Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Downsizing, choose 3 Cartridges for Worldwide hunting

The devil will always be in the details. 100% universality with only three cartridges might be hard to achieve. For example, the prohibition against military cartridges is sometimes for only active cartridges used by the military of that country. It isn't always a prohibition against any military cartridge used by any military anywhere at any time in history. So older cartridges like 45-70, 30-40 Krag & 30-06 aren't necessarily on a list. Sometimes the reason for not wanting the citizens to be using the military calibers is as simple as trying to reduce black-market sales of military supplies by prohibiting the locals from using the same ammo as the soldiers.

Just like there's a lot of very specific restrictions within the USA (e.g. straight-walled cartridges, breech-loaded single shots only, no semi-autos, etc.), I'm sure you'll bump into others worldwide. For example if I wanted to hunt Ibex in Grisons Switzerland I would have been out of luck with my choice of three rifles. You have to have a rifle with no magazine that shoots a minimum 10.2mm bullet. Which is why if you look at the caliber selection for a Blaser K95 you'll see a 10.3x60r CH at the bottom of the list. It's a caliber that's there for hunting in that specific canton.

For the minimum energy levels worldwide, it would always be prudent to have a 375 or larger somewhere in your selection. I can't think of any restrictions for "too much gun" but having said that, I would be surprised if one didn't exist somewhere.

Thank you for solving the mystery of the 10.3x60r. I had no idea there was a minimum bullet caliber mandate in Switzerland. It would be interesting to understand the logic underpinning this rule.

That is one hell of a niche! Seem to remember Boddington hunting in Greece where rifles (like, all of them) were prohibited whereupon he used a slug gun.

I'm under the impression that the OP is not necessarily a "globetrotting hunter" but would simply like to return to Africa. If that's the case I think he'll be fine with standard stuff.

Since politicians make firearm rules, it has been my experience that logic doesn't always play a significant role in the process.

The one that annoys me is the requirement that single shots have an exposed hammer to primitive hunt in LA & MS. I can use my Winchester 1885's. But my Ruger #1's have to sit in the safe.

Kinda like Pennsylvania's no semi-auto rule, hence the popularity of the "Amish Automatic".

If I had 8-10 deer rifles I'd be having a sale and booking a safari

Might be onto something....

I can tell you this. If you like to hunt with a passion, the greatest thing you can do for yourself is to do your research, find the right guide and right place that fits your needs, and treat yourself to the time of your life. It is the gift that will keep giving back in memories for the rest of your life. When I went the first time it was hard to part with the cash that it took to deliver what I wanted, but it was the best purchase decision I ever made. Not a day goes by without super fond memories of that first Safari.

for me....375 h&h....222.....22 mag......375 can replace a 30-06, 270 etc....with lighter bullets and hunt dangerous with 300 grain.

and this is what I am going to downsize to.....probably keep a 22 in there....bob

Agreed, the more rings I aquire, the more I'm thinking someday is today.

Apologies for the topic drift.

I had tried to figure this out a while back while researching the potential purchase of an older German express rifle & the "logical" reason for it was not clear. As best I could tell, circa 1902 a regulation was put in place and for whatever reason, it kind of became a thing for this particular region (tradition? exclusion of outside hunters? preservation of local game by making it challenging to shoot them?). The 10.3x60r was very similar to the 450/400 2 3/8" BPE (Black Powder Express) and was often chambered in Martini rifles. In 2017, RWS introduced the 10.3x68 Magnum to also meet this regulation.

My modern 3 would be:
6.5 Creedmoor
300 WSM
375 Ruger

My Classic 3 would be:
243 Win
30-06
375 H&H

I can afford to hunt world wide and I’m downsizing to 3 cartridges? This is some crazy, unbelievable fiction we’re talking about here.

My three would be:

35 Remington

260 Remington

30/06

If I can't kill it with one of those three, I'm not interested in shooting it.

I think I'll be the odd man out. One at 85 years old and legally handicapped I seriously doubt Africa will be in what future I may have left. Of course, should I will one of the lotteries I might have a change of heart.

I probably would go with the .223 for fun and game like harassing Bug's relatives and a coyote or two. For deer and the like maybe my 7x57 Mauser. It'll also work with the proper bullets for elk.

My serious elk rifle would be my .35 Whelen. It's also been my lucky elk rifle. I might have to drop dowen to maybe a .308 or 30-06 depending on what the doctors say, I've had three stents put in and next week he's gonna replace a heart valve. That was a surprise I wasn't expecting. It could be recoil might be a problem so may have to stay with factory level loads in the 7x57, if that much. Guess I'lll just have to try and get much closer somehow.
PJ

Good luck with things , PJ
God Bless

Hopefully you're not left handed. Heart trouble and recoil are so much bigger issues if you are. I can't shoot much more than a 30-06 anymore without bringing on angina or arrhythmia

Wishing you the very best of outcomes PJ……hoping that soon yoube “fit as a fiddle”! memtb

Only need two:

BDL in 270 Win 90g Sierra HPBTs for varmints and such, 150g Partitions for everything but grizzlies

500 Jeffery for everything else

Some questions. 1) What is Africa to you? Are you thinking about plains game or about thick-skinned critters? 2) Do you wish to have a rifle for colony varmints in your three or are these specifically for medium and large game?

There are several approaches. I'd be thinking about a system, not just components. For a 3 rifle set, I'd be thinking of the middle as the "do-all", then the other 2 together as a "do-all" so that you've got pretty good overlap and no big gaps. My personal choices, starting from scratch, not swayed by what I own now, would be either a .243 or .257 Roberts, a .338 win mag, and a .416. Starting with what you mention having, I'd go with the '06 and .375 but I'd ditch the Bushmaster and get a .22-250.