is this overkill?

Question

i just found this as one of someones fav vids on youtube, and i was wondering if there is any real reason to have one of these?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H00gshZW9Po
it is a .700 nitro express.

another question, is this the largest center fire or is the .50 bmg?

Answer 1

In most circumstances yes, but when facing down an angry Bull elephant or rhino then no.

The .585 Nyati and .577 T-rex are more usually powerful in "commercial" loadings, although in circumstances like this the extra 1000 lb/ft will produce no real difference. 9000 lb/ft vs 1000lb/ft is like the difference between a 20mm or 25 mm shell, whatever you hit will still be dead. The main difference is that the "smaller" cartridges have more and far sharper recoil.
The .50 BMG still eclipses them all.

Answer 2

The .700 Nitro is for very large and dangerous game such as elephant and rhino. These are the last animals you want to piss off, they are very big so you need a very big projectile to take them down safely. This kind of weapon is necessary for game that can still kill you even after unloading your typical high power hunting rifle into it. These guns are not cheap either, they cost way up in the high tens of thousands. And last I heard the ammo was nearly $100 a pop.

Answer 3

The history of the 700 NE is well-known. William Feldstein, a southern Californian, wanted Holland and Holland to build him a 600 NE, a classic old African stopping gun for dangerous game. Holland and Holland had built their officially last 600, and building another, they felt, wouldn't be fair to the owner of the official "last" one, so they refused. Mr. Feldstein then went to Jim Bell (of BELL brass fame) and they developed the 700, not wanting to settle for just another 577. Of course, it's too much for almost anything, but that's really the whole point with this cartridge, and it's not completely illogical. If you've ever seen one of the old black powder 4-bore rifles, it puts the 700 in perspective.

Answer 4

Overkill for many things has a defining point, not so with firearms. I suppose a .270 WIN is too much for that squirrel that keeps annoying me in the tree stand, but lets just say, he won't be messing with me this next season. looks like a fun gun to shoot if you can afford the ammo. Go big or go home i guess.

Answer 5

If your life depends on stopping a charging bull elephant, you might not think you can have something too big.

If I was hunting elephants, I'd prefer something a bit smaller, but wouldn't mind having a guide nearby with a 700NE.

Answer 6

Elephant gun
Smaller than BMG 50Cal
Dont know bout over kill what you gonna shoot hang it on the wall aint killing nuttin unless it falls on it wouldnt want to carry it to far
I overkill beer cans with a 44 Mag i guess a 22 would kill them good enough

Answer 7

there in no such thing as overkill.