Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Eland caliber=260 Rem?

I have only shot 2 Eland and both were with a 375H&H. The first one at about 100yds with a 260gr Nosler partition. All four legs went in different directions and it did not move an inch. The second was at under 100yds and the Nosler hit a mopane and broke the left hip. Tracked for almost a day and a half before finally putting him down.Would I use a 260, to tell the truth I wouldn't even own a 260. Would I use less than a 375, probably if I wanted to. I like the 375 and shoot it well so why try ,but I have also used a 7x57 with great success and would not hesitate to take an Eland with one, as I also shoot it well. It's your money ,your hunt,your conscience and your decision and i'm not about to make it for you.

Interesting:

7x57 = 7/08
6.5x55 = 260

BOTH proven on metrics proven in Africa.

Why one would use a 7x57 but not a 260 is beyond me. I'd run both on the same species/distance.

Bullet choice + shot placement.

One of the writers, perhaps Greg R took a shorty Ruger 260 to Africa and had quite a bit of success as I recall, no issues at all...........he adhered to the 2 principles above.

So if we adehere to the two principles above, I take it the 260's suitable for Cape Buffalo as well?

Lethal - yes, preferable for the #1 dangerous of the Big 5 = certainly not.

For Buff I'd want a 338, 9.3 or 375 bore, but Again, the OP is asking about ELAND.

One talks about the size of an animal etc. - it's the vitals that one needs to take out. Penetration to/thru said vitals with expansion/destruction during that penetration is what kills. Raw foot lbs alone is not the solution.

As most might consider, stopping a potential dangerous large game animal charging would suggest using a rifle with considerable stopping power.

I have no doubt a 120 Barnes or a 140 Partition thru a Cape Buffalo's vitals will kill it.

Yet, I would have no reservations firing upon Eland with a small bore of 6.5-7mm spitting quality bullets of good SD at 2800-3,000 fps.

One can use whatever they wish - and legal. Point made earlier about the confidence the article gives if a hunter is using something larger yet.

Confidence is important otherwise one may not shoot well when needed. Small bores are for those who have confidence, shoot w/a cool head, understand anatomy of their game, have discipline to choose their shot or hold fire, and definitely more suited for non dangerous animals given a choice of weapons.

Keep in mind, a 375, 416, or 458 is not guaranteed to stop nor kill any animal hit if proper bullet choice for game and/or good shot placement is not made.

No matter the cartridge choice, good bullets and good placement are essential to killing any animal.

Well I agree with you if only for the fact one cal kill a buffalo with a 22--given proper shot placement of course. In my view that's just not the issue. While I agree most of us tend to go way over bore when it comes to calibers, there is a reason why there are so many big calibers. Suffice to say, in *my* esperience, albeit very limited, I'm glad I had a 375 with me when I shot my eland. Yep, you guessed it, poor shot placement and had it been that 260, I'd still be looking for him, but that 300 grain swift broke the pelvic girdle and enabled me to shot him again and kill him. This much I can tell you, given EQUAL shot placement, there is a world of difference on how an animal reacts when smacked with say a 3006 and a 300 Weatherby. Been there done that and nobody can tell me otherwise.

So not be be a horses butt - but do you believe a 260 with Barnes or Partition would NOT have penetrated/broke the pelvic girdle? Someone may chime in on this scenario but I'd have to believe a 120 Barnes would dig as deep, how much damage to a pelvic girdle it would do on arrival I cannot say. Suffice to say I'd be hoping not to start out there using any round, but not flaming you that things did not go as planned.

I won't argue w/your experience, nor will I endorse the 260 as a first rate/choice Cape Buffalo round, but again, on Eland, if I had a properly loaded and accurate 260 or similar in hand, I'd fire after picking a good shot. That's just me.

Glad your hunt ended well and you were able to get a successful follow up shot.

I always Strive for 1st shot opportunity placement, and realize things don't always go as planned.

There is no doubt a 375 is proven in Africa on a myriad of game as the '06 is proven in NA. I would not bet against it, assuming good bullets and the shooter accomplishes their intended shot placement.

As to Buffalo and a 22 - well, assuming the L.R. round - not wise. Been killed I am sure w/bow/arrows and even a large Cold Steel knife albeit between the ribs thru the heart (that was a self defense scenario - on youtube btw).

A 223 w/good bullets like a barnes would no doubt 'Brain' a Buff, but I won't be doing the R&D

I do believe STRONGLY - that small/medium bores are often underestimated if one does not consider using the very best of modern bullets w/either mono construction and/or very high S.D. Modest speeds and high S.D. and/or mono's often kill large game very impressively.

FWIW, MY round of choice dangerous African game would be a 338, 9.3 or 375. Personally I am willing to trade a little 'paper horsepower' for more shooter friendly/lower recoiling rifle and a bonus of an extra round or two in the magazine just in case. A 9.3/286 should do all I ask, assuming I do my part. I did seem to notice a 375 I fired have a little milder impulse on shoulder than a 338, though do not recall rifle weights of either.

Many 375s are heavier rifles, I'd appreciate a handier rifle like a Sako Black Bear in 9.3, just me.

Every shooter must choose rifle, optic and chambering for their recoil tolerance and specific needs of the task at hand.

Again, assuming the shooter is comfortable and is not recoil shy to it, a 375 properly loaded is a solid choice in Africa, no doubt about it.

