4 of us are going on a plains game hunt in Africa for animals like Kudu , Zebra ,Wildebeast , some will be smaller animals ,they think i should use a bigger cartridge other than a 30-06. i have many bigger cartridge rifles but i just like the old 30-06 for many reason. so you guys that have hunted over in Africa for plains game animals am i wrong to use a very accurate 30-06 Tikka S.S. Laminated stock , 3lb. trigger that i have glass bedded and shoots 5 shots under an inch at 100 yds. very easy ? thank you,Pete53

Take your 3006 and have a good trip.

I used the 30-06 with my handload using the 168 gr TSX in Namibia a bit ago and, of course, it worked very well.

I agree the 30-06 is certainly sufficient. I remember reading an article by Craig boddington, a huge 30-06 fan, stating he killed all the popular plains game (several times over) with his ruger mk2 30-06. I believe he also stated he preferred 180gr nosler partitions. We're it me, I'd take my 06 and never look back. Ymmv

It'll do. Use a good bullet.

The 200 partition shoots just as flat as the 180 and it may give you a bit more when it hits.

I used the 200 gr Nosler Partition and 30-06 for my grizzly a few years ago. Very fine shooting load at about 2600 fps and the accuracy surprised me. Now the grizz wasn't in Africa, but he was a good sized beast and the cartridge/bullet combo was certainly effective. I've often thought that it would be a great choice for most species, elk size critters.

Regards, Guy

I’ve taken my Kimber 84m 308 over there a few times. It’s always been loaded with 168Tsx to 2700fps…. It’s killed many animals including those you’ve named specifically. It was funny, before I went over for my first safari, people would ask what I was taking. When I’d tell them a 308, they’d say I should take something bigger… like a 30/06! When in all actuality they are nearly identical.

By all means take your trusted, familiar and accurate 30/06! It will work wonderfully if you point it right!

If you’re like me you’ll now begin obsessing over bullets and loads.

I would highly recommend any of the TSX/ttsx bullets between 150-180 grains. But any 180 partition, core loft, power point, hornady SP, A FRAME or whatever will work. Again from Craig Boddington it’s hard to find a bad bullet in a 30/06.

You are going to see A LOT of game animals. Several dozens if not a hundred or more each day.

Shooting over there more than likely will not be a long range affair. I would guess an average shot distance would be 150-175 yards or so. But definitely practice off a set of shooting sticks before hand. I’d say any 2-7, 3-9, 4-12x scope would be more than sufficient.

I’m sure you’ve read up on it, but African game have vitals further forward than N American game so shoot them ON the shoulder and not behind it. There are lots of pics on line showing where their vitals lie from various angles.

You are going to have a wonderful trip, Sir!

Congratulations!

Eileen and I have used the .30-06 on a wide variety of plains game up to 800 pounds, including all those you list, using controlled expansion bullets of 165 and 180 grains. They worked fine, at ranges out to 350 yards--and that shot was an instant kill of a kudu bull, with a 180 Partition.

But Eileen has also used the .308 Winchester with 150-grain Nosler E-Tips on the same variety of game with zero problems at the same ranges, and I've used the 7x57 with various bullets in the 160-grain range with zero problems.

Have also been beside various friends who had the similar results with the .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, 7mm-08, 7mm Remington Magnum, etc. etc.

The "extra toughness" of African plains game is one of the enduring myths among American hunters. I partially blame Elmer Keith, who used a .333 OKH as his "light" rifle on his first safari in 1958, with 300-grain Kynoch soft-points that blew up so badly one didn't exit a Thompson's gazelle, about the size of a big coyote. So he switched to the Kynoch 300-grain roundnose solids he also brought, which didn't blow up--but also didn't kill very quickly. One zebra went several hundred yards before it went down. From this "evidence" Keith concluded that all African big game is "as tough as an old gum boot," but he would have done fine with a .30-06 and 180 Partitions--which had already been available for a decade.

When I and my family went in 2012, I fretted and fritted for weeks if not months on what to take. I even had a nicely stocked 375 HH , ya know, the African Rifle. But I wasn’t going after anything except plains game and the probability that a kudu would be the biggest. In the end I took my all time favorite “all around” do it all Rifle. A nicely stocked 30-06 shooting 168 grain hand loaded Barnes tipped triple shocks. I killed 7 game animal’s on that trip including wildebeest x2, hartebeest, gemsbuck, zebra, impala and a good sized eland.
Our guides son was also doing a bit of hunting on that trip as well. On his own away from us. His rifle of choice was a 223 Winchester.
Take your 30-06 and fill an ark. It’ll do to hunt the Kalahari or the Serengeti, and in style.
Les

I'd load 168 TTSX ahead of 64 grains of Ramshot Hunter with federal 215 primer for 2950 FPS in a 24" barrel and kill anything aimed at

We have used the 7x57, 8x57, 358 Win and 9.3x62 as well on similar critters there. All worked fine with about zero difference in effectiveness, not surprisingly.

I hunted in Mozambique last fall, and one of the rifles my son and I used was a 30-06. We also had a .375 H&H for buffalo and eland plus a .308. The 30-06 was loaded with 168 grain TTSX and performed very well on all the plains game it was used on, which included kudu and waterbuck as well as nyala, bushbuck, warthogs, reedbuck and bush pigs. My son used a .308 loaded with 150 grain TTSX to take a big sable as well as some other plains game.

I have limited experience in Africa, but from what I've seen, a 30-06 is an excellent choice for almost any plains game.

very glad to hear all the answers and experiences with the 30-06 and other cartridges too ,hope more hunters post on this site too ? thank you all,Pete53 >p.s. i will take my 30-06 on this African hunt with my handloads .

The 30 06 is what was recommended on my first trip for plains game in RSA. I asked the PH what about the backup rifle caliber, he said 30 06. He really meant take two rifles in the same caliber. His other recommendation, if I had to take another caliber, was .375. I ended up taking a custom Winchester Model 70s, one in 30 06 and the other rebarreled to 340 Weatherby Mag by Match Grade Arms. At the time, late 90's, I bought the best scopes money could buy. One the third day of a two week trip, one of the crew dropped the rifle out of the truck and it rendered the scope useless and not fixable. Both rifles had no backup sights and different mounting types and rings which was poor risk management on my part, as most of the animals shot could have been easily taken with open sights.

The 30 06 with 180 grain Nosler Partitions and 56.5 grains of 4350 absolutely did it's job 100%, even on 330 yard shot on a big Zebra Stallion, of which it was the only animal I was able to recover the bullet on the far side and retained by the hide. Perfect mushroom, still have the bullet. I am 100% sold on the 30 06 since then and use the .375 Ruger as the second rifle for the two rifle global hunting rifle battery. Both cartridges can be loaded with almost the same poi with handloading. Having two calibers that are almost identical in ballistics but very different calibers is very nice. Scopes can be swapped fast if needed, and both have backup sights that I always check when shooting the rifles.

As an aside, I took two rifles of the same caliber to South Africa in 2008. One was for me and the other for my son. The US customs forms for both were in my name. The SA police would only let me bring one into the country. My son wound up using a 270 borrowed from the outfitter. It worked just fine on wildebeest, kudu, gemsbuck, and several other species.

Take your familiar 30-06 and you will be fine.

The only reason I read up on to use a larger caliber is to follow a blood trail on a wounded animal. Harder to follow a blood trail in dry dusty red clay soil. Larger hole equal more blood loss for following blood trail. However, a well placed shot should eliminate that need even with a smaller caliber.

If your rifle uses detachable rings (weaver, Ruger, etc.) a spare scope already sighted in is good insurance.

great ideal, thanks

++168 TTSX WONDERFUL

On my first very first safari I brought a spare scope in the same rings, and it turned out the spare scope was needed.

But when traveling with more than two rifles, such as when both Eileen and I go together, I've take one "loose" well-proven scope, with the tools needed for all the mounts. We also needed that spare on one safari.

Might also comment that on various "cull" hunts with several other hunters I've seen far more cartridges used than just in the rifles Eileen and I have taken.

On one month-long cull in South Africa another dozen hunters took part, in two "shifts" of six during the first and last halves of the month. I took a 7x57 and 9.3x62, and without looking at my journal of the trip I can recall the other hunters using the .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, 7mm-08, 7x57, 7mm Dakota Magnum, .308 Winchester, .300 WSM, .300 Winchester Magnum, .325 WSM, .338 Winchester Magnum, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .416 Remington Magnum--and there were some duplicates. (One .375 and .416 were brought primarily for buffalo, and each was used only on a single bull.)

I only took 13 animals despite staying the entire month, but accompanied some of the other hunters while they took 59 more. A total of 184 were taken, an average of 14 for each of the other hunters, and every evening I interviewed many of the hunters I hadn't accompanied, getting the details of their results.

Most of the hunters had never been to Africa before, or only on one previous safari. The majority brought two rifles, one chambered in a round of .30 caliber or less, and the other in a larger cartridge from .300 Winchester Magnum on up.
Several ended up using only their "deer rifle" after several days, because they started to flinch when using their larger rifle--and realized it. This can happen on safaris, especially when shooting lots of animals, and also check-shooting the rifle every couple days to make sure bouncing around in a Land Cruiser hasn't jostled the scope "off."

One of these was a guy who brought two rifles in the same chamberings I did, the 7x57 and 9.3x62. After a few days he found he wasn't shooting very well with the 9.3x62, so switched to his 7x57 and did fine after that. The same thing happened with another guy who brought a 7mm-08 and a .300 Winchester Magnum. He gave up on the .300 and found the 7mm-08 worked fine on the same variety of plains game.

In fact I was accompanying him when he killed a mature blue wildebeest with the 7mm-08. The range was around 150 yards, and he put a 140-grain Nosler AccuBond just behind the bull's shoulder. It ran 50-60 yards and keeled over.

Among the interesting things was all the "bullet tests" the month provided. This was in 2007, not long after both the Barnes TSX and Nosler AccuBond had been introduced, and quite a few hunters used one or the other. The guy who brought the .270 WSM as his only rifle used 140-grain TSXs, and did VERY well, impressing the PHs considerably.

Another guy brought the .325 WSM and a .375 H&H, the .375 primarily for buffalo. But the Winchester Power Points in the factory loads he used in the .325 penetrated so poorly on larger plains game the PH told him to quit using it, and he spent his second week using the .375 on everything--and very well.

Two other guys brought a single rifle. The one on the first shift brought a .338 Winchester Magnum, with 225-grain AccuBond handloads, and shot it very well. In fact he had 7 one-shot kills in a row before he tried to get fancy, and attempted to shoot a blue wildebeest in the ear, because he wanted to bring home a hide without any bullet holes. He missed slightly, and had to shoot it again. But he'd already taken a big blue wildebeest bull with one chest shot, which worked well (I was beside him on that one).

The one guy who brought a .300 WSM started out OK, but by the end of his hunt during the second half of the safari was shooting poorly, perhaps because it was a pretty light rifle. I was also beside him when he wounded a big kudu bull, and the trackers lost the scanty blood trail. It turned out he'd broken the lower jaw (he was aiming for the chest), as the PH discovered a week after we'd all left, when he came across what was left of the carcass after being torn up by jackals and vultures.

Nobody who used a rifle in any chambering under .300 magnum lost any game, including the guy who brought the .270. But he also brought a .338 Winchester Magnum, and shot both rifles very well.

JB I recall a conversation we had during a long ago Namibian Safari: What we thought an ideal rifle for PG in the bush would be. I remember we thought the .338-06 would be good but the final choice was a .30-06 using premium 180-200 gr bullets.

Yeah, that's what I recall as well.

But on that safari Eileen used a .30-06 with 165-grain Fail Safes, which worked pretty well--not surprising since they were very similar to Barsness TSXs in the way they expanded and penetrated. In fact we both used a lot of Fail Safes in various hunts before TSXs appeared, because they were more accurate than the early X-Bullets--but once the TSX appeared the Fail Safes disappeared, since they did the same things but cost considerably less.

Lately have been using the 175-grain Barnes LRX in the .30-06, and so far it looks like it would be a great plains game bullet, whether in the brush or out in the open.

thanks again that is one of the reason for bringing a 30-06 recoil ,i do get tired of using heavy recoil from a rifle. i shoot trap a lot i started with a 870 wingmaster and that gave me shoulder pain from recoil and would make my shoulder sore for a few days , now days i have a ported Perazzi trap shotgun what difference in recoil. another reason is ammo for a 30-06 should be easy to find too i hope if i need any besides my handloads. i have some very nice safe queen rifles that are not going out of the lower 48 ,that`s why i purchased a new 30-06 Tikka and did some work to this rifle to make it shoot better because if the rifle did get lost ,broken or stolen that i could live with easier. thanks,Pete53

i have been givin so many Nosler Partitions i just plan on using them , that will be the cheapest part of this trip. thanks,Pete53

They work fine too. In fact I made my second-longest shot in Africa on a bull kudu that was standing on a steep mountainside above me at around 350 yards, using a .30-06 and the 180 Partition. The bullet landed half-way up the shoulder, but due to the angle it also hit the far side the spine, and the bull dropped right there. Found the bullet under the hide next to the spine, retaining 62% of its weight despite going through both the shoulder and spine.

