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The Most Iconic Rifles and Cartridges from African Safaris

By Ron Spomer

Updated on Apr 20, 2021 2:33 AM EDT

8 minute read

The .30-06 has been an Africa classic since president Teddy Roosevelt’s infamous 1909 safari. Ron Spomer

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Just as the lever-action .30/30 is iconic in the North American whitetail woods, certain rifles and cartridges are African safari icons. But which are they? Which define the long, rich tapestry of safari hunting on our greatest big-game continent?

A surprising many.

The surprise is as much the variety of calibers and cartridges as the makes and models of rifles. Seen through the lens of the modern safari hunter, classic Africa rifles would all seem a tight knit family of side-by-side doubles and beefy bolt-actions with oversized holes at their muzzles. That is only partially true.

The double-barrel big bores evolved from double-barrel muzzleloading shotguns first used to slow down large and cantankerous animals. A .50-caliber Hawken might have sufficed for a Rocky Mountain fur trapper and even a bison market hunter. But not an ivory hunter. Or even a voortrekker in pursuit of Cape buffalo or cameleopard (giraffe) skins. Even when firing 1/4-pound balls from 4-gauge guns, hunters usually needed multiple hits to bring prey to the ground. The process of reloading a muzzle loader, of course, meant one hired a gun bearer or two to stay at heel with backup guns loaded and ready. The second barrel of a side-by-side double was often the last line of defense.

Hardened and elongated bullets (Maxi balls) improved terminal performance in the mid-1800s, but the real leap forward came in the 1890s with the advent of smokeless powder. The concentrated energy of nitroglycerine boosted velocities significantly. Doubling bullet mass doubles energy. Doubling velocity quadruples energy. This made lighter bullets more effective. Nevertheless, tradition dies hard. So do buffalo. Bore diameters certainly shrank during the 1890s and 1900s, but they seemed to settle between .40 inches and .577 inches.

Oddly and simultaneously, a few hunters, tired of massive recoil and heavy guns, began experimenting with lighter military rifles and cartridges. The most famous and influential was W.D.M. “Karamojo” Bell. This Scottish ivory hunter proved a puny .275 Rigby Mauser moving round nose, 173-grain FMJ military bullets 2,300 fps (feet per second) killed mature elephants and buffalo as effectively as bigger bores when bullets from both were applied to the same vital places (brain and heart.) The .275 Rigby is the 7×57 Mauser with a different name.

Heavy Calibers for Dangerous Game

Despite Bell’s success, African dangerous game cartridges settled firmly in the larger bore sizes starting with the minimum .375 H&H Magnum and running through such famous numbers as .416 Rigby, .425 Westley Richards, .404 Jefferey, .450 Nitro Express, .470 Nitro Express, .500 Nitro Express, and .577 Nitro Express, among others. The rimmed cartridges were engineered for best function in double rifles, which still cling to their romantic position because of their second shot speed and reliability. All spit bullets weighing anywhere from 300 grains to 570 grains at muzzle velocities from 1,900 fps to 2,600 fps with most settling in at about 2,100 fps. This is a sufficient speed and mass to generate anywhere from 4,000 to 5,800 foot pounds (ft-lbs) of kinetic energy.

For perspective, the .30-06 with a 180-grain slug might hit 3,000 ft-lbs. Only one .60-caliber was ever marketed, the .600 Nitro Express, throwing 900-grain bullets about 1,900 fps to generate an unbelievable 7,000 ft-lbs muzzle energy. Even burly, beefy professional hunters considered this a bit excessive, best employed in the most dire emergencies only. The 16-pound rifles also limited how far PHs and hunters were willing to carry it.

The Move to Double Rifles

Strong, fast, naturally pointing doubles from Holland & Holland, Rigby, Westley Richards, Boss, Purdey, William Evans, Boswell, and other boutique English gunmakers gave and continue to give professional hunters and wealthy clients the tools and assurance they need in the face of a 1,500-pound buffalo at terminal velocity.

