Rifle Cartridge Combinations — A South African Perspective

Updated: 2025

A Quick Word Before We Begin

I first wrote about this topic back in 2013, then revisited it in 2014. Rereading those articles now, I can see that while the core thinking still holds, the wording was rough and some of the cartridge landscape has shifted — particularly with the meteoric rise of the 6.5 Creedmoor and the explosion of precision rifle shooting as a sport. So here is a consolidated, updated version that I hope reads better and serves as a more useful reference.

My Own Rifle Journey

My introduction to rifles came through a well-worn SMLE No. 4 Mk. I in .303 British — a piece of military history that my father helped me acquire for a very modest R 200.00 at a time when a new rifle would set you back around R 10 000.00. The barrel was still serviceable, but everything else needed attention: scope mounts, a new scope, action bedding, a rubber butt plate, and a missing ejection screw. Over several trips to the gunsmith, it gradually became a functional hunting and bush rifle. I eventually sold it, along with a 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser I had owned for some time — both good rifles in their own right, but I was rationalising my battery and making choices that better suited my current hunting and shooting goals.

That research and ownership process taught me something important: choosing a rifle cartridge is far more nuanced than most people realise when they first start out. My current rifles are a .243 Winchester, a .270 Winchester, and a .338 Winchester Magnum — a combination that, in my view, covers a broad spectrum of South African hunting situations without unnecessary overlap.

The South African Legal Context

In South Africa, the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000) places limits on how many firearms a private individual may own under a standard license. As a general rule, if you hold a dedicated self-defence license (handgun) and a shotgun license, you are typically left with room for only two rifles in your standard allocation. This constraint forces a very practical question: if you can only own two rifles, which two cartridges do you choose?

There are paths around this limitation — becoming a dedicated hunter or dedicated sport shooter through a recognised association such as SAAADA or the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) can substantially expand your allocation — but the process carries administrative overhead and ongoing obligations. For many hunters and recreational shooters, the two-rifle scenario is simply the reality they work within.

There Is No Single Perfect Cartridge

This is the most important thing to accept before you begin. Every experienced rifleman has a favourite, and every online forum has a thread where someone argues passionately for their preferred cartridge. The reality is that the “best” cartridge is always relative to what you intend to do with it.

Consider the spread of popular choices across different contexts:

• South African hunters tend to favour the .30-06 Springfield, 7×57 Mauser, and .270 Winchester.
• North American hunters gravitate toward the .308 Winchester and .30-06.
• Scandinavian hunters have long sworn by the 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser.
• Precision and long-range target shooters today largely rally around the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mmBR, and increasingly the 6.5 PRC.
• Varmint hunters reach for the .223 Remington, .22-250, or .243 Winchester.
• Safari professionals guarding clients from dangerous game think in terms of the .375 H&H, 9.3×62, or .416 Rigby.

What this illustrates is that the “best” cartridge conversation changes dramatically depending on who is in the room. The goal, then, is not to find the universally best cartridge — it is to find the best cartridges for your specific situation.

The Questions You Need to Answer First

Before you walk into a gun shop or browse rifle listings, spend time honestly answering the following questions. Your answers will narrow the field considerably.

1. What will you primarily use the rifle for?

Is this a dedicated hunting rifle? A dual-purpose hunting and target rifle? A dedicated long-range precision rifle? A varmint and pest-control tool? Each purpose draws you toward different cartridges. A rifle that tries to do everything will inevitably make trade-offs in each area.

2. At what distances will you be shooting?

Shooting a Steenbok at 75 meters and shooting a Jackal at 350 meters across open Karoo plains demand very different things from a cartridge. Flat trajectory, wind resistance, and retained energy at distance matter far more for the latter than for the former.

3. What size animals do you intend to hunt?

This is where energy and bullet construction matter most. The RSA’s minimum caliber and energy requirements for various species exist for good reason — an underpowered cartridge means wounded animals and ethical problems. As a rough guide:

• Small game and varmint (Jackal, Springhare): .22 Creedmoor, .22-250, .243, .223 Remington
• Small to medium plains game (Springbok, Blesbok, Impala): .243, .270 Winchester, 7×57 Mauser, 6.5 Creedmoor
• Medium to large plains game (Kudu, Gemsbok, Wildebeest): .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .338 Winchester Magnum
• Dangerous game (Buffalo, Hippo, Lion, Elephant): .375 H&H minimum by law in South Africa; the 9.3×62 is a practical and widely available choice; for those wanting more authority, the .404 Jeffery is an outstanding African classic

4. What will the hunting terrain be like?

Thick bushveld seldom demands shots beyond 100 meters, which opens the door to heavier, slower cartridges with excellent terminal performance. Open plains and Karoo hunting, by contrast, often require flat-shooting cartridges capable of clean kills at 250 to 350 meters or more.

5. Will you reload your own ammunition?

Handloading dramatically expands your options and reduces per-shot cost, but it also demands consistency and discipline. If you intend to reload, a cartridge’s brass availability, barrel life, and powder efficiency become important considerations. If you are shooting factory ammunition only, cartridge availability in South African retailers should be a practical constraint.

6. What is your budget — not just to buy the rifle, but to shoot it?

A rifle you cannot afford to shoot regularly is a poor choice. Barrel life varies enormously between cartridges — a .22-250 may deliver 2 000 to 2 500 rounds of accurate life, while a 6.5 Creedmoor is known for considerably longer barrel life at comparable performance. Factor in the cost of practice over time.

