Which Lever Action & Caliber for AFRICA?

[UMFAN1]

If you were going to take a lever action to Africa to hunt plainsgame and some larger antelopes, which gun and caliber would you take?

[John Traveler]

M1895 Winchester/Browning .405 Winchester, Natchurly!

The BIG BAD TEDDY BORE!

John

[UMFAN1]

John, Excellent choice! :grin:

[UMFAN1]

John,
Do you or anyone else here know the last year the .405win. was produced, with the exception of last years special edition?

[Cabin4]

444 marlin

[John Traveler]

The Winchester database on oldguns.com shows the M1895 Winchester was last produced in 1939, s/n 426754.

However, I'd be willing to bet that Winchester assembled/custom made some for "special customers" years later.  Winchester was known to do that with leftover parts for several models.

I've visited the Cody, Wyoming Buffalo Bill Museum (formerly official Winchester Museum) and saw some absolutely FABULOUS guns that Winchester made long after the official end of mfg dates.

The .405 Winchester is one of those rare birds that brings chills and thrills to your spine and images of equatorial Africa and Our Hero Teddy Roosevelt himself levering his Winchester 1895 and shouting "BULLY!  This is just BULLY!!"

HTH
John

[Mikey]

Winchester Big Bore in 444.  Mikey.

[Enforcer]

Win M1895 in 405Win.Already been there and done that.I go in February to Africa and will be using only levers actions.My 405Win may well make the trip,with its 28in pipe it will send a 300gr Hornady at 2450fps-4000fpe.

[UMFAN1]

Enforcer, that sounds Awesome!  Good luck to ya. What other levers are you taking?

[Enforcer]

Enforcer, that sounds Awesome!  Good luck to ya. What other levers are you taking?

My brother and I will be taking two levers each.

Savage M99R in 416/284 McPherson
Win M1895 303 British
Win M1886 in 510 Kodiak Express
Win M1895 in 405Win


We may replace  the 510 KE  with a Win M88 in 284Win for plains game.As we don't need three big bores.Even though we will plan on taking a buffalo and a male lion.We had the 510KE made with this trip in mind.But we have been thinking of trying the buffalo and lion with just the 416/284Mc and 405win instead.I can send a 350gr Barnes Solid at 2400fps-4475fps and a 400gr Speer at 2200fps-4300fpe out of the 26in barrel of my 416/284 McPherson.That should do it as that matches the 450 Alaskan and stomps the 416 Barnes,45/70,450Marlin,50 Alaskan,458X2.Thanks for wishing me luck,we may need it.

The 510 KE may just be over kill,even for lion and buffalo.As we have worked up a 453gr FNSP at 2350fps-5553fpe :eek:  out of 24in barrel.That puts it in or even above the 470 Nitro Express power range,but in a lever action.Of course recoil is brutal with full house loads! :eek:

[kev]

HI,


Africa you say , well I think I would use or I am going to use my WIN 86, custom by Dave Clay to a 50-110. I have been shooting a 525Grain WFN bullet at 2200fps. I am now working with woodeigh 600grain PPSP bullets. I am, flatting down the nose and they weigh around 550-560 grains and I hope to get 2100fps with this,by the way my barrel is 22.5 inchs long, I get over 5,500 ME,Kev

[Lloyd Smale]

50 ak

[jackfish]

Its really too bad Barnes discontinued the heavier .411" X-Bullets.  They would have been great in the 405 Winchester.  Hawk makes a 325, 350 and 400 grain round nose for the 405 Winchester in various jacket thicknesses.  Maybe you guys with Win 1895s could play around with some of them and let us know what you think.

I would certainly take my 22" barreled Marlin 1895 loaded with Kodiak 350 grain bonded core flat points at 2100 fps for all plains game up to Eland.  But my .375 H&H would probably see most of the work.

[RIFLERANGER]

Marlin 1895GS, bullets loaded accordingly.
Ranger

[Lawdog]

I would take two rifles.  Browning BLR Lightweights `81 in .300 Win. Mag. and .450 Marlin.  They should cover most any plains game you come across.  Price is right too.  Lawdog
 

[crow_feather]

Has anyone read the two articles in the last two issues of Rifle Magazine?
A Marlin lever 1895 in 45-70 with the new Hamerhead bullet went clean through two buffalo killing them both.  And that wasn't the heavy load.  Another bullet went from stern to stem on a buffalo.  They will also shoot 200 yds. with no problem.

If I was going to Africa and wanted a lever, I might want to read those articles.

C F

[Buckeye]

I'd take my Marlin GG 45/70 With the correct ammo,and my 94 Win. in .356win.
Those two should work well.

Buckeye

[Prince of Wales]

Since the obvious choice was named right off I would have to say the Winchester 71 or the BLR in 358 Win for the light duties. Best of luck. POW