First Safari! Most versatile Plains Game cartridge...

[chslongrange8]

Hi gents,

I'm new here, and recently booked my first safari (Aug. 2023) and needless to say - I'M STOKED!!

To mark the occasion (and my 30th birthday in July 2022), I'm picking up a new rifle. I'm torn between the below, and would love any thoughts! As an aside, I'll exclusively be hunting PG Kudu and smaller for the next few years until I can afford to dance with buffalo. I'll be hunting in SA.

• .308 - classic, low recoil, shorter barrels with lighter platforms = maneuverability and comfort
• .30-06 - I know it's great, but I don't want one
• .300 Win Mag - flatter trajectory and more energy out to 500 (I do not shoot past 500, and rarely even that). I'm not recoil sensitive, but it's double .308.
• .373 H&H - It's just Africa, baby!

Any thoughts and feedback on a decision between the three, or particular platforms (other than the usual suspects) that you've had success with would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[Joker12]

My choice would be the old 30'06 but its interesting that you would overlook the 338wm, and the 9.3x62.

 

[Aaron N]

If you want one caliber to do it all, including your future buff, then I would say going straight to the 375. If you want a PG rifle and then an excuse to buy a DG rifle at a later time, any of the other three mentioned will work just fine for you.

I would decide what fits best with the style of hunting you do around home, and purchase accordingly!

 

[curtism1234]

Can't go wrong with a 30-06 but if it's a hard no it's a hard no.

308 would be a good choice but it does lack some "knock down power"

338 federal, 358 winchester (both short actions that can be on the same platform as the 308) and 35 whelen would be good choices if you are not concerned about finding ammo

IMO the 300 win mag is worth the double recoil. It's a very significant step in energy to a 308

375 hh is nostalgic but I think carrying a 10 pound rifle all week is silly. You can do a light weight 375 hh (such as the browning xbolt) with a scope all in for 8.5 pounds. IMO it doesn't have much more kick than a 300 win mag.

7mm rem mag may be your best overall choice

 

[Rell]

9.3x62 all day, every day!

 

[YancyW]

Yes to all of them.

 

[Bhfs300]

I would put in a vote for the 300 WM that is what I took on my rifle Safari and it did great.
I agree with Aaron N. I now also have a 375 Ruger but only have shot paper with it.

 

[JimP]

Taking a safari at the ripe old age of 30 means that you have some disposal income and can pretty much buy what you want within reason.

What other kind of hunting do you plan to do here in the US? Is elk hunting in your future along with mule deer and antelope? If so I would look at the 300 Win mag or the .300 Weatherby mag. Both will fit into any hunt quite well here in the US and will be more than capable for a plains game hunt in Africa. Plus both will reach out with power to the limit of what you want to shoot at game animals. Where the .308 will get the job done it does have it's limits.

 

[Scott CWO]

I would suggest the .300WM or .300H&H if just hunting only plains game. Several other calibers will also work.

If you want something to also take a buffalo and just one rifle, go with the .375H&H. Personally, I take a .300WSM or a .338WM for PG and my .458 Lott for DG when hunting both PG and DG. I like to take two rifles.

 

[7MAG]

300 Winnie, 7mag guess which i prefer

 

[7MAG]

I would suggest the .300WM or .300H&H if just hunting only plains game. Several other calibers will also work.

If you want something to also take a buffalo and just one rifle, go with the .375H&H. Personally, I take a .300WSM or a .338WM for PG and my .458 Lott for DG when hunting both PG and DG. I like to take two rifles.

How snappy is that 338?

 

[RTG]

It's Africa baby.

 

[Joker12]

How snappy is that 338?

Similar to the 300wm. In light rifles both will get your attention.

 

[mdwest]

Really cant go wrong with any of those choices...

For ME... the decision would be .375 H&H...

In fact.. when I was preparing for my first hunt in Africa.. I was going through the same process you are now.. and 375 H&H is where I landed..

I already owned several "deer" caliber rifles that would have been perfectly fine for hunting PG (the biggest thing I took on my first trip over was a big bull waterbuck)..

