The Perfect Plains Game Rifle

[NoStepOnSnek]

One thing that’s popular in the USA and our love of firearms is a specific gun for every situation. Hunters set up a perfect deer rifle, a perfect hog rifle, the perfect turkey shotgun, sheep rifle, elk rifle, etc. We have come a long way from the “fear a man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it” mindset.

So with that being said, if you could set up a gun for a singular plains game species, what would you do? I’m particularly interested in hearing about the “perfect” kudu rifle, the perfect klipspringer rifle, as well as anything else y’all think of.

 

[JimP]

I have a safe full of rifles ranging from a 22Lr to a .340 Weatherby mag. For hunting big game here in the US I have two that I'll select over the others. A 25-06 for everything up to elk and the 340 for elk.

The same would be for Africa. Smaller plains game animals would get the 25-06. Wildebeest and up would get the .340. On my 2 safaris I have taken the .340 and it served me quite well for my plains game hunts with animals from diker on up to gemsbok and kudu. Perhaps a little overkill for the smaller ones but it worked.

 

[375Fox]

For me, it’s a Sako 85 in 300 win with a 2-10 Leupold. I like the trigger, weight, and stock design. It’s perfect to me.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Most of my plains game hunting has been done (so far) with two calibers:

.30-06 Springfield loaded with 220Gr Remington Core Lokts

7x57mm Mauser loaded with assorted 175Gr soft points (currently, I am using the 173Gr Sellier & Bellot SPCE factory load)

If I could set up one “Plains Game Exclusive” rifle, it would have to be a .338 Winchester Magnum built by Griffin & Howe on a Springfield Model 1903A3 action with a 25” Douglas Premium barrel and a Grade 5 Turkish walnut stock (cheek piece included). It would have the factory two piece striker replaced by a titanium striker. It would wear a Weaver K5 telescopic sight on quick release mounts. And have an India rubber recoil pad fitted.

If I had to choose a commercially manufactured rifle, I’d personally be very happy with a Mauser Model 98 Diplomat chambered in 9.3x62mm Mauser.

 

[G Skinner]

I went with my bow ....It's about how close .... not how far .
Good luck and play safe !
Glen

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

For me, it’s a Sako 85 in 300 win with a 2-10 Leupold. I like the trigger, weight, and stock design. It’s perfect to me.

For what species?

 

[R eight]

Either my Rigby HS in 30 Rigby or my R8 in 30/06…both loaded with 180 partitions.

 

[375Fox]

For what species?

I’ve taken steenbok to eland with it in several African countries. On a dedicated PG hunt I take that rifle. If it’s a DG/PG hunt I take the same rifle but in 375 H&H.

 

[Doug3006]

My current “perfect” rifle for plains game is a Ruger #1 in 300 H&H. It shoots hand loads using 200 grain Nosler Partitions well under an inch. I have much confidence in that rifle and love how it carries in the field. A 26 inch barrel paired with a ~2 inch receiver makes for a handy rifle for carrying.

 

[Houston Bill]

I enjoy taking different rifles for plains game hunting in Africa. I have taken plaines games with rifles in the following calibers, 243 Win, 270 Win, 7MM Rem Mag, 7MM PRC, 308 Win, 300 WSM, 338 Win 375 RUM and 450/400 NE double. Some of these calibers I no longer own. If had had to choose a "perfect rifle" it would be my Fierce in 7MM PRC or my Tikka in 338 Win.

 

[Velo Dog]

So with that being said, if you could set up a gun for a singular plains game species, what would you do? I’m particularly interested in hearing about the “perfect” kudu rifle, the perfect klipspringer rifle, as well as anything else y’all think of.

My favorite Africa “plains game”;
eland, zebra, kudu, etc., down to Klipspringer, steinbok, duiker etc., (and everything in between) rifle is the Brno 602 Magnum in caliber .375 H&H with 4 power scope, mounted low over the bore in strong steel rings.
When I use the camp rifle with its variable power scope, I just set it on 4x and leave it from sight in day through the last day when I turn it back in after each safari.

I have used also a similar rifle in .30-06 with 220 grain Hornady round nose soft point bullets to great affect.
But, the .375 remains my favorite for the above things (and here in Alaska as well).

 

[Velo Dog]

If it were not for the largest species of “plains game”, I could be quite happy hunting in Africa with other classic cartridges.
The 7x57 Mauser, 7x64 Brenneke, .303 British, .30-06, .318 Westley Richards and 8x57 Mauser come to mind.

 

[BeeMaa]

375H&H.

Because you never know when that trophy DG animal is going to walk out in front of you.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Feel like I didn’t ask my question right. Assume you are only going to Africa after the one plains game species, and what would your perfect rifle be for that?

 

[Velo Dog]

Feel like I didn’t ask my question right. Assume you are only going to Africa after the one plains game species, and what would your perfect rifle be for that?

I cannot afford the high cost of travel to and from Africa to only seek one animal.
But if I could spare that much time and money to bag only one specific African animal, my choice of particular caliber and style of rifle design (scoped repeater, express sighted double or whatever), would depend on the size and tenacity or lack thereof known to whatever the specific animal was.
That, combined with the geography and foliage conditions waiting for me at my chosen destination.

With that, I no longer care to risk my firearms with the creeps who work within the international airline industry.
So, my choices are somewhat limited.
If I lived somewhere in Africa and could lawfully own several rifles, my battery would begin at .22 Hornet scoped repeater through .450/400 NE 3” express sighted double (Side by Side).

 

[Zinz]

New Haven era Winchester Featherweight Classic in .30-06 running 180gr Barnes Xs has treated me very well from tiny ten to Mountain Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Kudu, etc…I’d take it anywhere.

…but I’d be happy with any number of rifles in my safe, as long as I’m on safari

Ed Z

 

[BryceM]

I’m not sure how to answer your question. I can easily think of 40 plains game species. Tapping out a rifle & cartridge response for each seems a little tedious, and frankly unnecessary. A .30-06 works for all of it, and many other cartridges would work too.

Any rifle that is 1/2 MOA, has a smooth bolt action, has a nice trigger, hold 3 or 4 rounds, and is reliable is good enough for me. There are maybe hundreds of choices that would accomplish that.

Much of it depends on personal preference, and what works for me……. works for me. Bullet selection is arguably more important, and we haven’t even started on that.

 

[12bore_paradox]

In my personal opinion I would choose 375 ruger for a shorter action and longer range abilities

 

[Green Chile]

I've had different answers for this over the years...BRNO ZKK 602 in 375...Dakota model 10 in 7x57... but my answer for the last 2 years has been a Blaser R8 with various barrels. It usually wears a 300 win mag barrel for PG but I've also taken some very nice PG with the 416 barrel. Next year it returns to Africa with a 223 barrel to take more T10 and either the 375 or 416 barrel for DG. Year after that, it goes back with probably same barrels for leopard, buff and T10 in Moz. There's a small but growing group of experienced hunters here on AH who are converting to R8's for much of our hunting.

 

[odonata]

I'm a fan of ambidextrous single-shots and one of my favorites is my Ruger No. 1 chambered in 9.3x74r. I like shooting a rimmed cartridge in a falling-block rifle & I think it would be a challenge to hunt a kudu with one.

With a Minox ZA-5 1.5-8x32 scope on it & bullets from 184~285 grains, I think I could enjoy hunting a variety of plains game with this setup.