300 H&H or 9.3x62...???

[benny]

Hello,

I am new here, just getting into big game hunting after wingshooting for the last 10 years, and I have a rifle question.

I am hoping to visit some friends in South Africa in the next year or so and I am hoping to be able to hunt some plains game, from impala sized up to gemsbok / zebra / kudu / waterbuck.

I don't own a rifle, as for my whitetail season here in PA, USA, I used a S&W 41 magnum this year. I was thinking of a 300 H&H or a 9.3x62 for a plains game rifle, as well as for an all-around rifle to use here in North America. I know both calibres are a little different, but I like that (it's why I chose the 41 for my hunting handgun).

I am leaning toward the 300 H&H for it's ability to use loads from 150gr to 220gr, thinking the 200gr Nosler Custom Ammo Partition @ 2800fps would be a good choice for the plains. The only thing I am unsure of is whether the higher velocity of the 300 vs the 9.3 would be a negative at close range (under 100yds), which I am sure to encounter using the gun here in the states for deer / black bear. Being new to this I do not know how well the bullets hold together at that velocity to penetrate??

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

Ps. The last time I was in Africa was about 8 yrs. ago, when my parents took us to Kenya (2nd time) / Tanzania. No hunting then, but once you see africa, it is like a magnet pulling you back for the rest of your life!

[JJHACK]

In my expereince in South Africa over a long career so far I have seen more 300 mags then all other catridges combined. With Americans it's the 300 Win mag, with almost all other countries it's the HH mag.

The HH mag is a far better cartridge for the reloader. The win mag is as far as I know the only factory cartridge with the neck shorter then the dimaeter of the bullet. Those necks don't reload very much before they stop grabbing the bullet very well. They also limit the means by which bullets of different lengths can be held into the case and still remain under the maximum length.

The long tapered case of the 300HH is simply the best design of any magnum today for feed and extraction issues. It's the original magnum case and still the best design. It's just enough better then the 30/06 to make a difference without pounding you with recoil. So long as it has a 26" barrel. Don't bother with any magnums in the .308 range or under if they don't have at least a 26" barrel.

I love the 300HH and the 375HH which for nearly 100 years have been an unbeatable pair of hunting rifles for the whole world.

[missed_shot]

Benny - go to Walmart and buy a .300 Weatherby Vanguard with a synthetic stock. It will cost about $388 dollars .  I have one and it shoots one hole groups at 100 yds.  I was lucky enough to get it before they took the most accurate barrels and made the the MOA models for more money. It flattens deer and I'm taking it to Newfoundland for moose this fall. Money well spent.