What’s your ideal Dangerous Game bolt gun?

[The Engineer]

For light loads I use Accurate 5744 powder. My current 416 Rigby load is 42gr of 5744. magnum primers, and 400gr round nose blemished bullets that I obtained for 1/3 of the normal cost. This is a fairly light load and shoots minute of angle in my rifle. I have also used this load for 300gr and 350gr Hawk bullets with good results. A caution, this powder burns VERY hot so the barrel warms quickly and the ejected cases will burn your hand. According to one on-line barrel life calculator you should get between 12,000 and 14,000 rounds before the barrel wears out with this load.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Thanks for the help, I plan on using no more than one hundred total.

 

[ChrisG]

I have to go with @CTDolan and @CAustin with the .416 Ruger. My Hawkeye Arican won't keep up with a Rigby or even a Remington in terms of speed, but for overall handling and hitting power, it is hard to beat. Perhaps for an Elephant I would want something bigger but for buff, that .416 with Swift A-Frames and Barnes Flatnose banded solids, (I have several hundred of the barnes for some reason), it's enough. It is lightweight at 8.25 lbs and hits like a hammer without undue recoil. I can get 2,300fps from the monometal barnes solids and still have all kinds of air space in the casing.

The barrel on mine is only 22" because I hacked the hideous threads from the end of the barrel and recrowned it. They have no place on a walnut and blued "African" rifle. I gain a little bit because of those additional 2" over the Ruger guide gun but it seems like it is still light and quick with recoil being similar to my .375 H&H while standing. I LOVE that rifle. Plus, brass is cheap and it only burns 80 grains of powder per firing. I just wish more companies would put out load data for it in something other than 400 grain. I have been shooting 340 grain woodleighs for N. American game and they work great at 2,550 fps but I would love to have data for a 300 grain bullet. Anyhow, thats my case for a dangerous game rifle.

 

[Timbo]

I have to go with @CTDolan and @CAustin with the .416 Ruger. My Hawkeye Arican won't keep up with a Rigby or even a Remington in terms of speed, but for overall handling and hitting power, it is hard to beat. Perhaps for an Elephant I would want something bigger but for buff, that .416 with Swift A-Frames and Barnes Flatnose banded solids, (I have several hundred of the barnes for some reason), it's enough. It is lightweight at 8.25 lbs and hits like a hammer without undue recoil. I can get 2,300fps from the monometal barnes solids and still have all kinds of air space in the casing.

The barrel on mine is only 22" because I hacked the hideous threads from the end of the barrel and recrowned it. They have no place on a walnut and blued "African" rifle. I gain a little bit because of those additional 2" over the Ruger guide gun but it seems like it is still light and quick with recoil being similar to my .375 H&H while standing. I LOVE that rifle. Plus, brass is cheap and it only burns 80 grains of powder per firing. I just wish more companies would put out load data for it in something other than 400 grain. I have been shooting 340 grain woodleighs for N. American game and they work great at 2,550 fps but I would love to have data for a 300 grain bullet. Anyhow, thats my case for a dangerous game rifle.

Woodleigh have kindly sent to me their 2018 bullet catalogue. In it they advertise .416 projectiles up to 450gr in weight (RNSN and FMJ). I suggest you could try contacting them for load data?
(BTW - my daughter's photo is in this catalogue. Just saying.............from one proud Dad! )

 

[Saul]

If I had to choose, I would probably say a double rifle

 

[One Day...]

Mauser 66 (telescopic action predecessor of the Blaser) in .458 Lott for the stuff that stomps. Still shooting A Square Dead Tough softs and Monolithic Solids.
CZ 550 in .416 Rigby for the stuff that bites. Shooting A frames.
Weatherby in .340 for plains game. Shooting Nosler Partitions.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Of all the big bores I have owned in the past thirty years this has been, by a margin, my favorite.

Built for me by a very good friend in the U.S.

