The first time I went for Buffalo in Zimbabwe ('99), I decided I needed real firepower (not a bad idea), so I took a Ruger in 416 Rigby. This is not the Hawkeye but the oversized Magnum. It was a wonderful rifle, and could be loaded far above old British data - would pole-ax anything on the planet, or even in the Smithsonian - but very heavy. It was a tough hunt on a hot day, and wore me out so bad I missed the big shot. Lucky for me there was no blood, and they looked hard, since he did go down. I think the bullet kicked up some river rocks right where he was putting his foot and it tripped him up. Ha Ha!, but I wasn't laughing at the time. Next year I went back with a Win M70 in 375, did the job neat as a pin. Of course, that hunt was a breeze - walk maybe half a mile through a field on a beautiful day, sit on my butt and bang - DRT. Just goes to show - it is possible to have too much rifle and not enough water.
