Looking for performance information from anyone who has used 300gr Nosler Partions on cape buffalo.

I feel Noslers Partitions are too soft in .375 for buff, and would recommend Swift A-Frames.

I you plan on using softs , rather use Trophy Bonded , Swifts or A-Square .

Brad

The only Buffalo I've shot was taken with a 375 with 270gr Nosler Partitions. The shot was at approx 50 yds and was a broadrside shoulder shot. At the shot the Buff reared up on hind legs kept going over backward and was dead when it hit the ground. No death bellow no running no nothing just dead. Total anti-climax to the whole hunt. I have had no interest in hunting buffalo since. The bullet was recovered under the skin on the off side. The bullet had peeled back perfectly and most of the front core was there mushroomed and seperate from rest of the bullet. The bullet plus core weighed 207grs. It's amazing the front core traveled the entire wound channel in front of the rear part. The heart was literally pulverized. Lucky shot I suppose but I hit where I aimed and it was the right spot and the bullet did what it was supposed to do so what else could you ask.

Good story, thanks for sharing.

The thing is,...There are better bullets for Buffalo, so why use Partitions? The Swift is the minimum bullet for the .375 H&H to be used on Bufalo. Simply IMHO.

Worldhunter,

This is what I did and made my decisions as to which bullet to use...I bought Swifts, Barnes X, Hornady, North Forks and I had all bullets cut open lengthwise..You can look inside and see how they will work...and I chose a BarnesX and it worked super..shoulder to shoulder...Those North Fork cup bullets will really do a superb job...you will get full penetration..IMOP...
I shot a 458 Lott...and did ele and buf and got both...

Mike

This is the deal. My 375 doesn't like Barnes, I don't reload, and leopard will also be hunted.My gun shoots Fed Prem less then .5" Swifts shoot 2" - and yes I could find reloads that might give good groups but may be not.

Worldhunter,

There is nothing wrong with the 2 or 4 inch groups at 100yds...Yu will be hunting buff closer...shot mine at 40yds...Ask you Ph what he would like you to shoot bullet wise...
What is the group size with Barnes??

you cam email me

retreever@adelphia.net

Retreever
About 4" for the Barnes
The P/H doesn't want Barnes on leopard he feels Noslers are better, and resighting with a different bullet may be difficult in the middle of a hunt, because we will hunt buffalo durring the day and leopard in the evening.

WH, the only one shot kills I have on Cape Buffalo, have been with 300 gr Nosler Partitions out of a 375 H&H! All the rest have taken at least three shots, regardless of bullet type or wt or caliber, unless the spine or Brain was hit on the first shot! I have never had a buffalo run more than 30 yds with a 300 gr NP in him from a 375 H&H.

Brad, Will, and 308SAKO, your condimnation of the NP for buffalo seems very assured! I would like to ask each of you if you have ever used a 375 H&H 300 gr Nosler Partition on a Buffalo, or even seen anyone else use a .375, 300 gr NP on a cape buffalo?

I have used solids, both origenal steel jacketed solids, and mono-metel solids, A-frames, in a lot of calibers on buffalo, and I see no better performance than with the NP on cape Buffalo from a 375 H&H. Today, however I'd use North Fork cup point solids exclusively on buffalo, in just about any caliber where they are available, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the good old NP, if a control expansion soft point is needed.

Mac,

The guy asked for opinions and I gave mine. I've had poor penetration with Partitions, mainly because the front end blows off, which is what they are suppose to do.

Antecdotes do not a rule make. Use whatever the hell you want.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Mac,

The guy asked for opinions and I gave mine. I've had poor penetration with Partitions, mainly because the front end blows off, which is what they are suppose to do.

Antecdotes do not a rule make. Use whatever the hell you want.

That's all the reason you need, I just wanted to know if you had used them on Buffalo!

The only wounded and lost buff I had was shot at with a NP from a .375. Although I have no evidence, I blame it on poor penetration and believe the bullet never "reached" the vitals. I normally never load NP when I am after buff and in this occasion I had spotted Eland and was after them when I jumped a small group of buff. I made the choice to forgo the eland for the buff and "regret" that choice to this day! As a result, I will not use NP on buff again. Especially on frontal shots. That is just my choice. There are a good number of PH's that I spoke with about this and the majority tend to agree. They will not refuse to let you shoot a buff with a NP but if you ask them, they will probably recommend you get a BarnesX or A-frame or TB, etc.

Personally, I like to use the TB but will not hesitate to use BarnesX.

WH - Your PH is right in preferring NP over Barnes for Leopard. How does your rifle group with solids? Otherwise, stick with Barnes or try the North Fork.

Happy hunting

I used a 300 gr. Partition on my second buffalo.



There are better bullets but it worked fine. On my most recent trip the .375 was holding Swift softs and Barnes solids. I wouldn't mind carrying X or TSX bullets either.


Kyler

I've only shot 1 buffalo so take the following for what it's worth...300gr Nosler Partition for my 375-caliber. Muzzle velocity of about 2540 fps. Shot was taken from about 45-50 yards with the buffalo facing me at a quartering angle. Point-of-aim was below the out-thrust nose at the crease where the neck joins the body.....and where the bullet hit. At impact. the buff's head went up, his hind-quarters sagged and he dropped hard enough to raise dust. The "bellow" came in about 15 seconds. The recovered bullet weighted approximatley 200gr which I find to be typical of almost every Partition I've ever recovered from everything. I should also note I had solids in the magazine if needed.

Would something else have been better? I don't know.

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=8630&c=500&z=1"] [/url]

Mac

I am not condemning NP's ,I just feel that the other 3 that I listed have proved to be superior in my experience . I have personally seen 3 failures with NP's on buffalo with my own clients , on frontal and quartering on shots . This along with other collegues who have told of similar problems . The one in particular was a quartering on shot at about 25 yards . The bullet hit the shoulder , deflected and broke , and travelled just under the skin all the was to the rump . It became a very long day .

When you consider the alternatives - pain & suffering of an animal , along with the possible loss of an exceptional trophy , even the trophy fee of a warthog is justification for using the best , and if necessary , most expensive bullet on the market .

I look forward to seeing North Forks in 375 used on buffalo this year .

Brad

For the record; the above described buffalo of mine also "dropped" at the shot and started wriggling around as if it had chili up its a$$ which led me to believe I had "anchored" him! 2nd mistake (1st was using a NP): I didn't follow-up with a second shot (a solid TB) and I had at least 3 clear opportunities to do so because I "thought" he was "anchored". Spent 10 hrs looking for him till the tracks rejoined a different herd and the blood spoor dried up!

I still remember that day in every detail

I have had excellent plus results with Noslers in the 375...I always used the 300 gr. bullet..It stops on the off side skin, just like all the rest of the softs...I have not had the front end blow off, rather the lead blow out and left expanded petals much like a Barnes X....It they blow in half, then your using too much velocity or too light a bullet, but when they do blow the front end off the sure do a lot of internal damage and the base usually makes an exit hole...

Woodleigh, Nosler, Northfork,GS Customs, all work fine on Buffalo...The Northfork is probably the best, but the new 350 gr. Woodleigh is a sure enough killer on buffalo..

I am not a Swift fan, I have shot some buff with the swift and expands into a too smooth ball IMO...

Barnes Xs sure work on Buffalo and I expect great things from the triple Xs, but I will let someone else try them first...

WORLDHUNTER1

I think if I were in your situation I would try the Federal Trophy Bonded loads. I used that load in Tanzania on everything including a big leopard that actually died in the tree. I don't remember you saying you had tried this one. Give it a whirl. It shot very well in the borrowed 375 I used.

Regards,

Mark