Thinking about getting a big bore rifle for some future Alaskan and/or African hunting. I'm thinking something in the .338 range as a minimum. I'm currently leaning towards the venerable .375 H&H. Anyone have any specific recommendations especially ones with some reasoning behind it? Thanks.
I have to vote for the newest edition to my collection. The 454 Casull. I mean with a 250grain bullet at 1900ft/s and 2000ft/lbs can you go wrong? Probably not what you have in mind just thought Id share my 2cts
That is another great round. I have a Raging Bull and I love it.
I've lusted for a .416 Rigby since before I was born.
I am no expert by any means, but some african countries require a min. of the 9.3mm, but the rest want at least the 375H&H, for the big game. Plains game I think falls under smaller calibers though. If the dark continent is in your future, or want to use it as an excuse,lol, then a 375 is where I'd start. Very popular over there, and is fairly easy to find here even. Ok, Im biased, I just got one myself and love to shoot it.
Any of the 375s are good, and 416s are even better. 458s are getting up there in price and recoil.
Any of the 375s are good, and 416s are even better. 458s are getting up there in price and recoil.
I'm really wanting someone to do a 460 S&W in a lever gun. If that happens, I WILL own one unless the price is over $2k or so.
hopefully this big bore will be in my future soon...
------------
Quackenbush Air Guns
.458 LA Outlaw Air Rifle
A powerful, big bore air rifle suitable for hunting
The long action Outlaw is a 500fpe .458 caliber hunting rifle.
Theres no magic or secrets involved in making a powerful airgun, its just simple physics, the rifle has to flow more air. The energy source is compressed air and you have to use a lot of it to make a higher power airgun. To flow more air you need a bigger valve and a heavier hammer and a stronger spring to open the valve against increased resistance. But when making things bigger, you have to make sure that youre thinking of the shooter and the proportions necessary to make it feel right to the shooter, otherwise you end up with an oversized, clunky rifle. The solution is to optimize air flow using finesse instead of force to make a usable hunting rifle. With a 25 barrel, this rifle is 44 overall. It weighs 8lbs. 6oz. The stock is familiar to tens of millions of shooters because the stock is the same shape and proportion of modern center fire rifles, like the Winchester model 70 and the Remington 700.
The LA Outlaw shoots a 430gr bullet at 732fps, which is 509fpe. This rifle will produce two powerful shots from its reservoir on one fill. It doesnt need to be line fed from a scuba bottle, it doesnt have the dependency of life support from a remote air source. Configured as a single shot, single fill rifle it will exceed 600fpe.
The .458 cal. barrel is made expressly for airgun use. It is not a firearm barrel. This barrel has the correct rifling configuration and twist rate for an airgun. I chose .458 cal. for this rifle so the shooter could use any of the ready-made bullets or bullet molds intended for use for the 45/70 cartridge. Because the barrels are made from solid bar stock they are machined to the exact bore size without exception. This way the standard size bullets fit the barrel; it is not some oddball caliber.
http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/LA_Outlaw.htm
------------
Quackenbush Air Guns
.458 LA Outlaw Air Rifle
A powerful, big bore air rifle suitable for hunting
The long action Outlaw is a 500fpe .458 caliber hunting rifle.
Theres no magic or secrets involved in making a powerful airgun, its just simple physics, the rifle has to flow more air. The energy source is compressed air and you have to use a lot of it to make a higher power airgun. To flow more air you need a bigger valve and a heavier hammer and a stronger spring to open the valve against increased resistance. But when making things bigger, you have to make sure that youre thinking of the shooter and the proportions necessary to make it feel right to the shooter, otherwise you end up with an oversized, clunky rifle. The solution is to optimize air flow using finesse instead of force to make a usable hunting rifle. With a 25 barrel, this rifle is 44 overall. It weighs 8lbs. 6oz. The stock is familiar to tens of millions of shooters because the stock is the same shape and proportion of modern center fire rifles, like the Winchester model 70 and the Remington 700.
The LA Outlaw shoots a 430gr bullet at 732fps, which is 509fpe. This rifle will produce two powerful shots from its reservoir on one fill. It doesnt need to be line fed from a scuba bottle, it doesnt have the dependency of life support from a remote air source. Configured as a single shot, single fill rifle it will exceed 600fpe.
The .458 cal. barrel is made expressly for airgun use. It is not a firearm barrel. This barrel has the correct rifling configuration and twist rate for an airgun. I chose .458 cal. for this rifle so the shooter could use any of the ready-made bullets or bullet molds intended for use for the 45/70 cartridge. Because the barrels are made from solid bar stock they are machined to the exact bore size without exception. This way the standard size bullets fit the barrel; it is not some oddball caliber.
http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/LA_Outlaw.htm
416 is a great choice either Taylor, Rigby, or Reminton ( the one I have). If I were to do a Cape Buffalo I might think about 458 Lott, or 460 Alaskan...but many a Buff had dropped to a 375 H&H or a stout 416. I like the penetration of the 416s good bullet weight to velocity to frontal area and still not tooo bad to shoot! But then again it is darn hard to beat a nice 1886 in 45-90 loaded up. My old 86 would launch a 405 hard cast bullet at 2250 fps and the damn thing held 9 of em...Wasn't too fun to shoot, but dayum!! KurtM
Similar threads
