Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa 308 Win for plains game

270 Wins were the only rifles I saw when I was in the Eastern cape.

They spoke highly of other cartridges but the 5 PHs I was around all had a 270 with them.

To answer the OP, from what I saw while I was in SA the 308 would be a wonderful choice.

The 308 and the 270 are both very popular with the PH’s as is the 30/06.

Avoid the temptation to take anything bigger. You don’t want a bigger cartridge or a new and unfamiliar rifle.

In SA the locals don’t own a pile of rifles so they choose wisely and end up with a 308 or a 270 plus a 375 H&H

I stopped by the African safari booths at our regional sportsman's show a couple years in a row and asked about suitable cartridges. I think every one of them said to bring a .270 Winchester or .308 Winchester. And preferably Barnes bullets. I have no personal experience with shooting plains game though.

Yep--though the smaller cartridge is sometimes similar to the .308 or .270. Have run into a couple traditionalists who had a 7x57 instead.

...FWIW: Pre '64 M-70 .270 Super Grade, (Hand loads) 150NP.

Zimbabwe
Leopard
kudu
Sable
Duiker
Impala
Warthog
Zebra
Baboon
Wildebeest
Reedbuck
Tsessebe

South Africa
Gemsbok
Springbok
Blesbok

I killed all my plains game with .308 - 155 Berger VLD. Other hunter I was with used 270win-150gr Sierra GK
Don't over think it, just shoot straight and everything dies.

It is interesting how your mind attributes some greater tenacity to animals never hunted before.

Years ago I took my 2 boys to Namibia for a non- trophy plains game hunt. they were little guys 10 and 13. 308 165 noslers. 21 animals later ( they let me shoot a wart hog) no lost or wounded animals later we came home with big smiles. the simple answer to the question is yes absolutely yes take your 308.

When I went to RSA in 2016 I shot Impala, Warthog and Blesbok with a Kimber Montana in 7-08 using 120 TTSX all DRT. I also used a Sako A7S in 270 Winchester using 156 Sako Hammerhead factory ammo on Kudu and Gemsbok, both dropped at the shot but both needed finishers. The 156's had major core jacket separations.

if i ever go to Africa on a plains hunt i plan on just taking my 30-06 which has basically the same ballistics of a 308 WIN. should work just fine and finding extra ammo will be easy for you too. good luck,Pete53

Most South African natives have a 308 and have hunted thousands of animals with it. I’ve hunted a lot of plains game with it including a few eland. You’ll do just fine and the PH will actually be happy that you brought a rifle that you know and not a new Magnum cartridge.

Steve,

Based on my experience in four African countries, including several safaris in various regions of South Africa, you're more likely to find a good selection of .308 than .30-06 ammo, whether in stores or in your PH's stash. This may seem strange to American hunters, but....

I was getting wheeled outta the hospital in salmon ID after my hernia surgery . Looked up on the hills to the north…I axed the male nurse if he ever hunted there.

“ Yes sir”

“Got a mulie there last year.! Man did I missed a whopper!”

“ did you shoot over it? What you shoot it with?”

‘“ basically yes I shot over it! I used a tikka in .308!”

“ too much gun for a deer……not like a 270!”

My stitches hurt , and I was still feeling the fentanyl………

I chose to remain silent…..smiling.

It just seem to work well in many settings. It is not hard on bullets or the people shooting it. Point it correctly with a decent bullet and it kills stuff without any drama. I have two rifles so chambered and will not sell them.

It's getting to be that way here, too, at least in Washington State.


Okie John

On my first trip to Namibia in 2012 I brought two rifles: a Thompson Center Icon in .308 and a Winchester Model 70 in .300 WSM. The TC Icon shot a 1/2” group at the PH’s 100 yard range using my 165 grain Sierra GameKing handloads. The Model 70 shot right at a MOA shooting 180 grain Sierra GameKings. My PH said let’s go with the heavier bullet which we did. My second trip with the same PH in 2013 I just brought the .300 WSM. My third through sixth trips I used the PH’s camp rifles, a 68X8 mm Mauser shooting 200 grain handloads for Eland, Kudu and Waterbuck, and a .308 Ruger 77 shooting 165 grain handloads for Springbok, Baboons and Jackels. I don’t check any baggage, just a single carryon Red Oxx soft side bag wih 2 pairs of pants, two long sleeves shirts, a down vest, gloves, underwear, shaving gear, meds and 40 Arturo Fuente cigars to smoke with sundowners. I waltz through Security checkpoints and Customs and avoid Baggage Claim lines. I email my trophy pictures to Costco while still in Africa and they blow them up to 11”X14” prints encased in acrylic for about $40 per print. I receive them within 7 days of arriving home/

as Roy Weatherby said in his book, "you still need to hit them in the vitals"

The animals do not like 165gr .30 call bullets

In 2002 my PH carried a Musgrave 308 Win shooting 180 gr Hornady's