(The longest shot was a springbok at 500 yards--with a .22-250. The same day my hunting partner killed a bull kudu with the same rifle and load, Winchester's factory 55-grain softpoint. But that's another story.)

Like John, I have seen multiple hunters use a variety of cartridges. Without exception, the harder kicking cartridges are associated with more wounded game which results in either lost animals or “rodeos”.

I have used 270W or 280Rem on many trips. On several trips I used a really hot big 7 moving a 175 at 3000+ which is at the big 30 recoil level. Over a period of 4 weeks my shooting deteriorated. That has never happened with the 270/280 in a 6.75# rifle.

Two things to consider:
1 shots are rarely over 250 yards
2 my rifle is in my hands pretty much constantly. I don’t want a rifle to weigh more than 7.5 all up and 7 to 6.75 is better.

For me, the recoil of a LW 30/06 loaded to max level is much more like a big 30.

Lastly, my close buddy is a full time PH and has been for 35 years. He tells me that he can’t see any observable difference between the “power” of the 270 vs the 30 or 33 magnums provided good bullets are used. This is based on hundreds of animals a year during his career.

Take what you can shoot well.

What an excellent post. Super informative, lots of experience, and no BS like some of the other forums at the 24 hour Campfire have.

One other consideration.

I prefer to avoid lead core bullets. All the meat is sold or consumed with little waste. I am hesitant to expose anyone. Remember someone will be eating stuff that in the US is never utilized.

Just returned from RSA which included properties in the Limpopo (thick) and the Free State (rolling hills, mix of thick and open terrain). Hopefully in a year or so I'll have skull mounts for: sprinkbok, impala, red lechwe, and the spirals (bushbuck, nyala, kudu, and eland).

Took a 30-06 in Mark X barreled action dropped in the McMillan Interarms/Mauser pattern with a Leupold 6x36.. Went with handloads of Hornady 180 Interlock SPs seated to the cannelure and H4350. Practiced quite a bit off sticks at 100 yds.

Shots ranged from 50 to 220 yds.

The bushbuck (75 yds) and sprinkbok (200 yds) were hard quartering away shots with the bullet slipped behind the rear rib and breaking the off shoulder. Complete the pass-through on the bushbuck but not the sprinkbok. The bushbuck sprinting maybe 20 yds and crashed while the springbok was a bang-flop.

The red lechwe was about 60 yds broadside with a slight quartering to me. Lower shoulder with no pass-through (they are a stout animal). 20 yds sprint and crash.

The nyala (50 yds) was a straight on shot with no pass-through. It bucked and sprinted maybe 20 yds in the thick stuff.

The kudu was broadside (75 yds) and entered lower shoulder. Maybe a 20-30 yd sprint and collapse. Complete pass-through.

The eland was 220 yds broadside. First shot was lower third right behind the shoulder and it just hunkered up and didn't move. It eventually spun 180° and offered another broadside. Lower third in the shoulder and it collapsed (took out the top of the heart).

I tried something different with the impala and used a 270 Win with Fed factory 150 RN soft points. About 50 yds quarter away in the thick stuff and slipped behind the rear rib then into the offside front shoulder. Ran about 50 yds and collapsed.

For the non-exit kills, none of the bullets were recovered although I would have liked to have seen a few. Luckily all of the kills resulted in quick deaths but I can definitely see the benefit of punching two holes and have the benefit of more leaks.

Kudu and eland tenderloin was phenomenal!!

Agree 100%

Has there been a problem of Africans getting lead poisoning from bullets in meat?

Lots of people with a LOT more experience than myself, but I've been 3x in the last 5 years.

South Africa terrain varies a LOT. My first trip in Limpopo, can't recall where exactly was really thick and nasty and pretty flat. Shots were 50-100 yards on average and I took my waterbuck around 200 yards.

Used a 7mm Rem Mag with 160 bonded bear claws on the Waterbuck and Gemsbuck and a few other critters. Used a 257 Roberts with 100g accubond on some Impala and a Blesbuck. Most critters were bang flop, couple went 15-20 yards.

2nd trip, mostly archery hunted but borrowed a .243 with 70g ballistic tips for a monster hog. Didn't know it only had 70g ballistic tips, but bang/flop. Used a 308 for some other animals and my father used a borrowed 308 as well. 150g cup/core of some variety. NO issues.

This last trip, I used a 308 of my own with a 150g TSX's. Steenbuck, Bushbuck, Kudu, Black Wildebeast, Springbuck(s). Couldn't have asked for better performance. Was worried about the Steenbuck and blowing it up, but did a phenomenal job on all animals. Only bullet that stayed in was the Wildebeast, which was just under 300 yards and the 1st shot hit low in the shoulder, went through the heart. Broke the opposite shoulder and stopped under the hide.


Back to terrain - My 2nd trip was in N/W Limpopo and much more open but we were also able to utilize some ground blinds. Shots ranged from 10-25 yards with the bow and maybe out to 200, could have shot longer.

This last trip was in the Eastern Cape and shots were much longer. Bushbuck was maybe 50 and everything else was 200-300.

Only bullet issues that week were from a 375 H&H shooting I believe 220g Speers, shots were on target but the bullets didn't do a great job and required several follow ups.

Long story short, if I was going back tomorrow I'd probably be brining my Roberts or maybe even a .223 for smaller stuff and my 308 with the 150g TSX's again.

Most ingested elemental lead passes thru the gut, isn't absorbed. A small amount theoretically could be turned into organic lead compounds by stomach acid and absorbed. It would take a lot of ingested lead metal over time to show up in blood levels.

Organic lead compounds are toxic, elemental lead metal, not so much.

I think over time, the green obsessed tree huggers are going to push for lead ammo to be outlawed. Just guessing, but what else haven't they done or tried to do that doesn't make a lot of sense.

Fortunately, there are excellent non-lead bullets being offered that are really effective, although expensive. That expense may just become our cost of doing business. Time will tell. Hope I'm wrong, but wouldn't bet the farm on that.

DF

30-06 + good bullet = busy skinners

i really appreciate all these post since i have never been to Africa ,this is helping a lot and tomorrow/Tuesday we send in what we wanna shoot and find out the price for each of us prices and the 4 in the party maybe some sort of discount. i know i wanna shoot a Kudu ,Impala , Zebra ,Wildebeest , Gemsbok , and what ever ?

i hope to help skin these animals myself too . never have worked on any African hides yet.

I don't know the etiquette for that situation.

Pete, I think the .30-06 is a fantastic choice! I would guess you could even find some ammo over there if you happened to have yours separated from your gun.

I have also had the Africa bug lately and am in the planning stages of something in the next few years. Like a lot of things, sometimes the "thinkin'" is as much fun as the "doin" so I was thinking about my perfect plains game rifle. You know...since none of my other big game rifles are adequate. I wanted a used rifle with some soul that would check a few boxes. My short list of cartridges would be 7x57, .30-06 and .300 H&H. Lots of other good choices but I wanted a classic and these just felt right. I really wanted a mauser action and prefer FNs. I actually wanted to see some wear on both the wood and the steel. With no street credit of my own in Africa it would be nice if at least one of us looked like we had been there before

I actually was hoping for something with a little heft to it. I expect a lot of shooting from sticks and I simply shoot a heavy rifle better.

Stumbled onto a deal from a friend and ended up with this great FN in .30-06 that checked all the boxes for me.





The only thing I need to change is the trigger. I have a timney sitting here but need to do some minor fitment work on the action and the stock to get it to work. Wanting to keep things simple, it is now topped with a basic gloss leupold 3-9.

The issue with birds is that the lead ends up in the gizzard, where lead fragments persist as they are slowly ground away. That's what they say, at least.

I doubt it is widespread, but I would not want my child eating lead fragments. If a premium bullet also reduces the chance an African child or mother will ingest lead, so much the better.

That there is a good first time list.

If the PH says "that's a good warthog" then I suggest shoot it!

your mauser is to me to nice to take to Africa for fear of losing such a fine old rifle they don`t make replacements. that`s why i am taking a new Tikka this rifle means very little to me yes i will take care of the rifle ,but nice older rifles are just hard for me to ruin or lose . so if you hear i died there will be a great auction or garage sell someday probably.

That is a real consideration especially after reading the other guys story about how they jammed him up

Always a winning equation!

Renting/borrowing a camp rifle may not be the worst idea either. Certainly cuts down on logistics and expense.

i just checked rifle rent $80.00 a day with ammo . i bet the ammo sucks ?

Have you guys seen what they actually eat in Africa? My god, pieces of lead are the least of their concerns. Considering it’s not uncommon for the trackers/villagers to cut up a bait impala that’s been hanging in a tree for 12 days and filled with maggots, then boil it, dry it, and eat it like it’s prime rib, Im pretty sure a little lead isn’t going to hurt them. There’s a reason covid didn’t ravage Africa like it did other places.

On another note, a 30-06 in Africa goes together like PB&J, like Bonnie and Clyde, like Adam and Eve, like hanky and panky, like fish and chips, like………. Well, you get the point. Take the f%&ken 30-06.

And gee, on his first safari Ernest Hemingway managed to kill not only plenty of plains game with a .30-06, but "dangerous game" using iron sights and factory ammo--more than a decade before some guy in Oregon developed one of the first "premium" bullets....

Same load and outcome here.

A lot of the standard cartridges don't even need premium bullets. A heavy cup and core works beautifully. I've taken all three of my Moose with C&C's

Yeah, which is why the 180-grain .30-06 factory load has worked very well for a long time. But some very good big game bullets are made in RSA.

Regardless, an experienced PH isn't going to have you use ammo that doesn't work....

PHs aren’t going to give you [bleep] ammo in a rental rifle. It just makes their follow up job tougher. I’ve used camp rifles on the last 10 safaris. No problems. I’ve taken croc, sable, kudu, gemsbok, wildebeest and lots of small stuff with a .30-06, all with no problems. Also no drama with multiple elephants, buffalo and hippo with larger calibers in camp rifles…. Use what you shoot best. A 30-06 is enough gun.

I’m not sure the locals over there get nearly as wrapped around the axle about their ammo as we Americans do. I’ve seen more than one box of 308 ammo that had a few types of ammo mixed in. Even saw one guy (a PH) who had military style FMJ ammo mixed in. I asked him what it was for and he just said he shot whatever ammo he ended up with 😳. I asked if he hunted with it…. Still kind of in disbelief, and he just nodded yes!

Also talked to a different PH who strongly disliked partitions but spoke highly of plain Jane sierras. I know these guys see far more animals shot every season than I will see in many years, but it did leave me a bit boggled by it all.

Was also in a camp where a Russian gentleman showed up to kill a buffalo, naturally curios I asked one of the PH’s what rifle/ ammo combo the guy brought along. The PH said he didn’t know! Again I was a bit perplexed. I did see a box of that clients ammo and wish I could remember what the load was but I do remember thinking it wasn’t what i personally would have picked. That guy ended up loosing his buffalo. My PH asked me if I’d like to go kill it if we could find it but we never got the chance.

About the only thing that is a constant that I can tell is that if a client shows up with a 308 or 30-06 and a Barnes bullet or A frame the guides are all happy!

The PH I talked to that didn’t like partitions said they ruined too much meat…but I bet they only knew that from all the recovered game!

Well, yeah--but one of the things about more than one Africa country is most of the meat's sold commercially. This is true both in both South Africa and Namibia.

Yeah, with birds, it's not just thru the gut and out, Lead gets in their gizzard, is ground up as part of their digestive process. I guess thru that process, some metallic lead gets turned into organic lead compounds and thus toxic.

With the trends we see on going about the environment, etc., don't be surprised if lead is eventually outlawed for all game hunting. We're not there yet, but who knows. Hysteria and the agenda win out over reason and logic, more times than not.

DF

Would it be possible to take the choice portions of meat for personal consumption instead of leaving it?

30-06 with 180gr TSX and you'll be fine on everything except maybe giraffe. That would require a head-shot.

My new favorite bullets are the new Speer Grand Slams in the black factory box. In the last couple of years, I've taken somewhere around 40-45 head from zebra (mountain and plains), blue w/b, gemsbok, impala, springbok etc. Only recovered a couple.

Regarding, "Would it be possible to take the choice portions of meat for personal consumption instead of leaving it? ". If you asking about consuming it there, yes. Most places/camps, you'll be eating nothing but game meat, most likely from what you've taken. If you talking about bringing it out of the country and into the US, that's illegal. Same goes for trying to bring back biltong, even if it is commercially packaged and store bought or purchased at the airport. Seen a number of guys get popped for it coming thru baggage claim/Customs over the years.

Its kinda a pain to bring rifles over, but I'd rather use my own and one I'm familiar with.

I've used a few over there and the triggers were awful and just so so scopes. Did shoot a monster warthog with an old converted mauser in .243 that I would have loved to call my own.

