WHEN it comes to classic rifles for hunting both buffalo and softskinned game, most hunters will have to choose between the aristocratic .416 Rigby and the workhorse .404 Jeffery. But which one is the better?
The interest in rifle cartridges originally designed for African big game is disproportionate to the number of hunters who actually use them for their intended purpose. The same applies to the interest in hunting Cape buffalo. Who doesn’t dream of buffalo hunting? Nowadays, buffalo hunting is regulated and using small calibres is prohibited. The Cape buffalo is the only African big game species that exists in really large numbers which is why the cost of hunting them is less absurd than for the other Big Five.
Perhaps the interest in big game rifles is due to the fact that when hunters have one in hand, they nurture the dream of being on a buffalo hunt. At least that’s how I feel every time I take my big game bolt-action rifle out the gun cabinet. It is definitely a dream-generator – surpassed only by a big game double rifle.
Over the years I have happily owned and used a range of rifles for big game hunting – doubles and bolt-action. Apart from one in .458 Win Mag, they have all been in the calibre range of .400" or approximately 10.5mm. The reason is simple: the level of recoil is
