Non Trophy Ele April 2027 with Lin Stanton !What rifle ?

Charlie64

Charlie64

AH veteran
Joined
Mar 24, 2025
Messages
217
Reaction score
744
Location
Europe & South Africa
Media
23
Hunting reports
Africa
3
Europe
2
Member of
LJV NRW Germany
Hunted
England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales, Austria, Czech, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Botswana, Mauritania, Namibia, RSA, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Krygyzstan, Turkey, New Zealand & USA
.

Laying in hospital here in Germany, having undergone hip replacement surgery this morning. Already up & walking & the pain is less than it was before the op. Left hip. Three weeks of physio & should be right as rain in a few months.

Thinking about Africa & with time to post I have booked a short non trophy ele bull hunt with Lin Stanton for April 2027. Have hunted ele before but first time with Lin & a new area for me. Have tagged on 2 days for some tiger / tilapia fly fishing.

Now the question that am pondering - the gun safe includes

- a Sauer .375 H&H scoped bolt action
- a Krieghoff double in .375 H&H also DG scoped
- a CZ 550 Mag in .416 also scoped
- a 1923 Beesley 450 3,25 inch double open sights
- a Krieghoff.470 NE double iron sights

so which one to take ?

I enjoy shooting them all & shoot them all good enough for brain shots up close.

Spoiled for choice!

Any thoughts & suggestions ?

Cheers

Ps. Not thinking of chasing any plains game so that is not part of the equation.

.
 
Last edited:
KRIEGHOFF .375, RIGHT IN THE EAR. OR, THE .470 RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES.
 
Charlie64 said:
.

Laying in hospital here in Germany, having undergone hip replacement surgery this morning. Already up & walking & the pain is less than it was before the op. Left hip. Three weeks of physio & should be right as rain in a few months.

Thinking about Africa & with time to post I have booked a short non trophy ele bull hunt with Lin Stanton for April 2027. Have hunted ele before but first time with Lin & a new area for me. Have tagged on 2 days for some tiger / tilapia fly fishing.

Now the question that am pondering - the gun safe includes

- a Sauer .375 H&H scoped bolt action
- a Krieghoff double in .375 H&H also DG scoped
- a CZ 550 Mag in .416 also scoped
- a 1923 Beesley 450 3,25 inch double open sights
- a Krieghoff.470 NE double iron sights

so which one to take ?

I enjoy shooting them all & shoot them all good enough for brain shots up close.

Spoiled for choice!

Any thoughts & suggestions ?

Cheers

Ps. Not thinking of chasing any plains game so that is not part of the equation.

.
Click to expand...
For elephant I like anything with a 4 in front
 
Any of them would be a nice rifle to take. But the nostalgia part of my brain wouldn't be able to not take the 1923 450NE double.

next year take the 470
the year after that the 416
 
Krieghoff 470 and put a red dot on it or a Aimpoint.
 
One of the double rifles. Its just so classic to do it that way and it sounds like you want to get close as you can. I guess Id go with the iron sights too so that is your 470 I believe. That would be perfect.
Post some pics when you get him on the ground and your double in hand! cheers
 
Beesley 450 3-1/4” is the only correct choice.

What time of the year are you going?
 
Mtn_Infantry said:
Beesley 450 3-1/4” is the only correct choice.

What time of the year are you going?
Click to expand...
.

Early - beginning of April, up to Vic Falls & out from there.

Should be plenty green !

.
 
Charlie64 said:
.

Early - beginning of April, up to Vic Falls & out from there.

Should be plenty green !

.
Click to expand...
Just did this same hunt (late March/early April) with a different PH using a 1908 Westley Richards Drop Lock in 450 3-1/4”. Let the ole girl hunt
 
I've hunted elephants with Lin a few times (great guy). It can be pretty thick, especially in April and May. And you'll get plenty close. Those facts call for the double, any double.

That said, we also shot one with a bolt action 375 and that worked as well.

Basically (as you already know), they all work. Pick your favorite (or one that you haven't used yet) and have a great time.

There is some really good croc hunting on the Zambezi near his camp, and Lin is a very good croc hunter, so give that some thought. I shot an absolute stud with Lin a few years ago. Good times!
 
With all your experience, you surely know what you need to do for that, don't you?
Actually, everything's fine.
You just wanted to show us your toys, didn't you?
Great collection. Post some photos .
We'd all be interested.
But .400 and up is probably the better choice.
I'd prefer the .450
"Let the ole girl hunt"(y)

Get well soon+ Waidmannsheil

Foxi
 
Foxi said:
With all your experience, you surely know what you need to do for that, don't you?
Actually, everything's fine.
You just wanted to show us your toys, didn't you?
Great collection. Post some photos .
We'd all be interested.
But .400 and up is probably the better choice.
I'd prefer the .450
"Let the ole girl hunt"(y)

Get well soon+ Waidmannsheil

Foxi
Click to expand...

Yes, sure,...after more than 60 hunts in Africa, you normally know what you need. Nevertheless, times change, new concepts emerge, and that is why some hunters perhaps want to check if they are still up-to-date. This could be an explanation for the question.
 
Take the Beesley or the Krieghoff. The Hornady DGS factory give 2170fps in my .470 Krieghoff, that is 5200 foot-pounds. The DGS has very thick steel envelope and are somewhat flat tipped..

Maybe working up loads with cutting edge bullets will be even better..

The fluid filled honeycomb elephant skull can do very odd things to bullets..

PS - I wish you a rapid recovery.. :)
 
Last edited:
Come to think of it, Buffalo Bore actually offer .470 factory with cutting edge bullets.
 
Foxi said:
With all your experience, you surely know what you need to do for that, don't you?
Actually, everything's fine.
You just wanted to show us your toys, didn't you?
Great collection. Post some photos .
We'd all be interested.
But .400 and up is probably the better choice.
I'd prefer the .450
"Let the ole girl hunt"(y)

Get well soon+ Waidmannsheil

Foxi
Click to expand...
.

That made me smile ! Yet I was / am genuinely interested to see whether the majority would go to the 450 3 1/4 inch or the 470 ……

I’m tending towards a double over the .375 & .416 bolt actions given that it will be early season & maybe up close …..

Still have time to think about this one or who knows, maybe buy a 500 !!!

.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

... and 1246 more.
Total: 103,798 (members: 1,296, guests: 102,502)

Forum statistics

Threads
68,245
Messages
1,517,092
Members
151,858
Latest member
RustyHefli
 

 

 

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

USMA84DAB
USMA84DAB wrote on Steve-O's profile.
I have one of each (Ruger Alaskan Bush Rifles) new in the box - just waiting for someone to take them off my hands...
•••
B
blackdog001blackdog001 wrote on Snowball's profile.
Hi. I can take 5 boxes at $200 shipped if interested. Thanks
•••
Qwatali
Qwatali wrote on Charly L's profile.
Nice Report! Im about to pull the trigger on booking the LDE with Patrick. I have been talking about it with him for about 3 yrs now. Romain hit me up the other day with an offer I can't refuse for 2027.
•••
Qwatali
Qwatali wrote on Charly L's profile.
Nice Report! Im about to pull the trigger on booking the LDE with Patrick. I have been talking about it with him for about 3 yrs now. Romain hit me up the other day with an offer I can't refuse for 2027.
•••
L
LRich wrote on Andrew62's profile.
Andrew, I commented that your on 375 H&H for sale was the fair price.

Like I commented, my classic stainless has the original 24” barrel.

Did you buy yours with the barrel already cut down to 21” or did you do it (or a gunsmith)?
•••

Share this page

 
Top