417: Double Rifles, 500 NE & Elephant Charges With Jeff Rann

Jeff Rann, one of Africa's most legendary professional hunters with nearly 50 years guiding dangerous game, joins me on the podcast to share his incredible stories of hunting elephant in Botswana. He takes us inside what it's really like to track big bulls, get in as close as 20–30 yards for precise brain shots, face down real charges, and judge trophy ivory on mature animals while navigating the country's massive and growing elephant population. We also finish with an in-depth discussion on the conservation realities in Botswana, why controlled hunting of bulls plays a vital role, and his favorite double rifles and cartridges—including why the .500 H&H and .577 Holland & Holland remain his go-to choices after decades in the African bush. Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We just opened bookings for 2027 and still have a few spots remaining for May, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you're a podcast listener and I'll give you a special bonus! Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Resources Learn more about the Dangerous Game Symposium with Mark Sullivan and Dave Fulson in Las Vegas on 16 May 2026 that I'm attending here. Subscribe to Jeff's YouTube channel here and his hunting operations in Africa here & at the 777 Ranch here. Recommended Episodes   414: Leopard Mauling To Sudan Bongo Hunts With Robin Hurt 177: Elephant Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson 176: Elephant Conservation With Kevin Robertson

Gunwriter Terry Wieland joins me on the show as we discuss his thoughts on the various .416 caliber cartridges: the 416 Rigby, the 416 Remington Magnum the 416 Weatherby Magnum, the 416 Ruger, and even the 416 Hoffman and the 416 Taylor. We talk about the pros and cons of those different rounds, which 416 he prefers over the others out of that bunch, how those 416s stack up against the various 375s and 458s for use on buffalo, why the 404 Jeffery was vastly more popular than the 416 Rigby for a long time, and why that eventually changed. We even discuss the development of the Ruger Safari Magnum rifle, the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and several other things that massively changed the safari hunting industry during the 1980s and 1990s. Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Get copies of Dangerous Game Rifles, Great Hunting Rifles, A View From a Tall Hill – Robert Ruark In Africa, or one of Terry's other books on Amazon here (affiliate link, commissions earned). Other Episodes Referenced In The Podcast Ep 381: A Cape Buffalo Hunt 30 Years In the Making With Jimmy Epperson Ep 385: North Fork Bullets: Africa's Premier Hunting Bullets? Ep 404: The 404 Jeffery With Phil Massaro Ep 414: Leopard Maulings & Hunting Bongo In Sudan With Robin Hurt

Today, I'm unveiling my definitive list of what I think are the 10 greatest African hunting books ever written. This list of African safari book recommendations includes works from people like Hemingway, Roosevelt, Ruark, Capstick, and other legendary writers. These Africa hunting books have everything you could ask for: heart-pounding adventures, adrenaline soaked drama, close calls that will make your knuckles turn white and even a few deliciously scandalous tales of betrayal, courage, cowardice, possible murder, more than one love triangle, one very good dog, and lots of talk about rifles, bullets, and cartridges. Links to where you can get all these Africa hunting safari books are below. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We just opened bookings for 2027 and still have a few spots remaining for May, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you're a podcast listener and I'll give you a special bonus! Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! The Man Eaters of Tsavo by John Henry Patterson African Game Trails by Theodore Roosevelt Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen) Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (including Snows of Kilimanjaro & The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber) Horn of the Hunter by Robert Ruark Death in the Long Grass by Peter Hathaway Capstick African Rifles & Cartridges by John Taylor Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter by W.D.M Bell The Perfect Shot II by Kevin Robertson Jock of the Bushveld by Percy Fitzpatrick

Legendary Professional Hunter Robin Hurt joins me on the show today as we discuss some of his adventures hunting all over Africa like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zaire, Zambia, and Namibia. As you can imagine from a man who got his PH license over 60 years ago in 1963, Robin has quite a few stories to tell about some of his wild adventures over the years and that's what we discuss in this episode.  Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Dan Rossiter from Griffin & Howe joins me on the show to talk about the fantastic hunting rifles the company produces. Of note, Griffin & Howe produces rifles ranging from near replicas of those famous hunters like Ernest Hemingway took to Africa last century, to modern long range hunting rifles, to bespoke American made rifles on par with the "best" quality custom rifles produced by British gunmakers. We discuss all of this in more detail during this interview along with the specifics of their current production rifles and and what sets the company apart from competitors in the industry. Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Resources Check out the Griffin & Howe web site & follow them on Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube Ep 404: 404 Jeffery With Phil Massaro

