Indians For Guns

Would this caliber be considered adequate for say Elephant? In the theoretical scenario where you would go hunting for one, would this be the caliber of your choice?

For me personally if at all I did go on a Elephant hunt, I would take a .338 LPM or a .50 BMG, though I know many an elephant has been shot with a 6.5x55 et al.

Guruji...... kyon? kyon?

I've even heard of people using a .270

MoA wrote:
For me personally if at all I did go on a Elephant hunt, I would take a .338 LPM or a .50 BMG, though I know many an elephant has been shot with a 6.5x55 et al.

Shooting that .50 BMG from a bunker with bench rest, I suppose?

MoA wrote:Would this caliber be considered adequate for say Elephant? In the theoretical scenario where you would go hunting for one, would this be the caliber of your choice?

It is your shot Placement that matters more than the caliber and what are you comfortable with brainshot with a Medium caliber is better than shooting in the leg with a heavy caliber .375 is in my opinion a little bit too big and a little bit too small

My choice would be .577 NE or 8 bore

MoA wrote: For me personally if at all I did go on a Elephant hunt, I would take a .338 LPM or a .50 BMG, though I know many an elephant has been shot with a 6.5x55 et al.

.50 BMG It weighs almost 35 lbs mate, Carrying that in African Bush!

Almost all of the African countries in which hunting elephants is legal have the .375 as the minimum calibre.If I have nothing else,a .375H&H will do and will do handsomely.

.50BMG is not legal either AFAIK.

Must I shoot an elephant, I would choose the .416 Rigby or preferably a .470 double rifle.However, I will practice a lot to place my shots accurately. If I go against an elephant, I want to take it upon on my own as far as I can help.

Best-
Vikram

Vikram wrote: I would choose the .416 Rigby or preferably a .470 double rifle
Vikram

Excellent choice Vikram.416 Rigby. It is a truly excellent calibre and just what you need for dangerous game in Africa.416 is elegant, and is neither too big nor too small for dangerous game. In fact just perfect

The reason i mentioned .577 and 8 bore in my earlier post was because to me real thrill would be getting the elephant at a very close range the real adrenaline rush and I would definitely want a Stopper!

.404 Jeffery

.375 H&H is adequate for elephant under normal conditions with proper shot placement and good bullets.

A bigger caliber is preferable if close quarter hunting in thick brush or following a wounded elephant.

My choice, I love this gun....although it is not pleasant to shoot.



Herb

All depends on the cash you have to spare. If i had enough I would love to go for a British double preferably in a 500 Nitro. As it happens I have never had that kind of money and therefore my choice remains the 404 Jeffrey. In modern loadings there is little to choose between the 416 and the 404 jeff (The 404 is a 422 dia bullet ). In fact Norma loads both to exactly the same ballastics. That apart mint old 404s can be had for 1/3 the price of a 416
Happy hunting

TwoRivers wrote:Shooting that .50 BMG from a bunker with bench rest, I suppose?

Absolutely... from the verandah of the guest house if possible. In any case would rather punch holes in paper than shoot an elephant. I somehow have no desire to hunt.

MoA wrote:Would this caliber be considered adequate for say Elephant?

Just tell the elephant that his wife has been caught in "a compromising position with another elephant " . I am sure he'll die of a heart attack. In case you people really want to see that elephant dead

MoA,

Leave the tactical stuff for the range, paper-punching and for assorted TR situations, when in the bush, hunt with a proven and time-tested classic. The .416 is known for its legendary performance and outstanding penetration on big game, the .404, another standard favorite with game wardens and ivory-hunters of days gone by, the .450/.400 NE also another manageable favorite, the .470 NE and the .500/.465 NE were also favorites for elephant, then there are calibers such as the .500 Jeffery and the .505 Gibbs, but the latter two being primarily used as stopping rifles and are called upon when nasty beasties want shred you ribbons, take chunks out of you or, make you a stain on the ground.

