of the crew. It destroyed the scope.
I had no open sights on either rifle which I'll never do again. Luckily, I had the back-up rifle at the camp but lost an afternoon hunt. FYI, I could have easily made that entire hunt with open sights. I always have quality backup iron sights on my hunting rifles now with QD scopes.

I ended up shooting 9 animals with that 30-06 using a 180 grain Nosler Partition and 56 grains of IMR 4350. I could not have asked more from a plains game rifle. One-shot kills, dead right there. We did recover one of the bullets in a Zebra which had been held back by the skin on the far side. The Nosler Partition was a textbook mushroom.

My next trip, taking the .375 and 30-06 which is my go-to global rifle battery from now on.

Super nice Sako .375 BTW, it is perfect for this hunt.

30-06 180grn Nosler partitions

Congrats on choosing to go on safari!

As others have mentioned the next year will be full of dreaming of the hunt. I would suggest shooting the rifle (375) as much as possible before you go. Make a set of shooting sticks and practice off of them….a lot. Lean on a tree for a rest. There are no benches in the fields of Africa! I think the longest shot I’ve ever taken or seen taken in Africa was about 280-300 yards. Most shots were probably about 150-175. If I have a long shot or am breathing heavily I will ask my PH to lean on me or stand next to me and I’ll lean on him with the rifle on the sticks. Seems to help keep my swaying to a minimum. I would also think seriously about taking that 7mag as a backup. For either a malfunction with your primary rifle or if you decide that the 375 isn’t as much fun to shoot and kicks too hard. I’ve seen 150tsx perform very well on plains game from my dads 7 mag. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on any of the game you mentioned. African game is as easily killed as gamefrom anywhere else as long as you hit them properly. I’d also suggest study the anatomy of the game you plan on shooting. Basically shoot them all in the shoulder and you’ll be fine.

Good luck and save your money! When you start seeing all that game it’s hard to stop shooting!

Best of luck.