First Safari! Most versatile Plains Game cartridge...

[375er]

Hi gents,

I'm new here, and recently booked my first safari (Aug. 2023) and needless to say - I'M STOKED!!

To mark the occasion (and my 30th birthday in July 2022), I'm picking up a new rifle. I'm torn between the below, and would love any thoughts! As an aside, I'll exclusively be hunting PG Kudu and smaller for the next few years until I can afford to dance with buffalo. I'll be hunting in SA.

• .308 - classic, low recoil, shorter barrels with lighter platforms = maneuverability and comfort
• .30-06 - I know it's great, but I don't want one
• .300 Win Mag - flatter trajectory and more energy out to 500 (I do not shoot past 500, and rarely even that). I'm not recoil sensitive, but it's double .308.
• .373 H&H - It's just Africa, baby!

Any thoughts and feedback on a decision between the three, or particular platforms (other than the usual suspects) that you've had success with would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

375 H&H. Period. Does it all since 1912.

 

[gibbs30c]

You can never go wrong with a 375 H&H pushing a 300 gr bullet at 2500 to 2550 fps, especially if that 300 gr is a Barnes TSX.

Don't make the mistake of thinking the 375 H&H is just "Africa". I have used mine on everything from Pronghorn to Elk in Colo. and Wyo. and on just about everything in Africa. It is my light rifle, in my two gun battery when I go to Africa. It always provides that "overlap", able to fill in for the heavier rifle if needed, but still be light enough for the smaller stuff.

As a matter of fact hunting Pronghorns on the Wyo prairie with a 375 H&H, is great practice for Springbok and Blesbok.

The 375 H&H is also a good investment because once you are halfway through this first trip, you will be planning your next Safari, for bigger and more dangerous game. You just won't be happy when you get back without a next trip in the future.

I've always said the 375 H&H is to Africa as the 270 Win is to the U.S.

Is it light for some game sure, is it more than need for others...........probably.

But in the end the 375 H&H can and will do it all. The boys at Holland and Holland really knew what they were doing 110 years ago.

The 375 H&H is also one of those unique chamberings that will shoot almost all loads to a very close point of zero without adjustment, and always do so with good tight 5 shot groups.

The 375 H&H is like a good Black Lab, it just wants to please you.

Good luck on your first hunt! You are VERY lucky, and very wise to be able to do this at 30. Many more trips are in your future.

 

[Scott CWO]

How snappy is that 338?

It’s built on a Win M70 CRF action and a fluted heavy Krieger barrel with a custom thumbhole straight stock. Very accurate. It’s mild recoil compared to an old Savage M110 I once had. That thing kicked like a mule!

 

[Scott CWO]

I would also take two rifles - already have a .308, 6.5 PRC, etc... lots of solid deer cartridges. Maybe the .308 and .375 would be the ticket?

The .308 would handle PG just fine. If you want something a bit bigger for eland and/or buffalo, the .375 would be great. In July, I am probably taking a 6.5 GAPP for small antelopes in the wide open swamps of Zambia and a .375 for larger PG and buffalo.

 

[WAB]

My two favorite calibers are 7x57 and 9.3x62. Either will handle kudu. I would lean toward the 9.3 just in case you decide to tackle an eland.

 

[Tanner Lee]

I am a little late here to give my opinion on your question. First of all welcome to AH, I am always excited and jealous of everyone who gets to go on their first safari. It is the greatest experience any hunter or outdoors person can do.

In my opinion for Africa, you cannot go wrong with either the 30-06 or the 375 H&H both are classic safari cartridges. They also make a good pair but they do excellent by themselves. If you have buffalo in your future the 375 H&H would be recommended. Though the 30-06 has killed many a buffalo in its days. The only trouble can be that many African countries have minimum caliber requirements for dangerous games.

I always recommend talking with your outfitter or just asking around to other outfitters. A few I know I can trust fully are Shaun Keeny Safaris, Epic Safaris, and John X Safaris, they are solid outfits and great honest people.

Either cartridge is an excellent choice, though if buffalo is in your future the 375 H&H might be the best opinion, great overall safari cartridge.

Hope this helps, even though my opinion is late to the game here, I hope it may help others who are asking the same question.

 

[ve7poi]

338 federal
Does it all for planes game short action 185 or 210 Barnes worked very well for me on my first Safari

 

[rigbymauser]

Get a .270wea. Works on everything up to eland.

 

[AZDAVE]

1. 7x57
2. 9.3x62
3. 375

 

[Roy Wilmeth]

Another vote for 375 HH. It’s versatility is unmatched. Good for duiker, good for buffalo.

 

[WyoBull]

I am fairly new to the 375 H&H, having purchased a model 70 built in 1967 after coming back from my first plains game safari and knowing one day I would go back for DG.
Having said that, if I had known more years ago I would have purchased a 375 way back when and used it for all big game. Being a Barnes bullet fan, you can load it with 235 gr TSX's for smaller big game and the crank it up to 300 gr TSX's or more for DG.
It is a very versatile caliber if you are wanting one gun for virtually everything.

 

[meigsbucks]

All four of the rounds you mentioned would be good choices. However, I tend to lean toward larger rounds, especially for Africa. Zebra, wildebeest, gemsbok and eland are tough critters. Any of the four rounds you mention will do the job with a good bullet in the right place.
I’m a huge fan of the .338’s, but the .35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are in the same catagory. They just give up some trajectory and bullet selection.
Don’t discount the .30/06. A good 180 or 200gr will handle any PG. I prefer the ‘06 over the .308 due to how it handles 180-200gr bullets.
Altough I have one, the .300 WM, I can’t get excited about it. IMO, the only advantage over the ‘06 is trajectory and some energy. If I can’t do it with an ‘06, I go to a .338 mag of some type.
As many have said, the .375 will do it all, including a buffalo when the time comes. However, for a PG hunt, the .375 will weigh more (Except the Browning) and recoil more.
Make your selection and have the hunt of a lifetime.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Hi gents,

I'm new here, and recently booked my first safari (Aug. 2023) and needless to say - I'M STOKED!!

