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Well for packing around grizzly country I use a .375 and have been carrying it for years. I feel confident with it on bears and I think the .416 is a bit more of a good thing. The .458 is better.
But for African game...the big stuff........I believe that a stopping rifle isn't a .416 either. The .416 would be the minimum I would want to be carrying in a fullout charge situation with any of the big stuff. I think the true stopping rifles start with the various .458 cartridges and go up from there, all things being equal, ie. using a good bullet designed for maximum penetration.
The other factor to take into account with 'stopping' cartridges, beyond the bullet construction, is the frontal area of the bullet. Bigger is better.
Anyone who has seen a lot of big animals hit with various cartridges can attest to the difference in the visible affect the big bullets with lots of frontal area have on impact.
If I could afford it I would go with a double in .470 Nitro. There are of course bigger available, but I think it is a good bet with everything taken into account, such as ammo availability and rifle cost.
If I was sticking to a bolt gun then I would go for a .458 Lott.
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