Body Shots On Elephant (Does Caliber Really Matter?)

I am contemplating doing an elephant hunt in the near future. I realize that most people prefer a brain shot for Elephant, but in the case that a heart/lung shot is presented, wouldn't that make a much larger target? I also realize the Elephant could possibly run for quite some distance before succumbing to such a shot, but if placement was correct, the outcome should be certain.
That said, due to the large size of an Elephant, and the fact that solids would most likely be used, is there really a huge difference in effectiveness between a 375 bullet, vs something larger? Say 416, 404 or 458. I'm sure the bigger guns are always somewhat more effective, but on such a huge animal, they all seem relatively small bore when considering a heart/lung shot.

Good questions Toby458! I’ll be anxiously waiting on experienced answers!

I Agree with you. I’ve been working toward planning for elephant as well, and I think it would depend mostly on what your PH preferred and you were comfortable with.

Boddington ran some informational videos on YouTube a year or two back. Take it for what it is, but he stated the consensus among most was that for first time elephant hunters, the heart shot was preferred.

Any of the big bores would work on a well place shot, but then things get nasty. I would say for a follow up, I’d want more than the minimum. A charging bull or a charging herd, and you are no longer shooting at the heart.

lil 2 sleepy said:

I Agree with you. I’ve been working toward planning for elephant as well, and I think it would depend mostly on what your PH preferred and you were comfortable with.

Boddington ran some informational videos on YouTube a year or two back. Take it for what it is, but he stated the consensus among most was that for first time elephant hunters, the heart shot was preferred.

Any of the big bores would work on a well place shot, but then things get nasty. I would say for a follow up, I’d want more than the minimum. A charging bull or a charging herd, and you are no longer shooting at the heart.

Click to expand...

I will most likely use a 416 or 404. I hope to be able to give a full report of my findings.

TOBY458 said:

I will most likely use a 416 or 404. I hope to be able to give a full report of my findings.

Click to expand...

You mean maybe not the new heym?

On the elephant that is on my profile picture I did not have a real clear shot at him, instead I took a shoulder shot and once he eventually laid down finished him off with a heart shot. The bullet entered the right shoulder and was found on the left hip. Traversed through the body.

This was a .500 caliber 500 grain CEB brass solid going 2368 fps. Distance was 55 meters.

I'd say the difference between the above and a 300 grain .375 bullet going about the same speed (according to Barnes load data) is significant.

Especially, when you will not always have a clear shot. I would not have taken the shot I took with a .375 which I consider marginal at best for an elephant hunt in today's world.

Wyatt Smith said:

You mean maybe not the new heym?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that! But that Heym sure is mighty pretty to be dragging through the thorns. My synthetic stocked 416 would make much more sense!

Tanks said:

On the elephant that is on my profile picture I did not have a real clear shot at him, instead I took a shoulder shot and once he eventually laid down finished him off with a heart shot. The bullet entered the right shoulder and was found on the left hip. Traversed through the body.

This was a .500 caliber 500 grain CEB brass solid going 2368 fps. Distance was 55 meters.

I'd say the difference between the above and a 300 grain .375 bullet going about the same speed (according to Barnes load data) is significant.

Especially, when you will not always have a clear shot. I would not have taken the shot I took with a .375 which I consider marginal at best for an elephant hunt in today's world.

Click to expand...

How do you feel about a 416 or 404?

400 grain solid should do the job on a .416 for elephant. On that trip the .416 was my backup gun in case I ran into issues on the .500

I shot an elephant from about 12 yards. I was trying for a side brain shot. I missed it. I did get him in the head, just not the brain. He quickly turned, and I managed to get a second shot off, which spined him. I was using a .375 with 300 gr solids - Federal Hammerhead solids, I think. It took a third to put an end to the matter. I felt mildly under-gunned at the time. I've since moved up to a .404 and a .416, both 400 grains but so far I've only used them on buffalo, hippo and giraffe. I'm convinced that the bigger gun gives me more margin for error, so confidence is improved. The reality of a solid is that it punches a pretty clean hole . . . and on such a big animal, clipping a lung may bring it down, sometime and somewhere. The brain is a relatively small target, and angles become so critical that it's an easy target to miss. If you do miss, you may not do much damage.

I was looking at hunting elephant again with Mark Butcher in Zimbabwe. He told me he never lets clients try a brain shot. Just too much margin for error and, he says, too many lost trophies. I respect that, but you still need to get a shot cleanly through the lungs and hopefully the heart. It will still generally move some distance, even if you are successful with that shot.

My suggestion, and what I will do next time, is use at least a .404 or a .416. That's as big as I'm comfortable with, but if you're comfortable with bigger, then have at it.

I would also say that if anyone thinks being 12 yards from an elephant makes for an easy shot, especially on your first one, I suggest they try.

TOBY458 said:

I am contemplating doing an elephant hunt in the near future. I realize that most people prefer a brain shot for Elephant, but in the case that a heart/lung shot is presented, wouldn't that make a much larger target? I also realize the Elephant could possibly run for quite some distance before succumbing to such a shot, but if placement was correct, the outcome should be certain.
That said, due to the large size of an Elephant, and the fact that solids would most likely be used, is there really a huge difference in effectiveness between a 375 bullet, vs something larger? Say 416, 404 or 458. I'm sure the bigger guns are always somewhat more effective, but on such a huge animal, they all seem relatively small bore when considering a heart/lung shot.

Click to expand...

A well placed hart/lung shot will kill an elephant in about 100 yards.

375 H&H is adequate but you need to use a decent solid. Meplat brass or the Woodleigh hydro which is excellent. Not jacketed old style solids.