7. What are the minimum legal requirements for your intended hunting?

South Africa’s hunting regulations prescribe minimum energy and sometimes minimum caliber for specific species. Do your homework before purchasing. Hunting a Kudu with an underpowered rifle is not only unethical — it can be a legal issue on a licensed game farm.

Useful Two-Rifle Combinations

For the South African shooter working within a two-rifle allocation who wants to cover both hunting and target/pest control, here are some well-considered pairings. In each case, the first cartridge covers medium to larger game and longer range work, while the second covers lighter game, pest control, and high-volume target practice.

Notable Cartridges Worth Knowing

The 6.5 Creedmoor

When I originally wrote about this topic in 2013 and 2014, the 6.5 Creedmoor (introduced by Hornady in 2007) was still finding its feet. Today it is arguably the dominant cartridge in precision rifle sport globally, and it has earned considerable respect among hunters too. Its appeal lies in a combination of factors that are genuinely difficult to find in a single package: relatively mild recoil, excellent ballistic coefficients, outstanding long-range accuracy, good barrel life, and — at least in South African major retailers — reasonable ammunition availability. If you are building a new rifle for dual-purpose hunting and target shooting, the 6.5 Creedmoor is hard to argue against.

The .22 Creedmoor

A newer development that deserves attention is the .22 Creedmoor, which is essentially the 6.5 Creedmoor case necked down to .224. It began gaining traction around 2019 and has since built a loyal following among precision varmint shooters and those who enjoy long-range target work without the cost and recoil of larger cartridges. It pushes .224 caliber bullets considerably faster than the .22-250, with superior ballistic coefficients available from the heavier projectile options. It is particularly appealing to handloaders — factory ammunition availability is still limited in South Africa — but for someone already reloading, the case forming process is straightforward. As a pest-control and varmint cartridge with genuine long-range capability, it is one of the most interesting newer developments in the small-bore space.

The .338 Winchester Magnum

The .338 Win Mag occupies an interesting position in the cartridge landscape — it is significantly more powerful than the standard .30-caliber cartridges without crossing into the territory of dedicated dangerous game rounds. It is a serious choice for large plains game at extended ranges, and in South Africa it is entirely adequate for situations where you might encounter large bovids like Buffalo in a controlled hunting environment, though it sits below the .375 H&H legal minimum for dangerous game in a professional capacity. It generates substantial recoil, which demands good technique and regular practice, but for the hunter who wants genuine reach and authority in a single bolt-action package, it is hard to beat.

The .404 Jeffery

The .404 Jeffery (10.75×73mm) is a cartridge with genuine African heritage, having been developed in 1905 specifically for the conditions and game of this continent. For decades it sat in the shadow of the .375 H&H and the various Nitro Express cartridges, but it has enjoyed a meaningful resurgence — partly driven by Ruger chambering their Hawkeye and No. 1 rifles for it, and partly because African hunters and PHs have rediscovered what their predecessors knew: it works exceptionally well. A 400-grain bullet at around 2 150 fps generates energy in the region of 4 100 ft-lbs, which is more than adequate for any dangerous game on the continent, including Elephant and Buffalo. Its case also has the advantage of feeding reliably in most standard-length magnum actions. If you are serious about dangerous game hunting and want something with a bit more character than the ubiquitous .375 H&H, the .404 Jeffery is worth investigating seriously.

My Current Rifle Battery

My current three rifles reflect the evolution of my thinking over many years of research, ownership, and practical experience:

1. .243 Winchester — my light rifle, covering varmint, pest control, and smaller plains game. It is a superb all-rounder at this end of the spectrum: mild recoil, flat trajectory, accurate, and with good factory ammunition availability in South Africa. I use it for Jackal, smaller antelope, and target work at the range.

2. .270 Winchester — the workhorse of the battery and my primary hunting rifle for medium to large plains game. The .270 Win has an outstanding reputation for a reason: it shoots flat, hits hard enough for anything up to Kudu and Gemsbok, and factory ammunition is widely available. It replaced a 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser that I owned and shot well, but the .270 offers a bit more reach and energy for the larger plains game I hunt.

3. .338 Winchester Magnum — the heavy end of the battery, for situations that demand genuine authority. Whether that is large Eland at distance, a potential dangerous game encounter, or simply the peace of mind of having a cartridge that is unambiguously sufficient, the .338 Win Mag fills that role. It demands respect at the stock end, but it rewards those who learn to shoot it well.

If I were to expand the battery with a fourth rifle, the .22 Creedmoor would be a serious candidate for dedicated long-range varminting and pest control, particularly given that I already handload. And for dangerous game work in a more formal PH context, the .404 Jeffery sits on the wish list.

A Few Final Thoughts

Pairing rifle cartridges is, in the end, a deeply personal exercise. The “right” answer depends on your budget, your legal situation, your hunting context, the terrain you hunt, the game you pursue, and whether you intend to reload. What works well for a farmer in Limpopo hunting Bushpig in thick bush is not necessarily the best choice for someone shooting long-range targets on the Highveld.

Do your research thoroughly before you buy. Visit gun shops, talk to gunsmiths, spend time at shooting ranges, read widely — Chuck Hawks remains an excellent free online resource — and handle as many rifles as you can before committing. A rifle purchase in South Africa, given the licensing process, is a significant long-term commitment. Take the time to get it right.

Useful Reference Links

• Chuck Hawks — Rifle Cartridges Index
• Chuck Hawks — All-Around Rifle Cartridges
• Chuck Hawks — The 6.5mm Cartridge Family
• Chuck Hawks — The Golden Mean in Hunting calibers
• Chuck Hawks — 12 Key Rifle Cartridges