quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Here are a few excerpts for those that requested more information.


“When solids are used for heart/lung shots on buffalo it is not atypical that more follow-up shots are required, meaning in many cases firing at a buffalo that is running off. If shooting at the backside of a buffalo, the greater penetration of a solid is needed to reach the heart and lungs. But if a soft bullet had been used for the heart/lung shot in the first place, the need for greater penetration for a lengthwise shot on now a retreating buffalo probably wouldn’t have been needed in the first place. And so the use of solids on buffalo, at least for the first shot, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, in that if solids are used for the first shot, then more solids will be needed for follow-up shots. I had a heated argument with PH Owain Lewis in camp one day…”



“Most problems with buffalo stem from poorly placed shots or when the buffalo is already alert. Misplaced first shots can occur not only from poor marksmanship but also from being deflected by an unseen tree branch or other obstruction between the hunter and the buffalo. Once the buffalo is wounded, mortally or otherwise, it can be very difficult to bring to earth. It is amazing to witness how many follow-up shots a buffalo can take seemingly in stride. Eventually it will go down from well place shots that happen to miss the brain or spine, but buffalo are unbelievably tough.”



“Suddenly, a heavy pounding of hooves, as the missing [Cape buffalo] bull instantly started into a full gallop, somewhere to the right….. Everyone was trying to spring into action. Luckily, the bull was more interested in getting lost in a hurry than in charging. It had been hiding behind some short grass and a scrubby little bush that looked like dwarfed sumac. How could a big buffalo bull hide in such sparse cover? The bull was now running full out to my left, parallel to our ragged in-line formation – it was broadside at only 30 feet. The tracker carrying my .375 shot first, but the bull didn’t flinch or miss a step. Then the apprentice PH chimed in with his .375, again with no apparent effect. By this time, my .470 was up and ready. It was like trying to get on a fleeing [pheasant] rooster. The shot from the right barrel looked good, but the 500-grain solid, like the two previous shots from the .375’s, had no apparent effect. The bull kept on hoofing it. I may have missed with the right barrel, but I didn’t think so, though the bull’s lack of response was not a good sign!
The quick second shot from my left barrel – a soft point bullet – had an immediate effect. The bull dropped hard, hitting the ground with his nose first, and then doing a complete flip. That bull had been going at full speed. It now was on the ground, pointing in the direction from which it had started.


“Taking a brain shot on a charging buffalo is a tall order. The buffalo’s brain is about the size of a softball, at most. Practicing at the range to see how close one needs to get to consistently hit softballs, no baseballs, no tennis balls, is in order. At least it should get one more psychologically prepared for the shot if the need ever arises.”



“With nowhere to hide, no time to run, and no time to find a tree to climb, the bull smashed its massive, steel-hard horns full into François’s face. Everything went black.”



“Boom,” goes the right barrel of my Heym .470 NE side-by-side, one of the two Federal Trophy Bonded 500 gr. solids, aimed right between the eyes. I fully expected for the cow [elephant] to drop stone dead. The cow didn’t even break stride! Great, missed the brain. Okay, but I am still amazed, along with dumbfounded, that she doesn’t drop from being knocked unconscious. Where are Taylor’s Knock Out values when you need them? She again gave no sign of being bothered at all by 5,100 ft-lb of muzzle energy, and she was getting pretty close to the double’s muzzle at this point.”



“The cow [elephant] was now only ten yards away, though mostly hidden by the thick jess bush. “What am I getting myself into?” .... That thought had not quite jelled when the cow instantly turned and charged without any hesitation. The cow was partly blocked from my view by a few skinny stems of a small tree. Buzz was also in the way, slightly to my left and a step ahead of me. Realizing the immediacy of the situation, I quickly took a couple steps to get to the right of the tree that blocked my view and to get past Buzz.
The cow must have had her radar locked on us for some time and finally decided that we were too close. If she had any doubt as to where we were exactly located it was gone, as she must have seen me moving through the bush and she came straight for me….I finally decided where to place the shot, for better or worse, because the cow was now CLOSE. Too close for any further delay. At the shot the cow just collapsed in her tracks, … a mere fifteen feet away….”

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Here are a few excerpts for those that requested more information.


