308 for Blue Wildebeest

[lcq01]

Hi All

I will be going to Africa next year for a plains game hunt. I was told my 300WSM is considered exotic in SA and there was no local ammo if my luggage was lost.
I have a 20" 10FP in 308 which is the best rifle I ever owned that will be coming with me. What are your recommendations for bullets 150, 165 or 180. I have 180 accubonds
can get 165 accubonds or barnes and hornady coppers. The largest animal is a Wildebeest no further than 350 yds.

Thanks Much

Brian

[mikein]

I'd say you've got it covered with your current inventory, Brian. Work up your 180's and then spend LOTS of time pulling the trigger on those loads. Off hand; sitting; from sticks. At 50/100/150/200 yards on up until you're comfortable that from any position, with that load, you can put the 180's in a 6 inch circle. You'll be ready to bust 'em!

[lcq01]

Thanks Mike

By My back of the napkin calculations the 180 will get me 2000 fps at 300 yds which is still ok for expansion. The 20" tube is handy but I'm paying the velocity price.

Brian

I'd say you've got it covered with your current inventory, Brian. Work up your 180's and then spend LOTS of time pulling the trigger on those loads. Off hand; sitting; from sticks. At 50/100/150/200 yards on up until you're comfortable that from any position, with that load, you can put the 180's in a 6 inch circle. You'll be ready to bust 'em!

[mikein]

Brian, with that velocity, with that bullet, at that range, all you need to do is put the bullets in the right place! A Blue Wildebeest will go down every time. Just be sure to invest in the necessary "trigger time" so you can put 'em in the right place!!

[Oscarflytyer]

I have ZERO Africa experience. Had to look up a Wildebeest to be sure... But seems a thin skinned animal) think whitetail/mule deer, etc, and b/n 300-400 lbs. And you say that is the BIGGEST... Assuming everything under that, typical of the deer mentioned above, and/or African antelope...

I would be careful about using a 308 with a too hvy constructed bullet. I would almost go with a factory Hornady box load or Remington Core-Lokt in 165 grn. Or the Hornady std bullets if I were reloading. I have had great success with Speer Hot Cors and would not feel bad at all about using a 165 Speer Hot Cor or new DeepCurl. And would go 165 to keep a little more velocity over the 180.

All the above is pure theory. But what I would take if it were me, in a 308. I would probably take my 284 Winchester Savage 99 if it were me! And my Mdl 70 in 6.5x55 Swede! Both with 140-150 grn bullets!

At the end of the day, it is all about shot placement! And the willingness to pass up a questionable shot. Hope your trip is a blast!

[big honkin jeep]

Want some really sane advice?
If you're gonna invest Safari money in a trip to Africa, then just go ahead and buy or borrow a .300 Win mag to take with you.
Heck even an old flatback sporter will get the job done very effectively and can be picked up for around $300 if budget is a problem. You can always get your $ back when you get home.
Zebra can double and Eland can quadruple the size of a wildebeest very easily.
What's too much gun around here, can quickly become marginal there.
also I wouldn't want to drag around anything with a heavy barrel like a tactical rifle.

[bignorm40]

Any 165/168gr all copper in 308 should sufficient. My co-worker dropped a nice bull elk with the hornady 165gr gmx

[lcq01]

Well up here in Canada guns have gone through the roof in price and the used market is almost non existent. I have to say I have lugged the 10fp around and it isn't a lightweight but it shoots lights out.

Back from the range today

180 accubonds 2568 fps sub moa at 100
150 barnes ttsx 2802 fps sub moa at 100

difference in drop at 300 is only 3 in and the 180 hits harder and opens wider up at lower velocity. Not sure about penetration or hitting bone.

[handirifle]

My suggestion is based on what I have read about Africa hunts. CALL YOUR HUNT PROVIDER or guide or whoever. They are the ones to ask. They have seen probably every type of cartridge/bullet combo and will tell you what will and will not work.

I do know they want you to practice off of sticks, and off hand.

[lcq01]

Sticks are sitting in customs as we speak. I'm bringing them with me.

Thanks for all the suggestions

[EFBell]

300 WSM will serve you well in Africa. It did for me with 180 grain Swift Scirocco's.

[Rob44]

I got back from SA in late May I shot plains game from Impala to a Large Kudu Bull I used a 308 with 165gr Sierra Gamekings,,all one shot kills,,,shot placement is much more important than Caliber,,,Practice and if you use a variable power scope stay at the lowest power setting,,

[JASmith]

... Had to look up a Wildebeest to be sure... But seems a thin skinned animal) think whitetail/mule deer, etc, and b/n 300-400 lbs. And you say that is the BIGGEST... Assuming everything under that, typical of the deer mentioned above, and/or African antelope......At the end of the day, it is all about shot placement! And the willingness to pass up a questionable shot. Hope your trip is a blast!

One can probably find 6.5x55 ammo there too.

Going with bullets as heavy as 180 grains may make the extended practice sessions rather challenging.

One can do well on animals weighing 400 lb with classic bullets weighing at least 130 grains and somewhat lighter when using premium bullets. Nonetheless, added margin helps with confidence. One might consider using an all-copper hunting bullet in the 130 - 150 grain range and the reduced recoil will make the practice more productive and one can gain greater confidence with placing the bullet where it needs to go. The 130 gr all-copper hunting bullet will cut wound channels with areas more like one gets with 200 grain CoreLokt and PowerPoint bullets, so they are plenty lethal.

For more information on what size bullet we might want to use on other animals, take a look at the Ideal Bullet Weight discussion.

[darkker]

I'm with Rob44 on this, plains critters aren't hard to tip-over at all.
There is a thread over on Africahunting.com that hashed the same thing out, 165gr in a 308 will kill anything you want.... Provided you can shoot worth a hoot.

[Rob44]

I'm with Rob44 on this, plains critters aren't hard to tip-over at all.
There is a thread over on Africahunting.com that hashed the same thing out, 165gr in a 308 will kill anything you want.... Provided you can shoot worth a hoot.

I posted my Pics at AH of my Nice size Kudu taken with a 308 with 165s at 200 yds to bad I can't post them here for some reason

[Code4]

165's in a .308W for PG. No better combo.

[Rob44]

Forget 300 yd shots.most PHs won't let you take that kind of shot

[JCalhoun]

I witnessed Ed Bell's wildebeest drop with ease from that Swift Scirocco. It never knew what hit him. The Swift A Frames or Nosler Partitions would be the bullet choices for Wildebeest.