Rifle for NT game and armor plated Sambar

[bimbo]

In the next 18 months - 2 years I plan to tick a few off the bucket list. One is buffalo in the NT and the other is Sambar in Vic and thinking about what rifle and cal. Figure if I work out what I want/need now I can wait till the right gun comes up and also have plenty of time to send loads of lead down range and get used to a big banger. At the moment the biggest rifle in my safe is a 7mm08 so looking at stepping it up a notch or 2.

So what cal and rifle would you suggest?

Cheers
James

[Camel]

A big 30 cal or 338 or 35, maybe even a 9.3x62, they are pretty popular, Zastava M70 should fill the bill.

[Buffy]

I'm pretty sure the min cal for sambar is a 500NE. And you will need AT LEAST double that power for a buff.


















Seriously though, If you can't kill them with a hard hitting 30 cal, you shouldn't be shooting at them!

My vote would be 308, 30-06, 300WSM, 300WM

Cheers

BB

[Buffy]

There is a solution James. 45-70 in a Marlin 1895 XLR.

Absolutely cracking rifle in a cracking calibre, in which I'm very partial to.

Cheers

BB

[mick_762]

I agree with BB, though it does depend where in the NT you are shooting the buff too, in my opinion anyway.
The "plains buff" of the Coburg peninsular do seem tougher than the "bush buff" that I have shot.

I would go for the 300 WSM or the 9.3x62 that Camel mentioned.

The WSM would also give you ability for long range shooting if that is the direction that you would like to take as well.

Either way, a well constructed projectile would be needed, and put it in the right place - nothing will get away from you.

Mick

[CZ550]

+1 300WM

Readily available, heavy hitting, plenty of projectile choice....need I say more!

Regards,

CZ550

[kickinback]

Ethically speaking, a 20/222 in the right hands at a range under 500 mtrs

[Camel]

Ethically speaking, a 20/222 in the right hands at a range under 500 mtrs

Oh look what popped up when some one rattled the shit tin.

[Jacko9]

Not long ago I was in your position, I narrowed it down to a few...

9.3x62 if you want a rifle that punches well above what it's stats say, especially with acps, a bit loopy on trajectory though, but mellow on the shoulder! Ultimately, I just wanted a slightly flatter shooter and something a bit different to these, as everyone has one now...

300 wm-WBY, easily the most capable 30 cals, flat shooting, versatile, good pill selection, a lot to like, I just wanted a little bit more pill diameter, which lead me to...

358 Norma magnum and 338 win mag. Both gave me relatively similar performance, but had their pluses and minuses, the 338 was better suited to long range work with the availability of long range 338 pills, whereas the 358 allowed me to use pistol projectiles and powder puff loads, both are flat shooters out to the distances most people are willing or should be shooting game anyways.

In the end the 358 won out for me due to being a bit of an oddball and helping a mate out with another project at the same time. I do see myself building a partner rifle in 338 win mag in the future though.

[bimbo]

I like your way of thinking Jacko, something a little left of centre - and is seems there are far too many 300win mags on the go on here lately (bunch of sheep if you ask me) I like the idea of a 338 or 358 - will look into wha tthey have to offer.

Mark I did look in to the zastavas as they seem to get a good wrap and did notice they have them in 9.3x62 and for around the $600-700 I reckon they are hard to beat.

I am not sure it I want a classic safari style rifle or something like a weatherby MK V - I get that tingling feeling when I saw The Gnomes's weatherby

[stinkitup]

I have similar plans bimbo, as far as something for bigger game etc. Had always thought a 358 win or 338 fed looked the goods.

Then one night I got an epiphany, I have a 6.5x55AI reamer, why not have it run into a 358 barrel and have the neck done by a neck reamer?? or run the 358 win in to my required length then run my reamer in after to sort out the body as the AI has slightly larger case it looks like it should do the job.

It's a little different to the usual but comparing to other non magnum 358's it easily will better the 358 win and should even sneak past that American favourite the Whelen for velocity, and I am going to sneak it into a stevens short action .

That new 8208 looks the goods too and may propel the 200 past 2600 or more which sounds pretty good

Hopefully get it screwed together next year.

Ryan

[Jacko9]

I have similar plans bimbo, as far as something for bigger game etc. Had always thought a 358 win or 338 fed looked the goods.

Then one night I got an epiphany, I have a 6.5x55AI reamer, why not have it run into a 358 barrel and have the neck done by a neck reamer?? or run the 358 win in to my required length then run my reamer in after to sort out the body as the AI has slightly larger case it looks like it should do the job.

It's a little different to the usual but comparing to other non magnum 358's it easily will better the 358 win and should even sneak past that American favourite the Whelen for velocity, and I am going to sneak it into a stevens short action .

That new 8208 looks the goods too and may propel the 200 past 2600 or more which sounds pretty good

Hopefully get it screwed together next year.

Ryan

I get a 200 grain monolithic projectile at 3250 fps from the muzzle roughly. Bimbo if you like, pm me, and I'm happy to give you my number and I can tell you the bloke who builds these rifles etc, at pretty good prices too.

300 wm's are as common on here as 9.3x62's are as common on AHN, go something oddball, go a 338 win mag, 340 wby, or 358 Norma mag mate, you won't regret any of them....

[kjd]

I use to do the oddball thing, it is a pain in the arse if you ask me. There's a reason why things are popular and really these weird cals aren't all different to the so called "mainstream" cartridges that still work just as well without the headache.

[TexNAss]

Well I've dropped two with heart shots from a 30/30 and probably another 10 from an old Spanish Mauser in 308.

The two with the 30/30- both times were under 40meters and I would not liked to take the shot from much further away. My offsider was carrying a Marlin in .444 which adds a fair bit of confidence.

I vote 45/70. Big heavy bullets and critical shot placement if substituting speed for weight I reckon.

Tex

[Jacko9]

I use to do the oddball thing, it is a pain in the arse if you ask me. There's a reason why things are popular and really these weird cals aren't all different to the so called "mainstream" cartridges that still work just as well without the headache.

Wasn't so long ago the 9.3x62 wasn't "mainstream" now look at it.... Every second bloke has one, and for good reason too, they just work.

Some cartridges just don't get the jump in publicity others do Keith, take for example the 6mm remington vs 243 Winnie, there's no doubt the remmie is a better cartridge, but the Winnie got a better jump, due to better marketing, and well, we all know how it's gone for the respective cartridges there, only due to marketing, absolutely nothing to do with performance in my opinion....