But I wanted a new "africa" rifle to take with me.. and I was already thinking "if this is something I really enjoy.. I can see me going back and chasing buffalo at some point".. and that was a full 6 months before we ever left the states..

And... 375 H&H just says "Africa"...

I justified it in my mind by telling myself "if for some reason I dont ever go back... I'm certain at some point that brown bear is on the menu... I've always wanted to hunt a big brown..."...

but at the end of it all... I obviously have been back more than a few times.. and on every trip.. whether chasing PG or DG.. I have taken the 375HH...

Last year the biggest thing I took was a blue wildebeest.. the smallest was an impala... they were both taken with the 375 H&H...

The year before that I took the buff in my avataar.. it was taken with a 375 H&H...

This year, my wife will be chasing buffalo... and.. she'll be taking it with my (soon to be hers) 375 H&H (getting the stock cut down and the barrel shortened so that the rifle fits her a bit better)..

 

[7MAG]

Similar to the 300wm. In light rifles both will get your attention.

I’ve never shot a 300 win but I own a 7mm and 338wm. The 338 is snappy compared to a 375

 

[chslongrange8]

Really cant go wrong with any of those choices...

For ME... the decision would be .375 H&H...

In fact.. when I was preparing for my first hunt in Africa.. I was going through the same process you are now.. and 375 H&H is where I landed..

I think you have perfectly encapsulated what is going through my head. While a .308 or .300 win mag (among the other recommendations already received) would likely be a "better" option, and certainly more than adequate - there's just something about a .375 H&H.

Did you ever feel handcuffed at all with performance at 300+?

 

[chslongrange8]

It's Africa baby.

The romance!

 

[chslongrange8]

I would suggest the .300WM or .300H&H if just hunting only plains game. Several other calibers will also work.

If you want something to also take a buffalo and just one rifle, go with the .375H&H. Personally, I take a .300WSM or a .338WM for PG and my .458 Lott for DG when hunting both PG and DG. I like to take two rifles.

I would also take two rifles - already have a .308, 6.5 PRC, etc... lots of solid deer cartridges. Maybe the .308 and .375 would be the ticket?

 

[chslongrange8]

Taking a safari at the ripe old age of 30 means that you have some disposal income and can pretty much buy what you want within reason.

What other kind of hunting do you plan to do here in the US? Is elk hunting in your future along with mule deer and antelope? If so I would look at the 300 Win mag or the .300 Weatherby mag. Both will fit into any hunt quite well here in the US and will be more than capable for a plains game hunt in Africa. Plus both will reach out with power to the limit of what you want to shoot at game animals. Where the .308 will get the job done it does have it's limits.

I pinch my pennies

I'm in the Southeast, so lots of whitetail and pigs. I have a Q Fix in .308 that is just a thing of beauty for the hunting I do. Built a 6.5 PRC when I got into antelope a couple years ago. Elk is definitely in my future.

 

[mdwest]

I think you have perfectly encapsulated what is going through my head. While a .308 or .300 win mag (among the other recommendations already received) would likely be a "better" option, and certainly more than adequate - there's just something about a .375 H&H.

Did you ever feel handcuffed at all with performance at 300+?

Depending on where you intend on hunting in Africa, there is pretty low probability you will ever see a 300+ shot.. and you'll certainly never take a 300+ on any DG..

I personally have never had a 300+ opportunity in Africa.. the longest shot I have ever taken was right at 250 on an impala in 2019.. the vast majority of the shooting I have done in South Africa specifically has been in the 75-120 yard range..

All that said.. if you know you are chasing PG exclusively, the 375 H&H is more than capable enough at 300... I'd just recommend stoking it with projectiles somewhere between 235 - 270gr rather than the traditional 300-350gr you see most people using..

I used 260gr Nosler Partitions on my first trip over (every trip after I have used barnes 300gr TSX)... the 260gr partitions were absolutely devastating on everything hit with them.. and youre getting plenty of velocity and BC to keep the bullet effective at the longer ranges you are talking about (I think Nosler loads them to about 2700 fps?)...

375 H&H Mag 260gr Partition Trophy Grade Ammunition

375 H&H Mag 260gr Partition® Trophy Grade Ammunition

www.nosler.com