Most efficient 3 cartridge spread for dangerous game?

[Slider]

375 Scoped Bolt Action
450/400 Nitro Double
500 Nitro Double

 

[ve7poi]

404 Jeffery
470 NE

 

[Garrett89]

The three I'm planning at the moment are
.300 H&H bolt
.400 H&H or .404 Jeffery bolt
.450/400 3" double
Might even do a second set of barrels in .300 H&H for the double OR...get the 300 and 400 in a two barrel breakdown combo

 

[Forrest Halley]

.458 Lott. If I have to reach out, I'll scope it I suppose. Zeroed for 50 yards, it drops 8-9 inches by 200 yards. Do I really need another rifle?

Okay then, a .375 H&H. We can hit it if we know the range. We can even shoot it multiple times. This chambering can be loaded with anything from softs to solids to slick monolithics for reaching way out if the shooter can hold for it.

I don't think there is an efficient three cartridge spread unless we're opting for a high velocity sub .375 to take long range precision shots with. You invariably end up with overlap.

 

[VertigoBE]

No idea on what is most efficient, but I’ll be going for:
- double in 375H&H for PG, cats, etc. With 350grain bullets
- bolt action 416 Rigby for big PG, buffalo with 450 grain bullets
- double in 500NE for Elephant, hippo on land,

Obviously each can work in all roles for all DG (apart maybe from the 500NE double, which might be ill suited for higher precision/ longer distance shots, and is a more specialised weapon.

The first two are secured, the latter one is located.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

No idea on what is most efficient, but I’ll be going for:
- double in 375H&H for PG, cats, etc. With 350grain bullets
- bolt action 416 Rigby for big PG, buffalo with 450 grain bullets
- double in 500NE for Elephant, hippo on land,

Obviously each can work in all roles for all DG (apart maybe from the 500NE double, which might be ill suited for higher precision/ longer distance shots, and is a more specialised weapon.

The first two are secured, the latter one is located.

Can’t wait to see the 500..

 

[VertigoBE]

Can’t wait to see the 500..

It won’t be as spectacular as the two others.
But that always gives me the option to upgrade if I like hunting with the 500NE. Dipping my toes so to speak. But a 500NE boxlock ejector, looked over once by mr Dorleac for 4000EUR I could not say no to.

 

[AZDAVE]

Bolt Gun:
9.2x62
404Jeff
505 Gibbs

Double
9.3x74
500/416
500NE

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

It won’t be as spectacular as the two others.
But that always gives me the option to upgrade if I like hunting with the 500NE. Dipping my toes so to speak. But a 500NE boxlock ejector, looked over once by mr Dorleac for 4000EUR I could not say no to.

It would be hard to top your previous purchases for sure! Sounds like a good buy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have no ambitions to hunt any dangerous game but Cape buffalo. 375 H&H did the job nicely on the two I have taken and with surprisingly light bullets (copper). I am building a 404 Jeffery, mostly for the fun of it and some history. It should work for buff with, I'm told, about the same recoil as .375. Most folks shoot classic 400 gr bullets out of the Jeff. However, with modern metallurgy I'm sure I can drop at least fifty grains and still be deadly for buffalo. It would probably kill lion and leopard just fine. Maybe even elephant and rhino but I have no interest at all in shooting any of them. Or any of the bears. Just not my thing. I think I would prefer a more precise pointed bullet for hippo and croc brain shots. 375 would do nicely but again, those animals are not my thing. I do love hunting buffalo.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Hmmm... Spread indicates group or statistics relating to accuracy. Kind of misleading. Who the f*** is going to bring three dangerous game rifles to africa? You're either in the 375 camp the 416 camp or you additionally want a double rifle for close up action so 470 or 500 (at which point should your income not support your less than 1 minute desire your PH will gladly hand you his for tens of thousands of dollars! 458 I have no desire because I did have a 458 Win mag that had range limitations. Prior to reaming out to the full length 458 cartridges and there are many I just went to a 416. Easy peasy you can still shoot plains game with it. 416, 470 capstick and 500 a square or Jeffrey. There I said it! Now what four gun case do you buy besides SKB and what rifle are you now limited to plains game with??? , Another marketing study from a rifle company

 

[DLSJR]

My 3 African rifles, all Model 70’s, include:

.338 Win Mag.
.375 H&H
.416 Hoffman

The only rifle I’ve contemplated adding is a 470 NE, mainly because I had an old Rigby in this caliber, sold it about 25 years ago and want to get a double again. I‘ll probably get a Perugini & Vicini, Chapuis or Verney-Carron If I actually add a double back to my African rifles. The 470 is a great elephant cartridge, even though the others are also fine.

 

[Green Chile]

- 9.3 or 375 should be on everyone's list as you can easily take non-DG including the tiny 10 with it
- 416 Rigby, 458 Lott or 450/400NE
- 500NE or 500J

Incidentally, I'm at a shooting event this weekend and everyone wanted to shoot my 500NE. I had guys lined up to shoot once or twice and some came back for more. They shot it about 40x and I shot it 25x. The 500NE brings a big smile to even experienced shooters.

 

[Forrest Halley]

They shot it about 40x and I shot it 25x. The 500NE brings a big smile to even experienced shooters.

Okay you sold me... something needs to be a .500 or better. Just because.
Were you charging for the ammunition or are you on a sainthood path?

 

[Green Chile]

I had offers to pay for it but these were my reloads with 570 softs so I didn’t accept anything. One retired cop said my buddies will never believe this so I videoed him shooting it and gave him a live round to show them back home.

 

[KIH]

Why 3, most country's only allows 2 weapons/calibers for visitors.

2 gun wardrobe
300wsm if you bring own ammo. 30-06 would be a good alternative.
416Ruger if you bring your own ammo. 416rigby or rem.

3 gun warderobe
30-06
375HH
470Nitro double rifle.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Sadly my old shoulder cannot handle more than a 375 H&H, so I guess that is it. I have shot 416 Rem, 416 Rigby, and 458 Lott and just cannot handle them. I can get 2 shots off out of my 375 H&H before I can even get back on target with the others.

A good proper bullet for the job put in the right place trumps bigger more powerful cartridges. Just MO&E. But then I have never taken a tusker.

 

[Longrifle]

.300 H&H
.375 H&H
.470 NE

 

[DLSJR]

Sadly my old shoulder cannot handle more than a 375 H&H, so I guess that is it. I have shot 416 Rem, 416 Rigby, and 458 Lott and just cannot handle them. I can get 2 shots off out of my 375 H&H before I can even get back on target with the others.

A good proper bullet for the job put in the right place trumps bigger more powerful cartridges. Just MO&E. But then I have never taken a tusker.

Ridgewalker, when I bought my son a DG rifle, I got him a 375 H&H. Told him it was all he’d ever need for buffalo. He wanted bigger, like a 458 Lott. I told him to feel free to buy anything he wanted to pay for himself, but if I was paying for it, he was getting a 375. Now, it’s his favorite rifle of all those he owns. He’s shot 2 buffalo with it so far, and will be shooting a couple more in August.

 

[Ryan]

Are 12 gauges (slugs) allowed to be used on dangerous game in any countries?

Your title is DG only but your question is just the age old three gun battery for anything from birds to bull elepants. This takes care of that far better than so many others here. If you don't want to include birds just omit the shotgun.

Me, I'd go something similar to what Teddy Roosevelt did in 1910. I'm reading African Game Trails right now and what he took with these three is amazing.

12 gauge shotgun
30-06
500/450 (Teddy's choice) or 416 (my choice)