Africa

[snapshooter]

again good luck and enjoy your hunt

 

[DENWA]

My cousin came to SA with a stock 30-06 and Remington factory 165gr core-lokt ammo.

He shot DRT on every single animal, most shots were between 350-500yds.

Don't sweat caliber just practice and be confident in your shot placement.

 

[WildRose]

I agree with snox. The .270 will work with a good solid bullet.

It might if everything goes exactly right. Don't go to Africa expecting everything to go exactly right.

When you get to animals the size of an Eland you need to bring more than enough gun.

If one drop of blood is found and the animal is lost, you pay for it.

 

[James L Holzhauer]

The .270 will kill everything but use a tough bullet. Hides are thick and animals are tough as I have been there and done that. Use the heaviest bullet you can shoot accurately. I recommend the A-frame. I am not a great white hunter but I have been there four times.

 

[James L Holzhauer]

By the way, I love my .375 Ruger but I am uncomfortable with my particular rifle at extended ranges;

 

[WildRose]

My brother has brought his 375 to Africa 5 times so far and he will be going again with a first time friend in a couple months. He is obviously comfortable with his 375 as am I, up to a point. I would not want to spend an afternoon working up loads while shooting it from a bench, but shooting it a half a dozen times in an outing over the course of a day it is fine. To me it is not a whole lot different than shooting my 338.

Like you said it all boils down to your comfort and confidence level. Learning African animal anatomy for shot placement is critical. No pocket behind the shoulder shots in Africa, no vitals to hit there.
Good luck to you and enjoy everything you see and ask a lot of questions of your PH.
BTL

I'm not all that tough and I can say with confidence that my unbraked custom .375 Ruger is one of my all time favorite rifles to shoot.

Bring enough gun, Africa is no place to push the limits.

 

[WildRose]

View attachment 121234 Hi Longest shot:
After reading most all the posts and on 4 safari's in Africa I would recommend the A frame or Partitions in the heaviest weight your rifle will shoot with good groups they just work. Also a 15 to 25 lighter grained load for the smaller game that prints almost the same. I also now take 2 rifles that I am so comfortable practicing with Sticks, kneeling, prone and improvised backpack that I do not notice the difference exchanging them one for the other leaving me with a backup I am super comfortable with and not resorting to a loaner (I had this happen on my first hunt when a stock setback and split out it had to be MacGyvered in the field with hide glue, beer can shims and electrical tape plus drying time) this gives me 40 rounds for each with a light and heavy hitter split between. Remember African animals are tough very very tough compared to North American game their kill zones are also some what different with the forward heart. I personally like to use a Ruger #1 in 3006 with a 26" barrel so almost equal to a win Mag with less recoil and weight. I took a Sable at over 400 meters with a 180 Partition that passed through and broke both shoulders knocking it down like a truck hit it. We thought it had been a perfect shot and started walking to get it, then aprox. 1 minute later that Sable got up an ran off like nothing happened none of that bone had hit the heart. Thanks to my tracker and PH. I have that animal. An Eland is still on my list next hunt but I will be using a 338 win mag or larger there is no replacement for displacement. Also a pocket African game shot placement book is your best friend and a very minor expense I now have 2 one for camp to prepare around the nightly fire and one that stays in my hunting jacket as over there targets of opportunity just happen. Good luck and plan on a lot of walking that Sable took me 15 to 18 kilos over 21 days worth every step that Eland will probably be more they cover ground fast.

Beautiful Sable.

 

[just country]

morning, TTSX barnes. I do not shoot africian animals, to each his
own. the advertising of barnes bullets is on about the down sizing
of bullet weight in accordance bullet diameter and caliber. barnes
bullets rrr very well constructed for the taking of africian and
large American game animals. as far as the 270wsm that is
the hunters choice. bullet diameter and caliber
carry lots more stopping energy-power. I have never
seen or heard of a barnes bullet not having very good
penetration. justme gbot tum

 

[DENWA]

ALL 4 PH's I've worked with shoot regular old 270.

With the exception of Cape Buffalo hunt of course.

One in particular Conrad, always said his best clients came from UK and shot everything with a 243 Win. One Shot drops.

Sitting around the fire with them I learned they believe the US is MAGNUM crazy.

They would rather a client shoot a 222(what they use for Cull hunting) accurately than a Magnum with a flinch.

My first trip was a eye opener. Second trip 2 years later I was ready.

