Minimum caliber for Zebra?

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Agreed.
My PH was very happy with my choice of a 375H&H with 300 grain SAF's.
Took mine at 125 yards and about 3" behind the right chevron.
I got the right lung, but not the left one.
Ran about 100 yards pouring blood from the right side.
The exit wound is visible in this photo in a black stripe, 2 back from the chevron.
I was upset with myself on the poor shot at such close range.
But was thankful for a quick recovery, mostly due to using a 375 and SAF's.
View attachment 372940
I will emphasize that hitting the "chevron" is the most important.
Having the power of a 375 to reach the other side is important as well.
As for a minimum, Dr Kevin Robertson recommends .30 calibers or 7mmRM.
But you don't loose points for going above that.

If you have time to work your your daughter up to a 30-06, you should consider it.
Lots of 22lr practice with a few shots of the 6.5 for starters.
Slowly move up as her confidence grows.
As others have stated, the addition of a recoil reducer could be in order.

My wife started with a 270WIN and in less than a year was ready for a step up.
It was too close to our safari to be making a change, so we used the 270.
Now she's shooting a 300WM and 375H&H, quite a step up for her.
Slow and consistent practice is what got her there.
BTW - My wife is about 64" tall and 130#.

@BeeMaa
Got mine with a 225 grain Woodleigh PPSP at120 yards smashed the near shoulder shredded both lungs broke offside shoulder and lodged under the skin on the offside.
Bob

 

[Hogpatrol]

The one in my avatar, 6.5-284, 130 gr Berger HVLD, IIRC around 250 yards, DRT,

 

[Jon Glajchen]

I agree with the opinion that Zebra are extremely tough and that anyone hunting them should not be under gunned.
The zebra in my avatar was only recovered after it showed us the farm as a result of a poor shot I made.
This was despite shooting a 375 H&H with 270 gr Swift A Frame ammunition. One cannot underestimate the value of bullet placement.

 

[WAB]

Let that girl use the 6.5! It will do better than fine. With a heavy for caliber premium bullet it has amazing sectional density and it will drive deeper than any '06 (or .308) 180 gr bullet. Indeed, I would rather use the 6.5 than a .308 (but then I would rather use almost anything but a .308 - my '06 bias is showing). The wound channel won't be quite as large but it will drive in a straight line through a shoulder and reach the far side of any plains game. It wouldn't be my choice for an eland, but it has killed a lot of them. Remember our Scandinavian brothers use it as their go to moose rifle. And though no moose is as hardy as a typical zebra, that is still a lot of animal on the hoof. The 140 gr bullets usually do well, but if you can find the 156 gr bonded core Oryx by Norma (I believe Graf & Sons carries them) they hit hard and drive very deep.

Totally agree, the 6.5x55 and 7x57 are extremely close in terminal performance. My experience on zebra and wildebeest with the 7x57 would convince me that she will have no issues with a 6.5x55 with premium bullets and a well placed shot. As others have noted, a well placed shot with a 6.5 or 7 is far preferable to a poorly placed shot with a larger caliber.

 

[MMAL]

I just got back from Namibia and my buddy took his zebra with a 6.5 creedmoor and 130 grain Sierra game changers. There is no wrong caliber and as some one once said on this site, a well placed frozen cod will kill a zebra. Take the gun you shoot well. Do not overrun because you think you have to at the expense of shot placement.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Before his father allowed him to hunt with a centerfire, one of my RSA PHs killed hundreds of springbok with a .22 LR. When he finally got the ok, he requested a Model 70 in .243 and used it for years on all sorts of plains game.

 

[Dr Ray]

I’ve shot wild horses with my 270 and 130 grain bullet. Yes they dropped with shots through the lungs but took so time to die.
I’ve shot wild horses with my 300 Winchester and 180 grain Bullets.
Now the difference was significant.
I suggest a 300 Winchester magnum with a 180 grain bullet to ensure a quick and merciful death.
I would think for game the size of zebra that a 30 caliber such as 30/06 would be considered a sensible minimum.
Booed this helps??

 

[crs]

My elk guide told me to always go for the double lung shot and pass on all others. Worked for me except when I had to use my famous Texas Heart Shot , which also worked with .338 Win Mag..

Is the double lung shot good for Zebra?

 

[Buffalo1]

I had to follow up on a wounded zebra from a bad archery shot. Dropped zebra with a .270. It's about shot placement!

 

[Graham Hunter]

I shot mine with a 7mm Wtby and 150 gr. Nosler Partition. Down and dead in 75yds. Both lungs and a pass thru. Shot was about 200yds.

 

[machinistbutler]

I have only taken 2 mountain zebra. Tough bloody animals. Both I hit through the chevrons with a 375 H&H, and both reared and ran. They didn't run real far, but they did run.


My PH said it was because I hit them on the black stripe and not the white stripe that they ran, with a slight smile on his face.

Beautiful animals.

