I have read quite a bit on hunting the Cape buff. I also have several friends who have been often enough for their experience to count. One thing keeps coming up about the number of shots taken w/ the .375h&h to anchor buff. I have decided on a .404 as good buffalo medicine, .458 would be better (but like Ray, I didn't like the recoil from every position). For you guys/gals that have been, how many shots have you landed in order to down your buffalo?

My Buffalo soaked up 5 rounds of 375 H&H ( federal 300 gr. Trophy Bonded Bear Claws) before he went down. After the first, which hit just above the heart and took out the lungs, he spun around and I put two up his rear, one of which broke his pelvis. Then he turned broadside and I put two into the shoulder area and he dropped within 10 yards of where he was first hit. The time first shot to fifth was probably less than 90 seconds, although it seemed much longer. I don't believe that the Buffalo was going far after the first shot, that's the one that killed him, the others just brought that fact to his attention. In my opinion, 375 H&H is fine for Buffalo. A heart/lungs shot with it will kill any Buffalo. Miss the heart/lungs area with any round short of a LAWS rocket and you have a problem.

.375 H&H is fine for Buff, (or anything else for that matter) just as long as you put the right bullet in the right place. Try to avoid frontal chest shots and don't be afraid to put in as many follow up shots as you can.

Personally I like to see Barnes X or Woodleigh PSP in my clients rifles, but I obviously don't interfere in their choice of bullet.

As long as they're happy, I'm happy.

I have shot a total of 3 buffalo. All with frontal shots with a 416 Rigby. 1st buffalo was a one shot kill from around 50 yards. He ran but maybe 30 yards. 2nd was shot from about 60 yards. Wounded him and tracked him for 3 days. He is still alive today. 3rd was from 30-35 yards. He ran maybe 60 yards and went down. When we approached, he lifted his head and my PH paid the insurance with his 500 Nitro express. Probably not necessary, but you never know.

Ditto "Shakari" ... and with the super premiums available today, it's better than ever.

1 shot w/ 375HH. Buff was DRT. That means Dead Right There.

SBT has just echoed my sentiments about penetration with a .416. The .375 H&H is great for Buff, but any of the slightly bigger calibres penetrate better, but from my experience it only really matters on the frontal chest shot.

That big ol' dewlap they have in the front soaks up energy like you wouldn't believe.

At the end of the day, all the bigger calibres do the job pretty well if the man shooting it does his. But I'd rather see a client with a .375 H&H he shoots well than with a bigger calibre he shoots not so well.

I shot two buff with a 375 and one with a 416. They all reacted the same but the 416 buff went a little further before going to the death bellow. Other than a spine shot they dont seem to fall over at the shot. Im a much better and faster shot with my 375 because I use it for elk and deer. When I go back it will be with my 375 although a belt full of 416's looks way cool.

I've shot one buffalo and it was with a 375 using 300gr Nosler Partitions at about 2530 fps. Range was about 50 yards and the target presentation was a slightly quartering frontal shot. I placed the shot in the crease where the neck joins the body and he dropped in his tracks hard enough you can see the dust come up when he hit. The camera shows the bullet striking the point-of-aim, his head coming up at the impact and at the same time his back legs come off the ground. Classic spine shot but if the aim had been off a little either the heart and lungs would have been hit.

With a 375 H&H you won't stop a charge....well ....you'll do it but normally you'll do it better with a .416

Buff are tough and usually don't go down with the first shot (I've never seen it personally that I remember), regardless of caliber, unless brained or spined.

The big stuff has a noticeably greater effect, but a .375 will get it done.

And there is no reason not to take a frontal shot on buff.

I've only shot two buffalo with a .375 H&H. Both were this year and both first shots were with 270 grain X-bullets. I shot the first a whole bunch of times, and the second once (with a later "just-in-case" in the spine). Both first shots were double lungs with the first hitting and exiting the far shoulder.

I've been taught to shoot dangerous game until it is on the ground and not wiggling. I believe that the first buff would have been dead in a few moments, but he was in sight, backing up, falling down, stumbling away, etc., so I kept putting solids in him, at least, until I broke his back with a "texas heart shot". If he had made it to the tall grass, I believe he would have been dead before we could have gotten to him... but why take the chance?

The second buff was lost to sight almost immediately and by the time we let things calm down and started looking for his tracks/blood, etc., we heard his death bellow only 60 or so yards from where he was standing when shot.

Would a larger caliber have made a difference??? Both animals had thumb-sized holes through the lungs and out the other side... a .458 or a .404 Jeffery (my buffalo gun of choice) would have made a bigger hole, of course and had a thousand foot pounds more of potential energy to expend...

My final conclusion (of course limited to two buff with the .375)... Make darn sure that your first shot is in a vital spot. Then shoot the sucker until he is either dead or is out of sight regardless of caliber. Buff are dangerous as long as they can move. A .375 surely is adequete.. but why take a chance... shoot until he's belly up.

Did that make any sense??

[ 09-12-2003, 01:21: Message edited by: JudgeG ]

It seems most buffalo are either dead after the first shot and require only a finisher OR they take a handful or two of rounds to get stopped. I've seen them shot with 375s thru 500-3" and the bigger bores (450-500) certainly showed more effect, given proper bullet placement. And that is the main and most important part of buffalo shooting.

My experience is limited to one buff with a .375 and two shots... but there were a few hours between the first and second shots (and some FINE tracking). The first shot was a bit high through only one lung. I doubt if a .416 would have made any difference... but maybe it would have since the 300 gr partition did not exit.... I'll bet a 400 gr at 2500 fps would have. At least it would have made trailing easier.

I look at it like using a .30 -06 vs a .338 for elk. In 80% of the cases the .30 - 06 will perform just fine but it's that other 20% that I worry about.... It's limiting and I don't want to be limited.

Next time it will a .416 Rigby...

(and Mamba...I like the looks of those .416s on a belt too!)

No personal experience but no one can deny they are tough animals.

I know three people who've shot 4 buffalo between them in the last year. One I haven't heard the details yet. The others all took at least 3. One took five hours and seven bullets (.416, .458, .470).

John

Only one buff for me and a .375. One shot then another a little later to hurry him up a little. Both broadside shots.

I really didn't think it is an issue at all with a .375 and I had a lot of confidence in it.

Used 300 gr Woodleigh Weldcore SP RNs with some 300 gr Woodleigh FMJs as well if needed.

A question for the mythical "charging buff" - if a solid is required for a charging buff and only a brain shot is the sure stopping shot on a head on charging buff and a 300 gr FMJ .375 has adequate (excess) penetration - why is a .375 not adequate ???

Second point - don't some of you think the excessive number of shots "required" to kill a buff may be due to pin-cushioning the buff with un-necessary follow-up bullets "until it drops" and the resultant build-up of adrenalin. I believe strongly I could have shot my buff a dozen times and unless it was spine or brain shot would not have died any quicker. Would have spoiled a lot more meat though. Some of these big beasts are just going to take some time to die no matter what you do.

When I go again one day I won't have any problem taking a .375 again. (I will take the new'un as well for a walk though ).