Heading to Africa…what rifle do I take?

[MagnumManiac]

Regardless of cartridge chosen, your outfitter will most likely get you shootings off sticks at STATIONARY animals. This is totally unfamiliar for me, I have always shot offhand at close range, say to around 200 metres comfortably.
Never used a stand/blind/hide, just spotlighting from the truck and purposefully from rests and bags for LR/ELR type work.
If it is foreign to you shooting off sticks, like me, I suggest you practice before going. I was completely uncomfortable, no confidence and simply miserable shooting that way. We spent an entire day trying to get me comfortable, it was not going well, so I said to the PH to please allow me to show you how I shoot both with and without a sling. He was amazed. I told him I was an Australian…we CAN shoot.
Still, I was told to use the sticks…

Cheers.

 

[Bwana Barry]

Wife and I are heading to South Africa in late April. Will be hunting the usual…Wildebeest, kudu, warthog, springbuck, blesbuck, waterbuck. No super large animals. My question is what rifle to take. The outfitter says my wife's 7mm-08 is plenty and the rifle fits her perfect so that's what she wants to use. I was thinking a 280AI or 28 nosler. I also have a 30 Nosler and 6.5 PRC. I THINK THE 300 ultra mag is a little much. Never having gone I can't decide and there are so many choices lol. I have heard these dark continent critters are TOUGH.

I live in S Africa, and hunt extensively in S Africa and Namibia....
Your choice of rifle for wife is an excellent choice.
For your hunting - especially wildebeest and waterbuck, I would strongly suggest you take your 30 Nosler and load with 180 Nosler Partition, Accubond or A Frame...or heavier......enjoy..

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

Take whatever outfit you can shoot most accurately. More importantly, choose a quality bullet.

 

[wyld!]

280AI and 7mm-08 are plenty and 140-150 premuim bullets. A few things I have learned from 5 african safaris in Zim and RSA.

1) Practice shooting standing of of sticks @ at least 150 yards
2) Practice getting on the sticks fast and settled fast
3) You can make easy practice sticks with three wooden dowels or bamboo sticks and a cut up bunchy cord or vacuum cleaner drive belt (rounded)
4) Most shot opportunities are missed because of slow target acquisition

Enjoy, your hunt!

Take the gun you are most confidant with while shooting . A 30 cal is great !

 

[Gary in MD]

We went to SA this past year. Had a wonderful time and killed a bunch.
Don't overthink it, practice a lot using field positions with any decent hunting load out of any of your rifles. Learn to shoot off of shooting sticks, we made them out of some bamboo here at home, they cost nothing. Pick the rifle that you want to have next to you in your photos because you are going to kill a bunch and have some great memories. The game isn't any "tougher" than anywhere else, hit them in the chest with a good bullet and prepare to start grinning for your trophy pictures!

 

[PlumberEd]

You have gotten a lot of good advice already. So, some of my advice will be redundant. I took a suppressed 308 with 165 grain Scirocco 2 Bullets to RSA. The 308 turned out to be a good caliber. The PH will more than likely try to get you within 100 yards of stationary animals. You should take whatever rifle you are most comfortable shooting and use a heavy mono or A Frame or similar bullet. The wife's 7mm-08 with the correct bullet will be fine.

1. Practice (at least weekly) shooting off of 3 legged sticks and offhand. Know your limitations and express them to your PH. All of our shoots were done from the standing position.
2. Outfit the rifles with a medium power scope along the lines of a 2.5-10.
3. If you do take your own rifles, hire Rifles Permits in SA to handle the SA paperwork. You will still be responsible for filing your CBP 4457 with US Customs Service before leaving.
4. Practice getting set up quickly to shoot. I lost at least one opportunity because of being slow.

