# Rifles for African Safari



## natemil373

I am beginning the planning stages for a once in a lifetime African Safari. I was at the gunstore today looking at ammo and was absolutly floored by the price. The most expensive was a box of Federal Safari .470 Nitro Exp 500gr Woodleigh Solid Cores 20ct for 199.99!! I guess that I will need to start handloading. I don't currently, but my Father does and will load anything I want as long as I buy it and tell him what I want. Works out good, as I have no where near the patience that he has. Anyway the point that I am getting at is that I would like some advice on what caliber you would recommend. I will more than likely be hunting the biggest (elephant, rhino, etc) game and would like a rifle that would handle it. The other game (Kudo, boar, etc) that I will be hunting will be accomplished with some intermediate magnum (.338 ultra mag or similar) and I would like some advice on this as well. I have a Ferret .50BMG that I had thought about using, although as this hunt may well be the high point of my life, I would like to get a dedicated safari rifle in a more traditional (nitro express, .416 Rigby, etc) caliber. Any advice on caliber, rifle, or ammo for either of the two rifles is appreciated.
Nate


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## TN.Frank

And now ya' know why the .375H&H is so popular. :wink:

Give one of these 3 a look. 
http://www.remington.com/products/a...cs_results.aspx?data=RS375MA*PR375UM3*RS416RA


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## nitelite18

My choice would be the .416 Rigby. Just my :2cents: . BUt I know you have a favorite of your own. I say get what you've thought about the most. This will definately be one of you life's highlights. Make it as memorable as possible. And while in Africa don't forget your shot gun there is some great bird hunting over there


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## fox412

I have a friend of mine that went to Africa last year. He took nine different animals while over there. An Eland, Gimsbuck, Kudu, Springbock, Impala and some that I had never really heard of before. He shot all of them with a good ole 270. His largest animal was the Eland and it weighed over 1000 lbs. Get what you want to shoot. If I were going after dangerous game I would go with a bigger gun but the 270 worked well for him. Sounds like you are going to have one heck of an adventure good luck man I'm jealous.


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## TN.Frank

Heck, it just wouldn't be African Hunting if ya' didn't use some kind of big double rifle. I'd bet if you kept the range short you could use one of those 45/70 hammered doubles. Forget who makes em' but they'd have enough punch for most game out to 150 yrds or so. Another "fun" gun would be one of the Winchester '95's in 405Win., heck, if it was good enough for ol' Teddy it should work great for you to. Here's a link. 
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/featured_rifles/big_0401/
http://www.chuckhawks.com/405win.htm


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## Johnny

Here's a link for a video of a lion hunt, You may have seen it but it's kinda cool  Hope this link works

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/vie ... 7398&name=Lion_Hunt_and_Attack.wmv&no=6&tt=31&p=lion+attack&vurl=www.aerohead.com%2Falbums%2Falbum07%2FLion_Hunt_and_Attack.wmv&pld=800x720&type=msmedia&size=3.2MB&dur=166


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## greenheadfallon

Thats a sweet video! :beer:


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## Remington 7400

.375 H&H in a Ruger M77 Safari Grade. It is cheap compared to other "elephant calibers" and dosen't kick too awfully hard. Think of the .375 as the .30-06 of Africa. It is the do anything, go everywhere gun and will kill anything on the contienant. Just like the .30-06 will kill anything in North America.

:sniper:


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## Whelen35

First, how many guns do you intend on bringing? If you want to bring just one, then the 357 H&H is the best choice too me as an allarounder. Not the most smash, but can reach out there much better than most of the other dangerous game chamberings. If however you are talking two guns, then I would take a Rem 416 and or a 416 rigby for dangerous game, and a 300 win mag for other game. The 300 has lots of great bullets factory loaded, cheep, can be found almost anywhere. I still would be tempted to bring just the 375 myself. Recoil is not bad at all, and haveing just one gun, and its ammo is just more easy now when traveling with guns. And, I know that I shoot the 375 much better than the 416's. And I would rather make one good hit with a good bullet than a bad hit with a great bullet. Oh, and the bullets for the 375 now most all are great. Have a great hunt, and post pic's when you get back. We all need to dream of an African hunt.