But owing to the fact that elephant hunting involves begins at dawn and ends just before dusk, involving miles and miles of tracking and walking, toting a 12-14lb rifle all day is gonna give you a hernia, let alone a 35-lb Barrett! The .375 H&H is a cartridge that can be chambered in a rifle that will be easy to lug around and one that is upto the task for even for game like elephant provided you're using the right projectile weight and place your shot carefully, and given the ranges that you should be hunting elephant (30 yards or closer, depending on one's testicular fortitude), you'd have to work at missing a target like that. But if you mess up, things go south very quickly and you'll just end up making him mad, then you might as well turn that .50 on yourself cos it'll save you a helluva lotta pain..

Bespoke wrote:

Vikram wrote: I would choose the .416 Rigby or preferably a .470 double rifle
Vikram

Excellent choice Vikram.416 Rigby. It is a truly excellent calibre and just what you need for dangerous game in Africa.416 is elegant, and is neither too big nor too small for dangerous game. In fact just perfect

The reason i mentioned .577 and 8 bore in my earlier post was because to me real thrill would be getting the elephant at a very close range the real adrenaline rush and I would definitely want a Stopper!

Thanks,Bespoke..416 is a favourite calibre of mine and like .375H&H offers great flexibility with different bullet weights,only with greater authority.

I am not very keen on chasing Pachyderms unless I must or they are trouble makers and there is no other go.When I do that, I would like to get as close as possible too.A .470 is a minimum charge stopper I suppose. A .577 would be very ideal should one be able to handle the recoil.I am not sure of the 8bore especially in terms of penetration.

BTW, does any one know a recipe for elephant curry?

1.Take a medium sized elephant and dice it into 1'' cubes.When you finish that,come back for next step.


Best-
Vikram

-- Fri May 28, 2010 12:58 pm --

Zubin, you crack me up. Very well said there.

I got to handle a couple of .505 Gibbs at Westley Richards.Monsters.Impressive beasts.


Best-
Vikram

well said z375.
Elephant hunting is walking till the point of exhaustion. Its more endurance than shooting. One cant run any more anyways due to having walked several klicks in the bush.. (As if if one were fresh, one could outrun an elephant).
Most shots are taken at less than 50 m and one doesnt need sub-moa shooting abilities. Wether to go for a head or an 'engine room' shot is the question. For a newbie, a heart-lung shot is advised but since for practical purposes and majorit of people shooters who shoot elephant these days, do it with a PH, a covering shot is available. Hence one can attempt a headshot even as a newbie. Now what to do it with?
the answer lies in your signature.

375 is the most favoured hunting rifle in Africa by PH over and over again in many polls conducted by magazines etc.
Its the min. cal required which means it can do the job. It is the standard issue for the game wardens etc used in the purpose of culling etc.

A lot is made of what calibre to use for various species. People asking which one is better for roe/elk/moose etc etc. In todays time, these modern rifles, i think it will be beter to divide calibres into light medium and heavy.
i mean any approx 6 mm calibre can get animals upto 40 kg and approx 8mm calibre can get animals upto 120 kg. 10mm calibres onwards approx can get big game.

I have purposely not mentioned fp ennergy to classify as many might not be very familiar with it. i have tried to give approximate idea though there may be some 'exceptional' calibres like 6.5 swede for grizzly. etc.

When it comes to shikar, one must remember that choice of calibre is one of lesser concerns than stalking techniques/reading the language of the jungle/guts/endurance placement etc etc.

Also when one talks about hunting, we now assume of the way hunting is done by a typical american hunter in African safari or in the US.

MOA you can go to africa, have a gun carrier to carry the heavy gun for you then at the time of shooting, ask him to bend down slightly, rest the gun on his shoulder and fire!
Have money can buy.

If guruji and other IFG members want, they can sponsor me and i will be happy to go to Africa, shoot several diff elephants/ other species with diff permutation combinations and happy to post the results here.

Dear vikram, jokes apart, elephant meat is ot a delicacy as it is tough but the trunk is tasty and ive heard the cutlets are very tasty. My quest for learning exotic recipes led me to learn the recipe.

Really want to try it out some day.
It starts: "first shoot an elephant" (seriously).
All the more reason to want to try it out.