How Do You Choose Which Rifle to Take on Safari? (Not Caliber)

Houston Bill said:

Several weeks ago I took delivery of my Rigby Shikari in 500 NE. I took it on my most recent African hunt for all the obvious reasons. Going forward, if I am hunting the big DG critters in Africa it will be going with me, primarily because of the sentimental value that it is a Rigby, because it fits me perfectly, because it is comfortable for me to shoot and I shoot it very accurately so I have a lot of confidence in the rifle. My Trijicon red dot helps with the accurate shooting. This is probably the only rifle I own that has significant sentimental value to me.

As for my bolt actions, I have taken the following calibers to Africa, 243 Win, 270 Win, 7MM PRC, 308 Win, 300 WSM, 338 Win Mag and 375 RUM. All of my rifles shoot 1 MOA or better so I am confident with all of them so the chocie usually comes down to I want to take this one to Africa for this particular hunt. For my last 3 hunts in Africa I have taken my Tikka T3 in 338 Win Mag so it seems to be my favorite for the time being.

I did have a special reason to take the 243 Win though. I wanted to prove to @Bob Nelson 35Whelen that one could shoot some of the bigger plains game critters like blue Wildebeest with the 243 WIn and proper bullets. I ended up culling 3 blue wildebeest with the 243 and 100 grain Norma Oryx bullets.

Click to expand...

To your point, I went Red Stag hunting in Scotland last year intending to use the camp rifle.

I was unpleasantly surprised when they handed me a 243 Win with a fixed 8x Zeiss on it.

It worked with 80 grain coppers on 3 stags from 150 to 250 yards.

I still wouldn't recommend it but I have to admit it worked perfectly.

I decided on the rifle and caliber I wanted to take then worked up my reload so I got a lot of trigger time on the rifle. Did this twice and had great hunts both time.
I took a Ruger Hawkeye African in .275 Rigby first trip and a Winchester Model 70 Super Grade in .308 Winchester the second time. After I purchased the Ruger I knew I just had to take it over.

When I first joined the site, I had to book my first safari. My intention was to take my 7x57. My Dad then passed down a pre-64 M70 in 30-06 and I was the third generation in my family to use it. I knew then I had to take it. Now I am booked, and the rifle shoots amazing. But then I bought a 375 H&H and now I will take both!

I take my .470 NE double simply because I like being around that rifle, I like the looks of the rifle, I
like the way the rifle shoots and recoils and I like the elite status of a fine double.

I take the rifles I have the most confidence in!

I feel like I may be an odd man out here but I am in the camp of building certain rifles for certain jobs. I have my 6.5cm for antelope and deer when elk are not in play, my 7prc for when elk are possibly on the menu, and I am building a 300prc for areas I hunt with grizzlies and to take to Alaska in the future. All very modern packages.

My intention is to do the same with my Africa set up. I plan to build 3-4 rifles and rotate them for the specific species I intend to hunt that trip. I started with a Mauser 98 in 9.3x62 to handle all the big PG and hopefully my first buffalo. My plan next is to set up a 280 AI or a 30-06 to add some range and more precision to my arsenal but remain somewhat classic. Down the line I would like to add a larger cartridge if DG becomes more prevalent and a smaller cartridge like a 22 hornet for the tiny ten.

My builds may not be incredibly different cartridge wise for hunting here in the states vs Africa but they will be in how they look. My guns for home are very modern, built to shoot across canyons and pack up mountains. My Africa guns will be far more traditional, wood stocks, smaller optics and iron sights, and all cartridges designed before the 60s.

For PG, I've a .308 Mauser Scout that's been over once, and performed perfectly.

I thoroughly enjoy packing it about, even though my .30-06 Win 70 with Shepherd scope is the slightly more versatile and logical choice (both in cartridge and optics). Sentimentality is a powerful force.

One year I took both the .45-70 Marlin Scout and the .30-06. My .308 Mauser Scout pouted at home.
I've too many choices for PG, and only one for DG (which is fine by me).

Houston Bill said:

Several weeks ago I took delivery of my Rigby Shikari in 500 NE. I took it on my most recent African hunt for all the obvious reasons. Going forward, if I am hunting the big DG critters in Africa it will be going with me, primarily because of the sentimental value that it is a Rigby, because it fits me perfectly, because it is comfortable for me to shoot and I shoot it very accurately so I have a lot of confidence in the rifle. My Trijicon red dot helps with the accurate shooting. This is probably the only rifle I own that has significant sentimental value to me.

As for my bolt actions, I have taken the following calibers to Africa, 243 Win, 270 Win, 7MM PRC, 308 Win, 300 WSM, 338 Win Mag and 375 RUM. All of my rifles shoot 1 MOA or better so I am confident with all of them so the chocie usually comes down to I want to take this one to Africa for this particular hunt. For my last 3 hunts in Africa I have taken my Tikka T3 in 338 Win Mag so it seems to be my favorite for the time being.

I did have a special reason to take the 243 Win though. I wanted to prove to @Bob Nelson 35Whelen that one could shoot some of the bigger plains game critters like blue Wildebeest with the 243 WIn and proper bullets. I ended up culling 3 blue wildebeest with the 243 and 100 grain Norma Oryx bullets.

Click to expand...

@Houston Bill
No you took the 243 to prove it for yourself.
A better bullet would have been the Barnes 80gn TTSX at Mac holy shit batman that's movin.

