Things have changed in some countries that have now gotten rid of FPE requirements and some have even dropped the diameter requirements for dangerous game of the past. Interesting stuff here. List of caliber requirement by country. I did not verify all of them but did look into several and they were correct. Make sure and check with your PH or booking agent before going on that hunt just to be sure. Benin • There is no minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Benin. • Benin does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Botswana • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Botswana is .222 caliber for any game other than dangerous game. • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Botswana is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting. • The maximum equipment allowed for rifle hunting in Botswana is .577 Nitro Express caliber. • Botswana does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Burkina Faso • There is no minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Burkina Faso. • Burkina Faso does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Cameroon • For Group 1 - Small Game, the equipment requirement for hunting is .240 caliber or less, shotgun may be used as well. • For Group 2 - Medium Game, the equipment requirement for hunting is .240 to .354 caliber. • For Group 3 - Big Game, the equipment requirement for hunting is .354 caliber or larger. • Cameroon does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Central African Republic • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Central African Republic is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting. • Central African Republic does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Ethiopia • There is no minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Ethiopia. • Ethiopia does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Mozambique • There is no minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Mozambique. • Mozambique does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Namibia • Smallest caliber allowed 7 mm (.284). • Minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) • Big Game 5400 Joule (Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Lion, etc.) • Large Game 2700 Joule (Greater Kudu, Cape Eland, Oryx / Gemsbok, Red Hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Hartmann's Zebra, Burchell's Zebra, Giraffe, Sable Antelope, Roan Antelope, Waterbuck, Tsessebe, Leopard, etc.) • Medium to Small Game 1350 Joule (Springbok, Impala, Blesbok, Gray Duiker, Steenbok, Ostrich, Caracal, Black-Faced Impala, Red Lechwe, Damara Dik-Dik, Klipspringer, Black-Backed Jackal, Warthog, Cheetah, Nyala, Chacma Baboon, Game Birds, etc.) South Africa • Most provinces do not have a minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting and rely on common sense. • Some provinces require a minimum of .375 caliber for dangerous or big game hunting. • No provinces require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Tanzania • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Tanzania is .240 caliber for any game other than dangerous game. • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Tanzania is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting. • Tanzania does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Zambia • Zambia does not have a minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting plains game and rely on common sense. Caliber in the .270 range will be well suited for some of the smaller plains game in Zambia. • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Zambia is .300 caliber for dangerous game such as Leopard and Lion. • The minimum equipment requirement for rifle hunting in Zambia is .375 caliber for dangerous game or big game hunting such as Elephant, Buffalo and Hippo. • Zambia does not require a minimum energy (Eo - muzzle velocity) for calibers used. Zimbabwe • Class A Game 5300 Joule Minimum caliber 9.2mm in diameter (Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo) • Class B Game 4300 Joule Minimum caliber 7.0mm in diameter (Lion, Giraffe, Eland) • Class C Game 3000 Joule Minimum caliber 7.0mm in diameter (Leopard, Crocodile, Kudu, Oryx / Gemsbok, Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Zebra, Nyala, Sable Antelope, Waterbuck, Tsessebe, etc.) • Class D Game 850 Joule Minimum caliber 5.56mm in diameter (Warthog, Impala, Reedbuck, Sitatunga, Duiker, Steenbok, Jackal, Game Birds, etc.) • Black Powder Rifles Minimum caliber .40 Joules to Ft-Lbs calculator. http://www.unitconversion.org/energy/joules-to-foot-pounds-conversion.html
This is handy to know. Some places rule out my BLR 257 Roberts, but a 45-70 Govt Sharps fills that hole quite nicely.
Correct me if I'm wrong please but it looks like a 45/70 would cover it all. With an 06 and a .375 thrown in for good measure a person should be ready for anthing.
rori, Uhh OK I'll do what you asked and correct you. The .45-70 doesn't make energy mins in Zimbabwe or Namibia for the big stuff. Actually if you had a .375H&H and a .30-06 you could just leave the .45-70 at home and have everything nicely covered. The only reason to bring a .45-70 to Africa is because you really really want to.
So H and H and others...if one wanted to have an "African Rifle"...to own and practice with just in case the opportunity every presented itself. Would a 375 WBY Mark V be a good choice? Since it can shoot both 375 weatherby and 375 H and H?
The .375 Wthby is one of the finest choices available. It truly is an improvement on the H&H and a very solid choice.
I see that Nambia requires 1350 joules for gamebirds. I went to your calculator link. 1350 joules equals 995 ft. lbs. What kind of freaking birds do they hunt there? Rimfires wouldn't qualify. If you counted shotgun energy as the amount per pellet, you can't use them either. A 357 magnum wouldn't qualify. A 44 magnum...barely. I would hate to cross path with whatever gamebirds they hunt there.
I used a 7 mm Rem Mag for plains game and .375 H&H Mag for dangerous game in Tanzania when I lived there many years ago. The .375 was a great caliber, in my estimation, and I used it on everything from dik dik to elephant. Overkill for dik dik, but if it's the only thing you have, why not? The very first African game I shot (other than birds) was a large male waterbuck I shot at about 250 yards with the 7 mm Rem Mag. One shot and he was down and out. The guys I was hunting with (as a resident I didn't need a PH) were impressed, both with the shot and with the power of the round. I also carried a S&W .44 mag on my hip when hunting in CAR just in case a lion decided it wanted to have a bite of me. A good friend lost his left buttock to a lion bite, and very nearly lost his life. He always flew his plane right wing low after that -- really! Until he learned to put a cushion under his left buttock.
The information on Namibia is not completely correct. The minimum caliber of 7mm is simply the recommendation of the guides association and is not any part of the actual law.
