I am scheduling my fifth safari and want to hunt cape buffalo with my .500 revolver. I have successfully taken plainsgame with various softs but cannot find solids anywhere. I tried HardCast 420gr cast bullets on a problem elephant last year for a lateral brain shot and while it knocked the elephant down and out it fragmented outside the skull. The elephant never moved from where it fell but a few follow up shots were neccessary. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would like to have a solid for my 2012 hunt. I reload but do not cast my own bullets.

Belt Mountain's Punch bullets are probably the toughest "solid" on the market.

For info on solids and more go down to the Big Bore forum, look at the Termial Bullet Performance thread and check with Michael458. Lots of good info on solids and other dangerous game bullets.

SSR

I used a 440gr, hard cast bullet loaded by Grizzly Cartridge Co. in my S&W 500 for a Buff in the Mozambique swamps of Coutada 11 in 2005.

As stated before the Belt mountain is probable the toughest bullet you will find.
Punch Bullet

I used Cor-Bon's 440 grain hard-cast offering to take a Zim cape buff when the S&W first came out. The only buff I have taken with one shot. Good luck on your hunt.

.500/420-grain monometal brass, ogived FN Punch solids, yawohl!

You could also consider the .500-caliber North Fork 450-grain and 375-grain monometal copper Flat Point (FP) solids and Cup Point (CP) "universals."
The "Terminal Bullet Performance" thread already mentioned has some test results on those. Excellent.
They are not listed on the North Fork website yet, but they are no longer prototypes, according to Doc M, of MIB.
Call or email North Fork to order.