[Bill Lester]

Jim,

If you get the opportunity to go to Africa, take your favorite Winchester .45-70 and be happy. If you use the best bullets, you can equal or exceed the performance of many rounds that were used successfully for decades against all manner of Africa game. Look at some of the ballistics that wiped out almost all big game in some parts of the Dark Continent:
                           
.450/.400 Nitro Express    .40 cal./400 grains @ 2100 fps
.404 Jeffery                       .40 cal./400 grains @ 2150 fps
.500/.450 Nitro Express    .45 cal./480 grains @ 2175 fps
.500/.450 Magnum BPE     .45 cal./365 grains @ 1875 fps
.450 Nitro Express 3.25"   .45 cal./480 grains @ 2150 fps
.476 Nitro Express             .48 cal./520 grains @ 2100 fps

Use the best bullets available that are appropriate to the game and you'll have no trouble. Head shots on jumbo would require heavy jacketed FMJ's, but buffalo can be taken shoulder-to-shoulder with hard cast slugs. For lion and everything else I'd use a 300 or 350-grain softnose, probably Hawks.

Don't ever sell the ole' .45 Government short! Or for that matter its grandson the 444.

 

[Bill Lester]

Jim,

I think many hunters going to Africa take too much horsepower. If you exclude elephant, which most will because of the tremendous costs involved, then you really don't need monster bores. Did you know that the .338 Win. Mag. has become one of the most popular buffalo rounds? Many PH's and sportsmen on repeat hunts find it drops them quicker than the .375 H&H! Sounds something like how many advocate the .270 over the .30-06. In any case, if you want to build a .416 go right ahead. But is it needed? Absolutely not.

 

[Bill Lester]

Just don't forget your old buddy Bill when you get back. A hunk of buffalo hide would make an awfully nice holster...

:wink:

 

[Bill Lester]

Leadslinger,

You may find my post "Understanding,"found in the General Discussion section, somewhat pertinent to this topic.