 

[CBH Australia]

My wife killed this zebra using a 7-08 Accubond 140gr

Well, I did not shoot a Zebra but I was going to chime in suggesting she might want her very own 7mm-08.
I believe the 7mm-08 hits hard with easily manageable recoil.
I believe that accuracy matters, shot placement is paramount. Hitijng it in the ass end because she pulled the shot would possibly be a bad experience if she doesn’t put it down.
Get here a .7mm-08 and get her on to some hogs. It should help her confidence for a start.

 

[CBH Australia]

I think going fir a minimum caliber may not be the best way to go.
Why take a risk of losing a great trophy? I suggest you go for a more powerful and bigger caliber than minimum.

Agreed, I think it’s just finding a happy medium she can shoot well and I like 7mm bore and own a .300wm.

I thought you were going to prescribe a .270 till reading your next post. I think it’s important that clean kills are achieved as otherwise it may be a bad experience for the new shooter.

 

[Dr Ray]

The 300 or at least a 30 caliber I’d what I would imagine would be the minimum.
Big animals require big calibers and I’m totally surprised at times as to the tenacity of big animals.
I shot s 400 grain bullet from my 416 through both shoulders of a scrub bull and he got up and hobbled for about 70 meters.
And still didn’t fall down for a while.
For trophies I suggest a reasonable caliber to suit the game and yes I know it’s bullet placement.
But!! Many times the ideal shot doesn’t present itself.
So I suggest a caliber that’s bigger and obviously more powerful than the minimum.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have only taken 2 mountain zebra. Tough bloody animals. Both I hit through the chevrons with a 375 H&H, and both reared and ran. They didn't run real far, but they did run.


My PH said it was because I hit them on the black stripe and not the white stripe that they ran, with a slight smile on his face.

Beautiful animals.

@machinistbutler
Sounds like my PH, one of our crew asked what the difference is between a gemsbok and an Oryx he just smiles and says an Oryx has a black and white face while a gemsbok has a white and black face.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

Sitting here now looking at tiles wondering why I did not buy a Zebra skin from the airport on the way home.
I’m not a trophy hunter but it would have been a nice souvenir.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Sitting here now looking at tiles wondering why I did not buy a Zebra skin from the airport on the way home.
I’m not a trophy hunter but it would have been a nice souvenir.

@CBH
Chris you could have bought one for a lot less than shooting one. At Nankara skins in Windhoek you could get Springbok skins tanned ready to bring home for as little as15 dollars OZ for a grade 3 up to about 30 dollars for an grade 1A+..
Zebra skins were from 20 to 80 dollars depending on size and quality. I would have liked a jackal skin, they had plenty but the were on contract.
Bring a few skins home and sell them. Help cover the cost of the trip. A friend sold his for $1,500 OZ and regretted it later. When you go again take an empty suit case with you and bring it home full of skins of different animals and sell them
Bob

 

[BeeMaa]

Is the double lung shot good for Zebra?

I would say that the double lung shot is good on anything.
However, a larger caliber will leave a larger hole.
Meaning more blood lost or enters the lungs more quickly.
Animal dies faster and also reducing the tracking needed for recovery.

My Zebra was spraying blood from the right side, literally spraying.
It covered grass and trees from the waist to the ground.
A blind man could have tracked this animal without a problem.
With one lung punctured, it ran about 100 yards before expiring.
I'm sure a smaller hole would have resulted in a much longer track.

 

[CBH Australia]

Let that girl use the 6.5! It will do better than fine. With a heavy for caliber premium bullet it has amazing sectional density and it will drive deeper than any '06 (or .308) 180 gr bullet. Indeed, I would rather use the 6.5 than a .308 (but then I would rather use almost anything but a .308 - my '06 bias is showing). The wound channel won't be quite as large but it will drive in a straight line through a shoulder and reach the far side of any plains game. It wouldn't be my choice for an eland, but it has killed a lot of them. Remember our Scandinavian brothers use it as their go to moose rifle. And though no moose is as hardy as a typical zebra, that is still a lot of animal on the hoof. The 140 gr bullets usually do well, but if you can find the 156 gr bonded core Oryx by Norma (I believe Graf & Sons carries them) they hit hard and drive very deep.

7x57 or 7mm-08 In a Blaser might be a compromise.

.308 works but Americans seem to eat, live and breath the .30-06, seems that way from over here.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would say that the double lung shot is good on anything.
However, a larger caliber will leave a larger hole.
Meaning more blood lost or enters the lungs more quickly.
Animal dies faster and also reducing the tracking needed for recovery.

My Zebra was spraying blood from the right side, literally spraying.
It covered grass and trees from the waist to the ground.
A blind man could have tracked this animal without a problem.
With one lung punctured, it ran about 100 yards before expiring.
I'm sure a smaller hole would have resulted in a much longer track.

@BeeMaa
That's why I like the Whelen. Big hole in big destruction on the way thru and usually bigger hole out. 2 hole equals more blood but how much blood do you need to track an animal 20 yards. Stevie wonder could have tracked the animals I shot with the Whelen on a moonless night at midnight and left his white cane at home.
Bob