What calibre for Cape Eland

[MJ75]

As the title says, what calibre and ammo combination would you recommend for Cape Eland bulls?

Would a .30-06 with 220 grain ammo be enough when shooting at distance? Thanks in advance.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Hi MJ75,
That combination will certainly work. Even loading the .30-06 with 180gr will be fine. Personally, I would try and get within 180yds or so, and punch him through the lungs . An Eland is a big unit, and carries a big motor.


Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[TokkieM]

Agree with Marius, 180gr bullet will get the job done.

 

[peras]

The 30-06 with 180grains will be fine, once again it is all about shot placement.

 

[enysse]

30-06 with 180 or 220 grains is fine for eland.

 

[slad68]

Would a .30-06 with 220 grain ammo be enough when shooting at distance? Thanks in advance.

Yes 100% sure it works, these bulls were taken by South African hunters Janus Smith and his friend, they used the same 30-06 with 220gr ProAmm factory load ammo at a distance of around 80 and 120 Yards. Both bulls took two shots each, the second shots that were taken was for insurance.

This bull was shot by a German client, he used my 7 x 57 Mauser loaded with a 170 gr Rhino bullet. The bull took a single, frontal shot in the chest at around 60 yards and was dead by the time we found him 120 yards from where he was shot

The most important thing I would say is Bullet selection and Shot placement.

This bull was shot years back, I will never forget this hunt, the gun was bigger than the operator. a 460 Weatherby Magnum with hand loads (not sure exactly what).
The first shot was at around 180 yards, the client tried a frontal shot, the bullet hit the right front leg and was a bit high. On the follow up he took a broadside shot to the shoulder. We left it overnight because of time.
We found the bull the next morning still with the herd, three more shots from the 460 was taken. In desperation I shot the bull with my 7 x 57 Mauser to finish him off.
BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello MJ75,

The PH that I have hunted with the most keeps a .30-06 Mauser that, he rents out to clients who wish to travel to Africa with no rifle or perhaps they bring a large bore double for Elephant, buffalo, etc and then wish to hunt a bit of plains game, time permitting.

He only uses one load in it - the 220 grain round nose at 2400 fps.

With it, many of his clients have taken all species of antelopes and hogs common to the Limpopo area except giraffe possibly (I've not heard him mention that animal vs the .30-06 so, I am not sure about that one specifically).

But I would presume a 220 gr .30-06 striking the neck vertebra, at the juncture of the neck and skull, would put a giraffe in the salt swiftly.

I am but a client and therefore, I only have very limited experience in hunting African animals so, my personal opinion is to be taken with a grain of salt.

My money does not fall from Heaven, I have to earn it and carefully manage it or, I would not be able to to own a decent rifle or to visit Africa.

Therefore, since the trophy fee out of my pocket on eland is nearly twice what a CZ Mauser in 9.3x62 or .375 H&H costs, or a Winchester Model 70 in .375 H&H costs, I consider buying a rifle well suited to the range of species I plan to hunt, as very affordable insurance against a wounded large animal.

In other words, I prefer to use a bit more gun than a .30 caliber on such large animals.

My personal minimum for eland would be a .33 caliber bullet, weighing 250 grains and beginning at 2400 feet per second.

The .318 Westley Richards and .338-06 both are exactly that.

Also, the 9.3x62 drives a 286 gr at about 2350 fps and I like this cartridge very much.

Almost any bolt action .30-06 can be re-barreled to 9.3x62 and will usually function well with no other modification.

The .375 H&H will shoot a 300 gr bullet around 2550 or more and I like this cartridge very much as well (perhaps the very best hunting cartridge ever dreamed up).

I hand load the .375 and 300 gr bullet to only 2400 fps and use it with great satisfaction (a bit less recoil and less edible meat destruction as well).

At the end of the day - yes the .30-06 will reportedly sack an eland but, it is not my preference, considering all the money, training and planning that I must invest into an African hunting trip.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[James.Grage]

As the title says, what calibre and ammo combination would you recommend for Cape Eland bulls?

Would a .30-06 with 220 grain ammo be enough when shooting at distance? Thanks in advance.

What you are looking at going with is a good combination.

Now if you are looking for a reason to purchase a new Rifle, look no further.

A new rifle in: 338, 375, 400, 404, 416 may fit your fancy if a new rifle is what you are wanting.

