Ever shoot an elephant gun?

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Owen Sparks

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Anyone had any experience with a really big caliber like
.577 nitro express or a 4 bore? I shot a .458 magnum once and it felt about like a heavy 12ga duck load. It really did not feel like something that I would bet my life on to stop a charging cape buffalo.
 
.458 Lott. Not so much a kick as much as a large push. You couldn't pay me to shoot one with a scope on it though.
 
H&Hhunter is your guy.

Experience in a variety of weapons (like the double rifle) designed to bring home the heffalump.

I wonder if we can get his attention . . .
 
I pulled the trigger one time on a 600 nitro express........ worst head ache I ever had lasted for 5 days...........that will be the last time I pull a trigger on anything with nitro express behind a number
 
Yes.
I have fired a fair number of them.
.470NE, .375H&H, .458WinMag, .416Rigby, .50-140-3 1/4Sharps, etc.
The trick is to shoot them off-hand standing up.
NEVER shoot one off the bench.
 
I have shot .375 H&H, .416 Remington, .458 Win Mag, .450 BPE, .500 BPE.

Don't let the macho men kid you, they all kick like a SOB. Of course I think a heavy 12 ga load kicks, too, so maybe I am just not macho.
 
Don't let the macho men kid you, they all kick like a SOB.
Click to expand...
Well, maybe. Kinda. Recoil pad, weight, and stock design have a big influence on felt recoil.

I shoot 385 grain 2,000 fps sabots out of my 870. This doesn't miss the "big game" round by too much. Recoil is substantial, but not the end of the earth.

Worst kicking gun I ever shot was a .45-70 Ruger #1 Sporter weight, loaded to .458 specs. Weighed about the same as a good sized .22. Wow. Shoulder was bruised for over a week.
 
Yes, several different calibers. .505 Gibbs was my favorite, but I suspect it was because that rifle was intentionally built to be overweight.

Oddly the least enjoyable experience with recoil I've had is a .378 Wby Mag. Not an "elephant rifle" but just plain nasty.:scrutiny:
 
I've shot a few. 375 H&H, 416 Rem mag, 458 win mag, 460 Weatherby, and a
470 NE. They are not that bad shooting off hand standing up. It is definitely best if you can rock back with the recoil instead of fighting it. The 470 was the only one I would say was really uncomfortable.
 
I have shot .458 Win. Mag., .378 and .460 Weatherby.
The .378 was by far the most unpleasant rifle I have ever fired and that includes several rifles in .50 Browning.

The .458 Win. Mag. and the .458 Lott tapered straight wall cases can be downloaded to .45-70 pressure and velocity for range shooting fun.
This is not recommended for the .460 Weatherby because the case shoulder can cause the cartridge to grenade detonate if it is downloaded too much.

For many years the .458 Winchester Magnum has been issued to Game Control Officers and Wardens in Africa.
This cartridge has probably accounted for more legally shot elephants in the last fifty years than any other cartridge on the market.

The 7.62X54 PKM general pupose machinegun has been the weapon of choice for many elephant poachers since the mid 1970s.
 
.475 NE in a very heavy double rifle: Not "snappy" just a really BIG push. I think this is an old caliber. Early 20th century perhaps. Actually, I think a 3 1/2" 12ga super magnum is probably just as stout.
 
Pre 64 mod 70 in .375 H&H here. Sooting it isn't the end of the world, but it's not something that I want to sit down and run a box of 20 through. My father used to use it hunting Elk in Colorado. They didn't run far after hit.
 
My father owned and sold a .600 Nitro Express double rifle made back in the 40's I guess. It was a beautiful rifle - engraving was something to behold. The man he sold it to was a family friend and let me shoot it when I was 21. He handed me the rifle with two cartridges on deck. I aimed and pulled the trigger, then promptly handed him the rifle back with one on deck....I was all set. I tried to buy the rifle back when he passed away, but the family had stupidly sold his 100-gun collection for a stunningly low price. I figured they sold that Nitro for about 300-bucks...
 
Does a .50 bmg bolt rifle count?
Of course I won't count the really big stuff uncle sam paid me to pull thr trigger on.
 
Have i shot an Elephant gun? You bet, 7x57. Mr.Bell killed a thousand Elephants with one. The recoil is not nearly as bad as you would think.
 
remington 600 .350 mag. If that doesn't get your attention you're not paying attention. Sold it to wild west guns in anchorage for a nice profit.
 
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