rifle for dangerous and big game

**keegangobey** · 31-05-2010, 08:26

hey guys

i'm looking to buy a rifle to hunt big and dangerous game like buff, cats and elephant. i'm keen on the .375 h&h cz550 but not sure weather this calibre is big enough. due to the licencing taking so long would rather buy one gun that covers all the game mentioned than buy a .375 and then something not much bigger to just hunt elephant.thanx.

**MyLani** · 31-05-2010, 08:42

If you will be hunting then stick to the .375. It is more than capable enough of stopping an Elephant, the ammo is available everywhere and you can use it for general antelope hunting as well.

If you are a PH or guide, get something bigger than a .375 for insurance. I've got a .416 Rigby that I absolutely love, but loaded ammo sells for R2500/20 (learn to reload). Otherwise a .458 win mag is great, but how often will it be used.

Moral of the story, if you are just hunting and not guiding, get a .375 and use it often and well......

**Bushboy** · 31-05-2010, 09:11

I agree with MyLani, also look at 458 Lott and variants. 458 win mag velocities from pmp isnt so great. PS .375 is minimum calibre loaded with 286gr monolithics for dangerous game (if you have no backup and there is no telling what you might meet.),It is the minimum but make no mistake, itll do the job. 300gr Swift A-frames would be my choice for HUNTING. Excellent penetration good expansion. The CZ in 550 or 602 guise is THE dangerous game rifle of choice. Reliability, controlled feed, ruggedness and mag capacity.

**LukeS** · 31-05-2010, 09:19

Agree with whats been said except dont buy a 458 win mag!

Get the Lott! or look at the 458 SABI (500 necked down to 458).

personally 416 Rigby would be my choice but a lekker CZ 375 will do the job and do it well.

cheers

**300H&H** · 31-05-2010, 10:41

keegangobey, you are getting some good advice here friend, i cant add anything to what the guys told you. now it is up to you.

**Riaan404** · 31-05-2010, 10:50

As said before, it depends what you’d want to use the rifle for. If you’re only ever going to shoot one or two elephant, a .375 H&H would serve you well as a general all-rounder.
If you anticipate more frequent encounters with elephants and/or rhinos, you will be better served by something larger.
Although the .404 and .416’s can handle the big boys, a 458 Lott, 450 Watts or 450 Rigby should serve a regular elephant hunter even better.

**krobar** · 31-05-2010, 11:19

Since most of us will never get to practise taking dangerous game it might be wize to be over-gunned.
If you're going to spend the amount of money it takes to shoot a buff or elephant, I'm sure it might be worth it to get a tool that you can be proud of when you take it out of its pouch for the PH to inspect.
A .416 Rigby is plenty of gun and a box of 20 bullets should be good for a season.

**Bushboy** · 31-05-2010, 15:30

Originally Posted by krobar

If you're going to spend the amount of money it takes to shoot a buff or elephant, I'm sure it might be worth it to get a tool that you can be proud of when you take it out of its pouch for the PH to inspect.
A .416 Rigby is plenty of gun and a box of 20 bullets should be good for a season.

20 rounds wont get me through a 10 minute training session. If you intend to be any good, practice and get good at shooting without a rest, reloading in the shoulder. I couldnt give a rats ass what the PH thinks of my toys, Id prefer him to admire the quality of my shooting. Dont get me wrong, I drool every time I even look at a 416, and if I could get enough cases together Id reload plenty and train a great deal. Also the 416 recoil is not for everyone. If you have the loot and can manage the recoil, go for it.

**shakari** · 01-06-2010, 13:34

The .375 H&H is usually the minimum calibre for most DG in most African countries but you do need to be extra cautious with shot placement on the big 'n uglies with it.

Frontal chest shots on buff for example can be a problem with the .375s..... especially if you're using anything except the very best bullets.

I'd actually recommend you go to a .416 (preferably) Rigby, a .404 Jeffery or a .458 Lott or .458 3 inch Stewart and of those, I'd recommend the .416 or the .404 as the most versatile.

If you find you battle with the recoil, you should consider having a mercury tube or tungsten bead recoil arrestor fitted into the stock.

If you're worried about ammo cost learn to reload.

If you want to test shoot a .500 Jeffery or a .404 Jeffery and are located in the lowveld to see how you handle bigger calibres, send me an email to shakari3@mweb.co.za and if I'm around we'll try to get together.

If it's just one or two rounds, you can have them on me but if it's a whole bunch of rounds, I'll have to ask you to pay for what you use as the same price it costs me to load 'em.

Speaking as a PH, I'd say Bushboy has got it dead right. I don't care how pretty or how expensive a client's rifle is but I do care very much how competent and confident he is with it.

**machann** · 01-06-2010, 13:43

Go for the 375 H&H. If you want to beef it up go for 370gr bullets or something similar. Also the CZ is a workhorse and made to be carried around in the open air which means that you wouldn’t have to worry about it feeding and bolt not closing even when it is little dirty. I quote a PH again “ I’ll rather take someone buff (big game) hunting which can shoot a 375H&H straight instead of somebody which is scared of his 600NE”…