 

[Royal27]

The 30-06 with 180grains will be fine, once again it is all about shot placement.[/QUOTE]

We found the bull the next morning still with the herd, three more shots from the 460 was taken. In desperation I shot the bull with my 7 x 57 Mauser to finish him off.
BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

This and this!!!

I'm not the expert, butt the guys I'm quoting are!

SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT!!!

That .30/06 will do just fine if you hit the Eland where you are supposed to at the range the experts suggest. I own a .375 H&H, so I would use that personally, but would have no issue using my .30/06 if need be for whatever reason.

 

[PeteG]

This bull was shot years back, I will never forget this hunt, the gun was bigger than the operator. a 460 Weatherby Magnum with hand loads (not sure exactly what).
The first shot was at around 180 yards, the client tried a frontal shot, the bullet hit the right front leg and was a bit high. On the follow up he took a broadside shot to the shoulder. We left it overnight because of time.
We found the bull the next morning still with the herd, three more shots from the 460 was taken. In desperation I shot the bull with my 7 x 57 Mauser to finish him off.
BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTERView attachment 33925

Any idea what happened on impact?
I would've expected a 460 to the shoulder to end the hunt right there.
Where were the other 3 shots located?

Might give our OP a bit on insight into shot placement too.

 

[DOC-404]

..the very best caliber in the whole wide world for a Eland is the .404 Jeffery..

 

[buchnerl]

As @Royal27 also said - SHOT PLACEMENT is essential if not the only. Eland has got "big motors" - Maruis Goosen and can go fast distances if shot placement is not on the correct spot. Hitting the engine room (vital organs, lungs, heart) will cause the animal to go down instantly. A 30-06 with 180grains is more than enough and allows you to go the distance needed for these critters sometimes. However .220gr partitions would surely also be effective and satisfactory.

 

[slad68]

Any idea what happened on impact?
I would've expected a 460 to the shoulder to end the hunt right there.
Where were the other 3 shots located?

Hi PeteG

We skinned the bull out and found that all the bullets were in the right place, on the shoulder. But as I mentioned the ammo was hand loaded and I am not sure exactly what they were. There was something wrong with the ammo for sure.

All the bullets were retrieved from the shoulder but in small bits and pieces. The bullet disintegrated on impact.
Maybe if one had struck behind the shoulder it would have worked better on a lung shot.

 

[PeteG]

Hi PeteG

We skinned the bull out and found that all the bullets were in the right place, on the shoulder. But as I mentioned the ammo was hand loaded and I am not sure exactly what they were. There was something wrong with the ammo for sure.

All the bullets were retrieved from the shoulder but in small bits and pieces. The bullet disintegrated on impact.
Maybe if one had struck behind the shoulder it would have worked better on a lung shot.

Thanks, so shot placement was ok, bullet choice was kak!

 

[slad68]

Exactly what you say

 

[MJ75]

All, thanks for the replies they are appreciated. I totally understand the importance of shot placement, however with these kinds of threads I always find the replies interesting.

I once shot a blue wildebeest with a .308 using a 150 grain round. He ran, and then ran some more. We tracked him for half a mile before I dispatched him with a second shot. The first bullet had pierced both the heart and the lungs. I'm used to hunting UK species of deer which are not as tough.

I guess it's because of this, that I wondered if a similar calibre rifle would be suitable for taking Eland. I've used my .30-06 and 180 grain rounds to drop kudu bulls and like others, I didn't find kudu to be particularly tough. So perhaps my real question is, how tough are cape eland compared to kudu and blue wildebeest?

I'm back in RSA next june and will have my 30 calibre rifle with me. I don't plan on buying anything bigger for the trip, but wondered if I do decide to hunt an eland, will I have enough firepower. From the replies it appears I'll be fine.

Now, how hard are they to hunt?

Thanks again.

 

[slad68]

I once shot a blue wildebeest with a .308 using a 150 grain round. He ran, and then ran some more. We tracked him for half a mile before I dispatched him with a second shot. The first bullet had pierced both the heart and the lungs. I'm used to hunting UK species of deer which are not as tough.

Wildebeest is totally a different story on it's own, you will find that most of them are born sick and the more you shoot them the healthier they become.

 

[peras]

I have walked more miles after wounded wildebeest than any other animal.

 

[slad68]

LEKKER PIETTA

 

[peras]

View attachment 33998
LEKKER PIETTA

Ha ha, see what Billc has done to my reputation! Bossie its actually only when I hunt up north in your area that I look like that, you know the rumours about you guys.