Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa What to take

If you were going to your first safari and were planning on only plains animals, no cats, elephants, hippos, cape, or giraffe; what rifles would you take - if you had the following choice of rifles?
300 H&H, 300 Win Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag. The bigger two shoot 200 grain partitions in less than one minute of angle. The 300 H&H shoots Nosler 168 grain E-tips under one MOA.
The 375 H&H AI shoots 300 grain Hornady Round nose pretty well, but so far not as well as the 300 Magnums. Bullets available in 375 diameter with plans on testing with this rifle include: 235 grain TSX, several weight Interlocks, 260 grain partitions, 235 grain Speers & 300 grain CT’s this summer.
Also available 270, 280, 7mm RM and 30-06’s that shoot very well.
Finally a 375 Whelen AI - chamber, stock and action work done personally. The trip will likely be next February. I’m negotiating with the manager of benefits here at this home I’m living in. I'd be going with a good friend that has been on multiple safari's.

I’ve been to Cameroon 23 years ago but not on a hunting trip.

I’m afraid I’ll need to let go more than a few guns to find the trip but WTF.

300 Win Mag with 200gr Partitions. I would only take one rifle with extra scope.

I don't think it matters. I took a .300 Wby because that's what I happened to have. Everything died with one shot with 180 grain Partitions.

I'd choose the 300 Win Mag, based on my own experience. I've taken a 300WSM several times loaded with Nosler 180 Protected Tip Partition at 3060 fps - duplicates most 300 Win Mag loads. It's worked on all species of PG up to wildebeest and eland.

Last trip I took a 375 H&H for a back up to the heavy DGR and any incidental PG. Loaded it with Barnes 250 TTSX at 2950 fps from a 25" barrel. Performance was outstanding with quick and definitive PG kills. The 375H&H is on the heavy side for PG IMO but if you like the rifle, nothing wrong with that choice. Mine shoots 300 grain Barnes Banded Solids very well so makes sense for double duty on PG and backup to the DGR.

I would take the .338 WinMag only because it was the one caliber you didn't mention and well, we could all use another caliber.

You didn't say where you were hunting, but most of the time your shots will be within 200 yards and most any .30+ caliber will get the job done, so take the one you like best. There is no right or wrong answer here.

Probably Zambia. I’ve had 4 each 338 Win Mags. 2 each 700’s and 2 each 70’s. I don’t think I’ll have another. I followed Jim Carmichael and had to have a 280 and a 338.
My first 338 killed a very large bodied bull elk - the horns are above one of my bench’s. I’m thinking a 300 WBY will probably work as well as a 338 in most cases. I really like my 300 WBY’s.

The 300 H&H and the 375 H& AI are pre-64 Model 70’s that have quick detachable Leupold baes/rings with 4x M8 Leupolds with a spare Leupold in rings.
I’m a 700 fan through and through but I was thinking a “Classic” such as a pre-64 70 would be appropriate for Africa - they both have iron sights too. The rest of the rifles I mentioned are 700’s except for the 375 Whelen AI which has a 98 Mauser receiver.

I’d take the .270 with 150 gr partitions, light recoil and plenty for plains game.

I don't have enough experiance to make any suggestions but I hope you get to go and experiance hunting there.

Ask your PH, not a bunch of strangers on a forum.

Where are you gong and what animals are you planning on taking?

For my .02 cents, I went to SA, with KMG, (Marius Gossen): any deer rifle set up from, say 7-08 up to and including 375 H&H will work great.

I took a 7mm Rem Mag, my son took a 270, No issues with either

Personally, I would take the 300 H&H as it achieves both Africa nostalgia as well as more then enough gun for what you're after.

My African carry for more than two decades was the .338 WM and .416 Rigby. Not much that those two cannot accomplish. But I feel the same for a .300 / .375 combo. Sounds like you won't run out of options.

Have fun.

Thanks for all the replies!

I’d say bring the one you shoot best from offhand and other field positions.

Get or make a set of shooting sticks; which you will likely shoot most of your plains game from, and see which rifle works better for you from sticks.

Practice repeat shots while keeping the rifle on your shoulder. Offhand and on the sticks. Which rifle functions better for you in these exercises?

All the rifles you have described have adequate power and accuracy, the real question is which one works best in your hands.