But there is a fly in the double rifle ointment. Expense. Many, if not most doubles, with articulating triggers and intercepter sears cost five to ten times more than a bolt-action of similar quality. This focuses the attentions of average hunters, even professional guides and PHs, on controlled-round-feed bolt actions like Bell’s Rigby Mauser M98. This controlled-round-feed magazine rifle provides four or five quick shots with remarkably reliable function. It wormed its way into the batteries of professional hunters when magnum versions came chambered in .416 Rigby, .404 Jeffery, .425 Westley Richards, .450 Rigby, and .505 Gibbs.

The Rigby Mauser was the standard bolt-action big bore in Africa until Teddy Roosevelt and Stewart Edward White carried Griffin & Howe modified 1903 Springfields on safari prior to WWI. They and others proved that the .30-06 could handle leopards, lions, even buffalo and rhino. Then, in 1956, the affordable Winchester M70 CRF bolt-action came along in .458 Win. Mag. This round throws 500-grain bullets to within 250 ft-lbs of the .470 Nitro Express’ energy levels. Dozens of PHs adopted it. The CZ 550 bolt-action is another rugged, dependable CRF, as is the superb, high-end Dakota M76.

The .375 H&H is Just Right

The most common chambering among African bolt-actions is the .375 H&H, one of our first belted magnum cartridges. Ever since its introduction by Holland & Holland in 1912, the old .375 H&H has clung to its well-earned fame because it’s a Goldilocks round. Not too big, not too light. Just right for the sport hunter with insufficient time to become proficient with heavier recoiling rounds. It may not be the equal of the .458 Lott (a stretched .458 Win. Mag.) or .505 Gibbs for stopping a charge, but the sport hunting client is always backed up by a professional PH. Loaded with 235-grain bullets going 2,800 fps gives the .375 H&H 300-yard reach for smaller antelope while 270-grain spire points make it a trajectory match for a .30-06 shooting 180-grain spire points. Step up to full-house 300-grain loads and with 4,100 ft-lbs muzzle energy you enjoy sufficient energy for not just eland, lion, and leopard, but rhino, buffalo, elephant, and hippo on land.

Read Next: How to Plan a Hunting Trip to Africa

Bolt Guns vs. Double Barrels vs. Single-Shot

The most significant feature of the Mauser 98 and its near copies that cement them as safari ideals is their massive, leaf-spring, claw extractor that grabs rounds from the magazine, holds them firmly against the bolt face for a straight, unencumbered ride into the chamber, and yanks them out with a wide, firm grip. Additionally, bolt-actions are much more precise for long shots and can be easily fitted with quick-release scopes for additional precision, something needed for many plains antelope. In contrast, double rifles are at their best inside 50 yards, the distance at which most are regulated to print near the same point. You can’t free-float a double’s barrels, and getting both the throw bullets to the same spot is a slow, expensive process.

One surprise safari classic is the falling block single-shot. More than a few African hunters worked with the old Winchester M85 single-shot with its external hammer, but the most famous falling block is the Farquharson as built by Gibbs. Few were actually made, but Frederick Selous used one, and that accrued to its fame. Today, the Ruger No. 1 is the go-to falling block for Africa. More elegant and expensive is the superb Dakota Model 10. Of course, a single-shot is not ideal for dangerous game, but, again, the PH is at hand to stop a charge. Knowing you have but one shot tends to focus your attention on making it a good one.

Despite more than a century of these doubles, CRF bolt-actions, and single-shots, modern safari hunters are broadening the category to include push-feed bolt-actions and even lever-actions. The same rifles hired for elk, moose, and mule deer in the U.S. are proving just as effective for kudu, oryx, and even buffalo in Africa. I’ve personally used multiple CRF and push-feed bolt actions chambered for everything from .223 Rem. to .450 Lott during some 15 African safaris and suffered no ill effects but a poor trigger and a dropped magazine from any. Lever-actions in traditional chamberings like .45-70 Govt., .405 Win. and newer magnums like the .475 Turnbull are turning heads in African safari camps these days. This hardly makes lever-actions or push-feed bolt-actions safari classics, but they can certainly do the job.

