Elephant hunting rifle, bullets and scope ?

I don't have a burning desire to hunt elephant. I'm going to hunt elephant next September. Botswana has an over population problem with elephants. As it sits now they could take 2000 a year and it would not be enough to stabilize the growth of the population.

Tino at Trophy Game Safari go to setup is a 416 Rigby running the 300gr Stone Hammer with a red dot halo sight. This is not a traditional setup but has proven over and over to be more effective than the traditional heavy solid at 2200 fps for penetration and killing ability. I plan to take a 500 Jeffery running a 450gr Stone Hammer at north of 2700 fps. Not the traditional 570gr solid running 2200 fps. I don't think the 50 cal is needed, it's just cool! My rifle is getting built now. It will be a 22" barrel on a 1917 Enfield in a English walnut stock topped with a red dot.

Due to the overpopulation of elephants the price to hunt them is much less than ever before. Much less than a guided moose hunt in Alaska and you can get the tusks home. If any of you want to have a true African Safari experience there is no better time than now.

I've always wanted a Leopard…..I think that I just changed my mind! memtb

nksmfamjp said:

If it were me, I'd get a Winchester 70 Safari in 458 Win Mag, cut the barrel to 22", fit NECG sights to it, ream to 458 Lott and set the lop right for you. Then practice.

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there is no need to ream it to a Lott, you may have feeding issues do the coal. all you need to do is shoot 404gr Hammers or 420gr CEB Raptors and they will do the job

MagnumManiac said:

When I went in the 90's, the ONLY elephant hunting legally was on rogue elephants destroying villagers homes and crops. $30,000USD was the price back then. Didn't look at the regs because I wasn't there to hunt elephants. Although I had my 375 Weatherby and 416 Rigby, my buddy had my 404 Jeffrey so we were covered.
Have no idea what it would cost today.

Cheers.

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the going rate is 1000.00 per day (10 day min) for your daily fees plus what ever the country charges for trophy fees, tips, fee to govt game scout to watch you, then comes taxidermy, shipping, and all the govt fees to leave the country then you have all the fees here to get it in this country.

HARPERC said:

Now they're working on bringing back wooly mammoths, you should get online and find a proper rifle.

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That's what I've been telling folks when they ask what on earth I need my .450 Ackley for! . It's my mammoth hammer! Think of how many meatballs you'd get out of a mastodon. Saskatchewan ought to be prime mammoth country.

When I went over archery hunting, my PH'S WIFE SHOOT 2 ELEPHANTS WITH A 375.She was 115 # gal.On that trip I had a 40 yard night shot at a leopard ,missed.That was a low point of trip, I had no night type sight and had shot my bow every day for a year.I shot a steenbuck which is 8'' at 62yrds.If I recall I had a 27 animal year that ended with a B&C mt, moose,large 6x6 and a last day 165 whitey

Phil Rizzo said:

My m70 shoots about 1" groups at 100, using A-Frames and solids, both 400grs.
Same POI.
416 RM with a 1.75-6 VXIII.

Brother took buffalo and some other large plains animals with it.
I've only shot pigs with it!
If I get to put it to good use on something important there will be a tougher optic on top.

Plenty accurate for Jumbo

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I shot an elephant in Tanzania with exactly this setup, but I had the 24" barrel cut to 22." I have shot 8 Cape buffalo with it, a hippo, an eland, a wildebeest, and perhaps a few other animals. Will be with me in Tanzania next year; I have three Cape buffalo on license - all of my buffalo have been shot in Tanzania with 3 buff on quota, but I have always "saved" my last one for that "monster."

100percent said:

It takes nerves of steel to bowhunt elephants! I quit only because I got tired of lugging around the decoys!

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Best post award!!

100percent said:

It takes nerves of steel to bowhunt elephants! I quit only because I got tired of lugging around the decoys!

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Back in the day I worked the bow counter at a sportsman's warehouse, and we had a guy bring in an elephant bow. 108 pound, 31.5" draw. The man and the bow were monsters. It was an old style, with small dual cams (not much let off). He had a few pictures of him posing with a dead elephant and that bow. No guarantee that he actually shot it, that sort of thing could be set up, but i felt his story was genuine.

We all took turns trying to shoot the bow which was a hoot. I was quite proud I could pull it back, then scared when I remembered that my draw length is 27", and those extra 3.5" matter a lot (my wife would say the same thing!). It was a bit hairy launching the arrow without taking a forearm smack but i got lucky that day.

I was up hunting fall turkey last week and after first day tagged out in camp . My buddy and me were done by 11am . So out came the guns and he brought up his ruger#1 in 416 rigby and his 375 ultra mag . What fun I always expect more recoil but there not bad to shoot . The guns were bought on the site from two different members. The 416 is intimidating when you look at the cartridge. A 300gr bullet will definitely put a hurt on something . It had me thinking of this thread.