Rifles for Cape Buffalo

It certainly shoots nicely too - perfectly acceptable recoil and pretty accurate even with a rusty crock (me) driving it 😂
 
Ooooh a brother to mine! Trevor knew a thing or to about building a D&G rifle. I love mine,if you have a word with Mike Dickinson at Carlton moor range he may have so details on her.
 
Ooooh a brother to mine! Trevor knew a thing or to about building a D&G rifle. I love mine,if you have a word with Mike Dickinson at Carlton moor range he may have so details on her.
I spoke to Mike before I got the rifle to see whether he had anything similar in stock. Do you know how old yours is and what the serial number is as this may give an idea how old my rifle is (mine is serial number 90). Is yours a 375 too? Could you post some pictures if you have any to hand please 😁
 
I’ve worked with a number of CZ550’s over the past ten years of which most were heavy hitters . For me atleast as long as you get what they call an American style straight comb stock I see no issue . I however do not care for the Euro hog back type stocks especially on heavy hitters . I’ve shot any number of 375’s and 416’s as well as a 505 . And I like them all , however for actual use I’m more of a 375 person with a slight lean to 416’s . My gunsmith friend has 550 Safari’s in 375 H&H , 416 Rigby and the 505 Gibbs . And I worked up loads for all three . Myself I’ve had Interarms Mark X Whitworth’s in 375 H&H as well as another I had rebarreled to 416 Rem Mag . At the present I have a pair of Ruger #1H’s in 375 H&H and 416 Rem Mag . All seven of those rifles will shoot MOA or better if you do your part . Now on the negative , once upon a time I HS a very nice older Ruger #1H that was LNIB in 458 WIN MAG and it cams with a bunch of loads the previous owner had done . I tried three at fifty yards with open sights and they were in about an inch but they thumped something fierce . The load he used was straight out the book so I resized those three cases and loaded the same load and again (on a different day) I shot three at fifty with open sights and they were all touching and it still thumped like a draft horse . So that one went down the road . In my mind that 458 thumped way worse than the 505 Gibbs . And that was a 510 grainer in the 458 and a 525 grain Barnes in the 505 . If I were making the trip to the dark continent I’d most likely carry my 375 H&H and of the outfitter complained then I’d take the 416 but they better make darn sure they have someone to carry for me as I don’t wanna walk walk walk carrying either one of the heavy buggers . Picture is of my Ruger 375 H&H with two eight point Whitetail’s I thunked in about thirty seconds from a treestand about six years ago .F3DFECF7-7DEE-42CA-AE4A-B50CCA3C58C0.webp
 
First contact tbe outfitter and find out about the bush cover and ask for his recomendation,
That way you can get the right tool for the job
 
I spoke to Mike before I got the rifle to see whether he had anything similar in stock. Do you know how old yours is and what the serial number is as this may give an idea how old my rifle is (mine is serial number 90). Is yours a 375 too? Could you post some pictures if you have any to hand please 😁
343823A5-F9EC-43A6-985A-8A7D534D4221.webp
Yes it’s a .375.
Mines built on a pre64 Winchester,just a plane old serial number as it was one of the last ones he built.
 
Gents, not wanting to hijack the thread in anyway, but it looks like we have some medium/big bore experience on this thread.

I have a "sleeper" 375 zkk 602 in the cabinet It is very accurate, but the action is a bit rough, the extractor collar is rough and it has the strange straight trigger. Does anyone have any experience of modifying this make and model of rifle to make them a bit more user friendly?

Cheers,

Mike
 
Gents, not wanting to hijack the thread in anyway, but it looks like we have some medium/big bore experience on this thread.

I have a "sleeper" 375 zkk 602 in the cabinet It is very accurate, but the action is a bit rough, the extractor collar is rough and it has the strange straight trigger. Does anyone have any experience of modifying this make and model of rifle to make them a bit more user friendly?

Cheers,
Have a chat with Darren at mid counties blacking in Litchfield. I’ve seen a CZ .375 that he has spoodled up the bolt was slick and re finished beautifully.

Mike
 
375HH. I have taken both Buff and Elephant with it. The Elephant charging at 20yds, which had half a trunk having lost the other half we believe in a poachers snare.
Its all about bullet placement on any game, but in particular dangerous game, you can just as well gut shoot a Cape Buffalo with a 416 or even a 600 just as well as a 375.
Optics I have a 1.6 x 6 Burris Signature scope on top of my BRNO 375. Good solid rifles and bomb proof scope, never had to touch it in all the years I have had it.
 
375HH. I have taken both Buff and Elephant with it. The Elephant charging at 20yds, which had half a trunk having lost the other half we believe in a poachers snare.
Its all about bullet placement on any game, but in particular dangerous game, you can just as well gut shoot a Cape Buffalo with a 416 or even a 600 just as well as a 375.
Optics I have a 1.6 x 6 Burris Signature scope on top of my BRNO 375. Good solid rifles and bomb proof scope, never had to touch it in all the years I have had it.
Sounds like there is a story behind that shot..... we’re you after that specific elephant or did you come across it and have to defend yourself from a charge?
 
Ah dodgy I have to add that we hunters collectively use 'firearms' and not weapons. (add bowhunters)
The word "weapon" is used by newspapers and other media in news reports to draw attention to the firearm being a bad thing generally in a way to make the carrier seem some sort of "weapon carrying" street crim.
I go deer stalking with my rifle of choice,I don`t choose a 'weapon' from my safe.

Now Davey Boi i`m not digging at you,i`m having a go at the way the W word is used against us.
The media don’t seem get the concept that for our purpose a firearm is a tool. No different to a joiner using a chisel. You choose the appropriate tool for the job.
The media seem to fall in two camps those too ignorant or lazy to find the difference between legal and illegal firearms. The second are those who deliberately use the word “weapon” to sensationalise their story.

As to question of what rifle I would choose a CZ550, I had one for years and think it would be instinctive if I pick one up again. Calibre wise I would like to try a few to see how I got on with the recoil. Then go with what I could manage and get ammunition for locally, just in case. Scope a 1-6x with illuminated reticule would be my choice with mounts to allow for return to zero, and the irons regulated for the bullet weight of choice.
 
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