Will my Professional Hunter want me to bring more than a .270

[CAustin]

Yidava if you practice with and are comfortable with the 270 you will be fine as others have remarked! No need for another rifle! The 270 fires a very straight bullet! Put three or four boxes through the barrel at the range before you go and you will be all over plains game!

 

[lcq]

For my first plains game hunt I rented my PH's personal (only) rifle a 270 Musgrave. I was using 150gr PMP which are soft and definitely not premium bullets like an accubond. They knocked down everything just fine. The PH personally used 130gr loads when he hunted and he has been using that rifle for more than 20 years. There is a very well known and respected EC outfitter here who loads his 308 with 130gr GSC bullets for clients and they use it with great success.

Like we used to say in archery, a slow hit is better than a fast miss.

 

[Sand Rat]

For my first plains game hunt I rented my PH's personal (only) rifle a 270 Musgrave. I was using 150gr PMP which are soft and definitely not premium bullets like an accubond. They knocked down everything just fine. The PH personally used 130gr loads when he hunted and he has been using that rifle for more than 20 years. There is a very well known and respected EC outfitter here who loads his 308 with 130gr GSC bullets for clients and they use it with great success.

Like we used to say in archery, a slow hit is better than a fast miss.

Pretty sure I'll be using that same 308 next month with great success.

My wife used the outfitters 250 savage on our first safari and her Impala and warthog were dead on the spot. But she doesn't miss the sweet spot, wish I could shot like she does.

 

[yidava25]

Thanks for all the replies.
If I were choosing a rifle specifically for Africa it would not be a .270, and who knows, by the time I get there things may have changed and I might be able to get something heavier.
Again, I appreciate you guys letting me pick your brains.

Jim

 

[greyfox]

Simple, ASK your PH. You're going to be hunting together so start a dialog and ASK.

 

[Husker-in-WA]

Jim,
If you reload you may want to try 160 gr. Partitions in your 270. My weatherby vanguard loves em. Took Canadian moose at 230 yds with perfect mushroom found on opposite side of double lung shot. Complete pass through on caribou frontal chest shot at 40 yards.

 

[siml]

I don't know why people worry about an eland? It's skin is soft, as far as I am concerned they are easy to drop, just stay away from the neck.

 

[Royal27]

I don't know why people worry about an eland? It's skin is soft, as far as I am concerned they are easy to drop, just stay away from the neck.

At least in this post I think I started it by mentioning in my first post.

I just grabbed the biggest antelope I could find.... you know a heck of a lot more about how tought they really are than I do!!!!

 

[Code4]

If you give cred to any of the celeb 'hunting' journos (who are in business and don't provide a service much past entertainment).

Ref.: http://www.chuckhawks.com/mythology_cartridge.htm
Interesting article only if backed by your own personal experience.

'Craig Boddington conducted two surveys of licensed African professional hunters, one in 1989 and the second in 2007. According to Craig, “In 1989 the 7mm Magnums were extremely popular, both as a professional hunter’s personal choice and as a recommendation to a client. The .30-06 also did well, but there was little support for the .270.” In 2007 this changed dramatically, as there was little support for 7mm Magnums, the old 7x57 was much stronger for “light plains game” (whatever that means), but the winner in this category was the .270 Winchester. This suggests that some hunters, including professional hunters, are just as bewilderingly fickle as ever.'

 

[lcq]

If you give cred to any of the celeb 'hunting' journos (who are in business and don't provide a service much past entertainment).

Ref.: http://www.chuckhawks.com/mythology_cartridge.htm
Interesting article only if backed by your own personal experience.

'Craig Boddington conducted two surveys of licensed African professional hunters, one in 1989 and the second in 2007. According to Craig, “In 1989 the 7mm Magnums were extremely popular, both as a professional hunter’s personal choice and as a recommendation to a client. The .30-06 also did well, but there was little support for the .270.” In 2007 this changed dramatically, as there was little support for 7mm Magnums, the old 7x57 was much stronger for “light plains game” (whatever that means), but the winner in this category was the .270 Winchester. This suggests that some hunters, including professional hunters, are just as bewilderingly fickle as ever.'

