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Big Game Calibers
When we left off with the Hunting Ground, we were talking about choosing the right hunting caliber. In this second and final installment of the series, we’re going to talk about the big game calibers. I haven’t had the experience in the African Plains hunting dangerous game but that will soon change. I am more interested in hunting dangerous game than anything else. I would rather take that risk of getting hurt or killed, then sit in a tree stand all day. I think that is what appeals to every big game hunter.
I’ve been doing the research on the popular hunting calibers that are the most practical in that environment: .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .458 Winchester Magnum. Here’s a short history of the cartridge and their capabilities.
.375 H&H Magnum
The .375 Holland and Holland is classified as a medium bore cartridge and |
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been around since 1912. It was introduced by Holland and Holland, a company based out of the UK, and was one of the first cartridges to feature a belt at the rear, which is now a common thing in magnum rounds. The bullet diameter is set at .375 inches and is chambered in rifles from Remington, Ruger, Savage, Winchester, and CZ. Each of these rifles are designed for hunting and the portability. The .375 H&H is classified as a minimum caliber for most dangerous game. The projectile weights vary between 270 grains and .300 grains.
.416 Rigby
The .416 Rigby was developed in 1911 by another British company, John Rigby |
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and Company. It is a medium to large bore cartridge that was designed specifically for big game hunting. The cartridge itself was made specifically for the African climates. The idea behind this cartridge was to keep the pressures down while maintaining an acceptable velocity for the projectiles. The .416 pushes a 400 grain projectile at roughly 2300 feet per second, depending on the platform and load. Some of the rifles chambered in this caliber range from Rigby Rifles, Weatherby, Ruger, and CZ,
.458 Winchester Magnum
The .458 Winchester Magnum was developed by Winchester in 1956 and is based on |
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