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## RiveRat

The 2006 Hodgdon annual reloading manual (I got mine at Wal-Mart) has a good article about the attributes of the 375 H&H magnum. You might want to read it.


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## natemil373

Holy Crap what a awesome video!!! I think that this makes a even better case for the .50 BMG, although the single shot Ferret that I have will defiantely be out. The first shot in this video looked to be a fairly good shot, I doubt that the lion would have got up if the original shot would have been made with the big 50. Only thing that has me leaning towards anything other than a .50cal is 1. It is not very traditional and 2. THe price of a repeating rifle in .50BMG is absurd something like 9,000.00 for the Barrett, and I can't think of any of them that are under 3-4 grand. Ahhh, choices,choices.....Keep the comments rolling....Thanks


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## TN.Frank

That's it, my mind is made up. Get the Winchester '95 in 405 Win.
What better gun could you use but the "Big Medicine" gun of ol' Teddy.
:beer:


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## Scooter

If it was me and it was legal I would use my .338 RUM for my entire hunting trip. But there are caliber restrictions and you have to abide by them so my next selection would be the .375 H&H then the .458 Winchester also a very popular african hunting caliber. Either would be great and have enough horsepower to do the job. My plainsgame rifle would be my .338RUM loaded with 225gr BArnes TSX's.


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## MarineCorps

Awesome Video!!!!! Get whatever rifle your heart desires you will be most happy with it. But bring a pistol!!!!!! Colt .45 1911


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## natemil373

No offense MC, but I don't think that a .45 would be a good choice for a backup weapon. Yes it will kill a lion or such but unless you get lucky with a brain shot you have almost zero chance of actually stopping it before he rips off your head. I doubt any hand gun would feel very comforting, but if I were to have anything out there that gave me any comfort it would be something along the lines of a .500 S&W Magnum. The .45 is a good man stopper but not a good choice for large angry beasts.


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## 1shotWonder

im actualy in the same boat as you natemil, I chose the weatherby Mark V in a .378 WBY mag. it has more energy and velocity than the RUM's and the H&H. yes it costs a bit more to shoot than most, but i also like the fact that ive got something that not that many other pple have. if your going to hunt Dangerous game the lowest legal caliber u can take is the 375H&H while it is an awsome caliber i like the more velocity/energy of the 378 while not geting into the 40cals. as for smaller plains game u can take anything prety much from .243 all the way to...well there realy is no limit.


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## natemil373

Whelen, I plan on taking 2 or 3. I will take a very potent one, something like a .470 NE, a potent one something like a .338 RUM, and probably a plinker like a 22/250 or 243. I may or may not take the plinker, just depends on whether or not there is anything that I plan on hunting that is within this rifles capabilities. I don't like the thought of beating thru the wild african bush with a 22 though :lol: My guide better be packing some serious lead if I hunt something with one of these.


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## TN.Frank

You could always take a Pump shotgun with a rifled slug barrel, a smooth bore shot barrel and a short barrel for around camp to shoot 00 Buck. Then you could have a mid-bore like a .270Win or 280Rem for plains game and a large bore like the 375H&H or 416 Rem. for the big, tough stuff. Of course a good 44 Mag pistol would be a comfort on your belt too. You could load it with snake shot for small critters and hard cast bullets for defence against larger game. Just a thought, YMMV. 
Lucky dawg,LOL. :beer:
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/416rm.html


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## buckseye

WOW this is the most interesting thread that's been here for along time thanks. I'm also thinking BIG.


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## Remington 7400

I will agree, as much as I hate to say it, the .45 ACP would not be a good cantidate for backup in Africa. I wouldn't rule out the Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in .45-70. It has more knock down that the .405 and with modern ammo from Garret, Cor-Bon or Buffalo Bore, the old .45-70 should have no problem killing anything that walks.

