Some years ago (if I'm remembering correctly) the North Fork CPS had a lot of fans here. These days I'm not reading much about them...that or I've just missed mention of them.

I've been SERIOUSLY considering taking a little Chapuis 9.3x74R against buffalo et al in the Save next May and have been playing with loadings toward that end. So far, I've gotten it to regulate well with 286 grain Partitions and Hornady Spire Points and 250 grain CEB Raptors...and the 280 grain CEB Solid plays well with its CEB stablemate but I haven't tried it with the other softs.

It occurred to me that one of the strong points of the NF-CPS was that it was a solid that "hit like a soft" and since the 9.3 ain't exactly a heavyweight that every bit of weight retention and penetration it could manage would be a good thing. My testing with the CPS so far shows that my Chapuis LOVES the bullets (and might negate my having to find both a soft and solid combo that land on top of one another).

So what is the current opinion of the NF-CPS as a solid that hits like a soft?

Hi

While it isn't a North Fork, I have used a local bullet with exactly the same construction and "methodology".
Results have been impressive. On a big giraffe bull (slaughtered out at 980kgs) a 300gr .375 penetrated to under skin on opposite shoulder from 80 meters. Opened up to .416.
Accuracy is also superb.
I believe it would be the perfect Buff medicine in sub 416 calibers.

They have performed very well for us - 450 and a 450/400 - on buffalo. It flares out some, not as much as a true soft, but obviously bigger than a flat point solid, retains nearly all its weight and penetrates well.

I'm also a fan of bullets with driving bands - when I've worked up loads, the ones with driving bands generate less barrel heat and seem to have less felt recoil - at least to me.

The website below is where I was able to find some for the last trip

https://www.reloadinginternati...north-fork-bullets#3

I tried them in my 9.3x62 on a moose hunt a few years ago and was disappointed. There was no expansion whatsoever, they behaved like a typical solid.

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
I tried them in my 9.3x62 on a moose hunt a few years ago and was disappointed. There was no expansion whatsoever, they behaved like a typical solid.

So you did not get full penetration?

quote:

Originally posted by KevinNY:

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
I tried them in my 9.3x62 on a moose hunt a few years ago and was disappointed. There was no expansion whatsoever, they behaved like a typical solid.

So you did not get full penetration?

Yes, I did get full penetration. The only one that stayed in the moose was when he turned away after the two initial lung shots and I took a Texas heart shot to anchor him. That bullet ended up in his neck and had not expanded at all. I love Northfork softs and will continue to use them, but, in my experience, the cups, or "expanding solids" as I have seen them called on AR, do not expand. I have read several cases on here about people who have had good luck with the cups, but they all seem to be in calibers larger than the 9.3. Maybe the 9.3 is too small a caliber to perform in the same manner as the larger ones?

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:

quote:

Originally posted by KevinNY:

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
I tried them in my 9.3x62 on a moose hunt a few years ago and was disappointed. There was no expansion whatsoever, they behaved like a typical solid.

So you did not get full penetration?

Yes, I did get full penetration. The only one that stayed in the moose was when he turned away after the two initial lung shots and I took a Texas heart shot to anchor him. That bullet ended up in his neck and had not expanded at all. I love Northfork softs and will continue to use them, but, in my experience, the cups, or "expanding solids" as I have seen them called on AR, do not expand. I have read several cases on here about people who have had good luck with the cups, but they all seem to be in calibers larger than the 9.3. Maybe the 9.3 is too small a caliber to perform in the same manner as the larger ones?

Interesting observations...thanks!

Frankly, as the 9.3 is definitely on the light end for buffalo, I'd considered going with solids exclusively anyway...so if I DID get a bit of expansion that would just be icing on the cake. What I've GOT to have is straight-line penetration and your 9.3 CPS seemed to demonstrate that with your "reverse brain shot"!

Interesting. I bought a box of the .358 250 gr CPS to test out in my Whelen. My go to is the NF 250 grain .358 Soft in that gun and it's been flawless on 2 safaris. I was thinking of shooting a deer with one just to test it out.

I shot the CPS on my first trip to the Save in my 375, recovered a few that stopped in a fleeing Giraffe, otherwise all straight through. They are rolled back like a rivet. Why wouldn't you just use the 286 SS for your first shot? They will do the trick! Some people may think a solid for first shot is a good idea, but personally when I am writing the check for the trophy fee, I will never shoot another buff with a solid on the initial shot. Not saying it won't work, but from personal experience I see no upside. Unless you plan on starting the rodeo with a Texas heart shot. LOL

I just ordered 150 of these for my 358 STA on 270 grains.

quote:

Originally posted by Gale Johnson:
I shot the CPS on my first trip to the Save in my 375, recovered a few that stopped in a fleeing Giraffe, otherwise all straight through. They are rolled back like a rivet. Why wouldn't you just use the 286 SS for your first shot? They will do the trick! Some people may think a solid for first shot is a good idea, but personally when I am writing the check for the trophy fee, I will never shoot another buff with a solid on the initial shot. Not saying it won't work, but from personal experience I see no upside. Unless you plan on starting the rodeo with a Texas heart shot. LOL

I've used a solid for a first shot on buffalo but, like you, generally prefer a "soft" to open hostilities (and when I have the best opportunity to pick my shot placement).

That said, I've got solid loads that hit CLOSE to the same POI as my softs in my double 9.3 but I'd LOVE to have them land in the same group (a moral failing of mine applying magazine rifle standards to doubles ). I've got months to tweak things and get them even closer...but acknowledging the limitations of the 9.3x74R (and knowing that trade-offs are always a part of this world) I'd be OK with sacrificing a bit of expansion in favor of shot placement and penetration. And while I've never started a dance with buffalo "tail-end-to" I guess there's a first time for everything!

And if I can't get comfortable with the 9.3, there's always my veterans in .375 and .416. Sigh. Choices can be both a blessing and a curse...

i did not recover a CPS shot in our woodland bison and it was dead in one shot so it worked for me. i had the expansion needed certainly and enough penetration as it did not stay in the body. so you have to make sure there is nothing behind. it was in a 9.2x62.

Ive used both the cup points and the flat nose solids when Mike designed and had me test them and on many buffalo after that, they have always worked to perfection..actually the cup point is as good or better than the flat nose solids in that its basically a "expanding solid" so to speak. I used both in the 9,3x62, 375, 404, 416, 450-400 and the 470. I also used the GS Customs South African bullets and the original flat nosed solids and they are

I used the Northfork Cup Points last year on my buffalo bull hunt with CMS. Shot 5 times, last 2 being insurance shots. 570 gr. from my 500 NE double.

3 were recovered (see photo), 2 either passed through or were not recovered. Bull dropped in his tracks and was never allowed to regain his feet.





Great performance. I'll use them again in the future.

Many thanks for all the perspectives, folks!

The knowledge base here at AR is broad and deep and the sharing of those experiences is worth money in the bank!

If you decide on a solid the Barnes Banded regulate perfectly in my Chapuis 9.3 and are usually unmarked ( except rifling) when retreived.

quote:

Originally posted by Dev Moring:
If you decide on a solid the Barnes Banded regulate perfectly in my Chapuis 9.3 and are usually unmarked ( except rifling) when retreived.

Great to know...thanks!

When I was planning a safari in 2011, the technical guy at North Fork advised me to use their regular soft points (300 grains) on buffalo instead of cup points. I did and they worked great. I killed buffalo, zebra, and impala with them. Surprisingly, I recovered one from an impala (Texas heart shot) and one from a buffalo. Both weighed 292 grains and had expanded perfectly.