To mark the occasion (and my 30th birthday in July 2022), I'm picking up a new rifle. I'm torn between the below, and would love any thoughts! As an aside, I'll exclusively be hunting PG Kudu and smaller for the next few years until I can afford to dance with buffalo. I'll be hunting in SA.

• .308 - classic, low recoil, shorter barrels with lighter platforms = maneuverability and comfort
• .30-06 - I know it's great, but I don't want one
• .300 Win Mag - flatter trajectory and more energy out to 500 (I do not shoot past 500, and rarely even that). I'm not recoil sensitive, but it's double .308.
• .373 H&H - It's just Africa, baby!

Any thoughts and feedback on a decision between the three, or particular platforms (other than the usual suspects) that you've had success with would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

Hello Chslongrange8, like you, I'm a new member, just a bit more aged...well, more than a bit.
Welcome aboard my friend.
My first advice would be an 8x68S, a beltless German round I really like so much, surprisingly easy to shot, and not as influenced by high temperature like a 300 magnum. Also it shot as flat and hits harder.
I realize that it's a rare caliber outside Europe, and even here not so common, so - I apologize for that - my advice is the good old 30.06. I love 300 Win, but mine has always be heat sensitive (like my 300wby for that matter), something like you not need in Africa. I realize that plenty of PG are taken with vario 300s with no issue, so it's just my opinion. But from the bunch, I would stay with '06. Flat enough, tough enough, easy to shot, low pressure, infinite selection of factory loads, and every hunt camp have some 30.06, if it needs.

 

[Tanks]

For PG I would get a .300 WM instead of trying to shoehorn a general purpose rifle like a .375 into a PG rifle. Then, you are good beyond the 300 yards. You did ask for the most versatile PG cartridge and .300 WM fits the bill.

If in the future you wish to hunt DG then you can get a proper big bore in .4XX or .5XX and again not shoehorn a marginal caliber into a different role.

There are a lot of choices in calibers and rifles now compared to ages past, might as well take advantage of it.

Yes, a .375 will do the job (and has done so many times) for both cases, but it is with caveats in distance and shot selection with not much margin for error especially when it comes to DG.

 

[Safari Dave]

For my first African safari in South Africa, I took a .300 Win Mag and a .375 H&H.

My .300 had an 3.5-10X scope, the .375 had a 1.5-5X. The .300 proved to be the most used rifle. My PH wanted me to shoot Kudu, Gemsbok and Zebra with the .375. Because of the low powered, small objective scope, it was a tough 225+ yard shot at the largest kudu bull we had seen all week in the late afternoon. We didn't find it until the next morning, because it turned as I shot, and I hit it a little too far back.

Gemsbok was no problem. I got the zebra with the .300, because I had it in my hands when a small herd of the animals came running over a hill, but it was dead with a single shot.

There were 6 PH's in camp and I ask each of them around the campfire one night, what cartridge would they most like their clients to bring on a PG safari. Every single one of them said "a .30/06".


If I had to do it again, I would bring a .300 or .30/06 or .308 and something smaller, like a 6.5.


The .300 was a little rough on duiker!

 

[IvW]

9.3x74R/7×57R Bergstutzen......can do it all.
O/U double with qd scope mounts

 

[WAB]

Hello Chslongrange8, like you, I'm a new member, just a bit more aged...well, more than a bit.
Welcome aboard my friend.
My first advice would be an 8x68S, a beltless German round I really like so much, surprisingly easy to shot, and not as influenced by high temperature like a 300 magnum. Also it shot as flat and hits harder.
I realize that it's a rare caliber outside Europe, and even here not so common, so - I apologize for that - my advice is the good old 30.06. I love 300 Win, but mine has always be heat sensitive (like my 300wby for that matter), something like you not need in Africa. I realize that plenty of PG are taken with vario 300s with no issue, so it's just my opinion. But from the bunch, I would stay with '06. Flat enough, tough enough, easy to shot, low pressure, infinite selection of factory loads, and every hunt camp have some 30.06, if it needs.

The 8x68S is an interesting and excellent recommendation. I have never owned one, but have its ballistic twin, the .325 WSM. A 200 grain bullet at 2,900+ is nothing to sneeze at.

The handicap of the .325 is it’s magazine capacity. I think a classic ‘98 in 8x68S would be hard to beat.

 

[sestoppelman]

Of the OP's choices, just for PG and no dangerous, the .300 Win or (H&H) would be good options.

 

[Fredsteyn]

All good choices, probably depends on where in SA you're going. Limpopo - 375, Eastern cape - 300 wm
30.06 good all rounder
Also look into 7x57 and 9.3x62 - Africa classics
Think of what you will use rifle for afterwards, and availability of components in your area.
The 308 win will be sufficient for the species mentioned but 500 will be too far out

 

[Phil Giordano]

The 8x68S is an interesting and excellent recommendation. I have never owned one, but have its ballistic twin, the .325 WSM. A 200 grain bullet at 2,900+ is nothing to sneeze at.

The handicap of the .325 is it’s magazine capacity. I think a classic ‘98 in 8x68S would be hard to beat.

Pleasure to meet another 8mm estimator!
Unfortunately .323 has never been popular in US, but it deserves a great respect indeed... Today we have more bullet choice so it's even more versatile. I would like Nosler make a 220 Partition!

You know, there is a small Italian maker, Concari, that produces faboulus actions/rifles, and one of his favourite chambering is the 8x68S...shure it could be a dream rifle!