Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Keith,
I hit it off with the owner of the taxidermy place in RSA when we dropped off our trophies.
We spent easily an extra 45 minutes just talking about hunting and cartridges after the business.
He was showing me some of his personal trophies, and I asked what he had used on one lion.
He said a Rigby 275 which he pointed out immediately, and I already knew, is a 7x57 by a
British name. I asked what bullet he used and he said, Nosler 160 Partition, which amazed me because
it is what I used, too. I asked if he was worried about that with the two big male lions, and he said,
'No problem if you hit them well", but do not gut shoot them, and you really should be ready if you
need to put a second shot in them. Then he offered that he shot everything except elephant with his Rigby.
I asked if this included rhino, and he said "Yes, but I used a South African bullet called a Rhino bullet."
He explained that it was a monolithic (copper, I believe) solid and that again, a properly placed shot,
or possibly two would reliably stop a rhino without a problem.
The South Africans love and USE their 7x57s. The owner of our safari company used a 7x57 and
Fred Berger of Berger Sword Canes (and knives) was hunting on a friend's property while we were
visiting (near Kruger Park) and he was also carrying a 7x57.
I had always liked it, but the biggest things I have used it on are elk and kudu, both one shot kills.
I compare this to several other hunters at the same safari company using .338 Win Mags and the
crew spending a whole day several times chasing down a wounded impala and kudu. No substitute
for putting the bullet in the right place, and for most the big magnums make them less likely to hit
well due to the recoil.
7x57 doesn't kick the hell out of you, but kills very well. Most people will shoot it better because of that.
Paul has made a great choice, too.
Bill
I hit it off with the owner of the taxidermy place in RSA when we dropped off our trophies.
We spent easily an extra 45 minutes just talking about hunting and cartridges after the business.
He was showing me some of his personal trophies, and I asked what he had used on one lion.
He said a Rigby 275 which he pointed out immediately, and I already knew, is a 7x57 by a
British name. I asked what bullet he used and he said, Nosler 160 Partition, which amazed me because
it is what I used, too. I asked if he was worried about that with the two big male lions, and he said,
'No problem if you hit them well", but do not gut shoot them, and you really should be ready if you
need to put a second shot in them. Then he offered that he shot everything except elephant with his Rigby.
I asked if this included rhino, and he said "Yes, but I used a South African bullet called a Rhino bullet."
He explained that it was a monolithic (copper, I believe) solid and that again, a properly placed shot,
or possibly two would reliably stop a rhino without a problem.
The South Africans love and USE their 7x57s. The owner of our safari company used a 7x57 and
Fred Berger of Berger Sword Canes (and knives) was hunting on a friend's property while we were
visiting (near Kruger Park) and he was also carrying a 7x57.
I had always liked it, but the biggest things I have used it on are elk and kudu, both one shot kills.
I compare this to several other hunters at the same safari company using .338 Win Mags and the
crew spending a whole day several times chasing down a wounded impala and kudu. No substitute
for putting the bullet in the right place, and for most the big magnums make them less likely to hit
well due to the recoil.
7x57 doesn't kick the hell out of you, but kills very well. Most people will shoot it better because of that.
Paul has made a great choice, too.
Bill