FWIW Gary, my wife and I went to RSA together and we had a fantastic time.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

We went to SA in June of 2024. I didn't have any experiences that suggest that these animals were particularly tough to kill. I will say that there is no way I woukd take the 28 Nosler.
I would also do my best to bring a rifle that you don't need a muzzlebrake on. The PHs absolutely hate that about Americans approach to large heavy-recoiling rifles. Everyone's Africa experience is a little diminished when the 4 of you all have to cover your ears. The opportunities on great animals often happen fast. Sometimes you won't even have time to get off the safari wagon before you shoot. For the game you listed, my 100% for sure choice would be the 7mm-08, and of you could put a suppressor on it between now and then, that would be a huge enhancement to your experience. The African Safari type hunting is about the best use case for a suppressor on a rifle. I won't go back without mine.

 

[Huntaddict]

Been to Africa many times - have hunted with 3 different outfits, depending on country.

Almost every PH hunts plains game with a 7mm - 2 with a 7x57 and one with a 7mm Rem mag. Rarely do they have to shoot more than 400 yards.

7-08 would likely run fine, especially with a sturdy bonded bullet. Bergers work, sure, but most PHs that I have spoken to prefer a bonded bullet. Why? Anatomy of African animals is set more forward the N Am animals. If you want a heart shot you have to get deep in their toward the shoulders and sometime in between them.

Personally, I have killed plains game with 243 on up through a 375 H&H with a 250 A frame, and my 470NE. My thing is as the weight and size of the animal increases, so does my caliber and energy for the rifle I choose.

 

[popeye]

A friend and I went to SA in 2017 and hunted near the border of Botswana. I took a Remington 300 Win Mag and ran factory Hornady Superformance 180 Grain GMX. I was very happy with the bullets performance, 6 of the 7 animals killed were one shot kills. The longest shot I made was a ranged 350 yard shot at a Blue Wildebeest and a Zebra at 250 yards. Everything else was near the 100 yard range. As stated above, practice practice practice shooting off of shooting sticks.
If your bringing your own rifle make sure to have a quality gun case as the baggage handler's were so rough on my buddy's rifle that his barrel punched through the end of the rifle case.
If you have a camera, bring it! The country is beautiful and the accommodations were amazing.
Learn where the kill zone is on your animal, if you draw blood, you bought the animal if its found or not. Enjoy it and post some pictures and share about your hunt upon the return.

 

[bdpayne2000]

Take whichever rifle you shoot the best. My experience in two trips to RSA: Your shots will not be too far. I suggest using a stout bullet. I used Nosler Partitions in .30-06. Practice shooting from Shooting Sticks. Learn the anatomy of the animals you are hunting. The organ placement is different from Whitetail deer, Bear, etc. Unless you plan on shooting everything from the back of the safari truck buy a pair of chaps for the 'Wait a minute brush" it will shred normal hunting pants/Jeans.

Good Luck

This is solid advice as I have been several times and would add IMO the most important advice is practice on sticks. Being good off the bench is worthless in Africa and it is likely most shoots will be standing behind sticks with not a lot of time to take the shot. And don't be surprised if the shoots are a little longer than they tell you. Practice on sticks you and your PH will be glad you did.

 

[kdenn58]

Good luck on your African safari. You've gotten good advice- practice with shooting sticks, definitely take rifles you and wife are comfortable shooting, most PH are more concerned with quality bullet than caliber. I would recommend using travel agent used to dealing with hunters-Travel Express, Gracy Travel, Travel with Guns. Just make it easier on yourself first trip. Also Africa Hunting.com is a great online source for African safaris.

 

[sp6x6]

yes as mentioned the vitals are more tucked forward.Our PH had a book showing this.My hunt was archery's had a long track on a Eland that I told him I shot perfect.Based on 20+ elk kills.I follow up shot him at 70 yrds,on orders from PH.Arrowed 24 critters big and small.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

...certainly nothing less than a .300wm with a great bullet sitting on top.Then from there, depending on the type of animal, danger factor and probable shooting distance, and size of your wallet, the sky is the limit..have fun, take a 1000's pics and share.

 

[hunter0528]

One thing to keep in mind is Ammo. What happens if you ammo is lost and you have to purchase some there. I would check with the PH as to what Cals are available for what you are bring. Nothing worse than not having you ammo, short of your gun being lost or stolen. Trackers are a great idea for both items.

Have fun and take plenty of pictures