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Posted: 10/17/2025 7:31:50 PM EDT
| My biggest rifle is a .300 wby mag. Have no idea if this will work. Looking at going to Africa in 2027. If I add buff to the list I will rent from outfitter. |
| At best it is on the light side. You can always rent a gun when you get there but the stories back home will be much better if you can pull out the rifle you used. |
If you think I am sexy now just wait until you find out I have full medical and dental.
Personal pronouns are; Bro/Dude
Personal pronouns are; Bro/Dude
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The 300 Weatherby for plains game is more than enough. The biggest thing I have used on plains game over there is an 8x68S and I could have done it all with my 06 which I also took along. The absolute most important thing is shot placement. Buy the book “Any Shot You Want” and study it. Do what I did and take it to the zoo and see them in real life before you go over there. Unless I am presented a broadside shot I always try to break the shoulder going I. Or on the way out. I’m at over 40 head of African game and counting. Eland down to Duiker. After shot placement is the bullet. For the 300W my choice would be the 189 TSX with the 180 TBBC and Swift A Frames as other choices. There is a huge myth on how tough African game is. With a couple of exceptions, it is just that. My Eland dropped within 10 yards. They run 1800 pounds. My first Blue Wildebeast took 2 220 grainers 45 minutes apart (at the skinning shed both were through the heart/Lung). Zebra are also tough as hell. Everything but Dangerous Game will fall quite nicely to your 300W. Next up is your scope. Use what you want but 3-9 is plenty. With a couple of exceptions not shots are 200 and under. My longest was 296 yards on a Gemsbuck in the Karoo which is pretty wide open. Dropped in his own hoof prints. I used a 165 TSX in my 06. Quality glass in good mounts is Tue ticket. Don’t over scope yourself. Now practice. A LOT!!!!! Off your day pack, kneeling standing and most importantly off the sticks. The majority of my shots have been off the sticks. Good clothing is a must. Well broken in boots, 2 hunting shorts and pants. Tag Safari is good. I wear 5.11’s for pants. They do your laundry every day so don’t over pack. I take 6 pairs of socks because if you come back to the lodge for lunch a change of socks and wicking undershirt is nice. I also take 4 of those. A nice shirt or polo for dinner and the flights are also good. I always take broken in work gloves for helping load the game after it’s down or if I am in heavy brush/thorn. Oh yes. Caliber. It matters little. I have used the following in Africa with great success. 30/06 165 TSX 8x68S 220 TSX 7 Mag 160 AB loaner rifle we were following up some else’s wounded Zebra 308 165 BT 6.5 Swede 130 TSX 243 90 gr South African cup and core bullets in Impala for camp meat. 22 LR on a Large Spotted Genet Cat Pick a rifle that fits you and that you shoot well. 375 is a classic African caliber and absolutely unnecessary on plains game. Now if you have one and WaNt to take it by all means do so, but it’s not needed. Next trip over for me is hopefully for buff and PG in Tanzania. My rifles? 470 Double for the buff and my 338-06 with 225 TSX. I also have another trip to SA planned. I’m after Sable and assorted PG like Tsessabe, Topi, Liechtenstein’s Hartebeast and a bunch of small stuff. I’m planning on my 416 Taylor (I built it for Africa and damn it it’s going!!!) I’ll use it on the Dable and a coupe of other things and switch to my light rifle will probably be my Steyr Scout in 308 worh 165 TBBC’s. Although a Savage 99 in 308 set up as a scout rifle is also a possibility. As is a 7mm Mauser. Cannons aren’t t needed. Good bullets and accuracy is. |
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What are you planning on hunting and what province? Also what PH. I think you are making the right choice in using the PH’s camp rifle if you hunt Buff. If you don’t have a heavy rifle of your own your own you might see who has o e in your friends group so you have some experience with heavier recoil before you go. Make sure you shoot it from the sticks and not the bench. When you have all your stuff assembled, lay it out and then try and cut it by half. A small day pack makes a great carryon. Really good binos really make a difference. If you can get ones like the Swarovski woth the built in LRF then even better. I got mine 2 weeks before the LRF models were released so I carry a separate hand held one. You don’t really need the LRF as most of the PH’s have them and they will literally be right next to you. A couple of nice things to take along in your rifle case are: Cleaning rod. You probably wo t need it but it’s a nice thing to have. I have seen a couple of trip and falls that wound up with a plugged muzzle. Cleaning jag and some patches. I also take a small bottle of lube which I double zip lock bag. Foot care stuff including stuff for blisters and nail clippers. A good long book for the flight. I always take my full weight limit in ammo since I can either gift it or sell it to the PH. I alway take my Swiss Army knife because a small blade or two and the scissors and tweezers can be handy. My daypack always has a head lamp with extra batteries as well as a Surefire G2 in case we end up looking for downed game after dark. I also toss in 4 packs of wet wipes. Great for cleaning up if you get bloody handling game and really great for cleaning up downed game for pictures. It beats using grass and leaves. Take lots of pics. Of everything. A good wide brimmed hat is nice. A ball cap works