Once you have determined that load up a bunch of ammo and practice on those tripod shooting sticks. Practice standing, kneeling and sitting with the sticks, practice getting on the sticks quickly and shooting quickly, practice long patient shots at 200, 250, 300 yards. Practice multiple shots at multiple targets from the sticks.

In short find the gun that fits and functions best for you then become a prodigy on the shooting sticks.

Best luck in planning your trip. Please keep us appraised.

Thanks

GRF

You are right on. I practice off-hand with all my rifles except the prairie dog rifles and a lot more than I do off the bench. Except I do shoot my 17 Hornet at pesky gophers off-hand.
I have a couple styles of shooting sticks. If I wouldn’t have had those on my last cow elk hunt I wouldn’t even have tried the shot I made.

Bugger.

Practice, practice, practice - what summer is for!

I don’t think that I’m exaggerating when I say shoot more than 100 rounds in practice for every shot at game (if prairie dogs are not counted).

I've hunted Zambia 4 times. If you are not taking buffalo or hippo, then grab your favorite out of that list and have fun!

There is nothing outside of buffalo and hippo that I took with my 9.3 x 62 that wouldn't have fallen equally as well to one of your .300 magnums

What Hatari said. Personally, I took my 300 Weatherby on two safaris, but the H&H now gets my pick as others said for the nostalgia factor...

Take the one you shoot really well off-hand. Use premium bullets.

Like yours, my 300H&H and 375H&H are pre-64s. If your 300 is like mine, it's heavier than it needs to be while the 375 is just right in weight. The nostalgia and practicality of the 375 was a large part of what made me take it to Zim.

For the PG you're planning to take, the 300 Win Mag still seems like a good choice. While some PHs are gun nuts, many are not. So depending on which type your PH falls into, his advice may be helpful, or not.

Some of the strangers who have responded to your question have had enough experience in Africa and know rifles well enough that you've already gotten good input.

You may want to take a look at Craig Boddington's African Rifles II, book or video. Good info from a very experienced African hunter.

Quoting Bugger “ I don’t think that I’m exaggerating when I say shoot more than 100 rounds in practice for every shot at game (if prairie dogs are not counted).”

👍😃👍

Then sir you will be in great shape whichever gun you choose.

Couple years back, just before covid, a friend went on a weeklong safari to South Africa. He's a very accomplished shooter with a ton of rifles, but chose to not to mess with taking any of them and instead use a gun/ammo provided over there. Turned out to be the PH's personal gun, a 30-06 with a can. He took 8 or 10 animals with it, largest about 900 lbs. All one shot kills, all with 180gr bullets.

On my first safari, to South Africa, I took a 7 mm RM with 140 grain Bt bullets. Bullets were on the light side, but I made one shot kills on most animals, inckuding Kudu, Blue Wildebeest, and a Gemsbok.

On my second trip ( to Zimbabwe and South Africa) I took a .375 RUM with 300 grain TSX bullets mainly for Buffalo, and a 7 RM with 160 grain Accubonds for Plains Game. I ended up shooting half of the animals with each rifle. Again, most were one shot kills.

My third trip was to the eastern and southern cape of South Africa, and I only took one rifle, my .375 RUM shooting 270 gr TSX bullets. That trip was just for PG, and I shot all but one animal with my .375. I borrowed a .308 Win with FMJ bullets from my PH for a Cape Grysbok.

My fourth trip was to the Limpopo region of South Africa for PG varying from a Klipsringer to a Sable and the only rifle that I took was my .300 Weatherby shooting 168 gr TSX bullets. Again, one shot kills on everything.

My last two hunts in Africa were both with the same outfitter in Mozambique. I used my .300 Weatherby with 168 grain TSX bullets for everything on both trips.
The main animal of the first trip was a Leopard, along with some other game for camp meat and bait. My last African hunt (in Mozambique) was for a Roosevelt Sable, and I shot some other PG animals for camp meat. Alll were one shot kills.

I would take the 375H&H unless you are behind a high fence with zero chance of any DG anywhere on the property. You never know when you might need that extra and legal power or change your mind and just have to kill a buffalo.

I did a one rifle safari with a .375 H&H which included buffalo. It worked well for everything. The only negative was the fact that my CZ 550 was quite heavy, and sometimes I wished for a lighter rifle.