“When solids are used for heart/lung shots on buffalo it is not atypical that more follow-up shots are required, meaning in many cases firing at a buffalo that is running off. If shooting at the backside of a buffalo, the greater penetration of a solid is needed to reach the heart and lungs. But if a soft bullet had been used for the heart/lung shot in the first place, the need for greater penetration for a lengthwise shot on now a retreating buffalo probably wouldn’t have been needed in the first place. And so the use of solids on buffalo, at least for the first shot, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, in that if solids are used for the first shot, then more solids will be needed for follow-up shots. I had a heated argument with PH Owain Lewis in camp one day…”



“Most problems with buffalo stem from poorly placed shots or when the buffalo is already alert. Misplaced first shots can occur not only from poor marksmanship but also from being deflected by an unseen tree branch or other obstruction between the hunter and the buffalo. Once the buffalo is wounded, mortally or otherwise, it can be very difficult to bring to earth. It is amazing to witness how many follow-up shots a buffalo can take seemingly in stride. Eventually it will go down from well place shots that happen to miss the brain or spine, but buffalo are unbelievably tough.”



“Suddenly, a heavy pounding of hooves, as the missing [Cape buffalo] bull instantly started into a full gallop, somewhere to the right….. Everyone was trying to spring into action. Luckily, the bull was more interested in getting lost in a hurry than in charging. It had been hiding behind some short grass and a scrubby little bush that looked like dwarfed sumac. How could a big buffalo bull hide in such sparse cover? The bull was now running full out to my left, parallel to our ragged in-line formation – it was broadside at only 30 feet. The tracker carrying my .375 shot first, but the bull didn’t flinch or miss a step. Then the apprentice PH chimed in with his .375, again with no apparent effect. By this time, my .470 was up and ready. It was like trying to get on a fleeing [pheasant] rooster. The shot from the right barrel looked good, but the 500-grain solid, like the two previous shots from the .375’s, had no apparent effect. The bull kept on hoofing it. I may have missed with the right barrel, but I didn’t think so, though the bull’s lack of response was not a good sign!
The quick second shot from my left barrel – a soft point bullet – had an immediate effect. The bull dropped hard, hitting the ground with his nose first, and then doing a complete flip. That bull had been going at full speed. It now was on the ground, pointing in the direction from which it had started.


“Taking a brain shot on a charging buffalo is a tall order. The buffalo’s brain is about the size of a softball, at most. Practicing at the range to see how close one needs to get to consistently hit softballs, no baseballs, no tennis balls, is in order. At least it should get one more psychologically prepared for the shot if the need ever arises.”



“With nowhere to hide, no time to run, and no time to find a tree to climb, the bull smashed its massive, steel-hard horns full into François’s face. Everything went black.”



“Boom,” goes the right barrel of my Heym .470 NE side-by-side, one of the two Federal Trophy Bonded 500 gr. solids, aimed right between the eyes. I fully expected for the cow [elephant] to drop stone dead. The cow didn’t even break stride! Great, missed the brain. Okay, but I am still amazed, along with dumbfounded, that she doesn’t drop from being knocked unconscious. Where are Taylor’s Knock Out values when you need them? She again gave no sign of being bothered at all by 5,100 ft-lb of muzzle energy, and she was getting pretty close to the double’s muzzle at this point.”



“The cow [elephant] was now only ten yards away, though mostly hidden by the thick jess bush. “What am I getting myself into?” .... That thought had not quite jelled when the cow instantly turned and charged without any hesitation. The cow was partly blocked from my view by a few skinny stems of a small tree. Buzz was also in the way, slightly to my left and a step ahead of me. Realizing the immediacy of the situation, I quickly took a couple steps to get to the right of the tree that blocked my view and to get past Buzz.
The cow must have had her radar locked on us for some time and finally decided that we were too close. If she had any doubt as to where we were exactly located it was gone, as she must have seen me moving through the bush and she came straight for me….I finally decided where to place the shot, for better or worse, because the cow was now CLOSE. Too close for any further delay. At the shot the cow just collapsed in her tracks, … a mere fifteen feet away….”

Very good.

Once I have used hollow point mono metals, there is only one reason to use a solid.

On elephants.

Nothing else.

Our Walterhog bullets, and similar mono, can be used on buffalo from any angle.

I have shot them in the rear legs, going forward, and the bullet gets to the chest with no problem.

Some have gone as far as the neck!

Bills book is great, written by someone who knows what he is talking about.