[font='Times New Roman']This is one of our "bushveld" calibers.  A bushveld caliber is a caliber used for shots out to about 150 yards.  Conventional wisdom has it that you should load the rifle to about 2300ft/s.  At this velocity meat damage is minimized, penetration is optimized and range is sufficient for bushveld hunting. Also, conventional construction bullets give acceptable performance so you don't need premium bullets.

 

The most common animal in our bushveld area is the impala, which is a light small animal and you do not need a heavy caliber for this quarry.  Even a 308, and specifically a 30-06 is regarded as "too much gun".  Similarly, the standard 270 Win with its high velocity wastes a lot of meat on close shots and is not regarded as an appropriate caliber for bushveld use.

 

Enter the 270 Sabi.  This is a 308 case necked down to 277 calibre (270).  The standard 150gr bullet is launched at 2300ft/s, perfect for a bushveld rifle.  The load was developed about 10 years ago by Magnum Arms (aka Sabi Rifles). They are a custom shop but have a licence to manufacture ammunition.  They supply correctly headstamped cases for reloaders and will load any specific bullet you require upon special order. (obviously you can also neck down 308 calibre cases, this may require neck turning though).

 

The cartridge will perform at higher velocities but this defeats the object of this load.  On the other hand, loading it with the lighter bullets can turn this cartridge into an acceptable load for small plains game out to about 300 yards.

 

Obviously the shortness of the 308 case ensures that this caliber can be built on the short action rifles which seems to be preferred by a lot of people.

 

This cartridge has gathered a reasonable following among the people who do not have magnumites and I believe it is perfect for the purpose for which it was designed.  The cartridge is also known for low recoil and is therefore also a good ladies rifle or a good option for small framed persons.
 
C
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What is meant by 'wasting a lot of meat'?  If the shot is through the heart-lung area, then wherein is the problem?

Quote from: Jay EdwardWhat is meant by 'wasting a lot of meat'? If the shot is through the heart-lung area, then wherein is the problem?
 

 

Quite correct in that particulare shot, there is little meat wasted.  However, if you take a shoulder shot, the picture changes substantially.  Unfortunately we cannot always have the animal standing exactly as we would want it and the shoulder shot is quite common (also because breaking the shoulder bone will usually put the animal down on the spot where-as a slow bullet through the engine room behind the shoulder may have the animal run off before dying).
 
Regards.
 
C

The standard load may be a 150gr at 2350 for your purposes but what is the maximum load for that bullet? I would assume that you could get it moving quite a bit faster than that. Also, why not simply load a 308 down? I load 150gr Hornady SPs for my friends 308 at 2400fps and can load a 165gr to 2300fps.

HBug,
 
The purpose of posting these cartridges is not to either promote or justify their existence.  I can think of 50 other cartridges where I would ask the same question, why do they exist because x y & z can do the same thing.  The point is these cartridges do exist and they are uniquely Afircan.
 
To get back to your points:  Yes it can be loaded to higher velocity.
The downloading is of course a solution for the reloader and would apply not only to the 308 but to several other calibres.  The 270 Sabi provides a factory load that does this and the 270 in 150gr of course has a higher sectional density than a 150gr 30 calibre (for penetration at these velocities).
 
C

Very, very interesting, C. Here in Australia the biggest species of deer in the introduced sambar, an animal that is native of Bhutan and Northern India. In fact, it's tiger food. In Victoria(the southern state of Australia Melbourne is in) there are a numerous sambar in the Australian alps in the north east of the state.
However the local legal minimum cal is .270. In truth a .270 Winchester is just capable of knocking down a sambar through the shoulders and heart/lung are for a trophy. But a friend the other day told me that a number of guys who shoot them for meat at use .270-08.........none other than your .270 Sabi. And sambar are a stalking hunt, similar in some ways to the bushveld hunting you speak of.

Calm down, I wasn't attacking your round. I was merely asking a question. You are correct that there are many rounds that are not needed. If we went by need then there would be 4 or 5 rounds and that's it. It is interesting to see some of the rounds that the rest of the world uses.

C
How common is the 7mm-08 over there? If a handloader was looking for a high sectional density load at 2300-2400fps, a 180 grain 7mm-08 just might be the cat's meow. It isn't African, and I don't think anyone loads that load comercially, but it sounds like a hek of a "bushveld" load. I prefer the 7mm over the .270 specifically because of the availability of heavier bullets.
 
  On an aside, I am getting ready to sell my late father-in-law's place in Durbanville. We might be heading out there for a week or two to visit family and sign papers. This round sounds like my kind of hunting. Is there anywhere neer there that this type of hunting is done?

HBug,
 
No offense taken I assure you.  Just wanted to make the point.
 
NoyB,
 
Durbanville is at the South Westernmost point of the country in CapeTown.  That is VERY far away from the traditional hunting areas which are in the northern part of the country and the Eastern parts.
 
Although I regularly visit the Cape, I have not hunted there and am not up to date with the hunting opportunities there (which will exist but would be few and far between).
 
Sorry I can't be of more assistance.  Maybe if you posted a query on the "Hunting Africa" forum one of the PH's who frquent that area may be able to assist.  Alternatively, send Springbok1 a PM, I think he might have more information.
 
With regard to the 7mm-08, Although it sounds like it might just be a nifty load, not many people will invest in an obscure wildcat. When it comes to resale value, or obtaining loading dies etc. these usually proove to be a problem.  That is where the Sabi shines, it is actually a "commercial" load (even though only produced by a small specialist manufacturer). Boit only will they supply brass, they also supply loading dies.
 
Regards.
 
C

C;
The 7mm-08 is a factory cartridge in the US, several manufacturers make rifles in it and die sets are $20 or less, over here, it is a very good choice.
Don  

Quotewhere-as a slow bullet through the engine room behind the shoulder may have the animal run off before dying

You said a mouthfull there buddy.
 
Paul

C
I only asked about the 7mm-08 because on my first trip over I met a hunter who used it with good results on springbok, warthog, and gazzele if I remember correctly. If I wasn't woried about availability I think the .284 Win would be my choice, but I'm getting a little off topic. I think the 6x45 project will come before anything like this.