Kudu Rifle

Just watched the .50 BMG vs. giraffe video with my son. You don’t need a gun that big to get a good scope cut, I’ve gotten one from a .270!

BeeMaa said:

Not that I would condone such...but to each their own.

Click to expand...

BeeMaa
That 50 cal sure worked well but a 35 pounds I wouldn't lump it around the bush.
The gent previously was using loads that hot the primers are leaking, he said it was fine but that's way beyond even what this mad bastard will go. The gent in the movie was using SAFE ammo
Cheers Bob Nelson

In my old age, I have become a recoil wimp. Took a 7 mm-08 Remington with me to Africa two years ago.
Took a nice Kudu, Gemsbok and impala without problem. 140 gr Nosler Accubond. Left my .30-06
home. Kudu: 200 yards, Gemsbok 180 and Impala about 100 .

Beautiful trophies

50 BMG for hunting? A stunt, nothing more. A real "youtuber" and famous too!

I used the outfitter's .243 and a Berger 95g VLD at about 90 yards. He was running away from us and had just started up a bank across a road when I shot. It hit him right between the shoulders and spined him. Blew a chunk out of his spine almost like a grenade. Not my choice of gun and load but it worked. The outfitter said he used it for most of his culling.

I used a 7mmRM hire rifle no worries. I have an interest in .300wm having owned one in Australia before.
Our outfitters wife had a couple of nice Kudu mounts. She used a .25-06
If i read right at the start you are going after a bigger one so use a bigger gun.
I dont think i would use a .243 for Kudu not if that was my primary goal for the hunt.
Im surprised Bob gave you a like on yhe opening post. He loathes the .243 but my wife has a pretty one so she is happy with that.

I had my 7RM as my pg gun for that safari but we were going to hunt kudu that day in an area where they were raising buf. They didn't want the noise of gunshots to upset the buf so I had to use the 243 with a suppressor.

Kudu really aren’t that tough - not like Widebeest, Zebra or Gemsbok.

CBH Australia said:

I used a 7mmRM hire rifle no worries. I have an interest in .300wm having owned one in Australia before.
Our outfitters wife had a couple of nice Kudu mounts. She used a .25-06
If i read right at the start you are going after a bigger one so use a bigger gun.
I dont think i would use a .243 for Kudu not if that was my primary goal for the hunt.
Im surprised Bob gave you a like on yhe opening post. He loathes the .243 but my wife has a pretty one so she is happy with that.

Click to expand...

CBH
Chris your right mate I hate that horrible little 243 with a passion. I gave it a like because someone actually killed something with it. It might work once but as I've said I've seen to many failures with that horrible little caliber.
Cheers mate Bob

Code4 said:

Yes, this is one of those questions.

What size rifle do you need for Kudu ?

I'm in the camp that believes a lot of hunters go to Africa overgunned. I used a 9.3x62 on my last hunt on the recommendation of my PH (I always listen to my PH) as Eland was at the top of my list.

I was also after Kudu having missed out on successfully hunting one fair chase during my first paid safari. I got three, one 50" and two male cull animals with the 9.3x62 and 286 woodleighs. On that limited number and various conversations I formed the opinion that Kudu were not that tough.

I'm taking a 7x57 with 154 Interlocks back for a larger Kudu on my next hunt. A .308W with 150/165's would IMO be even more of a good thing. I will even go so far and say a .243W with 100's with careful shot placement would be enough if prepared not to 'blaze away' at the first sight of the quarry.

What would you use, just for Kudu ?

Click to expand...

7x57 mm would be just perfect....

IvW said:

7x57 mm would be just perfect....

Click to expand...

7x57 is tried and proven in Africa, I would like to own one. I have a 7mm-08 and that’s been very effective on pigs.
Perhaps it’s the Australian made Woodleigh Bullets that made Code4 rifle so effective.
I hired a 7mmRM as I had never used one and I am intrigued by the the 7mm calibre, I miss my .300wm and wish to replace it.

CBH Australia said:

7x57 is tried and proven in Africa, I would like to own one. I have a 7mm-08 and that’s been very effective on pigs.
Perhaps it’s the Australian made Woodleigh Bullets that made Code4 rifle so effective.
I hired a 7mmRM as I had never used one and I am intrigued by the the 7mm calibre, I miss my .300wm and wish to replace it.

Click to expand...

CBH
Chris if'n you want something a bit better than the 708 you could always get a 280AI. If I was only allowed one rifle it would be a toss up between the 280AI and the Whelen.
Cheers mate Bob

Classic question resurfaces.

There are calibers that go together like peanut butter and jam.
.243 and Springbok
.30-06 and Kudu

I have taken Kudu with my 6.5x55 and will happily do so again. 6.5CM , .260 , Swede. All will do the job if loaded with 140gr+ strong bullets. I would not use ELD-X here.

Code4 said:

Yes, this is one of those questions.

What size rifle do you need for Kudu ?