You can do the paper work yourself, or its about a hundred bucks plus your travel case, if you don't have one.

Generally the safari operators use some of the choicer cuts to feed their clients, and some of the rest goes to the camp staff. Whether the rest actually gets sold depends on how far the hunt takes place from a butcher shop and/or restaurants.
If it's a long way, much of the meat gets dried into biltong in camp, and then either sold or used by the PH, camp workers, etc.

Once rode back from a tent-safari camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta on the high-seat of a Land Cruiser next to a bag of biltong as large as a 55-gallon drum.

It's not legal to bring meat from Africa into the U.S. unless its dried then sealed in plastic, or canned.

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Can-...nited-States-of-America-for-personal-con

Unless you've got the proper permits indicated above in The link above, if US customs finds it when you come in it will be confiscated and you might face a fine.

The couple of times I've seen guys have it confiscated that was all that happened along with an ass chewing from the customs agent.

I've only come across one PH, a relatively young guy, who would dive as deep as you wanted to into gun gack.

The other's main focus centered on using what worked to get things done.

30-06 is very popular with locals in Africa, as illustrated by widely available ammunition. My guide used 7x57 for backup to my 7m RM, so 30-06 is more than capable up thru kudu.

I'm sure you're convinced by now, but to chime in, I used (almost) the same rifle on most the same animals you mention including Kudu (mine was a Tikka superlite 30-06). I was shooting 150 Etips and worked perfectly on everything I shot, just like it does here. If I did it over, the only thing I'd probably change is taking my Montana in 308 instead, just because I like it a -little- bit more than the Tikka.

I have used camp rifles on my 5 safaris in 22-250 (Springbok), .243, 30-06, and .375 H&H. So far I have not been charged a rental fee or for the ammo. The 30-06 did a great job on plains game from Blesbok up. The .243 did an outstanding job on a Red Hartebeest. African animals aren't bulletproof as long as shot placement is good. I would stick to 30-06 or larger in heavy bush.

more very useful thoughts and information yes i will stick with the 30-06 Tikka ,6 x Leupold , my handloads 180 gr. Nosler Partitions because i have plenty.my good friend who has been to Africa a few times is taking his 340 Weatherby mag. and a 223 , not sure on the other two`s rifles ? thanks again Pete53

I'm off to RSA in 2025. My outfitter said to bring my 30-06 and my 7-08 as my other. Mirrors all the advice in this string. I should have.come here first. 🙃

Generally U.S. Customs uses beagles to sniff out illegal meat on flights from Africa coming into U.S. Or at least they have on the trips I've made. I suspect this is because beagles have great noses, but are also well-behaved around lots of people, and not big enough to panic other incoming passengers.

Anyway, they are known among some incoming passengers (especially those living in Africa who love their dry meat) as "biltong beagles."

In the days before "biltong beagles" I did smuggle in some buffalo biltong inside my hunting boots....

another question : will this 6x power scope be ok ? or should i use a 1x5 Leupold ? i have both ?

My FN wore a 3.5-10X Leupold and it was fine.

My goodness. I have never had significant problems in the 23+ trips I have made.

I do my own paperwork for my rifles. No problems.

I usually take one rifle. If your rifle isn’t reliable enough to fire 40 rounds in 10-14 days you need a different rifle. I use common cartridges. Nothing fancy.

An extra scope and extra screws are nice but I have never had to use them. Incidentally the Africans love Leupold.

Two rifles are much more hassle than one primarily because of weight and volume.

Occasionally a bag shows up a day late but the airlines deliver it to you in RSA or Namibia. With airline apps that monitor the status of your bags that isn’t much of an issue.

I always use Patrick Wright for tickets and his staff guides me thru paperwork.

This is valuable background information.
It would appear that the pre-64 Model 70s in 30-06 will stay home while an older scarred custom Mauser M-98
will be making the trip. The Mauser is from the early 60s and is chambered in 30-06 Ackley Improved, but
it chambers and shoots 30-06 standard cartridges as designed.

Definitely Noslers and Swift 180 gr A-Frames. Along with an extra Leupold scope -readily attachable.
Or just maybe bring along the worn other Model 70 as a backup rifle-same caliber, almost. Decisions.

Pete & Fuller - You both might be overthinking this a little. Take whichever rifle you are more comfortable with and can shoot the best. I've never needed a backup rifle or scope in the 30 years I have been hunting in Africa (I leave tomorrow for two months). It's always good to plan for every possibility, however, your PH should be prepared for any challenges that come your way with firearms and scopes. So grab your best rifle and don't sweat the details.

FWIW

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This right here is the answer

Keep the Leupold 6x on your .30/06 and go hunt in Africa.

A word on variable power scopes and other field gadgets. Clients tend to get fidgety with variable power scopes, binos, range finders, etc when they should be on the sticks (if needed) pulling the trigger. If you have a variable power scope, set it for 6Xish and don't mess with it. Most of your shots will be within 150 yards.

The odd time you find yourself in a salt pan with zero cover, then you have time to crank up the power and contemplate bullet drop and wind. Pretty easy to find yourself with a 300+ yard shot in those conditions. Then there are the Vaal rhebuck shots; those can get quite challenging.

Of course dangerous game is another discussion...

I’ve taken 3-9, 4-12 and 1.5-5 scopes over there at various times. The only reason I took one as powerful as the 4-12 was the 3.5-10 on my 8 mag went TU about the second to last time I shot the rifle before leaving. The only reason I took a rifle as powerful as the 8mag was because one of my intended animals that trip was an eland. I generally leave my scopes set at 5-6x. If we go into thick cover I’ll turn it down. If a “ long” shot is required there will almost always be time to crank up the X if needed…. But if I recall the longest shot I’ve ever taken in Africa was a very nice zebra stallion shot with my 308 and 168Tsx at something around 280 yards. The 1.5-5 was on my 416 for buff and it was set at 5x for a 137yard shot. Actually 4 shots but that a different story! All of the shots killed the bull but as long as he wasn’t hooves up I kept shooting!

Your trusted 06 with a quality 6x will be perfect. Take the 1-5 as a backup if you’d like.

I’ve done rifle paperwork myself and have also used Riflepermits a few times. Don’t let the thought of transporting your own rifle be intimidating. It’ll take 20-30 min in the SAP’s office and a little paperwork and an inspection of your rifle. It’s all very simple.

Good bud killed a nice buff two yrs ago. Like you, he put 4 fatal shots into one, shot until it dropped. Never got out of sight.

He shoots a PF M-70 .416 Rem. PH liked 400 SAF, so that’s what he used. So I reckon PF’s can cycle pretty fast; bud is a good shot.

DF

Most of the PHs I have met in the Eastern Cape use the 270Win. Use good bullets and your 30-06 is more than enough.

on a different post on 24 hr.campfire starting to read about some problems with Tikka X3 bolts this is the rifle i was going to take ,that worries me some ? but since i have so many 7 mm bullets like 1,000`s i am considering to use my Remington 700 - 7 mm mag. that has been accurized , including a custom trigger and shoots extreme well ? >anyone else have trouble with a Tikka X3 bolt action ?

i have been reading much more about Tikka bolt action rifles today and i am not taking that Tikka to Africa . i plan on just selling this Tikka rifle so my Remington 700 7 mm mag. will now go with me to Africa and use 160 gr. Nosler Partitions . glad i found out the problems. Pete53

Steve,

That'll work fine.

Good hunting,
John

thank you,Pete53

What have you read about Tikka rifles that scares you so much?

Same thoughts as PeeDeeRiver…What concerns are you reading about with Tikkas? Are the actions too smooth or the rifles too accurate? I’ve never had a Tikka issue with my .260 nor have I heard of any from friends.

some of the bolt faces have cracked ,maybe its a small problem ? but i don`t want it to happen to me on a trip. i seen a couple pictures showing this too. look around on the internet you will find the problem , also on the fire here there is a post about it. when i spend $15,000.00 for a trip i don`t need a rifle problem that far away . if your interested i have a real nice Tikka Laminated stock,S.S. that has been glass bedded with a mounted picatinny base for sale 30-06 , been 10 cartridges shot thru this rifle. i will taking a Remington 700 , sorry i am no expert on this Tikka problem ,Pete53

24 hr. campfire under gunsmithing

Thread with over 20 replies or 25 views
>>Tikka T3 bolt woes <<

Well, next to the 30-06, the 7mm Rem mag is a favorite of mine. The 160 gr Nosler Partitions should serve you well.

Best of luck!

Guy

Excellent choice. I like the 06 but like the 7mmRM more better.

From your original post:
"so you guys that have hunted over in Africa for plains game animals am i wrong to use a very accurate 30-06 Tikka S.S. Laminated stock , 3lb. trigger that i have glass bedded and shoots 5 shots under an inch at 100 yds. very easy ? thank you,Pete53"

From your most recent post:
"when i spend $15,000.00 for a trip i don`t need a rifle problem that far away . if your interested i have a real nice Tikka Laminated stock,S.S. that has been glass bedded with a mounted picatinny base for sale 30-06 , been 10 cartridges shot thru this rifle."

Kind of wondering
1) how you got your rifle sighted in correctly, and determined that it will shoot five shots under an inch at 100 yards very easy, with the expenditure of only 10 cartridges.
2) why you would have even considered taking a rifle with only 10 shots through it to Africa.
3) how you could switch from the Tikka to a Rem 700, with all the horror stories on the internet about Rem 700 bolt handles falling off and extractor/ejector failures (which are probably no more realistic than the Tikka bolt cracking stories). Google Remington 700 failures and see. BTW, I'd have no concerns with either rifle.

But whichever of the two you choose will work fine. I'm sure you will ensure your PH has a backup rifle available if you have a failure with whatever you decide to take.
Best of luck on the trip.
Rex

i have my own rifle range with bench rest equipment used on a cement bench ,been a precision handloader bench rest shooter 40 some years , FTR i shoot in the Master division . with over 45 years of wisdom will let you know how a rifle shoots. this Remington 700 - 7mag i am taking has a lot of accurizing work done to this rifle probably shot it 30 times or more its a good shooter. do i like Remington rifles some but i won`t take by favorite rifles out of the lower 48.when i read these stories on Tikkas problems i decided i won`t use that rifle its for sale. > groups under an inch are very easy to do if you have some ability to reload and know how to handle a rifle off a good bench on many rifles. my other thing is if that hunting rifle shoots 1inch or less i feel i am done messing with that rifle to hunt with ,recoil is no fun anymore . i have some very good target rifles like my 22 BR, 6 BR`s ,257 and 6.5 Creedmoors these are much more fun to shoot all day long with no recoil , sometimes I shoot 2`s and 3`s with different loads and bullets that is much more fun.

i looked back at my reloading book records i did make a mistake the Tikka 30-06 i shot only 1 - 5 shot group and it was under 1 inch but i would bet it would do even better if i shot it more . but this rifle really shoots easy 4 were 5/8 inch 5th one made it under an inch yet. this rifle took only 4 shots to site in .

Hell, back in the late '80's a good friend of mine took a 21 day safari to Zim. and shot 20+ head of plains game including eland plus a leopard all with his model 70 .30-06. He borrowed the ph's .375 to shoot his giraffe as there was a game scout on the hunt.

I went over to SA in April for my first Safari. I took a Tikka T3 Lite SS in .30-06 and used 180 Partitions to kill Warthog, Blesbok, Eland, Blue Wildebeest, and Nyala. I also took a TC Icon in .300 Win Mag and shot 200 Partitions to kill a Zebra and an Impala. Both rifles performed perfectly. One of the guys in my group was having troubles with his .375 holding zero once we got there, we are assuming something went awry with the baggage handlers at the numerous airports we visited. Anyway, the PH has a Tikka T3 Lite .30-06 shooting 180 TTSX loads that he used for a client camp rifle for plains game. My buddy used that rifle for 6-7 plains game animals including Kudu and Blue Wildebeest and had no troubles. The PH said that that particular Tikka has killed thousands of head of game, and he is a big big fan of Tikkas, Barnes TTSX and Swift A-Frame bullets, and Leupold VX5HD scopes. I can’t argue against his plains game choices for gear.

As far as your trip, the .30-06 obviously works great for plains game, as would your 7RM with 160 Partitions if you go that route. Honestly, I’d rather use a Tikka than a 700, but to each their own…

pete53
“ i won`t take by favorite rifles out of the lower 48 “…then why have them?

Pure silliness not to take your “favorite”.
R

30-03 is one of the best choices for a safari trip

maybe so , but there is no way i am taking my favorite rifle a custom Ruger #1 , just to many memories and years used. besides this Remington 700 i am taking isn`t a normal rifle anymore either.

Had never used an -06 in Africa until the trip a couple of weeks ago. It happened that after finishing the planned part of the hunt, we had several days left and visited a place where there were a couple of particularly interesting mature common duiker rams.

