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Question Realistically, if you put a .375 H&H, .416 or .458 or similar through a Cape Buffalo's heart, how far do you really think they will go? I know it will differ in softs or solids, but I was really wondering whats a good estimate, 200-300 yards or farther? I was given some of the Perfect Shot Cape Buff targets for Christmas, and was thinking about shots etc, and while the heart is not as big as the lung area, I was just thinking if you only hit the heart, what would happen? (Why, I really couldn't tell you.) While I have seen some buff up close, I have never had the opportunity to hunt one. I am planning a hunt for 09 or 10 though...... Mink and Wall Tents don't go together. Especially when you are sleeping in the Wall Tent. DRSS .470 & .500 | ||
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In my limited experience, about 50-60 yards. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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How long is a piece of string? It'll depend on such factors as type of bullet, where in the heart and whether the animal was aware of danger before the bullet hit him. If he's completely relaxed and unaware of potential danger, he'll die a lot faster than if he's full of adrenaline. I've often wondered if the action of the heart at the millisecond of the bullet hitting him might also be a factor....... | |||
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Shakari, I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. For example if you shoot at a water bottle with the cap on it explodes if you shoot at the same kind of water bottle without the cap it just makes 2 holes and the water drains. So if you could hit the heart at the moment when it's full of blood and the valves, (I'm not a doc or a vet so dont know if it could happen) could be closed at that same instant you should have the exploding bottle effect which I'm sure would hurt the buff real bad. On the other hand you could hit the buff when the heart is dry and you could wait untill all the blood runs out. So a bigger bullet would make a bigger hole and it could drain quicker. Sorry maybe I'm talking "Shit" but I'm sure the heart filled with blood compared to not so filled could make a big difference. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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The first 2 cape buff I shot were both hit in the heart on the first shot. No1 was shot almost perfectly broadside at @12 yards in heavy bush. 408 Woodleigh Soft from my 450 No2. The buff knew we were there as we had been tracking the herd and had jumped them a time or two. At the shot the buff took off. The buff went @ 100 to 150 yards and layed down. On my approach as it got up I put 2 solids into it one breaking the spine. No2. Again we were tracking the herd [a different one a few days later]. We had also bumped them a couble of times. We stepped into a small clearing and the buff began to run. I hit him with a raking shot that went through the heart and logded in the off shboulder. It was a 500gr Swift A Frame from my 450 No2. He ran out of site. I ran foward a few yards. He was down within 50 yards, but scrabbling around. I put 2 Solids into his back, which was toward me, reloaded, and ran foward. The buff continued to scrabble around until he saw me, then tried to get up and come, falling down after a few feet. I fired another solid that hit him in the neck entering his body as the buff was facing me. This shot caused him to roll over on to his right side. I reloaded with another 500 gr Swift A Frame, ran foward a bit and snhot him in the chest, this bullet also went through the heart. I reloaded with the Swift Soft as I hoped to recover one from a buff sonmce I had recovered the Woodleigh Soft from the previous buff. I have pictures of both buffs hearts with the bullet holes in them [2 holes in the case of the second buff. As a side note another buff I shot, my biggest was hit in the chest, facing me with a 286gr Woodleigh Soft from my 9,3x74R. This bullet cut the arteries at the top of the heart. He was down and dead in less than 40 yards. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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I agree with what's been said. I think it may have to do with whether they were pumped when you fired the first shot. My bull was feeding. I hit him with a soft-point a little higher than planned, but he ran about 100 meters and laid down. I don't know whether he could have gotten back up. I put a solid through him and he died on the spot. Maybe if he had been spooked and I had then hit him in the heart on the first shot, he might have gone farther. We've all seen bulls take a beating when they get pumped up, before the first shot. I think the key is a good stalk and a good first shot. It makes life a lot easier. | |||
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I think Shakari is on the button with his comment about the buffalo knowing what hurt him. My last buffalo was watching us with a pissed off look when I shot him the first time with my 458 Lott. Ten minutes and 5 shots later he decided to die. His heart lung area were in tatters but he still was able to function. The leaves were off the trees so we were able to see him before getting too close in the follow up to get a charge. He was waiting but we could see him to well. Every time I shot him he would run about a hundred yards and wait. The shot from the Lott seemed to discourage him but not entirely. First shot was a soft and all others were solids. Makes me wonder about solids on buffalo. | |||
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If only I could sell my sermon about not using solids on buff!  ------------------------------- Will Stewart / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun. --------------------------------------- and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor Member, GOA, N.A.G.R. _________________________ "Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped “Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped. red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com _________________________ Hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go. | |||
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And the conclusion is? The 450 No. 2 is totally inadequate for buffalo. ------------------------------- Will Stewart / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun. --------------------------------------- and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor Member, GOA, N.A.G.R. _________________________ "Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped “Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped. red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com _________________________ Hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go. | |||
