Recently I came into a rifle quite unexpectedly, it was part of an estate actually. The rifle is a CZ 550 American in .458 Lott. The previous owner had MANY very large rifles- a 4 Bore, an 8 Bore, .577, 600 and 700 Nitros etc.... This one struck my fancy as a classic magazine fed African DG rifle....

At about the same time as I acquired the rifle I was re reading Jeff Coopers Another Country...the last few chapters are devoted to African hunting and in particular, buffalo hunting. The two things have me thinking about my first safari and killing a buffalo.

So, here's the bare bones of things-

I am thinking that I would do a 10 day hunt, buffalo and plains game. I would be looking at either Mozambique or Zimbabwe. My modest amount of research seems to indicate that these two countries offer a wide variety of game, both with good chances for a buffalo, and offer good value for the hunter. My primary interest in "plains game" would be Eland, Kudu and Zebra.....Not sure of the best way to find an outfitter though I know that Dallas Safari Club has a big Expo every year and that might be a good starting place, of course the internet- here and other places are great sources of information as well.....

My thoughts on rifles- Hey, it's a gun site and guns are pretty essential to the success of the project!

The Lott of course I would take for the buffalo portion of the hunt. It has a Leupold 1-5x scope mounted. The trigger has been lightly tuned and is pretty crisp, it has been Magnaported. The stock/action was free floated and glass bedded.

The question then becomes of what rifle to use for plains game. I have two that would probably work- I have a .375 H&H- also a CZ550- heavy for plains game, light for buffalo but a good all around rifle....Rifle has a 3.5x10x50 Leupold on it. I do not have a lot of rounds on it but it's my understanding that the 550/602 is one of the most popular of all rifles in the African game fields and has been for a long time so I can't go too far wrong with it.....

The other rifle is a Remington 700 Sendero .300 Winchester Magnum- I shoot this rifle VERY WELL. It is my 1,000 yard Precision rifle and I can hit a 20" steel plate with it about 85-90% of the time at that distance. I would not consider those kinds of shots in the game field but I am very confident in the rifle though it's shot from prone of course most of the time vs. the kinds of shots I would see hunting in all likelihood.


Thoughts or ideas on any or all of the above much appreciated.

Hey, nice find on the Lott, though I'm not sure I can stomach the recoil of that beast, personally.  My very first suggestion, is go to accurate reloading's website.  They are the ones that put out the funny videos of the guys shooting the 577 T rex.  The forums there has a lot of info, but it caters to big bore guns, and African hunting.  Lot of info on safaris, guides, laws, places to avoid, etc.  Not to mention a wealth of info about the bigger guns.  I'd say you're fine for the scope on the Lott, but if it does not have the leupold quick release mounts, the weaver style, then you may want that installed so that you can remove the scope easily and use iron sights.  Some guys hate the safety on the cz550, and from what I read of it, I would too, and some convert it to the Winchester style safety.  As you said, a lot of people like the CZ550, it's a big magnum action that can take the rigby and other monster rounds, and it has the heft.  As long as it was bedded you should be ok, lots of complaints of cracked stocks from the Lott, if it's not bedded.  Lot of guys brag about the 450gr Barnes bullet for the 458 win, and with the Lott, probably the 500gr barnes.  There's numerous other loads too that get good reviews for penetration, expansion, and plain out stopping the nasties.  Lot of Lott fans on accuratereloading.  

Your 375, a lot of people like it as an all rounder, plains and the big stuff, but some like more power for the dangerous game.  Remember, on the guided hunts you'll have a PH with a nasty charge stomper in case things go bad.  The 550 is a tad heavy for a 375 as you said, so it wouldn't be my first choice either.  I wouldn't consider the sendero either due to its heft.  You might look at caliber requirements for where you plan to go for plains game, but a 300 mag, 338 caliber mag, or a lighter  375 would be ideal, barring restrictions on the 300 and 338.  The scope on your 375 is a tad big IMO.  I run a 2-7x on my 375H&H in a model 798.  If you go for a new, lighter gun for plains game, you might use that 3.5-10x on it.  

I have a 416 rem mag here, in a model 70.  Just got it, and only have ran ten rounds thru it so far.  I'm leaning towards a 1-6x VX-6 scope on it as of right now.  Cape buffalo have my interest as well, and one of these days, if the world doesn't come to an end first, I'd like to travel over there and take one.

The Lott had a bunch of ammo and reloading supplies with it. I would load up some "light" handloads to practice with, shoot some full power as well of course but lots of lighter loads to get used to cycling the gun, it's weight etc....I figure if I'm staring at a Buffalo at 50 yards or less....I probably won't notice the recoil all that much.....

The Medium/Plains gun I'm just not sure about.....Both of my rifles are pretty heavy but the CZ is a great rifle and identical to the Lott...something to be said for that. The Sendero....I just trust the rifle. I KNOW what it will do when I do my part. Good point about checking on caliber restrictions...that may decide the issue. I could probably buy or even borrow another rifle but would rather use my own/what I have....I have been thinking about getting some work done on the .375-shortening the barrel etc...some of that would drop some weight probably.....I also have a pair of .338's I could choose from.....they are my "elk" rifles. One is a Kimber 8400 the other an old Sako, L61.

ETA: My CZ's are both "Americans". Their safeties are three position-safe, operate bolt safely, fire..... and operate in the normal "American" fashion- forward to fire. The old BRNO 600 series guns and even my little CZ 527 7.62x39 operate in the old manner-fire back- but the two "big guns" are just like a Remington 700....

