In your opinion what is the minimum caliber and bullet necessary to cleanly kill cape buffalo, given they are hit in the chest region?

The legal minimum - and with good reason - is either the 9,3x62 or .375 H&H depending on country. I would think most commonly used rifle by visiting clients is chambered for the .375- and it works just fine with reasonable shot placement.

I have shot buffalo with 7.62 Nato - it works but not something I would recomend to anyone.

The smallest calibre that I have seen used on buff was a .22 Savage - Some farmer had read that Bell used this caliber on Buff and wanted to try it. He turned up on a buff erradication cull with a neat savage 99 lever rifle. Killed three cows and wounded two bulls - I had the joy of doing the follow up and of getting charged by one of his bulls.

Legal limitations aside, I think the 338 with modern 250 grain bullets is probably about the skinniest caliber you can use with confidence. Because of these legal limits and the fact that the 338 is really a north american caliber, I don't think too many have been shot with it. And I don't know of anyone who makes a solid for the 338, which is a problem for follow-up shots if needed.

Barnes makes a monolithic solid 250 gr. in .338. I have some old Hornady 250 gr. solids, but I am pretty sure they don't make them anymore. My son killed a 38" buff two years ago with a .338 WM using 240 gr. North Forks. The buff went down hard with two broken shoulders and a silver dollar sized hole through the ventricles. Not a true buffalo caliber, and I was on one side with a .470 NE the PH on the other with a .458 WM in case things "developed".

Geronimo

A Square makes the Monolithic solid for the .338 in 250 grn. 2700+ fps (chrono at 2737 fps). I always carry a few and have one in my rifle magazine at all times. I bought them last year. Excellent ammo.

I used a 338 for a number of years, and whilst it was never legal, I shot a number of buffalo with it, and never had a problem. It is a fine calibre with excellent ballistics. If a client were to arrive with one, I wouldn't hesitate in allowing him to shoot a buffalo.

Good day Guys & Girls

and Neil hello too you as well, when are you down here ?

I have used the 338 WM on a lot of things and lot of them as well, I used the Speer AGS Tungsten solids till and the 275 gr softs this year a lot, and then when they ran out switched too Woodleigh 300 gr solids and 300 gr Claw
softs, bst damn caliber I have owned in my life and I have 19 including a416 and 450 Rigby

But it is not concsiderd legal for dangerous game, but a bloody 9.3 is ??!!!@@@@%@@

What would be the minimum bullet for cape buffalo?

AIU,

As Ganyana said a 308 with FMJ's works but I think a 375 with 270 TSX's would be a minimum in my opinion. I have not tried it but I think it would work nicely.

Mark

I have shot buffalo with a few smaller rounds and they worked fairly well in that they killed the buffalo but they killed them a little slowly IMO..

The 9.3x62 would be my absolute minimum to recommend, but only to a very good shot and an experienced hunter, not much room for a mistake, but then again maybe that applies to any caliber...

My preference for any DG is the 375 or 40 calibers...The 416 Rem or 404 Jefferys are my two favorite rounds but the .375 suits me just fine.

Sorry for the

AIU, why are you asking the question from the per-

spective of the SMALLEST caliber that can work?

I think it wiser to carry the LARGEST caliber that you

don't fear the recoil from, and shoot straight with,

and that the rifle is not to heavy for you to carry

all day and shoot well with at the end of the day.

When Brad Rolston posted here about his forth coming

577 3 1/4 NE by Searcy I asked him why he picked

that caliber and not the 500 NE or 600 NE or 700 NE,

etc. He replied that it's velocity was 2150 fps, and

it was the heaviest rifle that he could carry all day

and shoot well at days end. He's a respected PH, [in RSA

mostly I think, maybe at times in other countries] and
his words made a lot of sense to me.

Big Five makes a valid point - The biggest you can handle is a good guideline for all African Hunting.

On Elephant I have alowed clients to use below the legal minimum (30-06)when they clearly couldn't manage a .375 - on the understanding that they were taking a brain shot. Similarly, I have guided clients onto Elephant and Lion using a .45-70 which doesn't make the legal minimum energy (even with Hot loads).

For buffalo, I am much more fussy about sticking to the legal minimum, and sugest the client finds a way to get recoil within his (or her ability). The Semi Auto 9,3's and .458's (see big bore forum) a a good way to significantly reduce recoil. Much as I loath them, a Muzzle brake, Guided a 9 yo kid who used a 9,3 double- the weight kept the recoil within his shooting ability. There are ways and means.

Yes, I have guided folks that wanted to use their lever gun, revolver or muzzel loader for buff that clearly didn't meet the minimum energy, but they made big holes and the clients had to accept that we may have had to pass up on a great trophy if the angle wasn't right etc. But unless you are a real enthusiast, why limmit yourself?

I am sure that sub 9.3 and .375 callibers have been used in the past, with success, such as 7x57, .308, 30-06, etc, but probably not with satisfactory or consistent results, which would probably explain why the min is 9.3/.375. However, a .338 win mag, .338-06 or even.35 Whelen can probably do the job pretty well most of the time with the right bullets, but where do you draw the line? Bigger is probably always better, unless you can not handle the recoil I would think. The authorities in the respective countries had to make decisions, and cut-off points with regards to a minimum, and it was probably a wise choice, although why say a .375 can make it in some parts of SA and a 9.3 not in others would irritate some people I am sure, especially if you can basically equal a .375 H&H's ballistics with say a 9.3 X 64 or 66.

I do not mean to divert from the original question of minimum calliber too much, and this is more a question for Ganyana, but I am sure that the FN-FAL/R1 or SLR were common weapons carried by game-scouts in the past and present in Africa, and would have been responsible for many buffalo and elephant deaths. The AK-47 is probably much more common now, although definately not a recommended buff round I am sure! I know Steve Edwards used an SLR for buffallo culling for a while as far as I know. I wonder though, most of the time NATO 147gr FMJ ammo would have been used, which is likely to tumble on impact. If it could cycle proberly, I am sure thick-jacketed 200gr FMJ's or 180 gr TSX bullets would be quite comforting in an FN? I can imagine that penetration on game would limit the military 147gr FMJ round, especially if it tumbled, although on semi/full-auto I can imagine quick follow-up shots and a 20 round mag would make things a little more comforting.

I am sure the FN/AK would be carried more to deal with poachers than charging game, but that is not to say they havent been used for dealing with buffallo quite frequently?

I have a 375 H&H Ackley Improved (i.e., 375 Weatherby) with a 26.5" barrel. I reload, and I'm getting fabulous velocity with 300 gr. bullets using MRP (~2900 fps/5600 ft# @ muzzle). Is there anywhere in Africa where this gun would not be legal for cape buffalo? It seems adequate. Kicks like hell! - but 1 MOA at 100 yds.

It would be legal anywhere.

But, my God, with that kind of velocity, please be careful if you're going to shoot bulls out of herds!

I'd personally stick with H&H Mag. speeds. If more is wanted, and I always want more than a .375 for buff, then go with a bigger bullet, say, a .416 or .458.

JMHO.

Think John Burger of Horned Death split his buffalo between the 318 Westley-Richards and the 404 Jeffery.

My memory isn't any good...

But think the 318 is similar to a 338-06. Probably wrong on this.

.

Minimum caliber is determined by which way the buffalo is running after the first shot!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Minimum caliber is determined by which way the buffalo is running after the first shot!

Emminently logical

A mate of mine shot 3 buff in Moz back in the late 90's with a 338 and 250 Barnes X. He said it was boring in it's reliable killing power.