You list all these weird and wonderful cartridges with more letters after the number than a Harvard professor when the plain simple fact is all you need is
A 22 Hornet for little critters.
25-06 with a 100gn TTSX at 3,400fps for a lot of other stuff.
The mighty WHELEN in case you don't take the other 2 and incase your 500 breaks.

And of course the 500 for shit that wants to make a red puddle out of you.
See simples my old friend.
Bob

One rifle for the expected conditions, and a second that will reach out and touch things.

Honestly, there is no selection criteria for me. I have three rifles for Africa; my 308, 9.3x62 and my 416 Rem Mag I built on the cheap.

ftrovato said:

To your point, I went Red Stag hunting in Scotland last year intending to use the camp rifle.

I was unpleasantly surprised when they handed me a 243 Win with a fixed 8x Zeiss on it.

It worked with 80 grain coppers on 3 stags from 150 to 250 yards.

I still wouldn't recommend it but I have to admit it worked perfectly.

Click to expand...

I also think the 243 is marginal for the bigger plains game species and for game the size of a red stag. While you can take game that size I feel that you limit yourself to perfectly broadside or nearly broadside presentation for ethical shot placement.

Full disclosure - I brought the 243 Tikka T3 on that trip to Africa because I was planning on culling a few impala and my friend @Mark Biggerstaff had recently restocked and glass bed that rifle for me so it was like a "new rifle". During the trip the land owner actually wanted blue wildebeest culled more than he wanted impala culled. So I shot a few blue wildebeest with the. 243. I also shot a few blue's with my 450/400 double. So I guess I was a little under gunned and way over gunned for the culling I did! I had brought the 450/400 on that trip because I also culled a cow buff.

And of course I could not pass on the opportunity to let my friend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen know all about how effective the 243 Win was on blue wildebeest!

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Houston Bill
No you took the 243 to prove it for yourself.
A better bullet would have been the Barnes 80gn TTSX at Mac holy shit batman that's movin.

You list all these weird and wonderful cartridges with more letters after the number than a Harvard professor when the plain simple fact is all you need is
A 22 Hornet for little critters.
25-06 with a 100gn TTSX at 3,400fps for a lot of other stuff.
The mighty WHELEN in case you don't take the other 2 and incase your 500 breaks.

And of course the 500 for shit that wants to make a red puddle out of you.
See simples my old friend.
Bob

Click to expand...

Bob,

I agree the 80 gr Barnes TTSX would be a great choice, the reason I went with the 100 gr Oryx is I had some on the shelf and I was able to find a very accurate load with the first powder I tried.

318AE said:

It’s changed over the years, but most recently if I’m bringing two rifles I bring one I have utter confidence in and one with a little more panache, usually a double. The first one gets used more, but I enjoy it more when the stars align for the other. This is supposed to be safe and fun….

Click to expand...

I'm doing the same, but the second rifle is for sentimentality. That being said, I would never bring a rifle i was not confident in. Even if it was Mamaw's.

coreydb said:

Honestly, there is no selection criteria for me. I have three rifles for Africa; my 308, 9.3x62 and my 416 Rem Mag I built on the cheap.

Click to expand...

Can't argue with your choices there, My Man!

I try to base my rifle selection around where I’m hunting, and what I’m hunting while also accounting for what the bush might provide.

On my first Safari I took a Pre64 M70 Super Grade in 375 H&H with the plan of only hunting Plains Game. On the way to the airport I took advantage of a last minute hunt deal, extended my flights and hunted a Cape Buffalo. It was a good thing I’d already decided on a 375 H&H even though a buffalo wasn’t part of the plan. Since then this same 375 H&H has accompanied me on every trip. You never know what opportunities will present themselves and I’d rather be prepared.

I’ve paired the 375 H&H with several other calibers over the years, mostly other pre64’s in .308 Win, 30-06, 300 H&H but also a Savage in .308 Win and .22LR, a Pre War Rigby 275, and my Westley 450NE Double and also taken my bow more than once. Now the choice is practical (for everything) and what’s sentimental

Going forward I expect my rifle choices to almost always look like the following and consist of older rifles, barring a specialty gun

1) 375 H&H (Always) - debating a custom built Pre64 and looking to add an actual H&H to the collection

2) Double Rife - 450NE, 450/400, 470, or 500

3) Smaller PG Rifle - PreWar Rigby in 275, Pre War M70’s in 257 Roberts, 30-06 or 300H&H

4) Specialty Weapon - situation dependent but something for 400+yds, 22LR, Shotgun, Bow, etc

First safari- The one I shoot best and trust the most

After that- A rifle I dream of taking into Africa

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Houston Bill
A better bullet would have been the Barnes 80gn TTSX at Mac holy shit batman that's movin.

Click to expand...

Correct…

Yeah, I don’t think it matters at all. Take what you use. Take what you have take what’s available take one shoot well take what’s ready to go doesn’t really matter. I promise you the animal has zero thought with what cartridgeyou shoot him, nor does he care if it is a with a hand built custom rifle, a Ruger American, or a 6.5 manbun.

.243 up to a Roan
.375H&H for anything bigger than Roan up to a Hippo
.450 Dakota for larger than a Hippo.

After shooting the 450, I shoot my .375 like a .243 -at least out to 200 yards.

So if you are recoil sensitive, and it affects your shooting technique, you need to go down to a more manageable caliber. Or practice more to rid yourself of a bad habit.

I decide by asking myself what rifle am I willing to die with if I don’t come back.