Note Jorge1's note on "is the 260 a Cape Buff round then". Had a friend kill one with his 264WM..one shot, hit the ground like it was pole axed. Just need to get away from the idea that "body" shots are the only way to go. He shot his under the ear, at 200 yds, with a 160gr bullet. I have had a 375 for over 40 years and used it on a number of animals, and find it over rated. The bullets seem to be too heavy and slow for stuff like deer/impala, etc., and I have shot several of those with it, and had them run off aways before going down. Same hit with my 280 and the 140gr bullet, puts them on the ground right now. I don't think anyone is recommending the 260Rem as an all round round. It isn't. But neither is the 375.. on plains game the 260 should be great, and Craig Boddington took one to Africa years ago and found it totally acceptable for plains game, and his daughter used it when she went to Africa with him. But no one suggesting that it's a great round for Buff or Elephant, even if there weren't minimal caliber rules. But Wm. Bell, shot 100s of Elephant using the 6.5x64, which is of lesser power than the 260. He used it a LOT on plains game, having to feed a large retinue of natives who followed him around.

IIRC, Bell only shot 8 elephants with the 6.5x54. After that he decided the German bullets were defective. He used it on meat animals but remember, if something was wounded and escaped, he didn't have to pay the trophy fee or even follow it up.

The problem with a .260 for "plains game" in much of Africa is that, while you are out seeking plains game, you might find a buffalo.

I resolve the problem simply. I do a lot of competitive target shooting with .308s, .223s, 6mm wildcats, and the like. All are popular for low recoil. You shoot better with low recoil. As you increase power, recoil increases, though it remains tolerable until you hit some threshold. For me, the .375 H&H is on the low side of the threshold. The .458 is on the high side. With light rifles, the .300s can be on the high side.

I have also noticed that it seems that my .375, with the same 300 grain expanding bullets I use for buffalo, kills smaller plains game faster than my .300 with 180 grain Noslers. Therefore the next time I hunt eland (I did not get a shot the first time), I'll use the .375 H&H. YMMV.

Adrenalin. This may have been touched on already. I didn't see it in a cursory review of the prior posts.

A well placed shot with a light caliber on a relaxed, serene animal will the do the job. Once the adrenalin is pumping however, all bets are off.

I made a poor shot at 100 yds. on a big Eland Bull. I won't bore you with my excuses but the shot hit low on a facing shot and took out the Eland's left rear knee. I was using 300 grain Nosler partitions in my .375 H&H.

The bull didn't know where the shot came from and began running straight toward me. I proceeded to put 3 more rounds in the center of his chest as he closed the distance. He kept taking the hits without flinching. He ran out of steam only a few feet from where I was standing.

In that instance, if I had been using a light caliber I would have probably been tracking for days.

That's why I don't hunt with marginal calibers.

JMO

I think that most places, like RSA, Namibia, where you're hunting plains game, you're not likely to run into a Buffalo, and even if you did, unless you have a ticket for one, so what. Read my note about about the local guy here killing his buff with one shot from a 264win mag. As for the Eland taking hits in the chest, from the front, no reason a 260 with 140gr bullets wouldn't have killed it as well as the 375. Hits in the chest from the front, should be taking out the heart and lungs. A 308 with 150-165gr Barnes Ttsx bullets, should shoot the length of almost any plains game animal, if shot from the front, and go through and through on a side shot. As for the 375 being better on a marginal shot. BS. I hit an impala with a 375 at 30 yards, and it took a step just as I shot, and hit it through the liver. It just took off, and we followed it up, but I took my wifes 06, and when it came blowing out of some brush, hit it behind the shoulder with the 06, and it hit the ground skidding..also one time hit a Mule deer behind the left side ribs, and out behind the right shoulder, with a 375, and it kept trucking and ran a 1/4 mile, and then laid down, and eventually died. IMO the 375 much over rated for any plains game, as bullets too heavy and designed for larger game, so don't work as well on the light stuff. It does not have the put down effect of an 06 or such, on the lighter stuff.

The short answer to your question is "I have no idea." This place is about opinions and views based on experiences and in that regard, there's just no way you or anybody else is going to convince me the 260 is good for anything but deer. The "given good shot placement" Commandment is so patently obvious I don't know why people keep bringing it up. Same for W.D.M. Bells's and the 6.5. He shot very few elephants with it but again I'll ask; is the 6.5 then an "Elephant Gun"? If so, I'll sell you my 450NE at a good price.

Finally, I'll close by relating a Craig Boddington story both told to me in person and it's in one of his books. It concerns what Craig believes was the biggest kudu he's ever seen and keep in mind Craig's been on about one hundred (100) Safaris and counting. Apparently this kudu was a monster and very wary. At the end of the day he only offerend Craig a Texas Heart Shot as he bolted back into the bush. Craig was carrying a 30.06 that day and he elected not to shoot. He goes on to say had be been carrying his customary 375, there would have been no doubt in his mind he would have taken the ass shot. I'm a slow learner, but that lesson stuck with me and I was glad it did when I gooned up that shot on the eland. jorge

No problem Jorge - so long as one humanely legally harvest game and spares their own bacon, however one wished to proceed is fine by me - seriously.

I won't go poking thru the bush after Buff w/a 6.5...no plans anyways, but if I were after plains game, very likely, and point taken yep you may run into a 'nasty' but I have no plans on going thru the African bush solo - I'd expect to have a PH nearby...

Good points re: bullet choice as using a 'tough' slug made for the big stuff, is not perhaps ideal for the smaller game.

Lastly, the comment on 260 for deer but no larger, well - I respect your feelings. I would never suggest one hunting with a weapon that either they 1) lack confidence or 2) they cannot shoot well.