The choice of rifle was limited to either one of my 2 DGRs loaded with solids
or the Nengasha camp rifle, a well used Interarms Mark X 30-06. Dry firing the rifle confirmed my PH’s observation that the trigger was terrible. A quick disassembly showed us the problem and we quickly fixed it.


On the way out of camp we stopped at the range and confirmed zero with the available ammo


After a couple of days of looking we found a very nice ram, harvested at exactly 100 yds.


Fortune smiled on us - the longer horn measured 5”. A very fitting end to a hunt for tuskless elephants closing with a very good example of one of the Tiny Ten.

glad for all ,this trip will be my only African hunt so yes i will be taking a Remington 700 - 7 mag. that has been accurize , that does shoot very well and my hand loads with 160 Nosler Partitions . i have not use factory ammo in any of my big game rifles now for at least 45 years rather that`s good or bad. i appreciate everyone`s suggestions ! good luck hunting to all this fall ,Pete53

pete53,

A great part of the hunt IMHO is using a rifle which has become an old reliable friend. When the ammo used is hand loaded one at a time, the experience moves to an even higher plane.

The best of luck and good fortune on your safari.

thank you,Pete53

well there has been a change again ,on 24 hr. Campfire today 8/18 someone just sold me a Winchester model 70 S.S. 30-06 with a claw . and you guessed it this will be going to Africa with me now , i am very grateful to get this rifle. i have always been a fan of the model 70 with the claw ,Pete53

Problem solved!

>> YES IT IS ! been trying find one these for a while. thanks , Pete53

Wood or synthetic?

I always liked stainless and wood.

OMG
How can it take 6 pages for pete53 to decide a 30/06 is acceptable for a plains game cartridge?

Well now he has to decide on a 165 or 180 gr bullet and only then, which specific bullet.

168 TTSX over H4350

Or a swift A-Frame

Or a woodleigh

180 Partition

That top one is what I used.

S.S. brown snythetic, with a new trigger too ! but the laminate S.S. its my favorite look too yet.

Not exactly an -06, but my go-to PG rifle in Africa has been a light 300WSM, always handloaded with Nosler 180 grain PT Partitions. It’s been effective on PG from steinbok to eland from 40-200 yds.

I would anticipate the same performance from a 180 Partition fired from an -06. In my case it just happens that my Old Reliable has been an -06 cousin, a 300 WSM!! 😊

thank you that`s my plan 180 Nosler Partitions with Mule Deer`s reloading recipe !

same

Lol lol I think pete needs a 700 with a walker trigger so can bitch forever. Mb

150 grain Power Hammer bullet with IMR8208 XBR powder. has taken 11 animals in Africa over the last year, one shot one kill out to 330 yards.Kudu,Sable,Gemsbuck,Impala,Warthogs(2), Blesbuck, Red Hartebeest , Jackal(2) Zebra

you know that is a great thought ? i kinda thought about that too ? did you get pass thrus ?

yes Bob your thought may not be positive or helpful but please continue ,many of us still see you as a fool , shake our head and laugh .

On my only safari to RSA, due to a hand and elbow injury, I could not take the recoil of my Ruger Alaskan in 375 or my Ruger stainless Hawkeye in 35 Whelen. The 30-06 was also too much so I ended up taking a Sako 270 and a Kimber Montana in 7-08. The 7-08 with 120 grain Barnes TTSX worked well on warthog, impala and blesbok. The 270 accounted for kudu and gemsbok. I was shooting Sako factory 156 Hammerhead bullets and they failed on both animals with core/jacket separation at 50 and 75 yards. Both animals needed a close-up finishing shot, both animals dropped and didn’t run but I would have preferred DRT. Use a good bullet!

In my experience on African PG, a well contructed, heavy for caliber bullet (swift A Frame, Norma Oryx) pushed at a moderate speed worked best.

i did some Berger ballistic program comparisons on some better bullets and to be honest the old Nosler Partition 180 gr. hung right in there with all the bullets i compared ,so i will still use the old killers Nosler Partitions 180 gr. besides i have plenty of these bullets i got given to me free from an ammo company many years ago. thanks again from all of the positive post,Pete53

Nosler 180 grain partitions have worked extremely well for me for decades with not one issue, including on plains game in Africa. I bought Barnes and Swift bullets based on the hype thinking they would be game changers over the NPTs. They are not "game changers". Whatever benefit they provide will not be the difference between a kill or not. They all work well.

My first trip, I shot Partitions, my next trip I shot A Frames as did my entire party of four. Same loads for me just different bullet. The A Frames had more DRT or within 10yds than I had with the Partitions. The Noslers killed 100%, we just had to go find most of them- all shots approximately same. Just fyi, my experience over several trips with the bullets in question. Use what you like, they’ll all kill.

pete53
You tell everybody about your vast experience, but…
You decide which bullet to use based on what was given to you many years ago.
You don’t want to take your favorite rifle because you are afraid that something might happen to it.
You take forever to conclude the 30/06 will work for plains game.

Gee whiz man

...the first responder answered your question!

I'd love to do it with 200 grain Partitions

Haven't been to Africa yet, something id like to do in the future. If i were to choose among cartridges and bullets, the 30-06 with 220gr Nosler partitions or 200gr Trophy bonded bear claws would be amongst my top pick along side the 8x57 and 7x57. Cant really go wrong with classics like these.

thanks for the negative post i will leave it at that ,Pete53

that might be another great bullet to use ,its just i got 180 gr. Nosler Partitions free already.

Can we sum up 7 pages please: the 30 06 with 180 grain NPs works on most anything when used properly. Enough.

you don`t have read any of these posts , > besides we have not discussed scope size yet ? > Bluefish : i am thinking 5.5-22 x56 Nightforce scope with Picatinny mnts. for Africa on my Winchester model 70 30-06 ? so now Bluefish give me a nice positive answer /opinion on scope size i selected ? thank you ,Pete53

pete53,

Way more magnification and weight than you need. Most PG situations in most popular Southern African countries, unless your safari is highly specialized, will present shots at 50-150 yds.

A lightweight 6x or 2.5-8x scope will work quite well.

This, and skip the multiple hand wringing posts...by you

If you can't get 'er done with a 1-4 or 1-5 the problem is not with the cartridge...

your probably right thanks,Pete53

Pete, I disagree completely with a 1-4 or 1-5. I think the 06 with 180 partitions is fine, ranges are not long at least on the two trips I went on. The second trip I took my old .300 and a 4-12 Leupold on it and a .375 H & H with a straight 6x. I planned to use the .375 just because I wanted to. I shot one waterbuck with it, and left it behind in room. Not because of the ranges involved, but the brush was pretty thick. The 12x allowed me to pick a good clear hole to shoot through. This might not work for the average shooter, but for an experienced rifleman it was excellent. You sound like you have plenty of history behind you and I feel it would be to your advantage to have the higher power to use when needed.

And yet people like O'Connor got by with 3x and 4x scopes and Hemingway usually used a peep. Have our eyes gotten worse in the last 80-100 years?

The .30-06 with 180 Partitions works fine both close and farther away. Used one to take this Cape kudu at 375 yards in 2002, which standing well up a mountainside above me. The bullet broke the near shoulder about halfway up the body, and then went through the bottom of the spine and the top of the far shoulder, ending up under the hide.

While not as large as regular kudu, this bull still weighed 500 pounds on the landowner's cattle scales. The handload had a muzzle velocity around 2750 fps. The scope was a 3-9x36 Swarovski AV, which if I recall correctly stayed on 6x the entire time--also taking a bushbuck at around 70 yards in the thick valley cover.

thank you for that information i hope to shoot a Kudu down in the low S.E. Africa thru Tam Outfitters . unless i win the lottery this will be my only African hunt ever. Pete53

I think 5.5-22 is way too many X's and would personally prefer a 3-9x but wouldn't turn my nose up to a 4-12x

Unless you're hunting in really open country (and there is some in South Africa and Namibia) a shot over 200 yards is rare in most of southern Africa. I used a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40 in Mozambique and it worked great. I like illumination for hunting in thornbush which is the most common hunting environment.

I used 168 grain TTSX bullets in my 30-06 and they worked very well for me and my son.

yes i shoot plenty with higher power scopes ,part of the reason is my eyes at 70 yrs. old are not that good anymore so higher power scope would help me.plus i have been shooting Nightforce scopes for many years now and i really like the clear glass and how tuff this brand scope is. thanks,Pete53

Aren't most dead animals in Africa killed with the 7.62x39?
(I guess that's a different discussion.)

I'd say your tried and true '06 is going to do fine.

I’ve killed a lot of plains game and a crocodile with a 30-.06. No drama. If I needed a boat anchor, I’d take a big nightfirce. A 3-9x is more than adequate. Never had to shoot more than 250 yards as the vast majority of the country is thick and brushy. Bottom line though is use what you want, it’s your hunt and you’re paying for it. Have fun!

To echo what has recently been said... the 180 Partitions will work great from your .30-06. I used that combo to kill 5 of my 7 animals just a few months ago. Largest was Eland. As far as the scope, I used a 2-10x42 Nikon Monarch 5. My longest shot was 155 yards, and that scope performed perfectly. Just my opinion, but the optic you suggested has too much magnification. Nothing wrong with Nightforce, but I'd pick something smaller with less magnification.

As a general comment, it's always interesting to hear from hunters who've been to Africa and never had to shoot farther than 150 yards. Yes, a lot of southern Africa is brushy and forested, but quite a bit isn't--and sometimes both kinds of habitat occur in different places on the same safari. I've hunted with everything from iron-sighted rifles to several very accurate scoped bolt-actions--but have also taken animals with irons at 225-250 yards, because they were in an open area. The longest shot made with a scoped rifle was 500 yards, and that was in country that went from forested to open plains within a mile.

I'm glad MD chimed in. I've only been to Africa once. That is a very small sample of an amazingly varied and huge continent. I hunted central and northern Namibia. I'm an Eastern hunter. With exception of groundhogs, I seldom shoot more than 100 yards on game. I kept my shots easily under 150 tards in Africa. I did pass up two trophies when the shot would have been between 250 and 350 yards. I also did a some photography in areas in northwest and more northern areas where an acquaintance was hunting. He told me his shots were 250 to 400 yards. He had no opportunity for close shots. My thoughts are that you should discuss with your PH what rifle and scope would be best for the animals and area you will be hunting. Not all of Africa is the same.

Bfly

i have hunted for over 10 years now with a Nightforce 5.5.-22x56 for deer out west and up in Northern Minnesota shot my biggest Whitetail buck running away with that scope at 8 power i have killed bucks close and far away with this scope in a Tamarac swamp ,i see very well with it ,even my grandson at 9 years old killed a deer with this same scope with me in a 257 Weatherby mag. the best thing about a scope of this size is you see so much better . the only thing is its not mounted on my new to me Winchester model 70 yet to see how well i can make this rifle shoot.

Sounds like it should work for you. Where will you be hunting? Namibia, Ethiopia?

My first trip in 1998, the PH highly recommended the Swarovski 1.5 x 6 x 42 over a higher power scope. All shots were under 150 yards except a Zebra at a little over 300 yards. I did not need or wish for more scope and that same scope is still a favorite all of these years later. Next time I go it will be the Z6 1 x 6. That said, if you want a 56mm high power variable scope it is really not an issue because they typically carry your rifle for you and weight is not an issue. It all comes down to what you like and it is doubtful that a reasonable scope choice could result in not being able to take a shot, all things being equal. I think it comes down to what you have the most experience with and have the most faith in.

Leupold VXIII 2.5X8X36... GOD uses one...

MD makes a good point. I hunted in the Limpopo Province of SA, which has a lot of fairly dense cover. You could certainly find yourself taking longer shots in other areas. Regardless, 180 Partitions from a 30-06 should do the job for as far away as you should be shooting.

Gents, as MD stated, he took a kudu at 375 yards, how much more range do you want, unless you're one of "those" who takes shots at big game animals at absurd ranges.

shooting animals at longer ranges kinda depends on each person`s ability and rifle he uses, at my rifle range and at bench rest matches i have seen the good ,the bad and the ugly. with a bi-pod on my rifle and a range finder i can shoot a long ways out . no i won`t take a wild shot but i also know how that rifle and cartridge will preform with my handloads over many years shooting as do many others on this forum also know as does M.D. knows too , i just need very good glass , higher power on the scope with a good trigger . here is an example rancher out west in Wyoming last year 2022 ,rancher said that antelope buck is 460 yards out wanna try and get closer i told him that will be fine right here so i laid down , bipod was adjusted turned scope to about 20 power and fired my 257 Weatherby mag. 1 shot and the buck went down dead. and i bet many others on the Campfire can do or have done the same thing it just takes practice and understanding ballistics.

MD,

interesting you should mention that longer than 150-200 yd shots are not off the table. A couple of my shots on my first trip were at or a bit over 200 yds. I used a scoped (2.5-8x) 300 WSM. I also saw my son, my hunting companion, shoot once at 200 yds and twice at longer than 300 yds. The other 10 or so animals were inside 100 yds.