My first trip to Namibia I brought a sub-MOA .308 and a 1 1/2 MOA Winchester Model 70 in .300WSM. I ended up following my PH’s advice and going with the .300 WSM. I shot a Zebra, 2 Gemsbok, Kudu, Springbok, Black Wildebeest, a jackal and a couple of Baboons. For my past 3 trips with the same PH, I use his camp rifles: a suppressed Ruger 77 in .308 and for larger game like Eland his Mauser in 8X68mm shooting 200 grain Noslers. I don’t have to hassle with TSA and I carry my clothing and meds onboard in my Red Oxx bag. No lost luggage no extra fees.

check with you guide as to the distances you might shoot.mine said the area was like west Texas heavy brush and the longest shot would probably be only 125 yards max and he was right on.no reason to take a gun that will shoot 2-300 yards when it won't happen.I just came back from S Africa above Polokwane and it was heavy brush my longest shot was about 125 yards and every shot was off of sticks so practice on those your PH will not want you taking offhand shots. I used a 30.06 with 150 grin Power Hammers. they worked perfect for GemsBuck,Impala,Blesbuck and Red Hartebest and of course Jackal I did not feel under gunned. oh if you have a suppressor take it your PH and Tracker will like you for it and it is not a problem with TSA or Customs just list it on your 4457 they never even looked at mine

For nostalgia, .300 H&H. Otherwise take what you shoot best with good bullets.

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Exactly my thoughts. Nostalgia and panache screams 300 H&H, and that is what I took on my first trip. In reality, take the rifle you like the most and feel comfortable with. Along with an extra scope.

This, after all, it is Africa.

But in reality I would (and have) take a 375 H&H with some good 300 grain bullets just in case I would change my mind about buffalo.

I am sitting in a lodge in Africa waiting for brunch. Am in the middle of my 23rd or 24th trip to Africa.
I have used or seen companions use pretty much everything you are considering. For bushveld I suggest as follows.

Without exception those who shoot lighter cartridges have the best results. The shots are usually within 250 yards but the shots are often taken from difficult positions and thru challenging cover at partially exposed animals. Bullet placement is the most important factor. Your job is to consistently hit a target about the size of a softball and be able to thread it through an opening in the foliage. Magnum power isn’t helpful and is actually a hindrance.

Any reasonably good bullet is fine. Keep the velocity between 2700 and 3000. Sight to keep maximum midrange rise to no more than 2” and 1.75” is better. Bullets from 270-130 to 308-165 work very well.

The best are 270, and 30-06. Those are readily available should you need to source locally.

Contrary to all the BS written, the 700 is a very fine choice. I would take an extra scope.

My outfitter pal reviewed my post and added that in very open country where shots are long a 300 Win is a good choice.

My comment: panache and nostalgia neither hit targets nor make ammo available.

When I took my 300 H&H, the lodge had boxes of 300 H&H in their ammo room.

When I took my 375H&H and 404 Jeffery, camp had both 375 H&H and 404 Jeffery ammo in camp.

Very easy to communicate with your PH about what ammo is available. I can see being uber practical if you go to Africa once or twice a year. But for some, going on a once or twice in lifetime adventure, You should take the rifle you like.

Shoot what you like, like what you shoot, but most importantly hit what you are shooting at.

I'd take a 300 H&H and i would have one built for me

I’d say take the one you shoot the best and have the most confidence in. They’ll all work just fine. If ammo availability is truly a concern I’d say take the ‘06. I think somewhere I read that the 30/06 is never a bad choice. Good luck and I hope your trip goes well.

Bugger - a few things to ponder.

Every rifle in your collection is more than capable of taking common plains game. Just as a point of reference, a 308 Win with 150gr TSX loaded to an initial MV of 2900 fps WILL be complete pass through on zebra, full broadside through the shoulders (point of the chevron) to 200 meters. I've done it a LOT and so have a lot of people I've taken. Again, this is only to give you a point of reference to use as a comparison for all your others.

Africa is a HUGE place with a multitude of game species and terrain and vegetative growth or, lack there of. There are some 75 types of antelope and some 50+ subspecies alone. The next thing is a lot of game species are either localized or at least regionalized.