I sat down with Johan Seyffert, one of my South African Professional Hunters, at the 2026 Safari Club International convention and recorded a short interview about some of his more memorable hunts from 2025, some funny and noteworthy experiences he has had over the years (like how a baboon interfered with a building remodel), and what he is most looking forward to in 2026. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt with Johan or Kobus in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We still have some openings remaining for May, October, and November 2026 as well as various points in 2027. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more.  Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Here's how the mighty 458 Winchester Magnum stacks up against the venerable 45-70 Government cartridge, especially with regards to how both perform in Africa. In this episode, we discuss the history, design characteristics, and performance specs of each round. We'll also discuss the pros and cons of each one, a few stories involving hunting with the 45-70 and 458 Win Mag, and I'll also discuss the results of some of my investigations regarding tacking myths and misconceptions involving both rounds as well. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We just opened bookings for 2027 and still have a few spots remaining for May, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you're a podcast listener and I'll give you a special bonus! Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Get a copy of Death in the Long Grass here 376: Africa Hunting 101 264: The Logistics Of Hunting Africa (Part II) 254: The Logistics Of Hunting Africa (Part I) 458 Winchester Magnum: It Hits Hard On Both Ends! | 458 Win Mag Hunting, Gel Test, & More

We're talking about the best cartridges for hunting Africa in this episode: plains game, thick-skinned dangerous game, cats, etc. The cartridges I list in this episode are based off the results of surveys I've recently conducted of over 2,000 hunters from all over the world who have hunted Africa. In addition to breaking down those cartridges that are most popular for hunting Africa in general, I also drill down into the most popular ones used by Professional Hunters and in client rifles. I'll also provide a few recommendations for a "1 Gun" or a "2 Gun" safari based on what you're hunting. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We just opened bookings for 2027 and still have a few spots remaining for May, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you're a podcast listener and I'll give you a special bonus! Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! 408 Best Bullets For Hunting Plains Game In Africa 407: New 35 Whelen & 9.3x62mm Rifles From Ruger 375: 9.3×62 vs 375 H&H 458 Winchester Magnum: It Hits Hard On Both Ends! | 458 Win Mag Hunting, Gel Test, & More

Craig Boddington joins me on the show today as we discuss trends he has observed since his first African hunting safari nearly 49 years ago. Craig and I talk about countries that have opened and closed hunting since his first safari, dramatic changes in the populations of various animals (for better and worse) that have occurred since then, trends he has noticed in various Africa countries in terms of where he'd go to hunt different animals, differences in availability of ammunition loaded with different bullets and for different cartridges, and even how hunting safaris are conducted differently today vs the 1970s. Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  Get copies of 50 Great Stalks, Tracks Across Africa, or one of Craig's many other books on Amazon here (affiliate link, commissions earned). Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

We're talking about the best bullets for hunting plains game in Africa in this episode. I've hunted a lot of plains game with a wide spectrum of bullets, so I'll talk about some of my noteworthy experiences with those different models and provide some recommendations for plains game hunting bullets based on those experiences. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We just opened bookings for 2027 and still have a few spots remaining for May, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you're a podcast listener and I'll give you a special bonus! I'll be at the Safari Club International convention in Nashville 18-21 February with 2 of my African PHs (Johan and Kobus) and we'd love to meet you if you'll be attending the show. We're hosting a get together for podcast listeners and past/future clients 6-10pm on Friday, 20 February 2026 at the house we're staying at.                    Pizza and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be provided. Address is: 1116 Spurgeon Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, 37207 Space is limited, so please RSVP at [email protected] if you plan on attending!        Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe for the potential opportunity to have a future podcast guest answer one of your questions on the air along with access to all my bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter  North Fork's Semi-Spitzer and Percussion Point bullets are outstanding choices for hunting plains game in Africa. You can purchase North Fork bullets directly from the North Fork web site, from MidwayUSA, or from our network of other distributors all over the world. Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically! Ep 401: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Richard Mann Ep 349: The Ugly Truth About Bullet Failures 2025 Army Veteran Hunting In South Africa Video Who Tee Who South Africa Hunting Videos 2025 Big Game Hunting Podcast South Africa Safari Hunt Black Wildebeest Hunting In South Africa With A 375 Ruger