Numerous articles have been written about the perfect big game battery for worldwide hunting. The three rifles sitting in my gun cabinet that I would choose are:
1) Win. mod70 classic 270 Win
2) Kimber m89 375 H&H
3) Ruger m77 mk2 416 Rigby
Now the only problem is getting the money to pay for this adventure.....
What 3 rifles would you choose???

I usually limit it to two rifles one for non dangerous game and another for up close large game work. But if I could conveniently travel with three here are my choices.

1. Would be a bird or varmint type gun I would take  a . 22 a shotgun might appeal to someone else but I am a horrible shot with a shotgun.

2. 340 Weatherby  caliber (not in  a Weatherby rifle but a custom pre 64 model 70) this is one of the best non- dangerouse game calibers for long or close shots ever devised (close to 338/378 KT)

3. 416 Remington ( on another pre 64 model 70 with a short barrel) this is as good of an all around big game cartridge you can get. It performs as well as 416 Rigby at sensible velocities for close up big game hunting. It is more flexible than my favorite dangerous game gun a double rifle. Doubles really come into their own in very thick bush and on charges. Your 416 Rigby model 77 would work as well I just like the idea of two similar handling rifles.

From my experience a 375 is too big for the # 2 rifle and too small for the # 3 gun. If it came down to one gun I would take a 416 over a 375 any day of the week. I would rather be over gunned on small game than under gunned on dangerous game. THE ONLY REASON IT IS SO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IS THAT PH'S FEEL IT IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF RECOIL A CLIENT CAN HANDLE TO ME THIS IS BS.

Len

Len,   I know its a powerful round but how much energy ( more or less) does the 340 Weatherby have when compared to the 375 H&H and is its trajectory at long range that much greater?? My only long range experience with the 375 H&H was a cross canyon shot on a Utah elk using a 270gr Speer SBT handload that worked perfectly. I was also very lucky in making that shot.
          My idea for the original question about 3 rifles came from a old gun mag article where the writer listed 50 big game species from around the world and asked what three rifles the reader would choose. Interestingly, the writers battery, I believe, were a 270, a 338 and a 500 double.
         The 416 Rigby in the Ruger bolt rifle, as my one rifle, served me pefectly in Africa taking everything from buffalo to a treetop baboon using Federal trophy bonded solids and softpoint ammo. When thinking of what three of my rifles I would choose I was leaning towards my 300 Weatherby instead of my 375 but I know how big the non dangerous game in Africa can be and the 375 was the next step up in power over the 300 with the rifles I own. All the best from your friend in NJ, James

Hi James,

Here is the story. I do not now nor have I ever owned a 340 Weatherby in fact I would not buy a Weatherby rifle under any circumstances, but that is another story. I do like some of his caliber the 300 and 340 are two of his best efforts.

Around 1980 I wanted a flat shooting long range caliber suitable for the largest non dangerous game. Like a lot of Keith’s readers I was fascinated by the 338/378 Keith. I also believed then and know now from personal experience that heavy properly constructed bullet (for the species hunted) is better than a lighter bullet. I believe in shooting thru an animal (two holes are better than one) and having adequate penetration for a south end shot on wounded game. I am not a fanatic about super high velocity but it takes a combination of velocity and high bullet co-efficiency to flatten out trajectory.

I corresponded with Elmer on this subject and on a side note if I can find the letters I will scan them in to this forum. Elmer felt the 338 378 was a very expensive proposition both from a rifle and a case forming stand point. It took a magnum Mauser, Champlin or Weatherby size action for the build and you had to modify 378 Wby cases. Thirty years ago that was about all that was available. I decided to approach it differently and was determined to get 3,000 fps with a 250 grain bullet. In Elmer’s opinion this was the best long range combination. Look at high the BC  on a Sierra 250 grain boat tail although I went on to use Nosler Partitions as my standard bullet.

I went on to design a case for a single shot rifle (got around the action length problem) sort of a poor mans 338/378 Keith. Also keep in mind the Keith cartridge is not simply a necked down 378 but the shoulder is pushed back and the case capacity was more in balance with the bore. There are three of my caliber rifles in use today by friends who borrowed the chamber reamer.

