Kudu and Caliber

[crossfire3006]

You're on the hunt for a trophy Kudu. What caliber are you using?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have taken three with 30-06 and 165 gr Partitions. Oh ... sorry, I forgot the second bull was shot using my PH's 270 WSM. That one was too far for me to ethically attempt with my gun/setup.

 

[mdwest]

Any reasonable “deer” caliber will do…

My wife took hers easily with a 168gr TTSX from a 308… a good friends daughter took a very nice one with a 243…

For me, personally, the 308 is my “all things” plains game caliber… anything from impala to wildebeest and zebra get a 308… eland and above get a 375…

 

[BryceM]

I’ve killed kudu with a .300 Wby, .30-06, .375 H&H, .308 Win, and .300 Win. They all worked just fine. I’d be confident with anything from my .260 AI to my .416 Rigby. In that range, I’d grab the most accurate rifle on-hand and wouldn’t give it another thought. They aren’t particular hard to kill. One bullet in the right place and they just die.

 

[Andrew62]

Last kudu I took was with my .308 using Barnes 168 grain ammo, TTSX.

 

[Mauser78]

375H&H with 230gr bullets.

 

[Frederik]

They are not tough by any means like wildebeest but they are being hunted in a wide spectrum of landscapes so you can hunt them from 20 yards in thick bushveld to 500 yards in open and mountainess areas.
So for me that would be the first question which habitat will you be hunting them?

As a side note Kudu trophy prices must have seen the largest price increase over the last 10 years so I would rather not hunt them with a marginal calibre (6.5mm or less) but something that hits hard while you still have full control off.

 

[458JCE]

In Africa I carry minimum 30-06 and have taken 2 big Kudu bulls with 338WM - one with a 225gr Nosler Accubond and one with a 225gr Woodleigh PPSN. Both emphatic kills - but never underestimate how tough African critters are.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.30-06 Springfield and 220Gr Remington Core Lokts

But I’ve also shot them with:
.338 Winchester Magnum
.300 Winchester Magnum
7x57mm Mauser
6.5x54mm Mannlicher Shoenauer

 

[chashardy]

300 WinMag with Nosler Partition or Swift AFrame or Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw--200gr for all of them.

 

[Hammergun]

9.3x62mm with 286 grain A frames. But that gun and load was for everything.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Kudu are not tough at all, and give up pretty easily. Just stay away from the no-man's land at the top of the shoulders. Any of your deer rifles will get the job done. Doesn't mean that I don't like anchoring them with a 300Win.

 

[Green Chile]

For regular sized PG, I like the versatility of the 300 win mag with 180-200 gr premium bullets. Works well in tight cover for bushbucks up to elk sized game at longer distances. Perfect for kudu.

 

[trperk1]

@crossfire3006 - You may want to tell us if your looking to use a rifle/caliber that you have or looking to buy a new rifle for kudu?

 

[crossfire3006]

@crossfire3006 - You may want to tell us if your looking to use a rifle/caliber that you have or looking to buy a new rifle for kudu?

Thanks for the post trperk1! A 35 Whelen, 180gr TTSX FB is my caliber of choice. I was just curious to know what caliber individuals like or prefer. Maybe I should have done a poll.

 

[pilar]

I’m kinda of mixed feelings on what I am taking next
375 with 235gr TSX & 270gr TSX as a one gun option ( or sell and buy a 9.3x62)
308 with norma oryx
270win ttsx 130
6.5cm 120gr ttsx

 

[Green Chile]

I’m kinda of mixed feelings on what I am taking next
375 with 235gr TSX & 270gr TSX as a one gun option ( or sell and buy a 9.3x62)
308 with norma oryx
270win ttsx 130
6.5cm 120gr ttsx

I used a 7x57 with Norma Oryx last year to great effect. 18 one shot kills on PG from duiker to kudu size. Good bullet.

 

[Kevin375]

I have killed kudus with several calibers : 6.5 Creedmoor, .30-06, .300 Winchester magnum, .30-378 Weatherby magnum, .338 Lapua magnum, .375 Holland & Holland magnum and .458 Lott. All worked great but for a trophy hunt, if I have to choose one caliber, it depends where I will hunt the kudu.
If it is in a mountain area ( like in the Khomas in Namibia), I will take my .300 Winchester magnum with a premium 180 gr bullet. If it is in the thick bush where shots are usually close, I prefer to take my .375 H&H magnum with a good 300 gr bullet.

 

[Nyati]

In the thick Limpopo veldt, .338WM, 225gr. Swift AFrame.

 

[BeeMaa]

Wife took hers with a 270WIN at 100 yards with 150 grain Swift A-Frame. One shot to the high neck hit the OFF switch...never took another step. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to use any thing from 6.5x55SE to 375H&H. It's shot placement that will win the race at the end of the day.