:sniper:


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## 1shotWonder

oh comon now u dont need no stinking backup gun! just give me a good pair of gloves and a knife! :box: 8) hahaha j/k I think a good .44mag would make a great gun to carry at ones side.


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## arctic plainsman

I had a couple of thoughts I didn't read others saying here.
I think if I was to be hunting elephant, I'd ask the PH what he recomended I bring. I am under the impression that the .375 in any of it's variations is a little small. There also may be state minimum requirements for elephant calibers. A friend recently took a good bull down there with his .458. Factory ammo for the .458 is available, and handloads are unlimited. 
I will be in 'Zim during October of '07 and will be carrying a 9.3x 62 and a .375 H&H. The 9.3 is for plains game and the .375 is for buffalo. Both cartridges have an excellent history.
I dissagree with the idea of carrying a sidearm for a backup gun. Your PH will be armed with what will most likely be a heavier rifle than you are carrying, and your trackers may well be also. I have seen trackers carry AK-47's as backup rifles, and it is also common for trackers to carry your spare rifle both for you and for backup/ self defense. Hypothetically speaking, if you are blitzed by dangerous game, there will be two if not more heavy rifles firing, and I'd recomend emptying the rifles and reloading instead of trying to throw them down and palming the six shooter.


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## buckseye

excellent post arctic plainsman... I really like the lesson in a buffalo or a lion charging compared to several lions or a dozen buffalo charging. You would want a lot of extra firepower everywhere. That would be a rush of a lifetime


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## Remington 7400

> oh comon now u dont need no stinking backup gun! just give me a good pair of gloves and a knife! hahaha j/k I think a good .44mag would make a great gun to carry at ones side.


If I were going to pack a pistol in Africa it would be one of these.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=BFR45-70

Its Magnum Research's BFR, the only revolver in the world capiable of handeling the .45/70 cartridge.


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## dogdigger

my god if i shot that thing i would have an imprint of the front sight in my forhead.

mark


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## SniperPride

Isnt there a legal limit in africa for big game? I thought it .375 is the smallest, maybe Im wrong. But .375 H&H is an excellent safari round. A good back up pistol would be a Desert Eagle .50 AE.


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## Bore.224

I would go with the .458 Win mag and as back up I would sling an AK-47 across my back.


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## 1shotWonder

yep sniper .375 is lowest legal caliber for DG. and dependong on what country your in, I beleive there is a limit on plains game as well. bore .224, your carrying a .458, would you realy want to carry the extra dead weight of an AK, your PH would risk losing his licence and run away!


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## arctic plainsman

You know, it's funny, I know I have been guilty in the past of thinking about traveling to Africa as "going to Africa," instead of individual nations. What I'm trying to say is we have to think about Africa being a continent with a whole lot of nations with a whole lot of different gun laws. 
So! the question remains, what does the PH you will be hunting with say is the appropriate caliber for elephant in the country you will be hunting in? I wouldn't know, but it is possible that Zimbabwe has different laws than Mozambique. 
For what it's worth, my PH wants me to bring the Trophy Bonded Sledgehammers in my 9.3 and .375. In the past this has only been available in factory Federal loads, but it looks to me like it's supposed to be available as a reloading component this year. Sombody correct me if I goofed this. 
I will just get the biggest kick out of reading the story about some American trying to fly into any African nation with an AK. Please, please carefully document the story and post as soon as possible.


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## arctic plainsman

Sorry, I should have noted again that I am only going to chase buffalo and plains game with these smaller rifles, and infact that selection has changed, I will be using my .375 and 30-06. The .375 is left handed, the 9.3 is right handed, and when I asked about bringing these two, the PH got a little bug eyed, and started talking to himself. I have been strongly encouraged to bring the .375 only, but the 30-06 is left handed also, so I'm going to bring it.