Anyway I am sorry I am going the long way about answering your question. If you look at ballistic tables in say a Sierra manual and take a 250 grain .338 @ 3,000 fps compare it with a 270 grain 375 @ what ever velocity it is capable of short of a 378 you will not hit 3,000 fps you will see the .338 is flatter shooting and has more retained energy. I spent a lot of time pouring over these tables before making a decision. By the way I have chronographed my cartridge with 250 grain bullets @ over 3200 fps but was uncertain as to what bullets might do at close ranges so I backed it down to 3,000.

The reason I suggested a 340 as Elmer did to me is because it is less expensive and fairly close to the wildcats in performance.

After developing my cartridge I had the opportunity to use it on culls shooting literally hundreds of animals with it. I also shot a number of animals out to 500 yards which is what I consider my maximum distance given a steady rest. It had amazing knock down power at that range even on poorly placed hits.

In Africa you are not normally shooting at long ranges the exceptions being desert species and some of the swamp areas where say 350 yard shots are not uncommon. I have had a number of people use a 300 mag in fact my bean field rifle is a 300 Jarrett. These are fine calibers but somewhat marginal on large kudu or an eland which can exceed 2000 lbs. Truth is a good argument could be made for a 300 and a 416. The 416 with a scope could be used for the largest antelope.

But at the end of the day the single most important thing is bullet placement and bullet construction.

Most of the buffalo and elephant I have shot has been with a 475 # 2 Jeffrey double which was a hammer although technically it was not a stopping rifle. In truth there are many combinations of calibers that can and have worked and at the end of the day it is personal preference.

Len

Len, Don`t apoligize for "going the long way" with your reply because it was absolutly fasinating....todays gun writers could learn alot from your experience and how you sorted everything out to your satisfaction. My experience pales in comparison to yours and you answered my question to the letter. It would be great if you could share those letters to Keith.
  What was the parent case for 338 cartridge??James

45 RCBS basic brass shortened blown out and necked down I will get some photos of ammo and gun as well

Len

My 338 wildcat is on left center is a 338-378 Keith and on the right is a 300 wby

Len

This is my rifle which has undergone many changes over the last 28 + years. It has been stocked and checkered by Flaigs of Pittsburgh Pa I don't know how many remember them, Frank Wells of Tuscon, Andy Horvath of Ohio have also worked on it.

Len

It's a beauty.

If I were going on a world wide hunt for a year or two and not just going to Africa and back , and I could carry three guns , which is a stretch these days.
I would carry my Sako 75 Finn Light .300 win. mag. for Mtn. game.
With a lightly compressed load of RL-25 and Nosler 200 grn Accubonds , I get 3006 fps , and .6 groups at 100 yds.
I would probably try and carry some 150 partitions for the varmint hunting I would try and do every where I went.

For a bit bigger game and closer quarters I would carry a 338-06 built on an 1909 Argentine action.
This would be close to the .333 OKH Elmer carried for his small rifle when he went to Africa in 1958.
Before Dan Lilja started just making barrels he built the .338-06 I have now on a blue printed Rem. 700 action and one of his 3 groove 21 5/8" bls.
When I'm in the Elk timber I keep it loaded with Hornady 250 grn . round nose ,  and enough IMR 4350 for 2600 fps and .75" groups at 100 yds.
When I'm watching across a canyon or a clear cut I load it with Nosler 225 grn Accubond and H-414 powder for 2700 fps  and .5 groups at 100 yds.
With these two loads I sight in the Hornadys 3/4" high at 100 yds and the Noslers are 3" high.
I would hate to leave home for a couple of years with a push feed action so I would re barrel my 1909 .35 Whelen for.338-06 .

Unless Jumbo and Rhino were for sure on the menu I would go with my Ruger RSM .375 H&H for my big gun.
It's about all the recoil I want with hot loads of 300 grn softs and solids.
If Rhino and Jumbo were a sure thing, I'd have to rethink.
Southern Man

Len, The metal and wood on your rifle are excellent....that is one fine looking rifle that I know your proud of. Frank Wells made some beautiful firearms in some of the biggest bores going. Though I never had any stockwork by Flaigs I always remember their adds in the back of the older NRA mags. Your single shot rifle was made by some of the best in the business. James