nbc elephant hunting
 

i was just watching the nbc sports network and hunting dangerous game was on. they were hunting elephant in africa. now ive never hunted elephants in africa so i dont know what it takes to kill an elephant but it should still be an ethical shot. one shot one kill. this guy shot the elephant 5 times in the head. twice the elephant got up and started running again than twice more the elephant dropped and tried to get up again and than one more shot. i know its an elephant and if u cant get it done with one shot get a bigger caliber. just my thoughts

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

A gun that could take down an elephant with one shot every time would be too massive to shoulder. The PH's and the guys behind the trigger have full intention of a humane kill every time they go out. Unfortunately, not every kill can be as swift as we'd like; at that point, I have no issue with even 20 rounds, just put the animal down asap.

Do you know what caliber they were using?

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

i dont i do kno it was a side by side rifle with a 500 grain bullet

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

They have the biggest rifles you would want to shoot. I'm pretty sure they have caliber requirements for those kinds of hunts. Those side by sides are not cheap and you dont want to shoot them more than you have to, cause they kick like a mule. I have a friend whose brother went in on one with about 4-5 guys and still paid several thousand for his part. They do thier best, but like everything else, it doesnt always come out the way we like, even when we are prepared.

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

375 H&H is the minium caliber. I am thinking 458 Lott or 475 A&M Mag. Maybe 460 Weatherby. Though I am really thinking that is one BIG SOB and if you piss him off his foot about bigger than my grape. I would opt for a 20mm http://www.anzioironworks.com/MAG-FED-20MM-RIFLE.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.475_A%26M_Magnum

http://www.africanskyhunting.co.za/t...t-hunting.html

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

I have this huntin buddy,from Ga, hunts with us every fall. After Vietnam, spent some time in Africa. He was employed by South African Govt killing Communists in Rhodeasia. He got introduced to the hunting over there and went back when it was still affordable in the 1980's. I've seen his photo albums, good stuff. He had a bunch of knife sheafs made from some of his elephant hide. This guy has mostly Weatherbys & Winchesters. I've shot his 460 mag & 458 win. Myself, I never quite figured out why somebody would even want to shoot a zebra or elephant, ha ha. He tells me its way over priced in Africa nowadays. My buddy is a natural born killer, no joke, good hunter in the zone when there's game to be killed; and I've seen his photo albums from when he was in Vietnam and Africa; good stuff.

He does tell this funny bull crap story about shooting some maneater lion. Making the local Africans so happy, they threw him a potlatch, made him honorary member (sometimes he's the chief) and gave him a couple virgins and after a year if they didn't produce him a son; they'd give him a couple more virgins, ha ha. I actually howl at his storys more than you can imagine. He does got nice big Weatherby Magnums just the same.

Re: nbc elephant hunting
 

Not long ago I was reading a short piece about some of the elephant hunters from many years back. Some used what could be described as small cannons, but many of them used small caliber bolt action rifles chambered for cartridges such as the 6.5x54 Dutch Manlicher and the 7x57 Mauser, and a few .303 British thrown in also. These men knew their equipment and their quarry intimately, with most being killed by a single head shot. It proves that this like most every other hunting situation, where you hit them is more important than what you hit them with.

those who beat their guns into plowshares, will plow for those who didn't