Best of the following?

[MagKnightX]

I want to get a general-large-game rifle in one of: .375HH, .458 Lott, or .416 Rigby. My questions:

Are all of these overkill for large deer and elk? Are any underkill for cape buffalo or elephant? In a ten-pound (bolt-action) rifle with a muzzle brake or a mag-na-port and a recoil pad how bad will I get beat up? Which is most accurate? Which is cheapest overall?

 

[treeprof]

You might wanna post this in the hunting forum, or ask for it to be moved - lotta big-game types there, some w/African experience. I have minimal experience with the .375, but esp if you handload it'd be fine for elk or moose. The others are a bit much for that. It'll also be the least expensive to shoot. My dad is now a hair's breadth from 60 and he uses the .375 for big bear, and has for abt the past 14 years. He's at the point he doesn't care to shoot it much anymore, and he's shot magnums of various stripes on all kinds of N. Am. game since the late 60's. Tho it's not a killer, there's a BIG shove to it. It'd be on the light end for buff or elephant from what I know.

 

[dakotasin]

this will be a hypothetical exercise, but... if i was to get one gun to do everything, everywhere, i would get a 375 rum, 416 rem mag, 416 rigby, 375 h&h in that order.

yes, they are all 'overkill' for deer and elk; though they will kill deer and elk as well as anything. but, they will all meet the minimums required to hunt in africa.

cheapest overall is probably the 375 h&h - though if you aren't handloading, none will be cheap.

i wouldn't magnaport one, though... i'd rather deal w/ a little extra recoil and save my ears than to blow my hearing in a couple of shots, but be a bit more comfy doing it.

w/ a pachymar decelerator, and some judicious handloading, you could learn to deal effectively w/ the recoil. it isn't going to happen w/ jumping in w/ factory loads, though.

most accurate? w/ the exception of the rum, they are designed to take big, dangerous game at relatively short distances. i'd call accuracy a wash.

 

[Hutch]

I had the .375H&H, and while it was not a pleasure to shoot, it was phenomenally accurate. Another plus is that they have the reputation of shooting most ammo to the same point of aim. If you handload, and want versatility and Western Hemisphere utility, that's what I'd choose. I have no experience w/ African game, but what little I USED to read would lead me to believe that the .375 would be marginally adequate for elephant, and prob'ly a little light for Cape Buf.

 

[MagKnightX]

Okay, the general consensus seems to be on .375, so...

What rifle (single barrel, bolt action, 3+ magazine, under $3000) would you suggest?

 

[dakotasin]

rem 700 lss.