Same rifles but different outcome.

 

[eastbank]

use what ever you shoot well, but for me, with the wound it you bought it rule carried a lot of weight. with up to several thousand dollars on the line, I took the 375 H&H mag as insurance. I didn,t have to pay for any wounded animals that got away.

 

[KyCarl]

This is a interesting read I've enjoyed it! I'll never get to Africa but it sounds great.

 

[GlennL]

As a resident hunter (of 45 years+) here in South Africa I would tend to strongly agree with the comments that a 270 in any configuration is too light on Eland. They are extremely tough animals and I've seen an Eland shot 8 times with reasonably well-placed shots with a 375 H&H Magnum by another experienced hunter and it got away!

One thing you'll find with some game is that not all of them understand or subscribe to terminal ballistic theory!

I figure your 270 WSM is fine for all other plains game up to Kudu, Gemsbuck, Sable, Hartebeest and Wildebeest for taking down trophy animals. For myself, hunting for table meat I'd favour a slower moving round to minimise meat damage.

As a foreign hunter in Africa, you'll be required to use the services of a local registered professional hunter. They generally carry back-up rifles ranging in calibre from 375 H&H up to 416 Rigby and 470 NE. I'm sure he'll be only too willing to lend you his rifle for this task rather than facing hours of following up a wounded animal should you insist on using a less than adequate calibre for the job!

Notwithstanding comments about someone taking large game with smaller calibres, I must mention that I have heard from a Game Warden in the old Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) of a poacher killing an elephant with a .22LR rifle. I think he was lucky not to be trampled to death! A case in point here is that 22LR does not a dangerous game rifle make! I have also heard of a professional hunter, game culler and competitive shooter taking an Eland with a 260 Remington out of a Savage LRP rifle!

Remember, calibre and cartridge suitability is critically important, but good shot placement is critical!

If I may share my experience of hunting here in Africa - Years ago, I hunted up near the Limpopo River with a German chap who shot four mature Warthog boars over three days with a 375 H&H Magnum. All were good, solid, side-on chest shots. Two of the four took off, went to ground in their burrows and were never recovered! On the other side, one chap I was guiding on his first hunt shot a Warthog sow at about 30 meters /33 yards with a 308 Win in the chest despite my instruction for him to shoot it in the head. It dropped to the shot! How do we explain the unexpected and varied outcomes? Is shot placement a factor, or is projectile velocity more important on this species? Who knows!

In my time I have harvested well over 200 Warthog and one or two Bushpig (Wild Boar) for the table with my 270 WIn, 308 Win, 7X57mm Mauser, 375 H&H and 45-70 Govt. rifles and my 44 Magnum Super Blackhawk revolver (a self defence shot after being charged!). All have been head or neck shots ranging from one yard to 150 yards. All, bar one, dropped in their tracks. That one, a grumpy old boar with 11" tusks took off and required a neck shot and another head shot to kill it. Warthogs can be extremely tough characters too!

If you are dead-set on using your 270WSM on Eland I'd definitely use a monolithic solid such as the Barnes or the South African produced GS Custom moly-coated monolithics. Contact Gerry Schultz to get his advice on suitable bullet weight and loads. Wait for a side-on shot and take it on the line straight up from its front leg so the round has a better chance of breaking the shoulder or limb and going through the heart and lungs.

If I was setting out for Eland, I would reach for my 375 H&H. If I had a 338 Win Mag, a 300 Win or Weatherby Mag rifle they may be a consideration given the long shots on Eland (they're generally a Highveld species that require shooting at extended ranges, probably not less than 300 yards across open grasslands or in hilly and mountainous regions).

Whatever you decide, enjoy your hunt here and Good Luck.

 

[eastbank]

while hunting impla with a .243, I happened on to this warthog and had a good rest at about 90 yards and took a neck shot and down it went dead. the bullet lost all its pedals and was found in a neck bone on the far side.

 

[Allen Kitts]

Heaviest bullet you can get to shoot good would be my suggestion. I have not taken an Eland but did shoot a large Kudu bull with a 6.5 x 284, 140 grain Berger Elite Hunter. The bull went 25 yards. While I agree that maybe the 270WSM may not be the optimum gun for the task at hand, its where you place the bullet that matters. All of the premium bullets mentioned above will work great, just make sure of your shot and get it into the boiler room. It will do its job.