Shooting Small Ammo

Finally, we’d be remiss if we ignored the long history of small caliber rounds in Africa. While some consider Bell’s .275 Rigby an exception to the big bore rule, in reality most African game has probably been taken by such small bores. Since the early 1800s local farmers, ranchers, meat and hide hunters have made do and done well with a wide variety of affordable, often military surplus rifles and ammo. In addition to the 7×57 and .30-06, the .303 British, 6.5×55 Swede, 6.5 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, 8mm Mauser, and 9.3×64 Brenneke were quite common across Africa. Many are still collecting biltong, increasingly joined by 7mm and .300 magnums, .308 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., .270 Win., and even the loved/hated 6.5 Creedmoor.

Read Next: 10 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned From My First Africa Safari

The point is, any good shot with a good bullet can use virtually any rifle/cartridge effectively on appropriate African game. But when campfires glow against dark African nights, the appeal of the classics dominates hunters’ dreams and conversations. And the most recognized and venerated of all is the controlled-round-feed bolt-action chambered .375 H&H Magnum.

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How to Pick the Right Guns and Gear for an African Safari

After 20 safaris, our shooting editor has dialed in his shortlist of the best gear to bring on a hunting trip to Africa

By Richard Mann | Published Mar 27, 2023 12:12 PM EDT

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One hundred years ago, hunters on safari in Africa needed to take lots of gear with them, including everything from guns to tents. In some cases, a lot of the outfitting was conducted after arrival in Africa. Times have of course changed, and today your outfitter and their staff will take care of almost everything should you decide to take a trip to Africa. I’ve done 30-day safaris and only brought a rifle case, a standard suitcase, and a backpack. The truth is, you’ll actually need a lot less gear than you think, but amongst that gear are some items you must have. After 20 safaris, I have a reasonably good idea of what that list should include.

The Best Clothes to Pack for an African Safari

You’ll need one set of travel clothes to wear to and from Africa. A good addition would be a travel or photographer’s vest so you can keep personal items such as your wallet, passport, travel paperwork, specific medicines, and such close at hand.

Because your outfitter will do your laundry every day, two to three sets of hunting clothes are plenty; the type and style will mostly depend on the time of year and the location you will be hunting. Remember, Africa is upside down from America, the further south you go, the colder it will be. 

In most locations—between May and September—cargo-style pants or shorts and a light button-up shirt—long or short sleeve—will suffice. I really like the trim-fit, pocket-laden Bushcraft pants from Kryptek for hunting (camouflage is not necessary). Add a good medium-weight jacket for cool mornings and evenings, and a pair of leather or tight-fitting tactical gloves because you may end up crawling on a stalk and will need to move the prickly stuff out of the way.

Bring the Right Shoes

A common pair of low or ankle boots for travel and to wear around camp are a must. Having an extra set of shoes will allow your hunting boots to breathe each evening. For hunting boots, I’ve found nothing can compare to those from Courteney for the African bush. They are made from buffalo hide, rugged, amazingly comfortable, and will keep thorns out of your feet. They’re available from several retailers in the States. Whatever you do, go with a full leather boot and avoid boots with mesh sides that allow the sticky things to find the tender skin of your feet. 

Gaiters are nice to have, too. You’ll be walking in high grass, sand, and gravely ground. Grass seeds, sand, and pebbles can find their way inside your boots and make walking uncomfortable. Alternatively, a high-top boot like the Courteney Jameson can help with this, but I’d still wear gaiters unless I was wearing long pants.

The Best Guns & Cartridges for an African Safari

There is this misconception that African animals are harder to kill than whitetail deer or elk. It is a complete case of misinformation, founded in part by myth and in part because many first-time safari hunters tend to shoot poorly when under the gaze of a professional hunter and tracker. You do not need a magnum for Africa unless you’re after dangerous game.

As evidence, on my wife’s first safari, she took gemsbok, wildebeest, and impala—all with one shot—using a 243 Winchester and 85-grain Nosler Partitions . I’ve taken most of the plains game in Africa very efficiently with a 308 Winchester. Any cartridge in this class will work wonderfully. This is partly because your PH will work to get you inside 300 yards, and partly because proper shot placement combined with a good bullet has more to do with killing than what’s written on the headstamp of a cartridge. Of course, for buffalo and the like, you’ll find that there are minimum caliber or energy requirements. These usually start with cartridges like the 9.3x62mm Mauser or the 375 Holland & Holland .