but the all around brim is better on a hot day. Believe it or not take rain gear. While I have never been rained on, when I was hunting in the NW province in ‘11 it showed and when we went down to the Karoo it was very cold and windy and I was able to use them as a wind barrier. Al’s o a good fleece and light gloves as the mornings can sometimes be nippy. I also take a down vest. It’s great in the morning on a cool day and makes a great extra pillow on the flights. I also like to take a journal so I can write it all down. It takes about 20 minutes each evening. If we co w I. For lunch I try to get down the mornings hu t and I try to finish it all off after my shower in the evening and before I go to the lodge for sun downers and dinner. Watch a few rugby games before you go. It’s their national sport and this way you can at least be conversant. I played and referees here and it totally shocked them a Yank played. |
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Originally Posted By Hasher1: What are you planning on hunting and what province? Also what PH. I think you are making the right choice in using the PH’s camp rifle if you hunt Buff. If you don’t have a heavy rifle of your own your own you might see who has o e in your friends group so you have some experience with heavier recoil before you go. Make sure you shoot it from the sticks and not the bench. When you have all your stuff assembled, lay it out and then try and cut it by half. A small day pack makes a great carryon. Really good binos really make a difference. If you can get ones like the Swarovski woth the built in LRF then even better. I got mine 2 weeks before the LRF models were released so I carry a separate hand held one. You don’t really need the LRF as most of the PH’s have them and they will literally be right next to you. A couple of nice things to take along in your rifle case are: Cleaning rod. You probably wo t need it but it’s a nice thing to have. I have seen a couple of trip and falls that wound up with a plugged muzzle. Cleaning jag and some patches. I also take a small bottle of lube which I double zip lock bag. Foot care stuff including stuff for blisters and nail clippers. A good long book for the flight. I always take my full weight limit in ammo since I can either gift it or sell it to the PH. I alway take my Swiss Army knife because a small blade or two and the scissors and tweezers can be handy. My daypack always has a head lamp with extra batteries as well as a Surefire G2 in case we end up looking for downed game after dark. I also toss in 4 packs of wet wipes. Great for cleaning up if you get bloody handling game and really great for cleaning up downed game for pictures. It beats using grass and leaves. Take lots of pics. Of everything. A good wide brimmed hat is nice. A ball cap works but the all around brim is better on a hot day. Believe it or not take rain gear. While I have never been rained on, when I was hunting in the NW province in ‘11 it showed and when we went down to the Karoo it was very cold and windy and I was able to use them as a wind barrier. Al’s o a good fleece and light gloves as the mornings can sometimes be nippy. I also take a down vest. It’s great in the morning on a cool day and makes a great extra pillow on the flights. I also like to take a journal so I can write it all down. It takes about 20 minutes each evening. If we co w I. For lunch I try to get down the mornings hu t and I try to finish it all off after my shower in the evening and before I go to the lodge for sun downers and dinner. Watch a few rugby games before you go. It’s their national sport and this way you can at least be conversant. I played and referees here and it totally shocked them a Yank played. Loads of info . Thank you many times over. Looking at using bass pro trip in 2027. So not sure of location yet. Just figured they have thier shit together. You have supplied a lot of info. I can handle the 300 mag no problem. Want to do buff but am a little worried. I have had spine surgery and have 2 pins and 2 wedges in my back. Cannot afford to break that loose. I am not recoil sensitive but not shot anything bigger than 300. Do the 400's rock your boat? When it gets closer can I PM you? |
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Glad to help any way I can. BTW Bass Pro does not have their shot together. They are more like pumps for the outfit that rewards them the best. Go to a few Safari outfitter/PH sites. Looks at the animals they offer and their pictures. That will give you a good idea of what you might want to hunt. SA is the best bang for your Buck. SA has an amazingly diverse terrain to hunt so it’s kind of a “build your own adventure” type of thing. Device why you want to hunt. Then where you want to hunt. One thing I always advise is pick one of their package deals and then rack on extra days from there and extra animals. My first trip was 17 days and I built it off of a 7 day 6 animal package. Do not do group hunts. You will get below average animals and all they want to do is get everyone the package animals even if they are immature. On my first trip on the flight back home all the hunters are passing around. Their pics to each other. The two guys in the row behind me had both shot very immature Impala. The horns were close to a diamond shaped configuration where as a mature Impalas horns are almost parallel or slightly tilted out. All of the other animals they shot were immature as well. I didn’t have it on me to break their hearts and just congratulated them. One of them had shot a 38” Kudu and because he believed the myth about African animals being bullet proof he was shooting a 338/378 Weatherby. Massive exit holes ruined the capes. His buddy has a 340 Weatherby. As far as shooting a big gun you do have a lot of time to work on strengthening your back. The 400’s can be pretty perky and the lighter the gun the worse it is. Some countries will let you use a 9.3 on buff so maybe that’s an option. I would liken my 416 to a 3 1/2” magnum in a 12 ga. |