I didn't know they ran different safetys on the American models, good to know.  One can't have too many guns, you may look into the m70 Winchester safari, or Alaskan.  I have the model 798 Remington, the zastava made mauser in 375, 26" barrel, laminated stock.  I got it for a steal back in 2010 for something around $450.  Now they want $700-800 for them.  They are about the ideal weight for a 375 IMO.  Some say the Winchester safari is a tad heavy for a 375 as well, but the Alaskan is about right.  Take a peak on the forums I mentioned, there was a listing of caliber and energy requirements in Africa.  On the loads for the lott, you may look into trailboss for reduced loads.  Now you know the rules, pics or it didn't happen

You should definitely do a buffalo hunt if you can. I had to save up for a few years, and had a great hunt in Zimbabwe. I did a buff/plainsgame hunt in the Zambezi Valley. I had a great time and really enjoyed it. I would love to go back and do an elephant hunt. I used a Ruger RSM in .416 Rigby with a Leupold 1.5-5 for everything. There are many good operators to hunt with in Zim,  just do your homework. I can highly recommend Charlton McCallum Safaris. Buzz and Myles run a top notch outfit.

I have done a fair bit of safari hunting, all of it in Zimbabwe.

Your 375H&H would do well for a general purpose rifle, and it would be fine for a buff. I would swap scopes to a low power variable and a 1x6 or 1x8 would be ideal. I used a Leupold 1.5x5 on my 375H&H for my first two safaris then switched a S&B 1.1x4, with a No 4 illuminated reticle for leopard and hyena, which are typically very low light targets. That is a fantastic scope but the newer S&B 1-8 would be my choice if buying now, however, the Leupold 1.5x5 is a fine scope for a 375 except for leopard or hyena, and significantly less expensive. It would do for hyena, and I killed one using it, but it is inadequate for leopard with the typical low light opportunity. The heavy duplex is the right reticle for Africa for the Leupold.

If you want to take your Lott, 500gr bullets at about 2,125fps or 450's at about 2,225fps are more than sufficient for buff (or elephant for that matter, if shooting solid bullets.) That is loading the Lott to 458wm performance, which is plenty and not so brutal on the recoil, with faster recoil recovery for a second and subsequent shot. If you scope the Lott it should be with a variable with 1x or at most 1.5 as the low end, and it should be in good QD mounts. Start you training without a scope to avoid "Weatherby eye."

It is not all that common to have to take long shots at plains game in Zimbabe. Your  PH will be happy if your light rifle for plains game is sighted in dead on at 100yds, but I recommend 2" high at  100yds. Don't expect to be playing with turrets or using a range finder. The most common complaint of PH's is that their clients are too slow on the rifle.

I'm a lefty, and I bring a double rifle in 458wm for elephant and buff (though a QD scoped bolt rifle is more versatile for buff) and a bolt 375H&H since I'm on a dangerous game hunt and want redundancy with my rifles for the largest game I seek. A 375H&H is legal and about minimally adequate for elephant. I have killed game ranging in size from a 10 or 15lb grisbok to eland my 375H&H, the cartridge is incredibly versatile. Fwiw, I use Federal 300gr Trophy Bonded in the standard (not high velocity) loading, and performance has been outstanding, with recovered bullets looking like they belong in magazine adds. I hand load 300gr Woodleigh steel jacketed solids to match closely the Trophy Bonded's POI.

For my 458wm double rifle I load 500gr Woodleigh softs, 500gr Woodleigh steel jacketed solids and 450gr North Fork Flat Nose Solids. 2135fps for the 500's, 2220fps for the 450's. The North Forks provide phenomenal penetration, but the Woodleigh solid would be my choice for buff. I have killed our Cape buffalo and all have been killed using only solids, but a soft first folloed by solids is more typical.

I would recommend looking into a tusk less cow elephant hunt in addition to you buff. Great, exciting hunt where you will mix with a lot of elephant, but a heck of a lot easier on the wallet than a bull hunt. I have killed 18 elephants, five were Bulls, 13 were tuskless cows.

I would also highly recommend Charlton McCallum Safaris. I have hunted with Buzz Charlton and with Rich Tabor, who works for Buzz and Miles. Both are great PH's.

Hope this helps,

JPK

I smacked all sorts of PG with my .375 in Botswana a few years ago.

Nice to have a back up DG rifle if your Lott gives you fits.


Also, I would work up some light 458 WM loads for PG if your light rifle goes tits up.

The 375H&H really is an amazingly versatile cartridge.

458wm level soft point loads, 500's at ~2125fps, 450's at ~2225, make excellent shorter range, up to 150yds or so with a 100yd zero, "plains game" loads. The trajectory of the 458wm is not nearly as poor as most people think. In Zimbabwe, there were few opportunities where a low power scoped 458wm would have been a handicap if that was the only rifle available. A Lott, loaded to 458wm level would be the same, loaded to Lott power, even better - but, imo, not worth the beating the extra 100fps provides.

With my 458wm double rifle, I killed a zebra, a klipspringer, a bush buck and a baboon caught in a poacher's snare (mercy killing) just because that was the rifle in my hands at the moment.

Elephant hunting is a really dedicated pursuit and I only carried my double rifle, but when buffalo hunting I carried my double rifle and a tracker carried my bolt 375H&H, loaded with four soft points in the magazine and an empty chamber, to take advantage of other opportunities that we came upon.

BTW, the locking bolt on a Winchester style three position safety is reason enough to use that style safety. Any bolt that won't lock closed will end up open, and you do not want the tracker who might be carrying it or handling it when he is putting it in a truck gun rack to close the bolt, and so chamber a round. A Remington can be converted to a three position Winchester style safety with the bolt lock feature, and should be (if a push feed is your rifle choice.)

JPK