Also, you can legally hunt with a suppressor in Africa, and it is not complicated to get it in and out of the country. Your PH will thank you for it, and many people shoot better with them.

The Best Optics for Hunting in Africa 

The importance of quality binoculars cannot be overstated. However, I think the mistake most African hunters make is to select binoculars that are too large. I prefer compact binos like the Swarovski CLs . They won’t tug on your neck, they’re light enough to use with one hand, and 8X is plenty of magnification. If you want to bring range-finding binos, that’s fine, but understand ranging is your PH’s job and you should be focused on shooting. While hunting several species like kudu, a spotting scope can help, but go with a high-quality, small, and lightweight option.

For your riflescope, again quality is important. If your riflescope goes belly up halfway through your safari you’re in a bad situation. I’d strongly suggest avoiding cheaply-made optics. A moderate power range is best; the old 3-9X riflescope is hard to beat. However, with today’s riflescopes that have an 8X zoom factor, like the Swarovski Z8i , something with a 2-16X magnification range is fantastic.

Extra Hunting Gear to Bring to Africa

While you may not need much in the way of clothing, there’s some gear you should consider bringing. If you have any prescribed medications, bring them and put them in your carry-on; there’s no guarantee your checked luggage will arrive the same day you do. Sunscreen and bug spray are a good idea, especially in the African summer. Sunglasses and a hat are wise choices too, and I prefer a wide-brimmed hat to a ball cap. 

A knife is a good idea for sure, but you don’t need a big knife. A pocket knife or a small fixed blade like the Montana Knife Company’s lightweight Speedgoat will suffice. What you might need more than a knife is a Leatherman or multitool and a kit for rifle cleaning and maintenance. 

A flashlight and headlamp should be considered mandatory, and with the current electrical load sharing in Africa, a camp light too. Speaking of electricity, you’ll also want an American plug adapter to charge any electrical devices you might have, along with a compact battery pack just in case. 

Rifle accessories include a good carry strap or shooting sling, and either shooting sticks or a tripod. I’ve become addicted to the Spartan tripod system because it’s so light, and I can use it for shooting, mounting my spotting scope when hunting kudu, and as a mount for my camera or smartphone.

Throw in a small personal first aid kit, and if you use tobacco—especially chewing tobacco or snuff—take all you’ll need with you. With today’s smartphones, a camera is not an absolute necessity. However, you may want to take photos at distance. If that’s the case, a good DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 400mm lens will yield great images.

The Best Way to Book Your Travel for an African Safari

Booking a flight to Africa is as easy as booking a flight anywhere else. However, if you’re traveling with firearms, there are some additional considerations due to the strict gun laws in South Africa. I suggest hiring some assistance. 

Since 2006, I have used African Odyssey (866-486-9351/[email protected]) for all of my travel to South Africa. Not only are they only a phone call or e-mail away if I have issues or need to change my flights. They can arrange a meet and greet at the airport, assistance with firearms permitting, and lodging when necessary. I wouldn’t consider going on an African safari without the assistance of a travel agent that has experience with hunters.

Read Next: F&S Classics: Ghosts of Africa

Bring the Right Attitude

The most important thing you can bring to Africa is a good attitude and a willingness to learn and take direction from your professional hunter. The lifestyle in Africa is a bit different from in America; there’s no hustle and bustle. While you are there, you’re on African time, and by that, I’m not talking about the time difference. It’s best to chill out.

With a proper outfitter, you’ll also be well tended to, so be prepared to let them wait on you a bit. Let the trackers handle the loading, dressing, and skinning of your game. Sure, you can participate if you want. Because I’m continually testing different bullets that’s something I tend to get involved in. But you’re paying for preferential treatment, and you might as well enjoy it.

Also, be prepared to start planning your next safari before you return from your first. There’s something about the combination of the morning coo of a dove, brilliant African sunsets, the red dirt, and the magic of it all that will bite you hard and embed itself deep within your soul. 

Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa. In 2015, Mann began contributing to Field & Stream to cover guns, ammunition, ballistics, and hunting. In 2022, he was named as the brand’s Shooting Editor.

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Safari Rifle Trends

– by craig boddington, boddington noticed some interesting shifts in the equipment hunters chose to use on safaris in africa in 2022..

In June 2022, I shared campfires in South Africa with a dozen-plus first-time African hunters. Being in camp with African newbies is fantastic, because I know no other way to  almost  recapture the wonder and magic of a first sojourn in Africa.

Initially, I joined a half-dozen friends at Carl van Zyl’s John X Safaris, then two groups of SCI auction hunt winners at the Burchell family’s Frontier Safaris. Both operations are in the Eastern Cape, but the areas have very different topographies. All of the hunters were on plains game safaris.

“Plains game” is a bit of a misnomer because not all African game lives on open plains. Many species prefer thick bush, others mountains. Most are antelopes, but don’t forget warthogs, bushpigs, and zebras. Variety is Africa’s greatest treasure and, in Southern Africa, the somewhat misnamed “plains game safari” is the best deal in the hunting world!

The first group of hunters consisted of experienced Midwest whitetail hunters; the second camp was mostly folks from the Rocky Mountain West, experienced elk hunters. Everybody wanted a kudu, and had other recognizable species like impala and warthog on their agendas, but most kept their options open. My first safari was long ago, but I guess I was obsessed by Africa before I got there; my early safari “wish lists” were detailed.  These hunters probably approached it correctly: See it, get a taste, decide what looks interesting. As in: “Oh, so that’s a hartebeest, cool!”

Beau Hammon was the lone bowhunter and the only guy who started with a sable on his wish list. At John X, Beau got his archery sable, a gorgeous bull. In fact, he did wonderfully with his bow by stalking, only using a rifle for his kudu. At Frontier, engineering professor Hamid Saadatmanesh, SCI auction hunt winner, hadn’t considered hunting a sable. I was with him when we glassed a fine bull; he hesitated about five seconds, and a stalk was on.

I did little hunting for myself, usually tagging along with one party or another. Thing is, there’s not much I need in Southern Africa, but it’s still a delight to enjoy the wildlife and share the excitement. And, I’m a gun guy. I like to see what’s being used, and what works.

Among these hunters, I observed two trends that, perhaps, reflect a shift in thinking on rifles and cartridges for African plains game. First, in both camps, the majority of the hunters opted to use camp rifles. This was usually because traveling with firearms adds to the hassle. As far as cost, it is kind of a wash. Rifles and ammo are costly in Africa, so expect a rental fee. On the other hand, airlines now charge extra for firearms, and all charge for excess baggage. There may be gun permit or clearance fees and, with a big, heavy gun case, you’ll incur some extra tips. For me, these are costs of doing business; I prefer to bring guns I can write about. This doesn’t apply to most hunters, so a sensible decision can be made whether to bring or borrow.

Because more hunters prefer not to travel with firearms, outfitters are stepping up and investing in better guns. Just always be sure to check to find out what’s available. In Southern Africa, it’s a piece of cake: Almost all outfitters have suitable guns. So it’s your choice: Enjoy the satisfaction of using your favorites, or save the hassle and probably some cost, and use camp guns.

Some of the hunters did bring their own firearms, of course. At John X Safaris, Steve Molter brought a pristine, vintage Belgian Browning, Mauser bolt-action, in .30-06. His old-fashioned .30-06 served him well (just like I’ve always said it would) both on big animals like kudu and zebra and on smaller, nervous animals like springbok and impala. He and I could find agreement on his near-perfect choice. Similarly, at Frontier, a father-son team rented a .308 Winchester. Okay, I’m more of a .30-06 guy, but the .308 is a good and traditional choice.

But those were exceptions, and that’s the second trend I noticed: At least among these hunters, faster cartridges in modern platforms were “in,” bringing greater range capability than I’m used to seeing. Historically, long-range shooting has been uncommon in Africa, probably because of a combination of good stalking and the traditional African rule that one drop of blood spilled equals a license filled.   