We were in fairly open country on that safari, reminiscent of much of our Western states. My other hunts have been in Mozambique and Zimbabwe for other type of PG and DG, in different terrain and conditions, so most of my other shots have been generally less than 200 yds.

We are all creatures of our experiences and conclusions therefrom. I still think that most American hunters in most Southern African conditions - excluding open terrain as I imagine Namibia and some areas of RSA - are best served with their Western deer or elk rifles and bullets for PG. Being ready and able to execute the occasional 250-350 yd shot never hurts.

i plan on on having a my rifle zeroed at 200 yards and a cheat sheet taped on my rifle stock too.

Wildcatter264,

South Africa is probably still the most popular country for safaris, but it's also just about 1000 miles wide, and the terrain and vegetation varies enormously. The western region called the Karoo (which is essentially the southeastern end of the Kalahari Desert) looks almost exactly like parts of Wyoming, with sagebrush plains and isolated mesas--except the "sagebrush" (called Karoo bush) has thorns. The dominant game animal is springbok, which from a distance also look almost exactly like pronghorns--but there are also some of the biggest gemsbok in Africa. But due to the relative lack of variety in native big game the Karoo isn't nearly as popular for safari hunting as other parts of RSA.

MD,

our 1st safari included hunting the Karoo for part of the time. The conditions, animals and our impressions were exactly as you describe. My son shot his 270 WSM Kimber, a good match for conditions given his experience with it.

Fortunately we had hunted our own West for antelope, so it seemed familiar, as you describe. IMHO, it was excellent preparation for the RSA conditions you mention. Especially shooting sprinbok at longer ranges in the seemingly constant wind.

Yeah, it can be pretty breezy!

Interestingly my Karoo hunt was the first part of a 2-place safari, primarily a cull on springbok, though we could take trophies as well. Got both my biggest springbok and gemsbok there--but the longest shot was 250 yards on another spingbok.

The second part was in the Eastern Cape, where I got the Cap kudo at 375!

I'll see if I have a photo of the Karoo country to post here.

Taken in the Karoo at 230 yards with an 8x57.



This one was 260 yards with a 358 Win and a Leupold 1.5-6.

more great posts ! very nice pictures too ! thanks ,Pete53

Pete, I'd check whether the lead tips deform under recoil in the magazine in your rifle before deciding on which bullets. 180 grain plastic tip Accubonds may deform less if lead-tipped spitzers deform.

that is true and a consideration .thanks ,Pete53

And probably check the sun's angle to Venus that day and definitely don't do anything on the third Tuesday of the month.

EXcellent ! we need to laugh a little too.

I’m sure you’ll have a great time whatever you use!

RSA 1998: 30 06: 180 Grain Nosler Partition, 56 grains H4350, Win M70, Swaro 1.5x6x42, at a little over 300 yards. Zebra DRT. Perfect mushroom with bullet retained by the hide on the far side. All other PG shot at less than 150 yards.

FSJeeper,

Beautiful zebra!

Along with blue wildebeest and gemsbok, they're considered one of the "toughest" African plains-game animals.

that is very purdy ,i hope you saved the hide ? Pete53

My FN 30-06 shooting the 168 gr TSX blew the guts out of a kudu in Namibia.

pfft, Bill Bagwell (RIP) nailed an impala at 525 yards with his Sharps. I am still of the opinion (and that's all it is, an OPINION) that shots of big game should be closer.

good for him , i just use a simple Ruger #1 myself most of the time and still is the person`s ability my opinion .

Wow, 9 pages on a topic that is self evident…..

What's even more evident to everyone but your stupidasss is what a lying covetard you are......

I wondered how long it would take for my stalker to weigh in with his usual drivel. You’re slipping JG.

I'm still waiting for you to admit what dumbass and misleading statements those were. Everyone knows it except you.

If the 30-06 with 165+ monos is good enough for JJ Hack in Africa and Phil Shoemaker in western Alaska for Brown Bears it’s good enough for me too. If Frank Glaser could kill countless Brown Bear, grizzly and Bison with the 30-06 for 50 years in old Alaska then it’ll be fine for anything I hunt….ANYTHING!

We tend to fret the minutiae and lose sight of the big picture which is shot placement trumps everything and good bullets are widely available. I’m working up a 1953 model 70 in 30-06 for one of my Alaska rifles and with the solid 100fps faster that I’m getting from factory ammunition I’m finding it to be a fast barrel. Factory 165gr TSX is averaging 2900fps versus published velocity of 2800. I can’t see ANY animal not getting sick after putting that bullet into the right spot.

Have fun and I look forward to your write up.

yes and thank you ,but it won`t be till next May 2024 . we plan on night hunting also for smaller critters too so i don`t wanna take a beast of a rifle cartridge to use ,that`s why i will use the 30-06 . Pete53

Gotta have a .333 OKH or you'll never recover an animal that you hit.

Mine have, and in less time.

I can testfy it's so!
That's what I used in southern Limpopo province and also central Namibia. The first was brushy, some places game would not be visible unless within 25 yards, the biggest openings were around 225. Namibia was more open, to as far as you cared to shoot. even so, on 20 critters my longest shot was just over 300 yards. I never considered myself to be under-scoped, and in fact never went over 6x.

Reliable variables such as a good 3-9 were not available in 1933 for Hemingway's safari, nor in the early years for Jack O'Connor. Using a fixed 8 power (for example) would be a huge disadvantage for off-hand shooting, so the most viable option would be a low-powered fixed power of around 3x in the 1930's. I don't think Hemingway was a really serious hunter, notwithstanding his African safari.

Has been done and will continue being done for over 100 years.

>but how many animals did they shoot at or wound with those low power scopes ? Hemingway was a smart rich person but drank a lot so i would not say his way of hunting was anything to be proud of .

It will work well and it always has. That is why it has been around over a hundred years and one of the top sellers in rifles, ammo and components. I guess that is enough said for now and all time on this cartridge. Really nothing left to prove..........................

I took my dad's old .30-06 Remington 03A3 with walnut Fajen stock and Bausch & Lomb Straight 8 scope to Namibia this past June, and, horror of horrors, I used the dreaded cup and core Sierra 150 gr FBSP, an old, old, way, way outdated bullet, for hunting.

My PH was totally, unequivocally, shocked, I tell you, that the old combo worked. Nothing plastic. Nothing stainless steel. A scope that doesn't even have one turret, much less two, so no twisty, turny adjustments, since the adjustments are in the mounts. Or even a fandangled adjustable trigger set to 2lbs, 11 oz, and 12 grams.

The old girl did just fine on gemsbok, blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, and a couple of jackals. The gemsbok was one shot (as were the others) about 265 yards facing slightly right. Bullet hit where aimed, point of shoulder, the bullet going through the heart and on back into the paunch. The bullet failed, of course, since it didn't look as new when recovered, save rifling marks. It was a bit worse for wear, didn't weigh what it started out at, and couldn't be used again.

Dad never got to go to Africa, and I don't know as he ever had the desire to do so since he died in 1974, and we never spoke of Africa as I recall. I do know that had he gone, he would have used that rifle combo on everything he would have hunted. It worked for him through the late 50' and early 60's, and up until he built his .25-06 in 1967, before the .25-06 became a thing from the factory.

The only PITA was having to remove the scope mount to read the SN going through SA and Namibia.

It's nice to know that old combo still works. I think dad knew that.

again thanks for all the posts,thoughts and recommended things too. thank you , Pete53

What was his way of hunting?

i could care less blue fishy what you post or think > i will use a 30-06 ,Nosler bullets , Nightforce scope , my hand loads and i believe i will do just fine . just go away with your negative foolish posts .

I asked a question and you respond with that? Lighten up,Francis. You made a claim about Papa and I asked you to clarify. Comprende? No need to be a dick.

troll just go away

That is my hunting load for the M1 rifle, and they are hard to catch.

Would expect them to work on almost anything.




GR

Again one simple question about your claim concerning EH and his alleged hunting style the details of which are not even clear from your post hence my question. Frankly I doubt you have an answer thus you are the one trolling your own thread. Brilliant!

does not matter EH committed suicide , so continue your negative or maybe even positive post . thanks much for all your posts " makes me laugh " ,Pete53

Drinking a lot, and selling stories about it, sounds good to me.

yes that is the truth !

Ernest Hemingway's life was so wonderful that he eventually killed himself, so it obviously didn't make him happy in the long run.

He was a great writer though, no doubt about that, and I've read most of his books.

I don't think it was using a 30-06 hunting that made EH top himself -it probably caused him to live longer simply due to the happiness resulting from using such a superb cartridge.

I took my oldest son over to Namibia when he was 13yo. He used a 30-06 with 165gr. trophy bonded bullets. Had absolutely no problem tipping over animals.

that is very nice to know thank you,Pete53

There is stupid and then a little lower is you Petey-pie. Won’t even respond to me cuz I called you out on your claim. I read your nonsense when taking a dump and it’s like a twofer. Anyway run the 06 with NPs in darkest A like it’s already been said a million times including by me and quit wasting bandwidth. I swear if your fuggin is anything like this post - is it good enough honey? the wife must be one unhappy woman. Move on. The 06 works today like it always has. Did you really need 10 pages Captain Obvious?

thanks for such negative words anyway we have not discussed brass, powder , primers ,barrel length and a few other rifle options . so give us all some real good input from the state of Maine . i sure enjoy a good laugh , maybe we can make another 10 pages yet ? > do you understand you do look a little more foolish ? but go for it ! he-haw

“Captain Obvious”…that is funny

And very apropos. I can’t believe this post has 11 pages when the obvious answer came back on page one. Talk about beating a dead horse……

hey go easy on petey if your answer ain't what he wants to hear you are a a$$hole and you are trying to take his special needs away from him

Such negativity some of you boys need a glass or two of wine and a couple pieces of cheese to help you be a little more positive ? have a safe and great hunting season , i know i will with my new to me 30-06 ! Pete53

Steve,

When Eileen went on her first safari in 1999, along with me and Ingwe, she'd also heard tales about how tough African game could be. She'd been hunting with a couple different .270 Winchesters for over a decade, taking Montana game up through bull elk and moose quite handily, but decided to take my Ultra Light Arms .30-06. She killed four animals--kudu, gemsbok, blue wildebeest and red hartebeest--using the 165-grain Fail Safe bullet at around 2900 fps.

All except the kudu were one-shot kills, and the kudu would have died quickly from the first shot, because the bullet went through both lungs and exited the opposite shoulder on quartering-away shot. But the kudu started running through the brush, quartering the other way, and she put another similar shot into the opposite side.

After the safari she said, "I would have done just as well with my .270!" But on her next trip in 2008 to South Africa, she instead brought a .308 Winchester with 150-grain Nosler E-Tips handloaded to around 2850 fps--basically the same as a .270. She did equally well, including taking a big Burchell's zebra.

thank you Mule Deer that gives me plenty encouragement , some real truth of a 30-06 and other similar cartridges. thank you,Pete53

I have, somewhere around here, Jack O'Conner's "Last Book". I think it was in there that Jack mentioned that hie wife, Elenore, had taken one Africian elephant and did it with a 30-06! Bell also shot a lot of them with old 6.5's. I can't imgine this thread going on this long!

Well, Petey-pie obviously needs someone to reinforce his beliefs and pat him on the head.

rifle hunting season is starting now so i am sure most of us will have better things to do than post . so will let little bluefish whine some more . have a safe great hunting season ,Pete53

Steve,

Here's Eileen with the zebra stallion she took in South Africa on her second safari, with her custom .308 Winchester with a 150-grain Nosler E-Tip. Along with blue wildebeest and gemsbok, zebras are considered among the toughest of plains game.

Just pondering whether the 180's in a .308 at 2700 would be better than .338 225's at over 2900 for eland. 1 1/2 pound rifle weight difference in favor of .308.

My late friend Stu Carty (also a friend and business partner of RinB, and a real rifle loony) took five eland during his several safaris--four with the .30-06 and one with the .375 H&H. He said all the .30-06'd eland died quicker....

Just thinking that the .338 will shoot a bit flatter for any 300 yard shot...I don't dial.

look and use Berger ballistic chart and compare the two very little difference in inches out to 400 yards between a 30 caliber bullet or a 338 bullet but the 338 Win did have a lot more power. i compared 180 gr. 30 caliber at 2700 fps and 338 caliber 225 gr at a honest 2800 fps used Nosler Partitions for both. only thing i used a 30-06 vs. 338 Win .mag. if you use a 308 Win. it is closer to 2500 fps with same bullet i did not do max on any of these .

Geez, hasn’t this dead horse been beaten enough? Does anyone really believe a difference of of a few hundred fps or 10-20 grains of bullet weight makes a difference if you him in the chest? You people simply love to salivate over meaningless details or you’re pisspoor shots that you shouldn’t be hunting. Hell, get .416 Rigby and quit all this jaw jacking.

