Dangerous Game Rifles for Professional Hunters in Africa?

[nyresq]

And for those who have nothing but money we have the bolt action double

http://www.szecseidoubleboltrepeater.ca/home.html

I would just love to know what this costs...

 

[gunsandreligion]

How would a marlin guide gun (with the heviest 45-70 loads you can get)Slung over your shouler work as a backup for your boltie?

 

[H&Hhunter]

How would a marlin guide gun (with the heviest 45-70 loads you can get)Slung over your shouler work as a backup for your boltie?

Yes in America it's a fine choice. It doesn't make the energy requirements to be DG legal in Africa. And it definitely is not a suitable back up rifle on elephant as even with the stoutest loads and finest hard cast or punch bullet it can not be relied on to give adequate penetration on a frontal brain shot on a bull elephant.

 

[TehK1w1]

Just a little offtopic, but what do you think of the 338 Win Mag as a DG round? (I know it's not legal). It seems like it would do the trick just fine for lion and leopard.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Just a little offtopic, but what do you think of the 338 Win Mag as a DG round? (I know it's not legal). It seems like it would do the trick just fine for lion and leopard.

It is a fine choice for big cats. In fact with modern bullets I think it would be a fantastic buffalo gun too. All legalities aside. As far as I know for lion the .338 is NOT legal in most if not all countries but for leopard it is. I could be dead wrong on the .338 on lion legality but I know that in most countries the .375H&H or a 9.3 is the minimum. I know it doesn't make any sense but that is the way it is.

 

[Gunfighter123]

Hi N --------- thanks for the link about the double bolt rifle.

And for those who have nothing but money we have the bolt action double

http://www.szecseidoubleboltrepeater.ca/home.html

 

[TehK1w1]

Yeah, that's quite a gun. My only issues with it (besides price) are A: it's sure to be quite heavy, and B: I personally would get really confused trying to fire 2 shots before running the bolt. I'd probably end up either running the bolt each time (thus making the second barrel pointless), or would pull the trigger a third time before running the bolt again(which would be really bad if you REALLY need that shot).

 

[Ed Harris]

Greg's arguement favoring the .375 over .458 was availability of ammo and better control for rapid repeat shots. The Weatherbys and British calibers being very expensive and very difficult to get. PMP loads .458 Win. and .375 H&H of good quality in SA. Greg preferred the .375 as an all-around rifle and felt no hunter would need anything else, anywhere in the world. Its lighter recoil than the .458 faciliated quick followup shots if necessary, and having a second loaded backup rifle available was felt important.

Greg was a Distinguished highpower rifle competition shooter and expert with the boltgun. He could rap off a magazine full of .375 in a jiffy and with accuracy. He felt much better to shoot the .375 very well, with good shot placement than to get off fewer rounds of .458 which would not do the job unless accurately placed. He complained that factory .458 Win. ammunition never lived up to its catalog velocity claims and that its penetration on heavy game was lacking compared to the .375.

You must go to the .458 Lott to equal performance of the old .470 N.E., but while factory .458 ammo can be used it it, velocity is even lower in the longer chamber. He felt strongly that having to depend on handloaded ammunition was less reliable for dangerous game and he simply refused to do it. He used reloads only for light cast bullet loads for shooting light game for camp meat and biltong, to save his barrel.

 

[Guiding101]

I've been a guide the better part of my life, guiding every thing from elk, and cats to bear. In the lower 48 my side arm has always, and always will be a shotgun. Occasionally a .45-110 custom lever gun. For Alaska I had a local gun guru build me a custom .378 Weatherby. Firing 270 grain Truncated solids, or 300 grain round nose puts me at around 5,700 Fpe, and 3,000 fps. Now if this gun was not a hand built rifle, I would not trust a Weatherby's action. But I have no problem carring this gun into the nastiest of conditions. And will have confidence in it on my next trip to africa.

But ideally here are my top picks.
.458 Lott
.450 Dakota
.458 Winchester
.375 H&H
.400 Whelen

On my last trip to Africa, I carried the .450 Dakota. Never had a reason to use it as a bad situation ending weapon, but I did have a chance to try it out on various plains game. And I was very impressed.

The .458 Winchester is under rated as a dangerous game gun, namely because of the old power and bullet loading from its early years. In todays powders, this gun can push out well over 5,000 Fpe. And that my friends will put down whatever walks this earth......or ever has.