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## 1shotWonder

your PH may have started talking to himself because your going to hunt buff w/ a .375. While it is a very powerful cartrige, most PH's would rather have their clients using something like a 458 for buff, simply because in all likely hood the cape will get shot with a 375 and then run(hopefuly not at you) but I have heard storys of a cape buff taking 7 shots from a .375 at close range before finally dying.


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## arctic plainsman

My PH started talking to himself when he finally realized how big a trouble he was getting himself into by agreeing to take me hunting!


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## 1shotWonder

HAHA :beer: cheers mate, lets keep them on their toes!


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## arctic plainsman

My counselor always makes me wear my hockey helmet when I'm outside, but I think I'm getting an exemption for the trip to 'Zim.
I was talking to my PH with it on, so in retrospect, that was a bad intro.


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## mr.trooper

What exactly are the caliber restrictions? I know Aftrican countries dont like us crackers bringing in semis, but I know nothing of caliber restrictions. If it were legal, Id go for a Berrett 95M Bolt action, 5 shot detachable mag. 50 BMG is more powerfull, and a LOT cheaper than traditional safari cartridges. 470 Nitro runs upwards of $10 per round! Yikes!


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## arctic plainsman

Here's some biblical equivalent knowledge from a guy that's gotten all his years of experience from watching videos and reading books and magazines :lol: :lol: I haven't been yet! 
Like some other folks on this thread have said, for dangerous game in some african nations, .375 is the minimum caliber required. My PH told me he's had folks take buffalo with as small a gun as a .338, but I'm not sure I see the point. A trip to the Dark Continent is the perfect excuse to buy another rifle. (I strongly object to the idea of owning one rifle for relatively everything. I don't, but I'd rather own 50!) 
I have thought before that using one of the 50BMG's would be fun on moose up here, but I think the question in Africa or Alaska would be portability. I just read a story about hunting buffalo in "Zim, that mentioned walking up to 10 miles per day. 
I thought that in order to make as few waves as possible, I'd follow the rules and bring the .375 for buffalo. For smaller game, I'll use my 30-06. I don't travel to foreign countrys enough to feel comfortable bending the rules. I've heard Mexican jail is scary, can you imagine,........
Like I said, I haven't been yet, so I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm talking about.


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## 1shotWonder

I have also never been to the darkest of A. but I will definatly make it there someday, whether it is next year or in 30 years, I will go there. I have talked to many many people who have been there and go there every year, I have even met a few PH's and talk to them often. as for caliber, no way I would ever take a 50BMG(anywhere realy) just too big, If i had one i would probably take it coyote hunting and thats about it, and thats just for fun. as for price of shells, I dont care, long live the hunt! plus thats why they make reloading dies.


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## Bore.224

The Continent of Africa is a scary place if I could not bring an AR-15 or AK-47 type weapon I would not go. Lots of two legged critters roaming around out their with those type of weapons!!


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## THE Snowman

O.K. I debated for a while and I have decided to join the fray here. First let me say that the lion "hunt" video posted above is a total crock. If you look closely you can see the fence in the background, and sadly there is more and more of this "put and take" cage shooting going on in Africa every day, especially South Africa. I hope this is not the kind of "safari" you are going on but to each his own I guess. I have booked a plains game hunt in Namibia for May of next year. Through my months of research and interviews with many outfitters I have decided to take my 30-06 handloaded with 165 grain Barnes X bullets. With proper shot placement this combo will handle any plains game on the continent and (I am told) would also be a good choice for leopard.
Another thing that I have learned is that gun laws in many African nations are very strict. I am not aware of any nation that would allow you to take a semi-automatic rifle with you and getting clearance for handguns can be difficult, time consuming and expensive. Also, there are quite a few nations that don't even allow camoflage clothing to be brought in because of civil war strife.
All this being said, I would encourage you to bring a rifle with you that you can confidently shoot well. The .375 will take any species on the continent (caveat loaded properly and correct shot placement) and has probably accounted for more african game than the rest of the calibers combined, IMO. It also has very manageable recoil and weight, the latter will be appreciated when you walk with it all day in tropical heat. Most of the PH's I talked with have hours and hours of stories about clients who arrived with various cannons that they were afraid to shoot and/or could not shoot well. The end result is wounded and lost game and no one wants that, especially the dangerous stuff. A great book that I would highly reccomend is The Perfect Shot: Africa. This book gives the anatomy of all species of african game and discusses with illustrations proper shot placement from almost all angles for each. Sorry that this is so long and if I came across as a know-it-all, just trying to help.