Pete, the .308 with 180's has a long throat and a long magazine box. Seated at 2.93" it gets an honest 2720 fps. The .338 is long throated and seated long with a long mag box and it also gets an honest 2930-2950. With both 3" high at 100 yards, the .308 is down 8.7" at 300yds and the .338 is 5.5" down at 300 yds. Easy just to aim for a high shoulder shot with the .338 at 300 yds. But I agree , not much difference.

i just went the middle of the powder velocity from the Nosler reloading book and yes i do agree with you.

I m guessing you're talking about the .338 Winchester Magnum, which I have a bunch of experience with, both in Africa and North America (along with a little in Europe).

It's basically its a big .30-06. With bullets of the same approximate sectional density (and hence B.C. is shapped similarly) it gets basically the same velocities--whether with 165s in the .30-06 and 200s in the .338, 180s/225s or 200s/250s.

I don’t have a lot of Africa experience but on my one trip, in 1990 & the 5 animals I took, including Wildebeest & Kudu, the Zebra was the only one requiring a second shot.

I used a pre-64 model 70 in .300 H&H magnum with 180 gr Interbonds on everything except warthog, which I shot with a .25 WSSM.

The Zebra was one I intended to skip because I ignorantly expected it would be like shooting a horse in a pasture.

After several nights of hearing how many of the three PH’s war stories involved Zebra & witnessing the difficult stalk I was in on for another hunter, I changed my mind. This was helped along by my wife mentioning she’d like a Zebra rug & the safari owner offering me half off the fee when we came across a Zebra with an injured leg from a poacher’s wire snare.

The shot was at a lasered 100 yds from a solid rest. I had passed the time in camp looking over a book of African game shot placement which described using the chevrons on a Zebra shoulder to determine the heart’s position. I felt so confident of the placement that after working the bolt, I began a silent count to see how long it would take him to fall. When I got to 30, I placed a second shot a bit further back to double lung him, upon which the fellow collapsed.

When we processed him there was a silver dollar sized hole directly through the center of his football sized heart.

He had stood in the same spot, only shifting his weight on his legs a bit for over 30 seconds with this wrecked heart.

I came home with my Wife’s Zebra rug and a healthy respect for Zebra. They certainly are much more than some funny colored horses in a field.

Yep!

Eileen wanted one on her first safari, but didn't get a shot--which is part of the reason she went with me to RSA a few years later. She shot hers at the top of what some PHs call "the sergeant's stripes," essentially the same deal you read about. But he's was standing on a slope above her, the PH and the tracked, and it came trotting downhill right toward her PH.

She shot it again, and it dropped a few yards from them. Her PH told her that was "quite unnecessary," because he'd already noticed the stallion's front hooves were crossing over each other as it stumbled downhill.... The hide is behind me on the wall as I type this, with a neat hole through the top of the sergeant's stripes.

They taste good too--which often surprises people, even Africans! Another interesting story took place during a big cull hunt on an RSA ranch I did the year before. The meat was mostly going to a butchering plant in Kimberley, which then distributed it to local supermarkets and restaurants.

But zebra meat wasn't selling very well until the supermarket owner realized that even many native, urban Africans mostly eat various kinds of antelope when they eat game, such as springbok (which is outstanding). So he relabeled the zebra meat "zeebok," and it started selling--and then sold even better as word got around about how good it was!

i wondered how Zebra tasted and that`s good to hear it does taste good. Mule Deer : i hope you have a nice picture framed of Eileen with the Zebra that is a beautiful picture of her and the Zebra.

Glad you like the photo!

Actually, don't need a framed copy-and don't really have room for one anyway on our walls--which are full of all sorts of clutter, from animal parts to paintings and photographs. Plus, as mentioned I'm writing this in front of the hide on the wall--and right now Eileen is in the chair right next to me....

Just guessing, but there's probably been as many articles written about the 'o6 in Africa as there has about the 270 in North America.

Anyone that hasn't read a few of both probably has been hunting very long or doesn't know how to read, or both.

LOL

MM

Life is good 😊 as is zebra meat

I've told this before, but my uncle Oscar took two rifles to Africa in the 60s on his two safaris. both model 70s, one in 458 for elephant and buffalo and everything else he killed, including two lion was with a 270 and good ol' Winchester Silvertips... Go figure huh?

Great post.




P

Take your .30-06. Use some type of premium bullet (Partition/Barnes/A-frame) and have a great time.

The 50’s and 60’s seems like it would have been a fun period to hunt Africa. In “the olden days” when everything was in black and white, as our children used to say, there weren’t the plethora of bullet styles, shapes and other hairs to split so a good rifleman was quite likely intimate with his rifle and knew how to shoot. I know that the old timers I used to watch with deep admiration and respect weren’t interested in having a dozen deer hunting rifles since they could only use 1 at a time. At least that’s what I can hear in my mind….a gravelly voice dripping with cigarette smoke and wisdom and me, a little kid soaking up every word of every story.

That’s my long winded way of saying…..you gotta dance with the one you brought…😀

'
The .30-06 Springfield in Africa? It works. (A couple of photos just for fun.)

Cheers! Bob F.






East Africa, circa 1925: American explorer, documentary filmmaker, and photographer Osa Johnson (1894-1953) checks the sights on her Springfield rifle while sitting under a tent.
(Photo credits: Martin & Osa Johnson Safari Museum.)

The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum
https://safarimuseum.com/

Martin and Osa Johnson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_and_Osa_Johnson

John's article, "One Gun -One Load" in the 1999 Handloader Magazine pretty much sums up the advantages of the 30-06 Sprg
cartridge in Africa and worldwide. A Swift 180 gr or Nosler 165/180 gr bullet can do wonders in Africa or Alaska. Even a 200-220 gr round nosed bullet has been
killing game regularly with the 06 for a century. My ancient M-70s work with boring efficiency. The 06 also forces one to hunt, not engage in long range hit or miss wounding of big game.

Take your .30-06. It will be just fine for plains game. Use a good quality bullet ( I prefer 180 grains in the '06)

yes i will thank you , i now have a new to me Winchester model 70 S.S. 30-06 ,sighted in now and will load my own ammo for the trip with180 gr. Nosler Partition spitzers using Mule Deer`s recipe from his Gun Gack volume #4 little handy reloading book . we leave in May outfitter is Tam Safaris , thanks to all who gave me some great advise ,Pete53

Yup. My next trip across the pond for plains game will be with 'ol reliable and 180 grain A-Frames. Simply gets it done.

Good luck! The .30-06 is always a good choice!

I was going to take my rebarreled 30-06 on my first trip ('96). A Mod 70 Fwt (PH) I wanted to use 200 NP but could only find their 220 NP, which I had to seat very deep to work in the Mod 70 magazine, very compressed load to get any kind of speed w/accuraxy. My seating die left a bad "ring" in the ogive and I was afraid of bullet failure ( OCD Rifle Loony). This was before I later could get Fed HE 180NP loads which the rifle loved, 2900+ fps! I was wandering the used gun racks at a LGS when I found the Classic 700 35 Whelen, which I glomed onto and had tweaked out to the Ackley and Barnes 250X. That combo "ruined me", so to speak, as I became a Believer in the Mediums. BUT..IF those Federal HE 180NP loads had been available, thats a dream set up, and I would have killed everything I took with the Whelen. Any 180 going right at or over 2900 is in "300 Mag" territory, same - same, ha.
I gave that '06 and 100rds of that wonderful ammo to our Missionary in JoBerg ( who loved to hunt/feed his family too) and he killed small/large antelope, including Cape Eland. Only rodeo he had was a friend of his used it to wound a Blue Wildebeast and it took a couple miles of tracking/shooting to get it down. That cam happen with a .416 on those guys if that first shot is bad, lol.
All this to say....go and slay your Plains Game with confidence in your 30-06! Have a ball too!

this will be my 1st and probably only trip to Africa so its nice to hear all these positive replies. thank you all very much,Pete63

Hey Pete, if I could add...I made 4 hunts (three trips, '96. '98,'02) and the bullets we used were the older Barnes XBTs and the 375 H&H used the 270 Failsafe. The newer TSX and TTSX are even better. Yes, Nosler, Swifts, et al are worth the money. Shoot that zebra through the neck where it joins his shoulder, center, Enjoy!

i have been trying to get the 180 gr. Nosler Partitions to shoot better groups and groups are always 1 1/2 inch 3 shot groups at 100yds so i said screw it after i tried the 165 gr. Nosler Partitions 3 shot groups at 100 yards are always under an inch sometimes less than 3/4 inch using 4350 IMR with 55 grains, good enough for me . and now for a sling probably just think a 1 inch leather sling may be better than my wider slings , wider slings seem clumsy when laying rifle down on standing gun v- pods . any thoughts on type of sling to use and would be greatly appreciated, i know very little on how these things go with guides in Africa ? thank you ,Pete53

A leather sling looks the part in Africa, but it doesn't make a scrap of difference. Perhaps try the 180 Accubonds which may give you better accuracy. I wouldn't ask your guide too many obvious questions otherwise they will tend to treat you as inexperienced, in which case you may not participate much in the hunt, your role being simply to squeeze the trigger when they say so.

Has that been your experience?

Yes, definitely at first. And it's not just the obvious questions. The guide watches you do the test shots on your arrival, and if you can't shoot the target accurately, your hand gets to be held more during the hunt. I make it clear that I wish to participate in the hunt, because the default position is that you get your hand held and don't participate. The worst situation is when there are two guides, because they just talk amongst themselves...and you're just there to squeeze the trigger when they say to.

well lets put the shooting part this way i can hold my own or out shoot many and have ,but i will do as the guides want me too except since i have to pay for even a wounded animal my shots will be closer than 300 yards just because i see no reason why i can`t get closer than 300 yards . many guides can be lazy too so i will be watching them too on how they can handle a rifle and guide for us. this is not my first rodeo,Pete53

I would have no issues hunting in Africa with my .30-06.

My better 1/2 is in Africa now on a photo safari and traveling to several different countries to sightsee

She just sent me a few photos she took today, thought I would share them.





Without a weapon, I would not want to get close either

I’m confused. You want advice on just about everything including how to carry a rifle and then claim this isn’t your first rodeo?

so you need pictures and a hand wrote letter ? confused ? i asked a simple rifle sling question reread reread reread .

Killer bee nice pictures ! thanks for posting them . if you ever need some 30-06 ammo recipe i am here to help you have my phone number ! thanks again,Pete53

Well, the first thing you'll do in camp is go shoot your rifle in front of the PH and a tracker or two. It will become very evident very quickly if you can really shoot as well as you say you can. Hope you've practiced a lot off of sticks. Also, if you think you're going to educate your PH and trackers on how to hunt and spot game over there, you're out of your freaking mind.

And I might add to this that although the target might only be at 100 yds (sometimes less), the rest that you have is often less than perfect, such as an unstable portable old picnic table with a pillow to put your rifle on. Added to this is the stress that several people are watching you supposedly to see if your rifle is zeroed correctly, but really just as much to see if you can shoot. Many hunters don't shoot the target very accurately in such circumstances. Last time I went (last year) the guides were not impressed with those hunters who came with big high magnification scopes who wanted to adjust the elevation for every shot (as most shots are well within 300 yards).

Glad you like them pete53. I'll have a lot more when she gets back next week. She sent me this one today. If I were that close to a lion with my M1917 .30-06, that would be some dead kittens lol

SO PATHFINDER 76 ,your a troll from Alberta on the Outdoorsmen too ? is this why your confused again this site is 24 hr. Campfire, try to be more positive most people get tired of this troll crap.

And I might add to this that although the target might only be at 100 yds (sometimes less), the rest that you have is often less than perfect, such as an unstable portable old picnic table with a pillow to put your rifle on. Added to this is the stress that several people are watching you supposedly to see if your rifle is zeroed correctly, but really just as much to see if you can shoot. Many hunters don't shoot the target very accurately in such circumstances. Last time I went (last year) the guides were not impressed with those hunters who came with big high magnification scopes who wanted to adjust the elevation for every shot (as most shots are well within 300 yards).[/quote]

don`t worry generally i have never had a problem with guides or anyone else , i bet by the end of the trip we will all be toasting together and the guide is going to try and talk me out of my Nightforce scope . last trip on a caribou hunt in Northern Canada that guide tried to buy my rifle and scope ,this rifle and scope is even better quality !

Fantastic! Surely must be a parody, nobody can be that bombastic!

I have quite a few PH friends operating Cameroon, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, SA, Namibia. They all have client stories that will keep you howling around the campfire. The one above isn't far off base.

i have seen these problems too mostly from city people with no farm , woods skills, also sold a few rifles to city guys that were going to Africa that a relative give them a free trip to Africa made me just shake my head . i did help one guy a lot with his shooting skills for a African hunt , at that time my 8 year old son knew a lot more in those days than that poor guy knew . son said when he went college the guys at the house had my son do all the butchering ,cleaning fish ,cooking the guys at the house knew nothing about those things including how to hunt even. i know they all lived like the movie Animal House movie including my son , when we visited that house I laughed but my wife was pissed at my laughing , to me it looked like it was a party every night,pizza boxes all over ,dishes not washed ,piles of beer cans ,those boys did have fun.