.500 MDM Ultra mag (.375 Ultra mag necked up to .50 cal)Win Mod 70 CRF, pacnor 20" barrel, Accurate Innovations English walnut stock with aluminum bedding block, NECG front and back sights. just over 8lb carry weight.

Shoots 450gn brass CEB's at 2450fps with mild loads and despite what a few on this forum opine these mono's will penetrate 6' - 8' of buffalo with monotonous regularity.

Short, light, fast handling and packing a mighty wallop.

I have stopped quite a few charges with this gun and shot quite a few buff with it in addition.

My idea of a perfect buff gun.

I haven't anywhere near the DG experience as Paul and many others here. One lioness does not count for much. But I have the "little" predecessor to Paul's big 500, the .458B&M. It will push a 420gr CEB at somewhere near 2300fps as I recall. And that out of an 18" barrel. If you want to push a more tradition 500gr weight bullet, it will do so with ballistics between a .458Win and .458Lott.

As Paul states, short, ligh, fast handling and packs a wallop. The pure genius in the rifle is the short fat cartridges and the AI gun stock. Until you've shot it, you would not believe how manageable the recoil really is.

 

[geoff rath]

When I hear the term D/G (dangerous game) rifle, I immediately think of "Oh SH*T!!" moments, not just knocking the animal off from 50 yards or more, with the PH backing us up.
This is where the big(ger) 45 caliber + cartridges come into play, shooting highly effective projectiles. The bigger B&Ms, 450 Rigby, 500Jeffery and 505Gibbs are really ideal here, and decide who walks away (possibly with browned pants) at the end of the day.

 

[One Day...]

True enough, but only if the recovery time with the real mean sticks allows you to send more than one shot downrange when (and where) it really counts, should the first one, inconveniently, not do the trick, when something ill-disposed is coming close and fast...
Do not have personal experience with anything stronger than my .458 Lott (a 9 lbs Mauser 66 generously doling out 78 ft. lbs. of free recoil energy), but my second shot, and rarely the third one when I manage to get it out, and never had time for the fourth, are slower than I would wish. Cannot even imagine how long it would take me with guns pushing back 100 to 150 ft. lbs. and with a bolt to turn. This is why I loved my Jules Burry 450#2, but it had to kill children tuition bills instead of beasts that stomp or bite. Good thing that the only creature that has charged me so far (aside from the local friendly cashiers) is a buf cardboard silhouette rolling downhill toward me at the range LOL.
All of that to say that maybe a .375 or .45 solid in the brain pan switching the lights out might be the right medicine for those of us weaklings who cannot double tap a .577 NE or .500 Jeffery, or throw enough solids fast enough to stop the dang ton of meat by sheer weight of lead alone.
But as I said, this is all theoretical to me yet, so I may be in ignorant and simple-minded error ;-)

 

[BenKK]

I’m onto my fourth big bore bolt-action, a Sako Brown Bear .500 Jeffery, and it is my favourite so far.

In order of preference:
1. Sako Brown Bear .500J
2. CZ500 .416 Rigby (required gunsmithing)
3. Winchester M70 .458WM (required gunsmithing)
4. Sako Kodiak .375H&H

I ordered them in terms of performance in sorting-out problems - once fixed, in some cases. Although the .416 Rigby hits harder I actually miss my M70 .458WM more - I just liked it.

 

[BenKK]

I should add that if money were no issue I would love to try a big Heym bolt-action.

 

[treedog61]

Mauser M98 chambered in .416 Rigby.

 

[ldmay375]

I will have to go on theory here and the "what would be" portion.
I believe, my answer is my 416 Ruger Alaskan with factory 20" barrel, factory express sights, in its McMillan Classic stock, with the Zeiss HT 1.1-4x24mm #54 illuminated reticle. The more I handle this rifle the more I like it. I have been using the 350 grain Barnes TSX and it is pleasurable to shoot and groups well. I just put this scope on it, moved it from a 375 Ruger that it was on, and need to sight it in.
I have considered having one built with a 22", but the more a carry this rifle the more fond I become of the 20". I view the 22" barrels my default length of choice.

