What is the Perfect Plains Game rifle? and what is too much?

30-06

The rifle that cartridge was designed for: 1903 Springfield.

For all plains game my favorite is still my .338 Win Mag with 230 grain Norma Oryx.

.338 Winchester Magnum or .340 Weatherby Magnum with 250 grain or 300 gr bullets. No such thing as too much if you can ride the lightening and if the ballistics are there to reach out 300 yards.

I guess it really depends on the distance, terrain, and the type of PG- small, medium, or big game. Taking everything into consideration, if I’m hunting in thick bush, I would probably go with a .30-06 150 brains or 180 grs TTSX topped with a 2.5X or 4X scope.

For longer-distance work, I would vote for the .338 Win Mag with something in the 3-10X or 3-15X scope a 225 grns A-Frames.

For an all-around PG + DG setup, though, I’d take my 9.3x62 with 286 or 300 grain Softs and Solids. It’s more than adequate for the job, and I also have the added comfort of knowing that my PH is standing there with a big pipe if things decide to go south!

Man. I love these conversations. All we need is a campfire. I don't know about perfect, but the the old, boring, .308 with a 180 gr. seed is pretty impressive up to Kudu and Blue Wildebeest. Fancy New Whizbang? Nope. Proven? Yessir. I'll be taking one to NZ in June for Fallow. (Probably mentioned before, but the 6.5 Swede would be up there on my list as well!)

Grady said:

I have followed AH for quite some time and have read many opinions on rifle selection. So here is the question, what is the perfect Plains Game rifle? Is it a 25-06, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, one of the 375 family or a different one? You decide, and tell us why... Additionally, is there something that is too much for PG? I am only limited this to plains game (up to and including Eland) and NOT dangerous game.

I know there will be MANY passionate opinions, but please do not berate or belittle someone else for their opinion, because it is just that...opinion. The basis for this question is not only stopping ability, but minimal meat damage and hide preservation. Additionally, let us all consider that the rifles are using the "mythical" perfect plains game bullet so that we do not get into the discussion of bullet selection.

I did do a quick search, but do not turn up anything that specifically asks this question. If I missed a post, please let me know.

My opinion is the 300 Win Mag is a very good all-around PG rifle. It has the ability to reach out and drop something if necessary, and shoots a larger enough bullet (200gr to 220gr) to put the hurt on the larger animal but can be down loaded for the smaller ones. While the 375 H&H is the quintessential "African Caliber" I think it is one the large side for most PG animal. Your thoughts?

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I used a Kimber Montana in 300WSM with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 shooting a Barnes 168gr TTSX over RL17 and CCI 250 primers in Federal cases. Shot antelope and zebra from grey duiker to Cape Eland.

Worked very well.

Taking one gun to Africa is like dating the same chick all throughout college haha.

280ai with 150-160 grain coppers is my recipe for a gun that maximizes versatility

Probably would use 338 wm on Eland and 416 ribgy for giraffe - but admittedly I have no experience on those critters

I took an AHR 375 HH and took shots past 350 yards. No issues with a 375!

I would have to say (if we’re strictly talking plains game):
.318 Westley Richards
.338 Winchester Magnum
.350 Rigby Magnum
.358 Norma Magnum
9x57mm Mauser
9.3x62mm Mauser
9.3x64mm Brenekke

Remember that plains game includes those huge elands which can sometimes be extremely tenacious of life.

The perfect rifle caliber for plains game?
30-06
300 WM
375 Ruger
375 H&H

There are a bunch of people who have a 30-06 and or 300 WM in their safe already.
Smart thing is to take the rifle they already shoot.

The emotional, yes emotional, is to buy another rifle in “perfect caliber” for Africa.

My buddies who are going with me in 2027 are experiencing this right now.
We were sitting around have a sip discussing the upcoming trip.
i was asked what I was taking, I replied a 300WM and a 375 Ruger. The 300 WM is for the smallest game like the Dik-DK and the 375 most everything else.
A bunch of perplexed looks followed the statement. Finally one of the guys asked, isn’t the Dik-Dik a really small animal?
Yes I answered but very dangerous, the shots are at close range.
When you shoot it, if you do not kill it outright.
It will charge.
It will jump up and try to gore you in the Dik-Dik, hence the name of this viscus little animal.

Although I don't currently own one, a 280 Remington or 7mm Remington with 160gr bullets would be very hard to beat.

Not punishing with recoil, yet capable of long range, both of these can do just about anything asked of them.

Used my 338 Weatherby RPM in Namibia for eland and kudu, would definitely recommend it if you can only take 1 gun on PG hunt. Good to 500 yards on large animals.

In order of preference. Have used the first three for Plains Game, all performed flawlessly.
1. 8X57
2. 9.3X62
3. 375 H&H
4. 7X57
5. 30-06

On my first African Safari I took all my plains game with a .308. On my second I plan on using a .275 Rigby. Some may say I am slightly under gunned for some of the bigger plains game on my list this time (like sable). But I am stepping up the bullet to a 160 grain Swift A-Frame.

1. 7x57
2.7x64
3. 9.3x62
4. 300 H and H

Greetings fellow Rifle Enthusiasts,


When referring to the ”.375”, indeed I am only speaking of the original .375 H&H belted rimless magnum cartridge from 1912.
Any and all of these newer .37 caliber versions are great for those who are drawn to them for whatever reasons.
But, the H&H has served me so perfectly well at home and over seas that, I don’t have time for trying to replace something that works so satisfactorily as it always does.

