Which is a more "classic" African cartridge, the 303 British or the 7x57 Mauser/275 Rigby?

[PCC600]

.275 Rigby
or
Lee Speed in a .303

The Mannlicher Schoenauer was introduced in 1900, chambered for the rimless 6.5X54.

All model M1903 MS were chambered for it, as were the Y1903 military models and variants.

Mannlichers from 1891 had used the rimmed 6.5X53 (6.5X53.5mmR) which, other than the rim, is identical to the rimless 6.5X54MS. That cartridge has long been referred to as '.256 Mannlicher'.

The 6.5X54 MS uses a .264 projectile through a barrel with .256 lands.

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A great cartridge with a wonderful rifle . Would I prefer a 6.5 Creedmore ? I don’t think so .

 

[mauser98]

My pick is the 7x57 Mauser. The 303 Brit is also up there, no doubt.

 

[FlyGuy]

War created our best plains game cartridges and actions.
Most 6.5’s, 30-06, 7x57, 303 etc.

DG hunting didn’t even feature when the Mauser brothers designed the CRF we all love so much. It was designed that way so that a soldier could reliably load the rifle while laying on his back, when he was taking cover with bullets zipping all around him.

The Lee Enfield design was to send as much firepower down range as possible.
Two well trained British riflemen could keep more lead in the air with their 303’s than twenty dudes could today with straight pull rifles like the Blaser R8.
The exact number escapes me, but they could average up to two shots per second if I remember correctly.

Bottom line for the OP, buy both! You won’t regret it.

 

[Muskox]

A great cartridge with a wonderful rifle . Would I prefer a 6.5 Creedmore ? I don’t think so .

I own a 6.5 CM, and while it may have be the K-Mart version of other classic 6.5mm rifle cartridges. It is available everywhere and it is accurate.