Therefore, maybe when deciding on what rifle(s)/caliber(s) to bring, it might be wise to first make a list of the game you're after. That will help narrow the locations/countries you'll be hunting and that can help you make a more suitable selection of rifle/caliber. Example, vaal rhebuck. While a 375 H&H is capable, due to the terrain/cover they live maybe your 7mm RM would be a better choice. Nyala, due to their preferred dense/thicket riverine habitat with mostly sub 100m shots, maybe your 30-06 or 375 Whelen with slower 200gr/270gr + bullets that might be less effected by a few twigs and leaves might be a better choice. Kind of match the rifle to the game and terrain/habitat you'll be doing the bulk of your hunting in.

VERY few PH will want you "free handing" your shots unless he KNOWS your actual shooting skills. Free hand is generally the exception with the normal being from either 2 or 3 legged shooting sticks or supported over the edge of a blind. No saying you'll never shoot free hand but is it generally not the norm. Keep in mind, the rule of thumb in Africa is if you draw blood and just wound it and don't/can't recover it, the fee for the animal is still due and payable and most likely will also be deducted from your license or quota. So, you have to ask yourself, are you willing to bet potentially several thousands of dollars on your free hand shooting skills out to XXX distance?

The most common thing I've seen is guys bring heavier recoiling rifles than they need for the game/habitat they're hunting, don't shoot it well because of the recoil and most importantly lack of practice of shooting sticks.

Just my thoughts and observations - everyone's mileage may vary.

Edited to Add: I just re-read your initial post and see where you said you'd be going in February? You do realize that could limit the countries you can go to because the hunting season may or may not be open yet. Second, you do realized that will pretty much be the peak of the hot and rainy season pretty much all over the several southern African countries offering sport hunting. By hot/humid and rainy, I'm talking hotter the S Florida in Aug, similar 90%+ humidity and that puts you smack in the middle of malarial activity. The heavy rains can make the dirt two-track roads nearly impassable due to mud. Add to this, the vast majority of hunting camps are not likely to have A/C or even fans.

I live in Central FL. The earliest I've been in Namibia is in mid-March. It was just as I described above and would NOT choose to go at that time of year again. The one positive side was seeing the normally dry rivers flowing/flooding and the vegetation lush and green. Just trying to make sure you understand the kind of conditions you are likely to experience that time of year.

Take the rifle with open sights.Leave the scope home.

Unless you are taking dangerous game any 30 caliber or 7MM will be more than adequate. For dangerous game 375 H&H or larger. A good 3-12 or similar scope will be a good choice. On three trips to RSA I took eighteen plains game animals with a 300WSM with handloaded 180 grain Accubonds. Also took three NZ animals with same. MTG

I have used the 30-06, 9.3x62, 8MM Mauser, 358 Win, 7x57 and 416 Remington on four trips and noted nothing lacking on plains game.

In addition to choosing your firearm, make sure to bring some type of diary to record the memorable events of your first Safari. After five trips to Namibia I still use the same diary and can reflect back on the game spotted, the locations and the conversations with my PH. I’ll be using the same diary on Safari #6 this coming July.

This.

Started doing it in the mid-1990s, not just for African safaris but all my hunting trips outside of Montana.

As an aside, one of my Montana friends decided to go to South Africa for the typical plains-game safari around a dozen years ago. He was worried enough about all the BS about how African game is so much harder to kill than North American game that he offered to buy me and Eileen lunch in a restaurant about halfway between our homes. Turned out his favorite rifle for Montana big game from pronghorns to elk was his .270 Winchester with 140-grain Barnes TSXs. He was thinking about buying a "bigger" rifle, but told him his .270 would work fine--partly because I'd seen the .270 140 TSX kill a bunch of plains game, including the supposedly very tough gemsbok, blue wildebeest and zebra. He took his .270, and after returning called to thank me.

But whatever. If somebody is convinced a .300-375 magnum is necessary for plains game, then they should take one. But have also seen more than one first-time safari hunter start flinching after shooting their magnum more often than they would on a North American hunt.

Still think .300 hh. I would take a 30-06 in a heartbeat too.

I have used .22-250, .243, 30-06, and .375 H&H. The 30-06 works well on Zebra and most plains game. With the .375 H&H I have used 270 and 300 gr. I liked the 270 gr.

In addition to a diary, I always take a money belt. I can fit 28 $100 bills in the one I bought for $18 off of Amazon.

Well, yeah. It's also a good place to keep your passport...or a photocopy.

