397: An Elk Guide Shares His Favorite Elk Hunting Cartridges
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Release Date: 11/13/2025
408: Best Bullets For Hunting Plains Game In Africa
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
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...
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407: New 35 Whelen & 9.3x62mm Rifles From Ruger
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Lipsey’s and Ruger have teamed up to release a couple of new Hawkeye and No. 1 rifles in 35 Whelen and 9.3×62. Those are outstanding rifles (especially in 9.3x62mm) for hunting the whole spectrum of game ranging from whitetail adeer and feral hogs up to cape buffalo and elephant in Africa. Jason Cloessner from Lipsey’s joins me on the show today to discuss these new rifles in detail. 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...
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406: Gemsbok Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Kevin Robertson shares some insights on gemsbok hunting in this podcast interview, focusing on gemsbok biology, where they live, what they eat (and how that affects their behavior), how trophy quality varies from region to region, and some fascinating stories involving gemsbok hunting in Africa. 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...
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405: 405 Winchester-Roosevelt's Medicine Gun For Lions
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
We’re talking about the 405 Winchester today, which is President Theodore Roosevelt’s legendary medicine gun for lions. To this day, that statement remains one of the most effective presidential endorsements of any product ever. We will discuss more details of how that cartridge performed for Theodore Roosevelt in Africa, plus I’ll also cover the history and performance specs of the cartridge, it’s strengths and limitations, some other hunting stories involving it, and some recommendations on the best use cases for the round. Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa...
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404: 404 Jeffery With Phil Massaro
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Phil Massaro shares some insights on the 404 Jeffery in this podcast interview, focusing on the history of the cartridge, its performance specifications, and some fascinating stories about his hunts equipped with the 404 on game like black bear, water buffalo, cape buffalo, and elephant. Sponsor: 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 Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt in South Africa. We...
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403: Muzzleloader Elk In Arizona With Andrew Marlin
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
I got the chance to sit down with Andrew Marlin from The Dove Guy podcast in this episode and he shares the story of his successful, muzzleloader self-guided elk hunt in Arizona this year. Sponsor: Go to 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. Get in touch with Grant McCune of to book an elk, antelope, deer, or bear hunt in Arizona. (928) 713-3412 Get in touch with Rob Massa at to book an elk, antelope, or deer hunt. They can also...
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402: Worst & Best Creedmoor-22 vs 6mm vs 25 vs 6.5 Creedmoor
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Here are my thoughts on the entire Creedmoor family: the 22 Creedmoor, the 6mm Creedmoor, the 25 Creedmoor and the 6.5 Creedmoor. We'll discuss how they stack up next to each other on paper, how they perform afield on game, and what the ideal use cases are for each one. I'll also share my picks for the "Best Creedmoor" and the "Worst Creedmoor". Sponsor: Go to 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...
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401: Best Cartridge for Hunting Darn Near Anything With Richard Mann
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Richard Mann is back on the show and we discuss a subject I know you’ll enjoy: our favorite cartridges for hunting virtually any species of big game. We’re play little game where Richard and I each list our favorite cartridge and bullet for hunting specific species of game ranging from coues whitetail all the way up to thick skinned species of African game like cape buffalo and elephant and almost everything in between like mule deer, elk, black bear, etc. The catch is we cannot reuse a cartridge for multiple species. Even so, our discussion provides an interesting glimpse into the thought...
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400: 40 Caliber Cartridges: The Ultimate Guide
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
I discuss all of the 40 caliber SAAMI standardized rifle cartridges (plus one other noteworthy CIP round) in this episode. As always, I’ll talk about their history, design characteristics, performance specs, their strengths and weaknesses, and their recommended uses in detail. Where appropriate, I’ll also share some personal anecdotes involving these rounds as well as some observations involving various cartridges by noteworthy gun writers as well. Cartridges covered: 44-40 WCF, 45-70 Government, 577/450 Martini-Henry, 405 Winchester, 44 Remington Magnum, 444 Marlin, 450 Marlin, 450...
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BONUS: Vote For Me For Podcast Of The Year!
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
I am honored to be among those nominated for the Podcast of The Year award at the 2026 Gundies. Thank you to all of you who nominated me for this award. Voting for the Gundies begins TODAY, 1 December 2025 and I need your votes again to win it. Cast your vote at and help me take home the win! You can vote once each day from now until 15 December 2025. Thanks for your vote!
info_outlineToday, Rob Massa from the Bergara Academy and the R&K Hunting Company in Wyoming joins me on the show to discuss some observations he has made on what cartridges and bullets work and don’t work from over 20 years outfitting elk hunts in Wyoming. I first met Rob while attending an event at the Bergara long range shooting Academy in 2024 and I was incredibly impressed both with his knowledge of shooting and hunting as well with the professionalism he ran the Bergara Academy and the R&K Hunting Company with. With that in mind, I decided to bring him on the show to discuss some insights he has developed over the course of over 20 years in this business on effective elk hunting cartridges and bullets.
Sponsor: Get in touch with Rob at The R&K Hunting Company In Wyoming to book an elk, antelope, or deer hunt. I cannot recommend them highly enough: they have hardworking and friendly guides, comfortable lodging, great food, and fantastic hunting. Plus, they can also help you get a tag with little or no points for those species. Visit their web site or call Rob at (435) 979-1497 to learn more.
Email me john@thebiggamehuntingblog.com if you’re interested in joining me on the Big Game Hunting Podcast antelope hunt 9-14 October 2026 in Wyoming.
In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with elk outfitter Rob Massa to discuss his favorite cartridges and bullets for hunting elk.
Rob shares a few stories of effective terminal performance on elk, how tough elk are to kill, his favorite shot placement on elk, how things have changed with the most popular cartridges and bullets for elk hunting over the course of his career, and much more.
His takeaway? There are lots of things that will work on elk, but certain cartridges and bullets tend to deliver a mix of performance that delivers the best overall performance.
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Resources
Ep 327: Taking the 7mm PRC Out Past 1 Mile At The Bergara Academy– Episode referenced in podcast
Ep 396: Wyoming Elk Hunt Recap – Episode referenced in podcast
7mm PRC Elk Hunt | R&K Hunting Company Wyoming Elk Hunt – YouTube video referenced in podcast
Learn more about the Bergara Cima CF rifle here