What is the ultimate stopping rifle..?

[Pondoro]

Double or bolt..? What calibre..? I am thinking game like elephant, rhino (perhaps not that relevant), hippo and cape buffalo..

I will argue this: - Either a double rifle in .600 or .577NE OR a Mauser actioned bolt rifle in .500 Jeffery..

What do you think..?

 

[Rare Breed]

nope…bigger is not always better…470-500 NE IF you can 100% place that first shot…i’ll take a DR please over a bolt in that situation

 

[Altitude sickness]

What would the SafariKidd say ?

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

What would the SafariKidd say ?

Probably 600 Overkill, if traveling light.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Here are my dream stopping rifles. Please note that the images are taken from the internet.

Among double rifles, it’s got to be a James Purdey & Sons sidelock ejector in .600 Nitro Express. I certainly wouldn’t mind a Heym Jumbo sidelock ejector in this caliber either.

Among bolt action rifles, it’s got to be a Ryan Breeding .505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action. I certainly wouldn’t mind an Armeria Concari Super Magnum (with the 3 round detachable magazine) in this caliber either.


I personally prefer the double rifle, but this is very much a matter of individual taste. Much also depends upon the kind of terrain where one is hunting.

In dense vegetation with low visibility, double rifles all the way. 8 out of 10 hunters won’t be able to cycle the bolt quickly enough for a second shot, if a Royal Bengal tiger charges at you in these mangrove forests. Or any of the African Big 5 in the dense Tanzanian bush.

In open terrain, bolt action rifles have the advantage of range (generally speaking). 8 out 10 hunters wouldn’t be able to get within conventional double rifle range of this Asiatic water buffalo in South Bengal. Same applies for lion hunting in the Kalahari (amongst other African places).

 

[Hunt anything]

The biggest one you can shoot accurately under duress

 

[Hunter-Habib]

nope…bigger is not always better…470-500 NE IF you can 100% place that first shot…i’ll take a DR please over a bolt in that situation

My Zambian & Botswanan white hunter friend Jeff Rann shares a very similar view, @Rare Breed . His former backup double rifle of choice used to be a Holland & Holland Royale sidelock ejector in .577 Nitro Express. In 2020, he switched to a William Evans boxlock ejector in .500 Nitro Express. Having extensively hunted all of the African Big 5 with both calibers, he has observed that the .500 Nitro Express (570Gr bullets at 2150fps) will actually outpenetrate the .577 Nitro Express (750Gr bullets at 2050fps) at acute angles.

 

[Dirtdart]

What would the SafariKidd say ?

I would love to hear his answer as well. RIP SafariKidd.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Here are my dream stopping rifles. Please note that the images are taken from the internet.
View attachment 569252
Among double rifles, it’s got to be a James Purdey & Sons sidelock ejector in .600 Nitro Express. I certainly wouldn’t mind a Heym Jumbo sidelock ejector in this caliber either.
View attachment 569253
Among bolt action rifles, it’s got to be a Ryan Breeding .505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action. I certainly wouldn’t mind an Armeria Concari Super Magnum (with the 3 round detachable magazine) in this caliber either.


I personally prefer the double rifle, but this is very much a matter of individual taste.

Great to see the Italian firm Concari on your wish list - Mr Concari is a true artist. Super high quality stuff, built one-piece-at-time, class and beauty.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Great to see the Italian firm Concari on your wish list - Mr Concari is a true artist. Super high quality stuff, built one-piece-at-time, class and beauty.

To quote Mr. Concari himself, “Ci sono i fucili e poi ci sono Concari”.

 

[BeeMaa]

Double would be a Krieghoff Essencia Big Five in 500NE.

Bolt action would be a Blaser R8 500J, something like this would fit the bill nicely.

 

[Phil Giordano]

To quote Mr. Concari himself, “Ci sono i fucili e poi ci sono Concari”.

Talked with him a couple times : he's also an authentic gentleman.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I’m going to go out on the Cal Pappas/ SafariKidd/ FC Selous limb and say a Rodda 4 Bore, even if it’s penetration is lacking.

 

[Challer]

nope…bigger is not always better…470-500 NE IF you can 100% place that first shot…i’ll take a DR please over a bolt in that situation

I would say you have to reliably place the second shot. If not the recoil doesn't suit

 

[Rare Breed]

Double would be a Krieghoff Essencia Big Five in 500NE.
View attachment 569268

Bolt action would be a Blaser R8 500J, something like this would fit the bill nicely.
View attachment 569273

can’t argue with this…two beautiful rifles!

 

[Rare Breed]

I would say you have to reliably place the second shot. If not the recoil doesn't suit

100% agree given i missed my second shot on my lion

 

[Sourdough]

Recently reading what a few of the old Ivory hunters had to say on the subject, after having shot the 600NE, the 577NE, the 500NE, the 470NE, the 458 Win Mag, the 416 Rigby (these are what they had access to at the time) the 500NE came out the winner as it was the only one that went from one end of a Cape Buffalo to the other. They felt it had the best penetration of those listed. I found it interesting that only one of them actually used a 500NE daily.

To the person they all felt that for a bolt gun the 416 Rigby was in a class of its own.

 

[chashardy]

It's the rifle that you or your PH can shoot quickly and accurately, and probably in 470 NE or bigger.

 

[Flewis]

On the lite side my 458 Lott. On the heavy side my 585 . Or stop in the middle.

 

[Tanks]

Largest caliber one can shoot accurately without discomfort and carry for miles and miles each day. For me it is a .500 NE double. Anything bigger is just too damn heavy.