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Big Bore Rifles

“Larry, have you shot a big bore?” asked a seminar attendee when I opened the floor to questions.

“Yes, I have! Well,…kinda! It was a barrow rather than a boar. That was back in the days when Grandpa Weishuhn used to buy old boars, castrate them, then put them on feed for three or four years before they were butchered. I got to shoot one that weighed 728-pounds gutted! I shot him between the eyes with a .22 short. Went right down! Best I remember, we got something over 200 sausages, stacks of bacon and ham, and numerous gallons of rendered lard! We kept our family in pork and cooking oil most of the year!

Looking at the one who asked the question, I noticed a puzzled look on his face. Feigning surprise, I continued. “Yeah, you’re right; he was a barrow, a castrated boar, and probably not what you were asking about when you said big boar.”  I hesitated and looked at the floor, thinking, “Big boar? Er..ah… Real boar? Er.. Maybe 375! But most have been probably from 160 to about 180 pounds, live-weight. I did shoot a big boar several years ago. He only weighed about 150-pounds, but he had over 4-inch lower tusks showing above the gumline. Heckuva, big boar!”

The questioner wagged his head, then rolled his eyes!

“Oh…oh…I’m sorry! You’re not asking about big boar hogs, are you?” He nodded. “You’re asking about guns, calibers! Oh my gracious, I’m sorry!”  A smile came across his face. “Yeah…OK…Well, last week, I shot a .30-06 and a .300 Mag. Those are pretty big bores if you’re used to shooting a .257  Roberts, 7×57 Mausers, or a .270.”  Again, he negatively wagged his head.

At that point, I could no longer hold the laughter. Almost immediately, the crowd was laughing with me.

“Big Bore? B-O-R-E…Yes, Sir, I hope you don’t mind messing with you a bit. I’ve shot several different big bore rounds! In handguns, I’ve shot and hunted with several big bore revolvers chambered in .454 Casull, .460 S&W Mag, .480 Ruger, .500 S&W Mag, and a few wildcat rounds. In the single-shots handguns, the biggest bores as I recall right now were the .45-70 and the .375 JDJ.” 

Big Bore Rounds

Larry with his best Cape Buffalo, taken with a .416 Ruger shooting Hornady 400-grain DGX.
Larry with his best Cape Buffalo, taken with a .416 Ruger shooting Hornady 400-grain DGX.

“In rifles, I consider starting big bore rounds with the .375s as in H&H Mag, Ruger, and Remington Ultra Mag. For years I have shot other big bore rounds such as .405 Winchester,.416 Rigby and .416 Ruger, .450-500 NE 3-inch, .470 NE on up to .600 NE. These, with the exception of the .600 I shot while hunting in Africa dangerous game and specifically buffalo in North America, Australia, and South America. The .600 I shot several years ago while in London at the Holland & Holland facility. That one, I shot at paper twice. Thankfully not both barrels at the same time! Even so, the recoil was a big substantial.”

I continued, “Hunting African dangerous game such as elephant, buffalo, lion and hippo, I have used .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger on elephant; .375 H&H Mag and .375 Ruger on buffalo, as well as .416 Rigby and .416 Ruger.  I’ve shot hippo with both .375 Ruger and .450-400 NE, and I’ve used a .375 Ruger on lion on the one I shot and have been in on the taking of several other lions while the hunter was using a .375 Ruger. This in three different African nations.  On other hunts when someone else was hunting elephant, buffalo and hippo, I have carried either a .375 H&H Mag, .375 Ruger or .416 Rigby or Ruger.”  I hesitated then continued, “One of he biggest bodied buffalo I have ever shot was a bison here in North America.  Took him with a .405 Winchester using a Hornady bullet/load.  Incidentally the only bullets and ammo I consider using on dangerous game comes from Hornady.  That bison shot with my .405 Winchester went down before I load a second bullet and shoot.  I shot another bison with a handgun chambered in a .500 S&W Mag.”

Larry with an "on land" hippo taken with his Ruger No. 1 in .450-400 NE 3" using Hornady ammo.
Larry with an "on land" hippo taken with his Ruger No. 1 in .450-400 NE 3" using Hornady ammo.

“My first Cape buffalo, an ancient “dugga boy,” was taken in Zimbabwe on the Save Conservancy on a hunt set up for me by Jim McCarthy Adventures. Shot him with a .416 Rigby T/C Encore single-shot with a Hornady load, one shot. My last African buffalo were taken with my .416 Ruger, using Hornady’s 400-grain DGX, was taken a little way from Kruger National Park. That old bull was dead with the first shot, but I quickly shot him twice more. I like to shoot! He also has the widest horn of the Cape buffalo I have taken, 47-inches.”

“I know there are several good big bore caliber/rounds, but the ones I have mentioned have served me extremely well, as they have those I hunted with.” 

“I am by no way an expert in big bore caliber/rounds. I’ve been blessed to have shot numerous big bore guns: single-shot, double-barrel, and bolt action. I will admit I really like classy-looking and classic African “double guns.” But, having been born into a Texas family where the only oil on our land was spilled cooking oil and, having spent a lifetime working as a wildlife biologist, outdoor writer/communicator, I lack the dollars to own double rifles. So, my big bore guns have been primarily Ruger No. 1 single-shots and Ruger 77 Hawkeye bolt action rifles. My three favorite big bore single-shots are my Ruger No. 1 in .450-400 NE 3-inch, .405 Winchester, and .375 Ruger. With bolt actions, I really like the .375 Ruger and .416 Ruger, which I have used a fair amount.”

Several people in the audience nod positively but could also see some turn to the guy sitting next to them and mouth the words “.375 H&H Mag”.

As a regular at the DSC Convention each year in January, I have drooled over and on several big bore rifles, primarily doubles produced by Heym.  Standing there in their booth, I have several times temporarily been “transported” to facing a charging elephant or buffalo with a .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .450-400 NE 3-inch, or .470 NE in my hands.  Unfortunately, before I can pull the trigger, Chris Sells asks me to return the Heym to the table so someone else can hold and dream as I was doing!

Four of Larry's favorite Big Bore rounds: .405 Winchester, .375 Ruger, .416 Ruger and .450-400 NE 3".
Four of Larry's favorite Big Bore rounds: .405 Winchester, .375 Ruger, .416 Ruger and .450-400 NE 3".

I was standing here, having gotten quiet, recalling the last double rifle I had held in my hands when I heard a question from the crowd. “What scope or sights do you use on your big bore dangerous game rifles?”

“All of my big bore rifles wear a variable Trijicon AccuPoint scope, one I can crank down at least to 3x. With that, I have a wide field of view and can get on target quickly because of the little green Tridium dot in the center of the scope. That dot is visible in poor light conditions and helps with precise shot placement on dark-haired of skinned animals.”

With that, it was time to end my session and go to talk to a PH about another African dangerous game hunt…

Larry with one of his Australian buffalo taken with a .375 Ruger shooting Hornady 300-grain DGX ammo.
Larry with one of his Australian buffalo taken with a .375 Ruger shooting Hornady 300-grain DGX ammo.
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