I'm in the camp that believes a lot of hunters go to Africa overgunned. I used a 9.3x62 on my last hunt on the recommendation of my PH (I always listen to my PH) as Eland was at the top of my list.

I was also after Kudu having missed out on successfully hunting one fair chase during my first paid safari. I got three, one 50" and two male cull animals with the 9.3x62 and 286 woodleighs. On that limited number and various conversations I formed the opinion that Kudu were not that tough.

I'm taking a 7x57 with 154 Interlocks back for a larger Kudu on my next hunt. A .308W with 150/165's would IMO be even more of a good thing. I will even go so far and say a .243W with 100's with careful shot placement would be enough if prepared not to 'blaze away' at the first sight of the quarry.

What would you use, just for Kudu ?

Click to expand...

Based on the one kudu bull that I've shot, I would say that something a little bigger is in order. The one bull that I killed was standing behind some acacia

Code4 said:

Yes, this is one of those questions.

What size rifle do you need for Kudu ?

I'm in the camp that believes a lot of hunters go to Africa overgunned. I used a 9.3x62 on my last hunt on the recommendation of my PH (I always listen to my PH) as Eland was at the top of my list.

I was also after Kudu having missed out on successfully hunting one fair chase during my first paid safari. I got three, one 50" and two male cull animals with the 9.3x62 and 286 woodleighs. On that limited number and various conversations I formed the opinion that Kudu were not that tough.

I'm taking a 7x57 with 154 Interlocks back for a larger Kudu on my next hunt. A .308W with 150/165's would IMO be even more of a good thing. I will even go so far and say a .243W with 100's with careful shot placement would be enough if prepared not to 'blaze away' at the first sight of the quarry.

What would you use, just for Kudu ?

Click to expand...

Based on the one kudu bull that I shot, I would think that something a little bigger would be in order. The bull that I shot came out of a thick patch of acacia at about 150 yards. Just as I pulled the trigger he turned away. I was shooting a .30-06 with 180 grain Partitions and the bullet hit far back. He went out and down into a gully before I could get another one into him. He had gotten up the other side and was standing with his head down and I shot him again behind the shoulder. He collapsed there and was finished. The first bullet had hit back at the paunch and ranged forward into the chest. Yes, we were able to recover him without too much trouble but I wondered if a little more gun might have put him down faster. The thing is, when you're hunting, it isn't like shooting off a bench rest at a paper target. It is better to be a little over-gunned and not need it, than it is to be under-gunned when things go wrong. I'm planning another safari and this time I am taking a .300 Win. Mag. with 200 grain Partitions, Accubonds or some other premium bullets that won't come apart for all plains game.

Expect the worst and come with a 8x68S to handle it.....



HWL

This is a bit of a "trick question" as the answer really depends more on location than species. Kudu have an enormous range and occur in a variety of terrains, from thick bush to deserts. Hence ranges can vary from less than 50m (handgun range) to beyond a range that anyone would actually try a shot at (but realistically say 400-500m) .
In bush country a 180-220g 30cal bullet doing around 2200 - 2500fps works well (2400 -2500 for the lighter bullets and down as low as 2200 for the 220gr bullets). This equates to .308Win - 300WM. However there is a lot to be said for bigger calibres with relatively low V0 for this type of application - like the 9.3 x 62, which is possibly the best all round bush calibre.
In the desert you want something that flies well and has high retained energy. 7mm Rem Mag and 300WM are very popular for that application.
My own choice is a 338WM. For long range applications I use 180-200gr fairly frangible bullets loaded to around 3000fps. For the bush I go o 250 or 275gr bullets of strong construction. These are loaded to between 2400fps (275gr) and 2600fps (250gr).

That having been said, Kudu are thin skinned not very "tough". Hence they are regularly taken with lesser calibres like the .270, 6.5x55 and even .243; however this is not really advisable as the margin for error is not as great as is it with a heavier calibre.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

CBH
Chris if'n you want something a bit better than the 708 you could always get a 280AI. If I was only allowed one rifle it would be a toss up between the 280AI and the Whelen.
Cheers mate Bob

Click to expand...

LOL! I think it's already been established that Bob and I are on the same wavelength. I have a custom built .35 Whelen and I'm seriously considering using a Belgian FN Commercial Mauser action I have in the safe to build a .280 Ackley Improved. Either that, or, being I already have a 7 x 57mm Mauser and 7mm Rem Mag, I may go for the 6.5 x 284 Norma.

shark_za said:

Classic question resurfaces.

There are calibers that go together like peanut butter and jam.
.243 and Springbok
.30-06 and Kudu

I have taken Kudu with my 6.5x55 and will happily do so again. 6.5CM , .260 , Swede. All will do the job if loaded with 140gr+ strong bullets. I would not use ELD-X here.

Click to expand...

Just curious. What's the downside of the ELD-X? Never used them. Just wondered.

I'm planning to have custom-loaded ammo from Hendershots of Maryland. Options for loading a plethora of cartridges include Barnes, Berger, Hornady, Nosler and Swift. Sometimes others are available as well.