All depends where you are hunting in Africa. The fast magnums don't do well in the bush and my PH last year didn't like them for that reason. In 2014 EC my PH said they excel shooting koppie to koppie which easily happens in the more open cape

 

[Joes]

Your .270 should be fine I have shot from warthog to eland with a .270 without a problem. As mentioned in another post the eland is soft I have had a 150gr pmp go completely through the eland ribcage, the eland took a few steps and dropped. Wildebeest are more of a challenge.

Personally I think the Barnes 140TSX is an excellent bullet for the .270 for larger plains game. The 110TSX is great for impala and so forth just be careful shooting into a herd you hit more than one animal

 

[Upton O. Good]

If you wound it, you bought it whether you recover it or not. If you are confident you are are really good shot and can afford trophy fees for unrecovered game, go for it.

A .270 is okay for some plains game but a .30 cal is better. Don't want to buy another rifle? Rent one from the PH, it saves the import hassles and will kill the game just fine. I rented a supressed (NOT a muzzle braked) rifle and just loved the experience of shooting it.

 

[JimP]

My question for you that doubt the .270 and recommend the .30 calibers, why stop at the .30's? If the .30 is better than the .27's lets go up to the .338's or .375's.

The .270 with proper bullets is just as capable as the .30 calibers on plains game unless you start talking the magnums but then you can throw in the .270 Weatherby into that fight.

 

[siml]

Just speaking from my experience, most ph's I have worked with carry, 308 or 30-06 for backing up clients.

 

[sestoppelman]

Load up some Barnes Triple Shocks of about 140 grs, run them to about 3000 fps, you can, and you will have a load that will dump things with aplomb. Up to and including wildebeest. My boy used his .284 Win with that bullet at that speed in RSA in '14 and it worked great. Only thing needed more than one bullet was his kudu, high shoulder shot. Knocked it flat but the PH had him put one in the neck after it was down. If you shoot it well, take it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Load up some Barnes Triple Shocks of about 140 grs, run them to about 3000 fps, you can, and you will have a load that will dump things with aplomb. Up to and including wildebeest. My boy used his .284 Win with that bullet at that speed in RSA in '14 and it worked great. Only thing needed more than one bullet was his kudu, high shoulder shot. Knocked it flat but the PH had him put one in the neck after it was down. If you shoot it well, take it.

Totally agree.....but aplomb? I had to look it up!

 

[sestoppelman]

 

[Hein]

Hello all,

I do not wish to start yet another debate on whether or not cartridge A is capable of taking species B.
My question is whether or not a client who is armed slightly on the light side will make a PH uneasy.

I understand that it is my decision to make and that it is up to the PH to deal with it. However, I would prefer that the PH only be worried about my shooting skill and not about my firearm of choice when it comes to making the shot.

The situation is this:
I have a Sako 85 in .270 Win. I am planning a PG safari for 2 or 3 years from now and I would prefer not to buy another rifle. There is no doubt in my mind that this rifle is sufficient for the species I intend to hunt. It would just bring me peace of mind to know that the PH is not going to cringe when he sees that I am not armed with a .338. Having never been to Africa I do not know from experience what the prevailing attitude on this matter is.

Thanks to all for entertaining the rambling thoughts of an Africa rookie.

Jim

Hi Jim

Pack your .270...There is nothing wrong with you bringing your .270. Yes there are other calibers that will be better like the .300, .375, .30-06 and I can go on BUT your .270 will do great.

Practice shooting positions, Practice standing off shooting stick and practice shot placement. Eland and wildebeest are tough animals but can be shot with a .270 and I am sure your guide will allow you to use his rifle should you want to on a Eland or Wildebeest.

Also pack in good quality ammo or loads in the line of Barnes TSX or Nosler Accubond. 130 -150gr will be perfect.

 

[gizmo]

I had to look it up too

1. a·plomb
   [əˈpläm, əˈpləm]
   NOUN
   1. self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation:
      "Diana passed the test with aplomb"
      synonyms: poise · self-assurance · 
      Oxford Dictionaries
      Translations, word origin, and more

 

[Sand Rat]

I had to look it up too

1. a·plomb
   [əˈpläm, əˈpləm]
   NOUN
   1. self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation:
      "Diana passed the test with aplomb"
      synonyms: poise · self-assurance · 
      Oxford Dictionaries
      Translations, word origin, and moreView attachment 57470

Words like this are way over the head for most on this forum...........well maybe just Gizmo and myself.

I thought it was in reference to the sound a bullet makes when it hits where it's supposed to.