I usually prefer traditional calibers, but for this hunt I went off the reservation, making non-traditional (and thus uncharacteristic) choices. Wanting to spend time afield with new stuff, I took a new Gunwerks Nexus in .300 PRC and a LAW M704 in 6.8 Western. I thought the guys would laugh at me, but my choices fit right in! 

Hamid had a Gunwerks 7mm Remington Magnum, so did John Macones (also an auction hunt winner). My buddy John Stucker had his Christensen in 6.5 PRC. And at John X, outfitter Carl van Zyl had several Gunwerks rifles on hand (pretty fancy camp rifles). These were chambered to 7mm Long Range Magnum (LRM), a proprietary based on the shortened Remington Ultra Magnum case, so similar to the PRCs and Nosler cartridges, good velocity, fast twists for heavy-for-caliber bullets.

At Frontier, except for that .308 (which performed just fine), the camp rifles were .300 Winchester Magnums, plus a .300 Jarrett. Rifles in the faster, flatter-shooting cartridges (including mine), mostly wore bigger scopes than I have typically used in Africa, up to 3-18X and 5-25X. Almost all were dialed in for longer-range shooting.

Traditional African shooting rarely exceeds 300 yards. With good equipment and preparation, I saw this expanded to well beyond 400 yards, with some exceptional shooting. I made the two longest shots I have attempted in Africa, not “extreme,” but to 500 yards. I made a spectacular miss when, mysteriously overnight, my .300 PRC shifted enough that I missed an entire eland. Stuff happens, you just re-zero and go back to work. The rifle must have taken a tremendous knock; who knows how.

Most mess-ups were standard and predictable. On their first safari together, PH Harry Selby soothed Robert Ruark’s by saying, “Everybody misses at first; it’s the light.” No, it’s first-safari jitters; my first safari also started with bad shooting. Let’s not name names, but the majority of hunters in both camps missed their first opportunities. Expect this. Deal with it and try again! 

Since the modern “long range rig” was predominant, a lot of hunters brought bipods, intending to rely on them. Much of the Eastern Cape is open enough for shooting prone-with-bipod, and there are also lots of rocks where bipods might be employed. However, there’s also a lot of thick, thorny brush, where flopping down isn’t the best idea. Traditional African shooting sticks thus remain useful. I was disappointed that some hunters complained about initial misses because of unfamiliarity with sticks. It made me feel like I’ve been talking to an empty room for forty years! I’m guessing this is a product of American long-range courses, which stress bipods. They offer great stability, but it’s foolish to end up in Africa with no “stickology” practice. Surely I’ve written about this before?

Interestingly, rather than traditional three-legged African shooting sticks, most PHs in both camps had switched to modern sticks that stabilize both the butt and fore-end, notably the French-designed “4 Stable Sticks.” Like all else, using these takes practice, but stabilizing both butt and fore-end increases stability and thus range, making them very effective in areas (like Eastern Cape), where average shooting distances are farther than in thick thornbush. 

I was a bit disturbed by the frequent use of match or “long-range” bullets, rather than hunting bullets designed to provide penetration on a wide variety of game. Despite my concerns, things worked well. After a day or so (and some embarrassment), all hunters got their sea legs and finished with good bags. Wounded animals were few, unrecovered animals were almost nil. However, as animal size and distance increased, we had some lively discussions about bullets, calibers, cartridges, hitting power, and shot placement.

There were two more sub-trends worth noting. Virtually all of the “camp rifles” were fitted with suppressors. Easily accessible to South African hunters, they made my role as “observer” painless. On my unsuppressed rifles, one with a muzzle brake, I needed to remember earmuffs and remind my team to plug their ears when I prepared to shoot. Also, spotting scopes. Once rare in Africa, good scopes were carried by most PHs, and employed constantly.  

Another lesson was just for me: It’s no secret my taste in rifles run toward walnut and blue. Out with Steve Molter one day, Carl and I glassed from a valley while Steve and his PH stalked an impala on a steep ridge above us. It was late morning and the sun was bright; I was horrified by the glint and glare coming off Steve’s Browning, a gorgeous, but with high-gloss stock and bright blue metal. I doubt my preferences will change, but there’s something to be said for Cerakote, matte, and carbon fiber!

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