My next candidate would be a black Cerakoted, M70 Classic stainless, re-barreled to 416 Remington with a 22" barrel, in a HS precision stock, with factory sights, identical scope, and same bullet.

I enjoy shooting these 416's, and shoot them reasonable well from most any position. These two are my favorite rifles in above .375 caliber. I also really like the scope and reticle combination for closer ranges.
I do not see changing anything on either, unless I replace the HS Precision stock with a McMillan supergrade. Thus far I have no issues with the present one. But, I do have a 22" barrel 375 H&H M70 stainless in a McMillan supergrade, so have considered making them near identical as possible.
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What would be your ideal dg bolt gun.

Barrel length, caliber, sights and so on?

I have a CZ in 404. Shoulders nicely but seems so long. Just wanted to see what you all like

 

[HWL]

Mauser 66 (telescopic action predecessor of the Blaser) in .458 Lott for the stuff that stomps. Still shooting A Square Dead Tough softs and Monolithic Solids.

...458 Lott was not an original Mauser chambering in the M66(S).... did you ream the chamber of a .458 Win-Mag or got a new barrel?

HWL

 

[HWL]

My ideal Dangerous Game bolt gun.... Mauser M98 in .404 Rimless for "all around"

...till things go south...

...than Hannibal A-Square in .470 Capstick

 

[Daga Boy]

My "guide gun" is CZ 458WM with an armtech stock. These are " go to's " for plenty PH's and Rangers over here. They are a bit "rough" but they function 100% every time, and 500gr at about 2000fps is all you need (and what you want) at close range. Mine has the standard 25" length barrel but they feel and handle better with a 23 or 24" barrel. Obviously you los a bit of V, but it makes no difference close up.
That having been said, the best close range weapon (IMO) remains a double in 470NE. So well proven that fewwould care to argue

 

[Daga Boy]

Intersting chat. I think you (I'VE) must be the only person other than myself who rates a shotgun as a dangerous game weapon.
Personally I am not keen on lighter faster calibre close up but a large dia 500gr bullet at virtually any velocity makes a good close range weapon in my book.

 

[Dewald]

I got rid of my ZKK602 .458 Lott in exchange for a Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan .416 Ruger.

The Lott didn't feed 100% reliable, and I struggled to get a scope to work with it. Turns out a few of them (ZKK602 and CZ550), came out of the factory with the barrel and action axis not exactly true, iow the barrel pointing ever so slightly down. Of course with open sights this is fine, but you run out of elevation trying to zero a scope.

The Ruger is ugly, but often hunting in the rain and stupid humidity in Kwazulu Natal, the hogue stock and SS barreled action are practical. Fitted with a Swarovski Z6 1-6x24 on Alaska Arms QDs I use it backing up on plainsgame with 350gr A-frames, and for the bigger nastys 400gr Dzombo solids and 400gr A-frames. This combo can then deal with most things from 3-300 yards should the need arise. I have to add that the action, rails and ramp needed some elbow-grease from my side, but once polished to a 2000 grit finish she feeds as smooth as can be. In addition I filled the hollow stock with filler foam to get rid of the hollow clang it produced, and added a Pachmayr Old English, as I found the original pad would snag to almost every item of clothing.

My next big bore would be a .416 Rigby in a Heym Martini Express or Perhaps a Dakota African. Being in RSA the Heym is definitely easier to come by though.

And of course, should a .375 H&H Pre-64 in good nic cross my road again, I WILL NOT be so stupid to pass it up again.

 

[Bruce]

ZKK 602 375 H&H. Standard 25,5 inch barrels( both of them)
CZ550. 458 WM. Standard barrel

 

[geoff rath]

To wander (slightly) off topic, I'm with daga boy, a good 470NE will do admirably. my dream set-up for Africa is a 470NE as just stated, with a set of either 12, or 20 gauge barrels to go with it. Ahhh, dreams ....