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| As others have mentioned, you have plenty of gun for everything except dangerous game. I've used 30-06 and .300 WSM with great success. Learn proper shot placement, African game isn't exactly the same as North American game. If you're still in the planning stages for 2027 look into your local Safari Club International chapter, they probably have some banquets planned for the first part of next year where you may be able to buy a trip at their fundraising auction for a steep discount. Also the National SCI show is in Nashville in February, outfitters from all over the world will be there and they offer great deals at the show. |
Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. In the end, the one who wins is the one who thinks he can! - SCI, NRA
Team Ranstad
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On banquets line SCI. Dot. Forget local chapters of Dalla Safari Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the various Bighorn sheep folks, quail and pheasant unlimited banquets as well. Read the HELL out of the package you are bidding on. Some deals are terrible. Some are awesome. I was bidding on a package safari at Tue RMEF annual auction in Vegas one year. Package was 5 days hunting thst could be added to and a warthog, Impala, and a blesbok. The PH was set up in the booth area and he said sure you can trade those animals out. I quit bidding at $3100. It sold at $3300. Later I talked to the Ph and he asked who I quit bidding as it would have been perfect for Me and the 2 people I was with. He explained that was a package for 3 people. So 5 days each and 3 starter animals we could have turned i to something nicer for $1100 per person. READ THE DETAILS!!! 180-200 gr is all you really need in your Weatherby, and I use a 165 TSX in an 06. One item to take along is a small gunsmiths screwdriver kit. You never need it. Until you. We’d it really bad. Pack it in your rifle case. Same for a Luepold Lens Pen and a few towelettes for cleaning your optics. First trip I did t need the rooms or the cleaning stuff. Second trip I used the hell out of the cleaning stuff and found out I had a loose screw on a scope ring. The right tools tut won’t bugger up a screw beat the hell out of whatever screwdriver the PH happens to have. Also bring plenty of patience. Flat tires, breakdowns, and stuck land cruisers all happen. Eland, the largest antelope in the world giving you the slip for 4.5 days all happen. It’s part of the adventure. Emergencies also happen. On my first trip there was a low flying civilian helo in the area and the PH had several rhino on the property as did a couple of neighbors. Radio calls started flying with us as well as the neighbors. All hunting ceased as we all rushed toward where our rhinos were known to be. (Rhino poachers are known to dart them from a helo, cut off the gown with a power saw and fly away). It was a tense couple of hours with me contemplating having to shoot into both the rotor mast and possible the cockpit. Turns out it was a new landowner nearby checking out his property as well as that of his neighbors. I was told he was later given a very stern talking to about how it is polite to inform your neighbors when you do this. I got a unique experience and had the time of my life for a few hours. Yes I lost a little hunting time, but I got a beat story out of it. I’m still wondering honI would mount a helo as a trophy. With the advent of digital photography, take pics of everything. The lodge, the people, the landscape and of course the wildlife. Take a god camera. Also your phone of impromptu stuff. Every time I have wished for more pics than I took. |
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Man I really need to come back to this forum more often. Don't overthink the caliber. Its far more important to be able to shoot your gun without a flinch and know how to shoot it effectivly. It also builds confidence in your PH that you are not going to be stupid. I talked to mine over whatsapp and updated my progress. 300 WTHBY Mag was fine for sure but don't be like the guy who was also in my camp that brought 2 ammo weights, that made sight in day a challenge for him and his PH, though I got to watch the fun. I took 2 guns, a .30-06 shooting 180gr TTSX and a .308 in 168gr TTSX. In retrospect I could have taken either and they both would have worked but I had bought the .30-06 for the safari and then bought a Q Fix and that gun begs to go to Africa. I shot a Blue Wildebeest, Impala, and Zebra with the 06 and a Blesbok and Warthog with the .308. All of them were one shot kills and only the Warthog ran for any distance. I also shot a buffalo cow and it was just as much a rush chasing a herd because its still buffalo. Yes a lone charging bull is on my list but a cow was a lot cheaper. I used a borrowed .375HH for that one and came back and bought my own. What ever you take practice, practice, practice. Also pick up a book called "The Perfect Shot 2". I got the full size but also took a mini version and used that on the hunt. You can get by with the mini and it shows where to take shots and the internal anatomy. Written by a african veterinarian that froze carcasses and sawed them open. Have fun and pick a good PH. |
