10,75x68 for Elephant?

Bonde · Dec 30, 2012

Can a 10,75x68 be used for elephant with success?

I thought of handloading 400grs woodleigh solids, the ones for .404J, but would the velocity be high enough?
What velocities may I expect?

I'd very much like to hear about others experiences.

505ED · Jan 2, 2013

First of all let me say I have never shot an elephant--but have seen a few 10.75x68 built.

With good woodleighs at 400 grains I would say YES it is good enough for elephant, it will do what a 416 remington will do or close to it. On that note though make sure if you are getting it built it will feed the woodleighs-- the 10.75x68 is a finicky feeder, and might give you a problem. You can push the 400 grain bullet now with modern powders around 2150 look at WW748. Also look at northfork 380 grain bullets.. you could get the FPS up to around 2200 and would be good to go with a super bullet. Check feeding on the northfork they can be a bitch with the flat nose.

Ed

Bonde · Jan 2, 2013

Thanks!

I live in Norway, so am limited to VV, Reloader and Norma powders. Heard the N550 gives high velocity.

Will look into the North Fork bullets!

Russel. G. Keith · May 4, 2015

Hi Guys.
I have never used the either the 404 or the 10.75x68 but my father and grand father did.
So if you don't mind I will pass on what they both told me.
They both seemed to feel that 2200fps second with a 40 cal was the minimum my father called it the idiot factor.
My Grand father loved the 404 (he died at the age of 83 and shot a lion for every year of his life. But then he was a stockman and shot comparitvly few elephant) He felt it was the best all round rifle but then to him it was simply a tool in his day to day work.
Both men felt and had several stories to back up what they had to say.
They both agreed that the 404 was ideal for Buffalo, cats and 99.9% of elephant but just a little short for frontal head shots on very big elephant.
Some years back a highly experianced game scout in the Chobi was killed by a very large elephant bull all his shots were well placed but just lacked the penetration.
The 10.75x68 is as to the 44special and the 44mag the 404.
I am told that some folk used the 10.75 in the 404 but only for light game.
Guys sorry that this is all second band but the best I can do
Be safe
Russel

CAustin · May 4, 2015

Interesting take on the Matter Russel.

matt85 · May 4, 2015

ive never taken an elephant so take my opinion with a grain of salt. but i think a 42 caliber bullet at 2100+ would work on elephant but would be far from ideal. my opinion is based off the 450/400 NE 3" being used on elephant successfully. the 450/400 NE 3" fires a 400gr .41" bullet at only 2050 fps which seems to work "ok".

-matt

sestoppelman · May 4, 2015

Properly loaded there is no reason it would not do the job with proper shot placement paramount as always. Its just a shorter .404 Jeff. The 10.75x68 had a somewhat spotty reputation due largely to poor bullets.

Andre N · Jun 6, 2015

Very possible and viable. Load it up with a VERY good bullet, possibly Monolithic solid, and spend a lot of time in a museum or place you can see and study an elephants scull. There is nothing better than to poke and feel where your bullet needs to go than this!Then go and study the other vitals. On your hunt, try for a body shot unless you are close enough and confident enough to take a clean shot.
All in all, go for it!

Witold KrzyÅ¼anowski · Jun 6, 2015

sestoppelman said:
Properly loaded there is no reason it would not do the job with proper shot placement paramount as always. Its just a shorter .404 Jeff. The 10.75x68 had a somewhat spotty reputation due largely to poor bullets.

I agree with sestoppelman.
Witold

CTDolan · Jun 6, 2015

As others have mentioned, it'll all come down to the bullet. Back in the day, that was the issue with the cartridge (crappy bullets), but as we all know, those days are gone.

Andre N · Jun 7, 2015

I have first hand experience with that! I inherited 20 rounds of RWS softs when I bought the rifle. My first prey was a big blue wildebeest (I shudder if I think what may have happened if this was a buffalo...) shot standing straight on at 65m. The bullet shredded the hart, but broke up completely, only penetrating about 45cm into the rumen. Small pieces of bullet was found in the shoulder, lungs, liver all over the show!

Wheels · Jun 7, 2015

As I recall, Ian Nyschens shot a number of elephant with the 10.75 in his early days since that is the rifle he had, but he didn't think it was adequate. Especially in the jess.

Modern bullet design would have to help.

Still not sure if it is optimal for a hunter hunting by himself. For a hunter with a PH backing up, it should be fine.

Russel. G. Keith · Jun 11, 2015

Hi Guys
Yes the 10.75x68 will do the job on elephants with good bullets and proper bullet placement but then Bevikenya used the 9.5x57 manlicher (Poacher and blackbirder)
Niether are optimum for elephant and one can do far better but if that is all you have go for it,
Provided you have back up but if you are hunting alone not a good idea.
I assure you if you are in the thick stuff/Jessie and looking for jumbo no matter what you are careying seems almighty small and it is at this time you have to have ABSOLUTE confedance in your equipment I KNOW that I would at this point start to doubt the 10.75 not a good idea.
Have fun and be safe
Russel
PS I LOVE the 4.25 Westley Richards many swear at it but I dont.

Andre N · Jun 16, 2015

I found that in penetration test with modern bullets (400gr Hornady DGX and Impala 320gr Monolithic solids) the 10.75x68 does not have to stand back to any other caliber in the medium/heavy class. I have also been present when one of our anti poaching guys had to eliminate an very angry elephant bull...with his issue 7.62x51 R1 (308 Win) 2 well placed head shots, and the animal was down permanently!
What I am trying to get to is that the 10.75 may not be ideal for elephant hunting, but it comes close. Having faced my fair share of elephant charges, I am fairly certain that the best medicine for a charging elephant is somewhere around a semi automatic 50 browning with incendiary rounds and a M202 Flash as a back up.
As I certainly cannot carry that weight around the bush for any amount of time, I will happily carry my 10.75, and know that my bullet will go in EXACTLY the right place when the chips are down.
Please remember! Shot placement rules!

10,75x68 for Elephant?

Bonde

505ED

Bonde

Russel. G. Keith

CAustin

matt85

sestoppelman

Andre N

Witold KrzyÅ¼anowski

CTDolan

Andre N

Wheels

Russel. G. Keith

Andre N

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