Greetings, from Alberta

[Sakonut]

From Alberta as well. Shoot me a DM if youre central or northern, I have one or two of every calibre from 9.3 up to the big 50's in traditional calibres, if you want to go test some out. Im also in my 20's so we can talk like normal people instead of speaking the vernacular of the distinguished 80 year old Englishman thats so common here

That does sound tempting! I am in Edmonton. I typically hunt out near Grand Cache... with it all being crown land, I like not having to worry about leases or private land. I've been wanting to get up to Peace River, though. The boys at work say its hard to beat for elk, especially with all the cow tags... a guy wants to fill the freezer!

 

[Aiden204]

That does sound tempting! I am in Edmonton. I typically hunt out near Grand Cache... with it all being crown land, I like not having to worry about leases or private land. I've been wanting to get up to Peace River, though. The boys at work say its hard to beat for elk, especially with all the cow tags... a guy wants to fill the freezer!

Noice we're in the same spot. Yeah I try to hunt elk each year but none in my area, basically a waste of a general tag tbh

 

[HuntOften36]

Welcome!

 

[Sakonut]

Six and a half pounds? Ouch! My +10 lb 404J on 98 Mauser is about all I can handle ... IF I hang onto it FIRMLY. I suggest building something with more heft and less recoil. I carry that rifle all day in Africa no problem.
View attachment 791355
And when upland hunting back home in Montana I carry a heavy old Browning A5 Magnum Twelve all day essentially every day for six weeks every year. And I'm no Hulk Hogan.
View attachment 791354
Honestly, I do not understand the current trend in lightweight guns. Why would anyone want a lightweight 3.5" twelve gauge magnum to hunt waterfowl? Generally waterfowl hunters don't need to carry their guns any further than the truck/boat to the blind. A lightweight dangerous game rifle makes about as much sense to me = very little.

A word of caution about delaying your safari to "bucket list." You don't know what the future will hold re your physical capabilities, especially in the golden years. I see way too many guys waiting until their health is in the toilet and then abandon the idea or make compromises that tend to significantly depreciate the experience. I just finished my fifth safari and I will be 74 in a few weeks. I also live in an 800 sq ft home built in 1929 and I drive a 2004 vehicle with 200K miles. For a long time I have had my priorities geared to hunting wherever I can as long as I can. Check it out. I think you will find a quality safari is not as expensive as you might think. Don't discount South Africa. I hunt an Eastern Cape property that's 167K acres and most of it is inaccessible. There are fences but I rarely if ever see them. And I guess you didn't know you can't take your guns with you to Zimbabwe (or so I have read)? You might enjoy hunting Mozambique ... if you enjoy living on the edge ... and can afford your own private army security detail. Namibia by all accounts would also be an excellent choice, especially for plains game. And finally, don't overrate Cape buffalo. I have shot three and the experience can be very challenging. But the pricetag is also very challenging. I find kudu are just as challenging to hunt and probably the world's most beautiful trophy. You could shoot five kudu (maybe more!) for the price of one Cape buffalo bull.

To be clear, the 6.5lb weight I refer to is the bare weight of the iron sight 9.3x62 Tikka... I last shot it with the additional weight of an aimpoint M4 red dot. Still quite light, but felt recoil from standing and sitting felt much the same as an '06, albeit with a bit more muzzle rise and a larger "shove" felt at the butt. I wouldn't want to fire too many rounds prone, but it is very much manageable recoil, and a joy to carry around...

I'm still on the south side of 40, and in thankfully in good health... but I definitely agree in not waiting until retirement etc, and making the most of the experience!

 

[Aiden204]

To be clear, the 6.5lb weight I refer to is the bare weight of the iron sight 9.3x62 Tikka... I last shot it with the additional weight of an aimpoint M4 red dot. Still quite light, but felt recoil from standing and sitting felt much the same as an '06, albeit with a bit more muzzle rise and a larger "shove" felt at the butt. I wouldn't want to fire too many rounds prone, but it is very much manageable recoil, and a joy to carry around...

I'm still on the south side of 40, and in thankfully in good health... but I definitely agree in not waiting until retirement etc, and making the most of the experience!

yeah 9.3x62 (or 74R) is a darling to shoot. Recoil no worse than an 06 in the two rifles I have it in. Intersurplus has a consistent stock of 9.3 semis (BAR, ARGO, H&K) if youre looking for an excuse for a semi auto bear defense gun

 

[Tintin]

Welcome aboard @Sakonut

 

[Cal973]

You are welcome

 

[Sakonut]

yeah 9.3x62 (or 74R) is a darling to shoot. Recoil no worse than an 06 in the two rifles I have it in. Intersurplus has a consistent stock of 9.3 semis (BAR, ARGO, H&K) if youre looking for an excuse for a semi auto bear defense gun

That sauer 303 9.3 definitely caught my eye, but the price! If a guy could live with the complete lack of aesthetics, that argo with a red dot would make for a gnarly in-case-of-bear bush/camp gun. For now, the tikka lives with a 5rd mag and aimpoint for the job

 

[JG26Irish_2]

My first moose, at 13, was taken broadside at 150m with the 270 win and the old 140gr XBT... At 16, I switched to the '06 and 168gr tsx and taken several others. As other posters have mentioned, despite their size, they are not particularly tough. The willow thickets we'd often find them in didnt usually offer follow up shots, but they tend to gallop off and fold up within 100m.

My father loved his 338 Lapua... now that folds big bull moose over quite nicely. We'd often find nothing left of the lungs but congealed soup, out at 400m, and even a 600m frontal shot I witnessed him take.

I've since come to appreciate the excitement of calling them in close, hence my interest in the 9.3. I have picked up a pile of the hornady 286gr interlock SP-RP that should be devestating on anything I'll run into on this side of the atlantic. I've found and ordered a few boxes of 286gr A-frames to work up a load for Africa when the time comes... I'd love to use this old round for buff, but I would of course defer to my eventual PH! Building a custom .416 on my Sako AV would be fun, though

I am taking my Sako 85 338wm loaded with 225g TTSX ammo and a 2nd rifle is a Husqvarna Swedish Mauser in 30-06 loaded with 180g Swift Scirocco. Either is capable but the 338 is my go to for larger North American game. Recoil is no worse than my 375HH despite it being a bit lighter overall. But, I was shooting a light weight 12ga shotgun loaded with high brass loads when I was only 12yrs old. Nobody told me that the 12ga kicked like a 375HH, lol.