Bigger bullets are better, the elephant is the largest land mammal after all.

There is a difference in calibers for sure as you move up. There is a significant difference when you get to the .500's, having said that the 375 H&H is adequate.

TOBY458 said:

How do you feel about a 416 or 404?

Click to expand...

The .400's are great.

Of the two I would take the 404 Jeff with loads giving about 2250 fps, again with Meplat brass solids or Hydro's with minimum weight of 400 grains.

I have no ele experience, but I remember asking my Botswana PH the late, great, cantankerous, colorful and profane Willie Englebrecht this very same question. He said on body shots on ele, he preferred his .458 over a .375. His words, "you could actually see it hurt them more", at the shot. My avatar buff was shot with Willie.

I would think a 400g Barnes TSX in a 404 Jeffery would quite effective on a broadside heart lung shot. Never hunted ele, just a thought.

sestoppelman said:

I have no ele experience, but I remember asking my Botswana PH the late, great, cantankerous, colorful and profane Willie Englebrecht this very same question. He said on body shots on ele, he preferred his .458 over a .375. His words, "you could actually see it hurt them more", at the shot. My avatar buff was shot with Willie.

Click to expand...

Out of interest was it a Lott or Winchester Magnum?

Newboomer said:

I would think a 400g Barnes TSX in a 404 Jeffery would quite effective on a broadside heart lung shot. Never hunted ele, just a thought.

Click to expand...

Can be done but it is a very bad idea. TSX is overrated.

There is no guarantee of a broadside shot. If you are faced with frontal shot with a bull staring you down, you will regret such a choice. This will not be the time for a frontal chest shot, only the frontal brain shot should be taken(the second most difficult shot on an elephant for a hunter). Likewise for any departing backup shots, the TSX will not be up to the task.

Many rave over TSX, great, use them but for what they were intended for and that is certainly not hunting elephant....no matter the caliber.

TOBY458 said:

I am contemplating doing an elephant hunt in the near future. I realize that most people prefer a brain shot for Elephant, but in the case that a heart/lung shot is presented, wouldn't that make a much larger target? I also realize the Elephant could possibly run for quite some distance before succumbing to such a shot, but if placement was correct, the outcome should be certain.
That said, due to the large size of an Elephant, and the fact that solids would most likely be used, is there really a huge difference in effectiveness between a 375 bullet, vs something larger? Say 416, 404 or 458. I'm sure the bigger guns are always somewhat more effective, but on such a huge animal, they all seem relatively small bore when considering a heart/lung shot.

Click to expand...

I have shot until now 4 elephants , 3 trophy bull and a cow. It's not enough to speak of experience.

I shot some with brain shot , some with heart shot. I missed the brain of one and it was necessary to follow the wounded elephant , luckily successful. On the other side , I was impressed by the effect of an heart shot with the cartridge 500 Jeffery on an elephant. I am not alone in my assertion , there are very experienced people who say the same thing.

The brain shot is perfect when it hits the brain , if not you have a problem. Despite the best anatomical knowledge , it is not so easy to hit the brain of an elephant due to the distance and the different shooting angles.

I personally would prefer the heart shot in all cases. An elephant is a game like any other and we also shot buffalo and antelope with a heart shot. The question is , which cartridges are best suited for the heart shot of the elephant. IMHO the very large calibers , 45 and up , have the advantage. Everything is bigger at the elephant , including the heart , and that's why I don't want to shoot him with a cartridge with which i shoot wild boars. All reasons why I see the cartridge 500 Jeffery as one of the best for hunting elephants , and also chose them.

kurpfalzjäger said:

I have shot until now 4 elephants , 3 trophy bull and a cow. It's not enough to speak of experience.

I shot some with brain shot , some with heart shot. I missed the brain of one and it was necessary to follow the wounded elephant , luckily successful. On the other side , I was impressed by the effect of an heart shot with the cartridge 500 Jeffery on an elephant. I am not alone in my assertion , there are very experienced people who say the same thing.

The brain shot is perfect when it hits the brain , if not you have a problem. Despite the best anatomical knowledge , it is not so easy to hit the brain of an elephant due to the distance and the different shooting angles.

I personally would prefer the heart shot in all cases. An elephant is a game like any other and we also shot buffalo and antelope with a heart shot. The question is , which cartridges are best suited for the heart shot of the elephant. IMHO the very large calibers , 45 and up , have the advantage. Everything is bigger at the elephant , including the heart , and that's why I don't want to shoot him with a cartridge with which i shoot wild boars. All reasons why I see the cartridge 500 Jeffery as one of the best for hunting elephants , and also chose them.

Click to expand...

I have similar experiences...and I prefer the heart-lung shot. After having used calibers like .375H&H, .458Win. and .475NE I now have a .500 Jeffery in the making..(if the gunsmith EVER can get to finish the Project).

What ammo and/or bullets do you use..? Velocities..?

The brain shots if executed correctly are quick and spectacular in their effect. BUT, Mess it up and you may or may not get your elephant. I went for the heart ling shot with .375 Hydro Solid and elephant was down in less than 100 yards. Brain shots on elephants is like a white tail hunter trying to make a neck shot. If its the only shot you have and are confident take it. If you are just looking to be cool and brag about the great shot you made seems pretty shallow reason.

@Pondoro

IMHO a very good choice for hunting elephants.

I load my cartridges 500 Schüler with the 535gr FMJ bullet from Woodleigh and have an muzzle velocity of about 2400 fts. It's the original load from Jeffery , some factory loads are a little underloaded.