Initially I had submitted my two cent thoughts on Page #1 of this thread in 2014, as well as some follow-up comments as time passed.
Now today about 12 years later, I have sold off most of my rifles and use the .375 H&H for almost all of my hunting among the hoofed species, including African “Plains Game”.
Now, I’d rather go hunting than to spend what few years I have left on Earth, staring at a rack full of rifles that are near useless without the money they’re worth to buy hunting and fishing trips with.

And so at this stage, I have definitely settled on the .375 H&H caliber as my favorite “plains game” hunting rifle cartridge.
Also, here in Alaska, it works very well on black tail deer and caribou, putting them down right quick without very much meat damage.
Plus, it’s comforting to keep handy where grizzly are commonly encountered at close range.

Ammunition for it is usually available.
Anything I can hit with a .30-06, I can also hit with the .375, as their trajectories are so close to the same that comparing them is not worth obsessing over.
The .375 is quite noticeably less destructive on the capes and edible meat among smaller species, especially to include the “tiny ten” than any and all of the ever so popular .300 Magnums usually are.
I’m not overly excited about shoulder mounted mementos however, half the reason I hunt is because I relish the taste of properly prepared wild game meat.
Having to throw away large portions of bloodshot meat truly annoys me quite a bit.

With the .375, have shot ground squirrels, jack rabbits and coyotes in Nevada, and Soviet Occupied California, various caribou and blacktail deer in Alaska plus, many diversified Africa species, from klipspringer through eland.
As my mainspring is winding down, I am somewhat loosing interest in hunting expensive dangerous game.
Now I am very satisfied just hunting the other hoofed critters, especially the common and plentiful ones that are so excellent to eat.

Regarding hunting rifle ammunition, especially including for the .375 H&H, I prefer the old fashioned round nose, lead core jacked soft point—> (“RNSP” = Round Nose Soft Point), weighing 300 grains.
Over the course of several decades and shooting a lot of various size critters with various shaped bullets, from quite a few different calibers, including the .375, I can not help but notice that blunt shaped bullets apparently hit harder than sharp pointy shaped ones do and blunt shaped bullets apparently stay on course through muscle, gristle and bone more predictably than spitzers sometimes do.

Over the years, I have also finally gotten it through my thick skull that out to approximately 300 meters / yards, the .375’s RNSP trajectory is so close to the same trajectory as its spitzer shape bullet of the same weight and velocity, that for perhaps 99% of my hunting, I don’t really need anything more than the RNSP.
Regarding all the above, I fail to see the point ( ) in spitzer bullets.

Anyway, I am quite happy lately with fewer rifles and more travel .
The good old ”If it works don’t fix it” .375 is for me a perfect choice for “plains game”.
It’s more “punch” than needed for non-dangerous animals most of the time.
But when you need it, such as shooting lengthwise into a wounded and fleeing eland, zebra, waterbuck, moose, grizzly, etc. it’s there at the press of a trigger.

Stay On That Front Sight,
Velo Dog.

sestoppelman said:

If you are driving .35 cal bullets, of the same weight, to .338 Win mag velocity, and if in rifles of similar weight, the only difference in recoil will be the weight of the powder charge which isn't very much, especially with your loads!
So if the Whelen does the same ballistically as the .338 Win, then recoil is about the same. Or as Jack O'Connor would say, "it would take a Guru of heightened awareness to tell the difference".

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@sestoppelman
I can certainly tell the difference in recoil of the 338 & the Whelen even tho they have similar recoil energy.
To me the Whelen is more of a big shove where as the 338 seems more of a fast hard slap.
I ain't a guru of heightened awareness but those 338s seem to come back right smart compared to the Whelen in my humble unenlightened opinion.
Bob

I used my 338 Win Mag shooting 210gr TTSX @ 3000fps. Seven animals and all were one shot kills. About three “bang/flops”.

I love the caliber discussions and bullet choices etc…. The one thing we all have a re hard time accepting is that there are huge differences between say a 25-06 and a 30-06.
But when get into the more related calibers like a 30-06 and say a 300win.
At hunting distances in plains game say 400 yards and in, it doesn’t matter.
Same goes for a 308 and a 30-06. Only when you push them to their highest potential do they start to separate.
Some don’t even ever hit it unless you reload.
As Bob knows and many others a 35 Whelen factory loaded ammo is anemic but once you reload your basically covered for anything with less recoil than a magnum but not much more than an 06. Shorter action than a 300win. They are all very close when compared to hunting ranges.
As we push the limits then they start to show their strengths but reality says most of us are not using the pedal on the floor to even appreciate those slight differences.

skydiver386 said:

Although I don't currently own one, a 280 Remington or 7mm Remington with 160gr bullets would be very hard to beat.

Not punishing with recoil, yet capable of long range, both of these can do just about anything asked of them.

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I am surprised 7mm Rem Mag doesn’t appear more often in this thread. From what I can see, a 175 grain A-Frame or TSX going 2,900 at the muzzle would be flat shooting and penetrate well.

I would want something bigger/more powerful for giraffe but am not interested in killing one. (Had an excellent opportunity in May with a 375 H&H in my hands.) Not 100% confident with eland with 7 RM but think taking more care about distance and shot angle could make it work.