Rifle for buff

25 July 2008, 04:36

Rusty Carr

Rifle for buff

Guys, I am going on my first buffalo hunt next year after 2 pg hunts. I have a blaser R93 with the synthetic stock. I thought when I bought it, I could switch to most any caliber they offer, now I find out that .375 H&H is the biggest without opening the bbl. channel. I have been doing some research, and I can't find anyone' other than Remington, who chambers for 416 Rem mag. I need some suggestions. I know I can get a 375, and probably bee happy, but I would like a plan B. Thanks Rusty Carr

25 July 2008, 04:58

David Culpepper

Other companies that I know make calibers larger than 375 are CZ, Ruger, Weatherby and Dakota Arms. I sure there are others also.

25 July 2008, 05:01

Fjold

A lot of Buff have been taken with the 375 H&H.

25 July 2008, 05:25

N E 450 No2

Rusty

I shoot/hunt with the Blaser R 93.

The 375 is plenty good for the buff.

I have killed buff with a 450 No2, a 450/400, and a 9,3x74R.

The only buff where I fired one shot was the one killed with the 9,3.

However the 416 RM is a great buff calibre as well.

If I did not use the double rifle so much I would have a 416 bbl for my Blaser.

Just get a Blaser R 93 Safari in 416 RM.

Remember, the Safari reciever will also take the regular bbls as well, so you can use it with the Skinny bbls giving you 2 R93 recievers.

PS I handled a Dakota a couple of days ago, and I have handled them before, I much prefer the R 93.

25 July 2008, 06:25

sactoller

Ruger is not showing a .416Rem but they are showing a .416Rigby, in the M77 RSM, you can get into that for about $2k.

CZ has the Rigby as well, can get into that for less than $1k, in both the Safari and the American Safari.

25 July 2008, 23:06

Alaska Hunter

Any rifle in the 375 class will work, however in my limited experience I like larger. Buff react total different when shot with 416's or larger. My 470 just crushes them when it punches through both shoulders, my 375 does not.
My hunting buddy for a recent trip to Moz. killed his first buff with a 375, first shot went through both lungs at 80 yards and yes the buff was dead, he just didn't know it. That animal immediately turned and charged with blood pumping out of both sides and his nose. The bull dropped 10 paces from them with 8-375 and 3-458 in it's chest. Again yes the 375 will kill them, but when your dealing with a animal that can kill you, I think it's better to numb them if possible. Yea I know a 500 grain bullet through the lungs would have the same result, but that 500 grain would pulverize both shoulders and keep on going.
I've shot 2 buffalo with a 375 both times with good non-solid bullets as the first shot. The first one took out both lungs, 20 minutes later that buffalo tried to come at us and died with my 7th bullet through the neck. The second one the bullet never penitrated through the shoulder and after 3 days of tracking we lost that buffalo. In 375's I'll never use anything but solids again.
A great buffalo rifle would be a 416 or a 458 (both of which I do have) with a removable low powered scope.
Again a 375 will work and the 375 has killed more buffalo than any other caliber but if you're looking for a buffalo rifle I'd go with something larger. I know my recent hunting partner is.

25 July 2008, 23:41

Oday450

Alaska Huner - any thoughts on a 404 Jeffrey vs a 458 Win Mag?

26 July 2008, 00:03

SBP

My husband and I both shot the Blaser R93 in 375 in Zim. last month. I took my bull with a 300gr A-frame and he took his with 300gr Trophy bonded BC. Mine was a quartering away shot, his broadside. Both downed with one shot and no chasing. The only qualm I have with the Blaser is that if you get any grit around the safety/cocking mechanism it might not engage which is what I had happen whilst tracking my wounded leopard. I quickly took it apart and cleaned it without further problems but it was always in the back of my mind.

26 July 2008, 00:44

2thdoc

Oday buy the 458WM load it from 67 gr 4895 up thru 75 gr 4895 and hunt everything from whitetails to elephant

26 July 2008, 00:57

Oday450

2thdoc

Thanks! I have a nice, almost new Whitworth 458WM AND have been looking for starting loads with 4895 using 450gr TSXs. I'm also trying to convince myself I need a 404 Jeff.

26 July 2008, 01:01

sactoller

quote:
Originally posted by Oday450:
2thdoc

Thanks! I have a nice, almost new Whitworth 458WM AND have been looking for starting loads with 4895 using 450gr TSXs. I'm also trying to convince myself I need a 404 Jeff.

I have a .404 Jeff build going on now...I believe that you must have a .404!