Go forth and reap the harvest with your 30-06.

Bullet choice and shooting skill is more important in that 270 - 300mag range.

I've used Barnes168gr TTSX in my 300WSM on everything from grey duiker to Cape eland with great success.

thanks for those positive kind words and i will. Pete53

Every picture I posted, including the Rhinos would be deader than a doornail at that range with my .30-06.

You just can not go wrong with any .30 Cal, depending on the distance

Thanks for the laff. Good way to start the morning...

I've loosely followed along with all the posts here. Like a lot of other similar posts asking similar basic question, "Is XXX caliber good enough....."

I think too many people spend a bit too much time worrying about this and way over-thinking it all. Very understandable for someone who's making their first and possibly once in a lifetime or life long dream trip. Without any direct fist hand knowledge of the actual body sizes of the various species, unknown terrane of the hunting area, is it bushveld or open long shots etc, etc. It's normal for us to want to have the best we can do and use the best we can have.

There has been something very important mentioned a couple of times in previous posts in this thread that I'm not sure have hit home like they should. That's the importance of being able to shoot off either 2 or 3 legged standing shooting sticks. I've seen first hand, way too many guys obsess with getting their rifle dialed in to the holy grail of "sub-MOA" off a shooting bench but, NOT put the time and effort required to seriously practice off standing shooting sticks a 100yds. They pitch up proud as punch with their sub-MOA rifle but, they shoot well the first day off the bench during verification sight-in but, they themselves are 20-MOA shooters off the sticks. It can be a VERY frustrating, VERY humbling and VERT expensive trip.

After a lot of trips with a lot of guys and myself included, I am a firm believer in K.I.S.S - Keep it Stupid Simple. I've seen way too many guys pitch up with WAY over equipped for a typical bushveld hunt where 99% of ALL shots are typically under 200m. They show up with way over powered variable power scopes, scopes with "twisty turrets", scopes with bubble levels, integral range finders or hand held range finders etc, etc, etc., AND they INSIST on lazing EVERY shot and "doping" their twisty turrets for EVERY (sub 200m) shot with their variable scope set at the highest possible magnification. Then they think, shooting of standing shooting sticks is "no big deal" and you stand behind them and you actually watch the muzzle swing wildly all over Africa because the can't see/find the animal standing 100-150m away. Then when they see the first sign of "hair" they pull the trigger no mater and wound the animal and the tracking rodeo is on and the fee is due and payable - animal recovered or not.

Just about every PG legal caliber from 7mm dia and larger, if sighted in at 1 1/2" high at 100yds will still be spot on at 200yds. A good scope set at 4x and just put the crosshairs on the center of the vital triangle. VERY little need to correct for hold over/under. Most people, IF they even take the time to study the shot placement pictures, think the vital area is only that little small red dot. The reality is the vital area is a good bit bigger. Example is springbok, it's about a 4" circle. Impala, 6" circle, gemsbok 7" circle, kudu 9", zebra 10", eland 12+. The most common shot placement error US hunters make is shooting too far back like for whitetail or not confident in their shooting and opt for just getting lead in the body (very expensive choice). On a full broadside shot on African PG if you hit just a little bit behind the front leg, you're going to hit lung/liver and you're going to have a long track. The farther back you hit simply reduces your odds of recovery even further.

Guess my overall points are; a) use a rifle and caliber (recoil level) that you are comfortable shooting. b) Use a COMMON caliber in case ammo doesn't arrive. c) Use bullet weights that are considered "heavy for caliber". d) Strive to find the best factory or handload ammo that works in your rifle. DON'T obese over it. IF the best you can do is 2-MOA off the bench, but you can hit a 4" circle at 100yds EVERY TIME from standing sticks, you and your rifle will be fine. e) KISS - leave the fancy complicated stuff at home. A good 4x scope is all you really need on a rifle you trust, zeroed at 1 1/2" high at 100. Put the crosshairs in the vital triangle and SQUEESE and you'll have a very enjoyable and successful trip.

Agree with nearly all the things you say, except rather than not "obese" they shouldn't "obsess", although they shouldn't be obese anyway. Also, 1 1/2" at 100 is not high enough when you're not twisting turrets. The scope for most cartridges should be about 2 1/2" to 3" high at 100 yards.

I recall back in the early 1970's it was most always suggested to sight in 3" high at 100 yds. I still do pretty much that today but my difference is the longest range I'd shoot at a big game animal is 300yds and have only done that one time just to say I did it. I shoot a 243, 25-06, 6.5x55, 260 Rem 6.5x06 and a 30-06. Every one of them gives me close to 270 yd dead on hold. That's with bullet path being 3" high at mid range and 3" low at MPBR. Has always worked well for me. Longest shot for me ever on big game was a deer at 330yds, range from range finder. Deer was hit in the chest and turned around and walked about ten feet and laid down dead. Did it just to say I'd done it, pretty poor reason to do it! Did that with my 6.5x06 and 140r Hornady interlock.

I've owned two 338 mags and one 7mm Mag in the past and what they taught me was I hate recoil with a passion. So the biggest thing I shoot any more in my 30-06 with 180gr bullet's. Got the magnum's shooting very well but had to shoot them a lot just to learn to handle the recoil and keep it manageable. Another thing might also come from them is that standard cartridges kill just as well as any magnum on most game with a proper and properly placed bullet's. Fishing in Alaska years ago I took along my 308 loaded with 200gr bullet's for bear protection. 200gr bullet was pretty slow in it and shot at best right at 2" at 100yds but I wasn't gonna shoot at anything near that far off and at 200gr the bullet was going to maintain weight and penetrate well from a 308 at closer range's!

I know at this point I'll never hunt Africa but if I did I'd use my 30-06. Then, of course I would not tackle any really dangerous game. If I was to go hunting dangerous game in North America, Grizzly or Brown bear, I'd take my 30-06 and probably would work up a 200gr load for it. I would not shoot at a distance where that might work against me. Like confine my shots to maybe 100yds or less and choose only the really good shots.

Great advice, especially with this newer crowd that are inundated with advertising/marketing for Long Range Hunting (shooting) That's OK as far as it goes, they can shoot steel at many ranges set up for that, but Bushveld isn't the place for it. Before my first trip (96) I decided on the Mod 700 Classic 35 Whelan (reamed to Ackley Improved) and 250gr Barnes X. (The range then was only 4 miles from my home is why I could do this regularly)I had to fire form my brass anyhow, so I shot 20 FF a week at an 8", later a 6", Shoot n See at 100yds, from hunting positions. In same session I followed the Whelan and shot 50rds of 22 Magnum with Marlin 783 and 1" scope set on the same powers I used ( I had a 1.5x5 on the Classic) and the same size Shoot n See. I did this once a week for almost 6 weeks. I shot a lot from off-hand, sitting, kneeling, standing supported, off my cross-sticks (which I had always used out here). Then I worked up my load, got it set +1" at 100. I continued the 22 Magnum, but increased to 100rds once a week and 10 from the Ackley, all hunting positions.

I had the opportunity to take some fine animals, and did, most of which were taken "off hand". I shot a couple from the kneeling unsupported and a few off cross sticks. From 25 steps to 75yds, only 1 at 110 and 1 at 150. It made a Believer out of me for using Mediums/good bullets on bigger animals. I did take an Impala, Blessbuk, first shot on zebra (I thought it was his heart area but he was hard angling and I only caught the front lobe of the left lung, skin closed up on the 30cal hole. About 8 other zebra with him took off) with the friends 300WM/180 XBT. Six hrs of tracking later I hit him just to the left of his spine at rump shell and he dropped, but got right back up, when he turned sideways I popped him behind the shoulder, all with the Whelan. All off hand. Practice with a rifle you can shoot, practice with a smallbore some more, then go and perform wondrous acts of Riflery!

Now this is a great post! I too have a 783 Marlin I like pretty well but for one thing. Don't care for the tube magazine! I think if I was able to go to Africa I could also afford to shoot premium bullet's. Here at home I don't have anything to hunt that a proper weight cup and core bullet won't handle as well as a premium. To practice I like to go out and shoot field position's at targets of opportunity, lots of country around here for that. I really confine my off hand shooting though as I know it's my weak spot. Like sitting the best. Often shooting prone or trying to. has grass get n the way. Sitting fix's that!

Great post ya got there Jim!

Thanks Uncle Don! I have often told people that I'm a pretty good off hand shot. However, if he just HAS TO BE SHOT RIGHT NOW, if I can sit down he's shot! lol Love the Sit, just getting a bit stiff now, 71, takes me longer to get in position.

There are some game in Africa that you either can't or it's inappropriate to not use a magnum. It's fine to say use medium calibers (medium meaning .270's, .308 etc in this context) on bigger game, but if you don't get used to using bigger calibers such as .375 H & H on game, then it makes it that much more difficult when you do need to shoot something with a big caliber. Secondly, if you do not like to twist turrets, the magnums can help (provided you can shoot them ok) when the large game are a long way out...more so in places other than Africa.

[quote=Riflehunter]There are some game in Africa that you either can't or it's inappropriate to not use a magnum.

So true. There's several Exotic Game Ranches in Texas where they tell you what you can use on game such as Nilgai ( min 300WM/180) Cape Eland ( 338WM) Wildebeast, Oryx, etc. They don't "have" to let you hunt there and they can pretty much demand what they want. One place me and a friend was "gifted" a whitetail hunt down near Freer,Tx. They were trying to get some exotics "started" on the ranch; fallow deer, Axis, Roosevelt elk to name a few. Anyhow, when you signed in you had to swear to an Affidavit type agreement that "if you shot any" of those Exotics, you paid $10,000. This 1984 dollars! Needless to say, people left them alone, ha. You sat in a tower blind on a Sendero, big lanes cut through that nasty Spanish Dagger, cactus and Super Thorns, ha. Ooh, I would never attempt to walk in that stuff. They had Chicanos running the place ( I love Chicanos, got along great with them in the Army.) They were raised there, so "any of them" could crawl into that stuff and recover any game that fled there, ha. And they didn't get their shirt torn off either!

That S TX brush is also infested with plenty of really big rattlesnakes. Moreso than anywhere I've ever been.

See many coral snakes down there?

Up in Liberty Co, there were plenty of Coral Snakes and Milk Snakes. Similar colored bands, predominantly Black, Red and Yellow. The way you could quickly see what it was is an old saying down there..Milk snake's Red touched the black so "Red and Black, Friend of Jack."
Coral's Red touched the Yellow, so "Red and Yellow Kill a Fellow". The coral had such a small mouth it was usually young kids that got bit, but very seldom I can remember. Tons of snakes in Texas. Period.

I have killed many different animals with a bow in my home state and out west too , I see no reason why a plain Jane 30-06 with my handloads loaded with Nosler Partitions won't work just fine. I own bigger cartridge rifles but those rifles are not as fun to shoot and finding ammo if needed might harder to find. But I do enjoy everyones posts and hopefully many more yet . thank you,Pete53

Gotta love, that statement.

Thanks for the grin, Jorge.

the 30-06 is certainly sufficient

If you need/want a few Hornady 220 grain round nose solids I’m well supplied. My experience in the 308 and 06 with 200 grain partitions shows I need nothing else in Wyoming and Montana

I always loved the 200gr in any 30-06 I've had! Only one's I've used/loaded for were the Sierra 200 SBT, the Speer 200HC and my favorite, the Nosler 200 partition. Biggest Barnes I've ever used in any 30-06 is the 165/168. SE Texas deer/hogs it seemed the best was Hornady 150, Sierra 150 SBT and my favorite, the Sierra 165 SBT. I loaded a bunch of Nosler 125 BT for a friend who used it on Yakima who used it on Blacktail, coyote and Rock chucks. The 308 is just as good for about 95% of what we use a 30-06 for! I personally can't think of anything I have ever killed that I could not have used a good 30-06 on, that's how much confidence I have in the old warhorse! I don't have one now, a Kimber 300WSM takes its place. However, I never would have owned the Kimber 8400 Classic IF I could have ever got my hands on an 84L Kimber Classic with dark French Walnut! I had an 84L in .270 awhile, tricked it out, then gave it to my Grand Daughter, ha. I would still zero it for Africa at +1" @ 100. Hold on hair my friend! Have a ball!

