Hunting African Plains Game with the 6.5 Creedmoor

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›Sign up for the On The Gun Newsletter The latest for gun hunters and competitive shooters.The Midnight TroubadourTough and timeless, this polo is built for the long ride. Featuring a crisp, non-collapsing collar and a rugged, stretchy fabric, it's the perfect shirt for any cowboy's wardrobe.🤠 Shop Now - The Midnight TroubadourEvery safari in Africa includes this ritual. After the hunters have had a chance to settle into camp and stow their gear, they meet their guides and together they go to a makeshift range to sight-in rifles off a bench that's less steady than a newborn giraffe's legs. What happens next is critical. The guides soak up every detail–how the hunters handle their guns, whether they seem comfortable shooting from an unsteady rest (the slipshod construction of the bench is no accident), and just as important, whether they brought enough gun. As I remove a cartridge from my ammo box, I see my guide squint at the undersized brass case. "What's that?" he says, not bothering to mask his skeptical tone. "It's new. A six-five," I reply, and I can tell by his look that he thinks I've failed this test before I've even taken my first shot–never mind that the 6.5 has a storied history on the Dark Continent.His thoughts were plain: I hadn't brought enough gun. So how much, exactly, is "enough" when taking on the animals of Africa and their reputation for toughness? The safe answer with cartridge selection and power has always been the more, the merrier. And, true enough, every Professional Hunter I've hunted with lights up with pleasure when they see me uncase my .416 Rigby, which has been my go-to rifle for many safaris. "Lovely caliber, the four-one-six," they say. And what's not to like? With more than 5,000 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, it has proven itself time and again as a smashing cartridge over the last 100 years. But not everyone has the wallet or the masochistic streak required to handle the Rigby and its peers, like the .458 Win. Mag. and the .470 Nitro Express. The "smashing" qualities of these charge-stoppers hit both ways, and unless you're facing dangerous game, a lighter cartridge will probably serve better. Pictured: Cape buffalo taken with a .416 Rigby on a previous safari.So how low can you go? For decades now the most popular plains game calibers have been the .30 magnums. The .300 Weatherby, .300 Win. Mag., and more recent introductions like the .30 short- and ultra-mags give hunters the warm-fuzzies with their flat trajectories and ability to reach out for longer shots. However, when chambered in standard-weight rifles, these calibers still bark with authority, and unless the person behind the trigger is accustomed to the recoil, a flinch is all but guaranteed, and the likelihood of wounding shots or outright misses skyrockets. I've witnessed this on numerous occasions, but don't take my word for it–if you get a chance to speak with an African hunting guide, ask whether he's had clients who were afraid of their booming magnums. Then pull up a chair and prepare for an earful. https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2012/02/shooting-65-creedmoor-african-safari/

Hunting African Plains Game with the 6.5 Creedmoor

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Hunting African Plains Game with the 6.5 Creedmoor

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