I’d probably bring one of the standard cartridges you mentioned. I only made one trip and had a Blaser R92 with two low powered-scoped barrels, one in 30/06 and another in 375. I started out with the 375 intending to switch up half way through but the PH suggested I keep using it. It worked well and was fun, but the 06 would have accomplished the same.

Practice over the sticks. The more the better.

With the time and expense to get there, plan a tour, or other side trips either before your main adventure or after. Take lots of pictures.

I faced a similar question before my trip to Namibia a few years ago. I had a Ruger 77 RSM in 375HH that had been in my safe for five years waiting for this trip and I really wanted to take it. I justified in my mind because I was planning to hunt Eland along with Kudu and Oryx. I did follow advice I read on this forum and practiced a lot and on shooting sticks, including with snap caps. I shot 300 grain A-Frames and had great results because I was very comfortable with the rifle.

My buddy who also went bought a Dakota 76 African Traveller in 300HH and 375HH for this trip. He lives in a different state and when we met in Atlanta I found out he decided only to take the 375HH barrel because that was what I was shooting.

You can guess what happened. He had not shot much and had an issue with the 375 recoil. After two days of misses he shifted to the PHs Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless 300WM with VX6 CDS and had no further problems.

Bottom line advice is great but you need to filter through your own judgement.

In the end I offered my buddy $50 for that crappy gun, but for some reason he decided to keep it.

with a little luck i plan on going next year 2023 i plan on taking a 30-06 because of this ammo is so easy to find in the world. but i will take 2 scopes with picatinny mounts rings on both scopes have rings set already too both will be have illuminated ability for night hunting critters too.

375 H&H for a few reasons. 375 ammo is readily available there. I had SA police steal my ammo from my bag once. They put a note in there that they took it. I think it’s bc they liked the Pelican case it was in … but I digress.

There are some plainsgame animals that are insanely tough. You can kill them with a 308, but if I’m paying trophy fees, I’m shooting a 375 on everything.

Namely, Blue Wildebeest, Zebra and Gemsbuck can take punishment. A Sable is likely the toughest PG animal I have encountered. Saw two Sable hit properly with a 416 Rem completely shrug it off. Never found one of them. The second one ran forever.

Kudu and even Eland aren’t too tough, though, there is a lot of meat on an Eland. Any deer caliber is sufficient on most of the rest (Warthog, Impala, Hartebeest etc).

Tough to beat a 30-06 with 180 grain partitions for most plains game. A 300 win with 200g partitions or a frames is also a good way to go. The places I hunted rarely offered shots beyond 250 but it was Northern transval near potgietersrus once and near warm baths or Bela Bela the other time. Eastern cape or Namibia can offer longer shots. Last time I took a 375 ruger with 260 grain NABs and a 300 wsm with 165g interbonds.

That old 165g interbond load of mine was great on deer and elk but I ended up just using the 375 ruger to go 5 for 5. Five one shot kills no misses but I wasn't very recoil sensitive at the time. Next time I'll probably take a 30-06 with 180 or 200 grain partitions unless I go somewhere that offers longer shots.

Bb

In 2016 I went to RSA for plains game. I planned on bringing Stainless Ruger's in 375 Ruger and 35 Whelen. I had right hand surgery and ended up getting a bad case of tennis elbow on the left side from picking up a pretty heavy box. Every time I shot the heavy kickers, my left elbow would scream in pain. I ended up taking a Kimber Montana in 7-08 shooting 120 grain Barnes TTSX and a Sako A7S in 270 Winchester shooting Sako factory 156 Hammerheads.

I killed 5 head of game, the Impala, Warthog and Blesbok all were DRT one shot with the 7-08, 136, 80 and 156 yard shots. I also shot a Kudu and Gemsbok with the 270, both dropped at the shot and both needed on the spot finishing shots. The Sako Hammerheads both suffered corr/jacket separations. Shot distances were 50 and 75 yards.

A couple of guys in camp were using 30-06's and wounded a Wildebeest and zebra which were never found. Another hunter using a 7mm RM wounded a Warthog which resulted in a day and half chase onto a neighboring hunting consession and eventually being killed by the neighboring PH with a 10mm pistol.

So my advice is take the rifle you shoot the best, use a premium bullet and practice a lot.

Good luck!
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