Hilarious...Thanks so much for posting this!

the rifle i will be taking is a common Winchester model 70 with the claw s.s. that has a a better trigger , brown precision stock that is glass bedded and barrel is floated , steel picatinny scope mnts., now some may not like this scope but i have used this brand and size scope for over 10 years on my deer rifle ,elk rifle , antelope and coyote hunting = 5.5-22 x56 30 tube Nightforce scope the glass is clearer than most other glass in scopes . i also don`t like the groups this rifle shoots with either 165 gr. or 180 gr. Nosler Partitions so far , but this rifle really likes 160 gr. Hammer Hunters shoots 1/2 - 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yds. the nice thing about Hammer bullets is Hammer always have them in stock, for few bucks more the cost for Hammer bullets is not going to make a difference on a $15,000.00 plains game hunt if i do use Hammer bullets ? i am shooting this rifle plenty having my own 100 yard range and as a club member i can shoot 200 & 300 yards 15 miles from my house anytime i want too and will . > i do like and hopefully get more guys experiences with shooting and African hunts it all will help in some way , i am just your normal north American type hunter who shoots a lot. thank you much ,Pete53

I have no clue what a Hammer Hunter is, but I know accubonds and partitions are never a bad choice. IMHO you are way over-scoped. Hope you have a great hunt.

Well the 30-06 was just fine for Theodore Roosevelt a rather long time ago, Hemmingway too and Ruark as well. Many of us rely on that fine cartridge. I'll likely never get to Africa, but if I was going, I'd take my 30-06.

Best of luck, and have fun!

Regards, Guy

Peter Capstick was a fan and more recently Craig Boddington. It’s a git er done cartridge and owes neither an explanation nor an apology to anyone.

Phil Shoemaker's short but pithy comment on the effectiveness of the 30 Govt 06 is worth remembering. Particularly in Alaska-and the rest of the world.
With modern bullets, it comes into its own.

Over 20 years ago I took a Remington 700 30-06 with a 3-9x variable to South Africa on a cull hunt--which also allowed taking trophies for an extra fee. Will admit that many "gun writers" tend to have an agenda for any hunt--and I did, wanting to (hopefully) demonstrate that a plain-vanilla factory .30-06 with a typical 3-9x like many American hunters might use for deer would work. The handload followed the same theme, the 180 Partition at the typical 2700 fps or so.
Among a bunch of culling, I also used the rifle to make one of the longest shots taken in Africa, on a big Cape kudu at "only" about 350 yards (this was a little before reliable LRFs became common, so I used the reticle as an approximate range-finder) at a steep uphill angle.

At the shot the bull instantly collapsed, because the bullet had entered about 1/3 of the way up the chest, then angled upward to break the spine. Found the bullet under the hide, retaining 62% of its weight.

My fellow gun writer and friend Brian Pierce called a few days after I returned about something else, but we talked for quite a while and I eventually old him the story about my chosen "combination". Brian said, "Yep, that's about as plain vanilla you can get!"

I'd have to say a .30-06 will work almost everywhere and for almost any game. I used a .30-06 on my last trip to Africa in Mozambique and it worked great, essentially all one shot kills on a variety of animals. The .30-06 has always done the job as long as I did mine.

Isn’t it interesting that the 06 was designed to kill small men who stood about 5’6” and weighed 140lbs? Honestly it must have been a devastating combat arm when used.

Actually it was designed to compete with the 7x57 Mauser and the 8x57JS. Also, one benefit desired of an effective combat round is the ability to shoot through barriers/cover/trees, etc. The BAR was always loaded with Armor Piercers, the M60 7.62 was used this way to an extant. Suppressing fire keeps their heads down. Always a good thing to shoot through 4-5 "in line" enemy to either kill or wound, with one bullet.

I know why it was designed. The point is it must have been devastating on soldiers.

It really paid off in Korea or anytime when the enemy is all bundled up for cold weather. I'm with you on the "devastation" part! ha

This thread is endless. It deals with the most obvious conclusion.
Captain Obvious gets a promotion to Major.

there has been some very helpful and positive posts and i thank all that have left some great posts ! > RinB you are negative and not a moderator just stay off this site you own nothing on here little man. just go away !! Pete53

Post of the week right there. Well said.

Pete 53
Why have you concluded that I am talking about you?
Didn’t mention your name.


Am tempted to join SKane…WWP53D

Yep. An obviously dead horse that has been turned to mincemeat…

The lying Covtard dollar never disappoints.........what a freaking coward and fraud. The only thing turned to mincemeat is your freaking brain apparently. How many boosters you up to now.....10 or so?

so i guess all sites have that percentage of negative butt heads ,do you need a trophy to go with the title too ?

https://hammerbullets.com/hammer-hunter/

What country / where will you be hunting? Do you know the type of terrain? If you're going to be hunting in bushveld [link], you may regret that choice of scope. Just my opinion.

How are you with a quick shot at 50 - 60 yards from a standing position (no time for shooting sticks) with that scope and rifle?


The Limpopo River in South Africa back in 2002 (the opposite bank is Botswana):




That's a Nile Crocodile on the sandbar. “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.”






Limpopo Bushbuck

Rifle: Ruger M77 Mk II in .30-06
Scope: Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5 x 20
Handload: 220 gr Woodleigh Weldcore round nose at 2460 fps

Cheers! Bob F.

i have always been a decent off - hand shot ,will be hunting with Tam Outfitters S.E. South Africa , i am also taking my bi-pod with and with plenty shooting practice. thank you ,Pete53

as has been posted for you on this site , Hammer bullets are in stock and Hammer bullets shoot very accurate too .

You're welcome. I'm not sure of the terrain type in S.E. South Africa. I've only hunted in the northern Limpopo Province (3 times). I'm sure some others here will know.

Cheers! Bob F.

Is this them?


Tam Safaris
https://tamsafaris.com/




If you haven't seen them before, they have some videos on their website that will give you an idea of the terrain and what to expect.

https://tamsafaris.com/video-clips/

Scroll down once the page loads.

Just trying to be helpful...

Cheers! Bob F.

In that area of South Africa, the terrain is more open and longer( 300+ yards) are not uncommon. Hunted there 2 years ago. Having said that, a 6x power scope is more than enough. Good luck with a bipod as the grass is usually too high to shoot from a prone or sitting position. Sticks are much more practical.

PSA.....you can't believe a word this lying nevertrumper, covtard, sackogrunt says:

I wondered how long it would take for my personal troll/stalker to pop up with another off topic comment. Obviously not long. It’s kind of nice to live rent free in an empty skull….

yes it is i am a rookie with Africa completely , plenty for me to learn. Pete53

You will never outlive you're dimwitted Covtard comments and committment to the biggest farce ever perpetrated on the American people. The only rent free thing you're associated with is kissing Fauci/CDC/WHO's assses. Congrats.

Take this crap back to the Campfire forum. Don't pollute the Africa forum with it.

He polluted the Africa forum with his nonsense and lies in the first place.

Sorry sir, but it’s not going to change. Every time I leave a post with first hand information, brother raider will be along shortly with his off topic, personal attacks that contribute nothing. Obviously it’s all he knows or can contribute….

This is good advice.

I shouldn't have opened this thread. Now I want to go back to Africa. When I got back it will be with my 30/06 using 180 grain Hornady interlocks. I would like to do a cull hunt for zebras & wildebeest.

I did 5 cull hunts in Namibia, and added a specific trophy each time. Lots of hunting and shooting for very reasonable prices. If I go again I'll do the same thing again.

You should be ashamed of yourself for contributing to the biggest fraud ever. Innocent people were affected and even killed by your recommended "vaccination" and booster recs. If you'd address it, I'd drop it, but not until then. Everyone can see who the fraud is.

And everybody can see who the troll is. Carry on….

And everyone can see who the lying fraud is as well. You earned it.

Yep, I know the feeling. I’ve done three plains game hunts in Africa and then in 2022 at age 80 a bucket list hunt for Cape Buffalo. It was a fair chase hunt on a 39 square mile government reserve with no fences. After success on that, they offered me an Eland for a $1000 trophy fee because they had too many. I figured I would call it an African career after that hunt. A friend is going next July. I’m beginning to think I’m crazy enough to do one more at age 82. 😂

That’s an impressive amount of experience. Where else have you hunted?? What, nothing else? Obviously you are qualified to give advice on places you’ve never been…. And for sure you are you are an expert on everything medical. I love rattling your cage.

SA and MX besides Namibia, and I've killed and culled more NA game animals than you will in 15 lifetimes. I am an expert on the BS lies and fraudulent tactics of covtards like you, who give out false information and endanger lives due to this. You're a coward and fraud, like I said.

the word diversity has come to me yesterday , i can`t seem to get the Winchester model 70 S.S. to shoot good enough for my standards ,so this rifle needs a new Brux barrel sometime in the future . anyone need a another tomato stake its S.S. ? so i pulled out old faithful my Remington 700 Tactical green stock with a 40 x trigger 300 Win.mag. and mounted the Nightforce scope on this 700, i plan on staying with the 160 gr. Hammer Hunter bullets. and i hope i don`t have to say what now ? Pete53

There are likely many reasons why the rifle will not shoot to be explored before a conclusion that’s new barrel is warranted unless a new barrel is simply desired.

[quote=bluefish]There are likely many reasons why the rifle will not shoot to be explored before a conclusion that’s new barrel is warranted unless a new barrel is simply desired.

i have tried for 2-3 weeks to make this rifle shoot ,it needs a better barrel and a good machinist so i will order a new brux barrel to fit this custom stock , its a great model 70 receiver , has a custom trigger already . i had another Winchester model 70 that had a poor shootin barrel so had a new Lilja barrel put on the rifle and that made a world of difference , which i believe it will on this rifle too. >i have explored enough i will order a new barrel , if you think i am wrong the barrel is for sale cheap ?

Nah I sent my M70 to Chad Dixon at Long Rifles Inc for a rebuild and have a new barrel to put on from Douglas. The old barrel was good but I wanted to rebuild the action. All is now completely straight and true to centerline of the bore axis.

mine needs a new barrel its that simple and Greg can do it since he has and still does build rifles and replace barrels that have won National titles and the nice thing is he lives 10 miles from me.

got a new Brux barrel ordered for my Winchester model 70 , will be same 30-06 chambered , S.S. , 6 Grove , contour 3 , finished at 25 inches , so my next trip somewhere this rifle will be used ! > will have the new barrel in 4 months , Greg has a brand new 30-06 reamer to use too on my new Brux barrel too when it gets here this will be my 1st 6 grove custom barrel ????

This statement is so accurate it should be a bold mast head over the gunsmithing thread.

My first safari for plains game took place in the Kalahari desert of Botswana, where plentiful waterholes scattered across the 128,000 game rich acres of Kanana Safaris property, kept me as busy as I could have dreamed shooting a multitude of animals on a daily basis. The custom 30.06 Mauser borrowed from my PH, the late Jason Bridger, was fed a constant diet of 180 grain Norma Oryx factory ammo. It worked flawlessly on everything up to and including big Eland bulls, and I took great joy in using the very cartridge that I had cut my teeth on southern whitetails in Mississippi while on safari in Africa. I believe that the tried and true 30.06 cartridge, having no particular magic as much as pure function, will continue to be a cartridge than many others are compared to.

nice post thank you , Pete53

Mpofu?

myself i am not sure yet what to think about this African hunt ,but i have a couple of great people to go with so that will help . but i have a haunting always in my head for the elk archery season in the mountains ,the smell of elk ,bull elk bugles in the dark before mourning light , blood trail of a bull elk and always with my son ! i am hoping a Kudu bull and or Gemsbuck will do the same thing for me because if it does i will take my son back to Africa with me ! Pete53

Yes! Loved it.

I assume you wouldn’t ask unless you knew of it. Have you hunted there?

Yes, I hunted a buffalo there in 2019 and I loved it too! We also saw some really good eland bulls. You got a great deal!

Ernest Hemingway took the Big 5 with his .30-06.

Away all this time and you're still a f ucking idiot..

I’m taking my .30-06.

I went on a in 1998? With a 308 and the then new Barnes X bullets with the blue coating.

Killed everything with one shot.

The 30-06 will be fine.

Cull hunts are some good trigger time.

i wish the 30-06 Winchester model 70 s.s. i own was more consistent with groups ,i realize most people would be happy with the groups that this rifle shoots and yes probably good enough ,but i have always been fussy with my own hunting rifles for accuracy.so once i get a new Brux barrel on this 30-06 / Winchester rifle i will do some stock work and this rifle will shoot much better than it did , i had a 22-250 that shot bad too that i replaced the barrel also . ,just won`t be ready for this trip barrel won`t be here till end of June from Brux barrels . my Remington 700 Tactical 300 Win.mag. has always shot extremely well right out of the box , but this 700 should for the price i paid for this rifle 10 -15 some years ago. our tickets are purchased for the airline so in 2 weeks we leave for S.E. Africa ! thanks for all the positive posts . Pete53

Best of luck Pete, fine choice of rifles. Shoot straight and enjoy.

thank you much ,Pete53

What kind of groups were you getting with that Win 70? What kind of groups are you expecting from new barrel?

old barrel was 1 1/2 inch at best 3 shot groups sometimes 2 inch, the new Brux barrel is being machined & installed this week under 1 inch consistent with my handloads probably will do even better than i expect probably . my 300 Win. mag. Remington Tactical shoots consistent 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yds all the time with my handloads with many different kinds and brands of bullets ,sometimes even 1/2 inch ,but this rifle now that i am 70 with bad shoulders is kinda miserable to shoot without the muzzle brake too.