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IMO, Buffalo are best hunted with quality softs if only one type bullet is to be used! However, in a bolt rifle, or double I always have a solid for the second shot. My reasoning for this is, Buffalo, contrary to what MS would have you believe, will usually turn and run at the first shot, giveing you a south end of a north bound buffalo shot. The solid will go very deep, and reach the vitals in the chest from behind. In a bolt I load a soft in the chamber, next is a solid, then softs again. In the double, soft in the right barrel, and a solid in the left barrel, for the re-load, depending if going away, or coming my way just what I get my hands on from the belt, but there are more softs than solids, so........chances are...... At that point you don't have time to be picky, and time is best used in placeing the shots where they will do the most good!  I basiclly agree with the statements of Shakari, and Safari hunt! The condition of the heart when the bullet hits it makes all the difference in the world, as to the immediate effect. The heart shot is rarely a knock down shot, no matter what bullet is used, or caliber of the rifle! The only shot that will slam him to the ground, angry, or at rest, is a shot to, or very near the CNS, all others leave him some steam!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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LJS, I am assuming you aimed all of your shots at the heart lung area... I am a firm believer after I send the first into the chest I shoot to bust bones... High shoulder shot, hips, and spine shots... That is why I like X bullets they will shatter all bones and penetrate a bufs head also... Mike | |||
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Have only killed one Buffalo so definitely not an expert. Shot once with a 375 with Nosler Partition (260gr) from 35yds. Heart shot. Buffalo rared up on hind legs and actually went over backward and landed on back stone cold dead. Shot in the Gwayi area of Zimbabwe. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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Shots at the top of the heart can also occasionally drop buffalo in their tracks, lights out instantaneously. It's happened for me with a 375 soft on one, and a 458 solid on another. Neither was a CNS hit. I agree that it must have something to do with the stage of contraction of the heart, and that not having their adrenalin "up" is important for that reaction. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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For what it's worth (and I hasten to say I only shot one Cape buffalo in my life) the one I shot collapsed after staggering down a small slope and across a waterhole about 40 yards on. (The PH told me to hold up on a quick follow up shot because he didn't want the buff to fall into the small waterhole) It was that evident that the buff was a "dead man walking". Nonetheless, of course, he told me to put in an insurance shot when the buff simply laid down finally. I put in a heart shot that was almost dead center. (I saw it after butchering) We walked up. the buff started to get up. I fired my third shot which broke his neck. (In photos I had to hold on to a horn to make the head stand up for the picture) It awed me that nyati had so much determination to live in him even after being shot to pieces. I would never aim for a "heart shot" with nyati based on this one time experience! I always was glad that I followed the PH's advice "Break bones!" | |||
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And yes adrenaline has got a lot to do with it as well. I've seen on a couple of occasions especially on gemsbuck that even mortally hit and on the ground they still take some time to expire. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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Retreever: You are correct I shot behind the shoulder. Reason for that was first buffalo I shot was a little too far forward on the shoulder and the bullet apparently glanced forward into the brisket area not proving fatal. We spent a day trying to track him till he went into another concession and was lost. Cost me $1400 for that lesson since I drew blood. I thought the North Fork cup points were going to be the perfect buffalo bullet but no more. | |||
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In my limited experience, a big soft point well placed through the top of the heart will kill them in seconds. They will run about 50 yards or so, fall down and die. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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There are too many factors to answer this question definitively. I have killed 20 buffalo and no two have died the same, from a considerable number of first well-placed shots. Factors include distance of the shot, the individual fight of the buffalo, who he's with in the herd and how center-of-the-heart the shot is placed. Some PH's will also tell you their buffalo in their respective country are tougher than buffaloes in different countries. I believe there is some merit to that. I will tell you definitively, if you shoot him and puncture the heart he is DEAD. Whether he's a dead buff running off from the impact shot, or a dead buff dropped bellowing in his tracks, he's DEAD. Depending on factors a relatively safe guess for travelling distance is 5-500 yards. Moja | |||
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Based on a lot of buffalo kills and a lot of observation, I'd venture to say from 35 to 200 yards, and that is as close as your going to get an accurate answer...How long is a piece of string sums it up well, as Steve put it... As to solids on buffalo, I would argue that all day, I like them and use them and have never found fault in them and I know they will make two holes on broadside and get into the machinery on frontal and rear end shots..In a charge situation that is all I want in my chamber. That said, nor am I against softs, they have a place in many situations. The best option however is the Northfork cup point, its the best of two worlds.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Cape Buffalo Shot Placement Question
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