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## arctic plainsman

No Snowman, you didn't come across wrong at all, infact I didn't read anything you wrote I wouldn't agree with.
I am recoil sensitive, (aka wussie,) so I agree with your thoughts on heavy rifles. I have been shooting my .375 a little off hand, and in shirt sleeves, the kick is significant for me. 
Like I said before, I'm not willing to risk disagreement with the foreign officials, so I'll be showing up looking just like the hundreds of other tourists that go there every year, and try to remain as un noticeable as possible. Bringing any kind of unusual hunting firearm with me is out of the question. But! A very big but! I would like to read, save, and share with others the story of some American white guy getting caught trying to sneak an AK into the Dark Continent, so nobody should feel like they have to show my caution. :homer: 
Now, I'm kidding there, don't take me seriously!
I bought the 9.3x 62 thinking it would be a neato rifle to take there without the heavier recoil of the 416's and up. Oh well, I guess it'll just have to get used around here. 
As far a bullet selection goes, a week ago I had some excellent results out of my 30-06 with 180g Triple Shock bullets, so I thought I'd travel with two boxes of those. Swift A Frames have also performed quite well, so I could change my mind. The PH I am hunting with in the past has prefered nothing but solids in the buffalo rifles, but as I understand it now is more ameanable to the premium soft points. This being the case, I think I am supposed to load the first round as a soft, and everything else in the magazine will be solids for those going away shots. 
For me it's still more than a year away, so lots could change!


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## 1shotWonder

oh and btw as to that lion video, even if it isnt a fairchase hunt, the odds of that happening are slim to none. I have talked to PH's and asked them the percentage of DG that actualy charges, and they say the cape is more likely to than a lion, and even still only about 1 out of 20 will charge, and thats only a "half hearted" charge.


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## wyogoose

I went over to S. Africa in 2004 and am planning to go back in 2010. I hate to tell you but it wont be once in a limetime!! You will get the fever and find a way to go back, I promise. It is the experience you can only imagine. I hunted all plains game and used my 7mm handloads with 150 gr. bullets. I killed every animal in one shot, including my waterbuck that went # 29 in SCI!! AS for dangerous game I would recomend either a 375 Ultra mag or a 460 Weatherby. Good luck!!!


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## wyogoose

By the way if you want any more tips or if you just want to B.S. about your upcoming adventure send me a p.m.


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## natemil373

Hey thanks for the offer of the PM, but I would rather keep it in the forum so that it keeps it interesting for all. I haven't even booked the hunt yet, so I am still in the pre-planning stage. I am thinking about going within the next 18-24 months. I have had the money for it for a while, but have until recently lacked the time. Now I have both, and am ready to rock and roll with it. I think that I have settled on the caliber that I am going to take. I think that I will take a .378 Whetherby. This is flat shotting enough that I can reach out and touch plains game (albeit with a sore shoulder), yet potent enough that I can take anything in the world with it. I am currently still searching for the rifle chambered in this caliber, and may end up ordering my first custom gun if I am unsuccesful in my search much longer. I would really like to find a double, but doubt that I will in this chambering. If you have any suggestions as to what time of year, what region, or what outfitter to use I would be more than happy to hear it. Thanks!


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## 1shotWonder

natemil :beer: ! the .378 weatherby is exactly the caliber I chose. the only gun currently in production that is chamberd in it is teh weatherby MarkV deluxe. after that you hvae to go with a custom gun. I ordered the deluxe, a lil heavier but I figure, on safari all you realy carry is your gun and some binos. so the wieght is roughly the same if not lighter than a north american hunt in which you walk alot.


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