26 July 2008, 01:19

shootaway

I would get rid of the Blaser if I were you,Rusty Carr.That is not a serious african rifle.You will regret taking it I am sure.I might bring my 458WM along on my next months trip to Zimbabwe as a back-up rifle.I think the CZ win mag will look better in the picture with a buff or zebra than the Ruger bolt action.I will give it a cleaning and shoot it at the range again and see if it is still accurate enough.Vit 540 and the 500gr TSX is what I'll shoot with that.I am now starting to count down the days and picture the image were I see my buff,raise my rifle,steady the bobbing steel sight on his shoulder,while the sound of the shot CRACKS the african sky!

26 July 2008, 01:33

jetdrvr

Shot placement is everything. My only buff was a one shot kill with a Swift A Frame, which we found on the offside just under the skin. I'm taking it back with me next year for buff. I'm far from being an expert, but the .375 has taken myriad buff. Buy whatever you can shoot well and shoot it a lot before you go. Some folks swear by Blasers, BTW.

26 July 2008, 01:45

namibiahunter

quote:
Originally posted by sactoller:

quote:
Originally posted by Oday450:
2thdoc

Thanks! I have a nice, almost new Whitworth 458WM AND have been looking for starting loads with 4895 using 450gr TSXs. I'm also trying to convince myself I need a 404 Jeff.

I have a .404 Jeff build going on now...I believe that you must have a .404! Win

I've got a .375 H&H, a .416 Taylor, and a .458 Lott, and I"m having a .470 Capstick being built. I don't know how I could be happy without that Capstick.

Namibiahunter

26 July 2008, 04:16

The buff I shot in 06 in Tanzania went about 12 steps with walking to me shot with 375 HH with 300 gr north fork. the swift a frame will do the same thing.

Shot placement is the most important thing.

26 July 2008, 04:41

adrook

quote:
Originally posted by Alaska Hunter:
Any rifle in the 375 class will work, however in my limited experience I like larger. Buff react total different when shot with 416's or larger. My 470 just crushes them when it punches through both shoulders, my 375 does not.
My hunting buddy for a recent trip to Moz. killed his first buff with a 375, first shot went through both lungs at 80 yards and yes the buff was dead, he just didn't know it. That animal immediately turned and charged with blood pumping out of both sides and his nose. The bull dropped 10 paces from them with 8-375 and 3-458 in it's chest. Again yes the 375 will kill them, but when your dealing with a animal that can kill you, I think it's better to numb them if possible. Yea I know a 500 grain bullet through the lungs would have the same result, but that 500 grain would pulverize both shoulders and keep on going.
I've shot 2 buffalo with a 375 both times with good non-solid bullets as the first shot. The first one took out both lungs, 20 minutes later that buffalo tried to come at us and died with my 7th bullet through the neck. The second one the bullet never penitrated through the shoulder and after 3 days of tracking we lost that buffalo. In 375's I'll never use anything but solids again.
A great buffalo rifle would be a 416 or a 458 (both of which I do have) with a removable low powered scope.
Again a 375 will work and the 375 has killed more buffalo than any other caliber but if you're looking for a buffalo rifle I'd go with something larger. I know my recent hunting partner is.

That was good post, thanks, I enjoyed reading it.

26 July 2008, 04:47

Alaska Hunter

Oday450,
The 404 would rank with the 416 IMO and be excellent.
Again I do agree with comments that shot placement is everything, but a bullet that will destroy both shoulders and keep going will knock them down AND kill them, not just kill them.
These animals can, I repeat, can be very dangerous and a chest shot will not stop them. only breaking bone or nervous system shots will. I like the added security of a big gun with big bullets, however if the opertunity arises and I'm carrying my 375 I'd still take the shot, but I'd do it with solids.

26 July 2008, 05:03

jetdrvr

According to reports, a 350 Woodleigh PRP from a .375 will fully penetrate on a broadside shot.

26 July 2008, 05:25

2thdoc

quote:
Originally posted by Oday450:
2thdoc

Thanks! I have a nice, almost new Whitworth 458WM AND have been looking for starting loads with 4895 using 450gr TSXs. I'm also trying to convince myself I need a 404 Jeff.

75 gr 4895 is not a starting load with 450TSX. For my Whitworth I loaded my 450TSX over 73 gr 4895 an flatten my buffalo on the spot. For practice an general shooting loads I load 69.5 gr 4895 under a 405 gr RN

26 July 2008, 17:33

Oday450

quote:
75 gr 4895 is not a starting load with 450TSX.

I got that - I read your first post as 67 grains as a start. Thanks for the clarification though - safety is first priority.

26 July 2008, 17:39

cable68

I used my 404 on buff last week. He ran 100 yds before collapsing. He was wanting to get up and fight but he just couldn't. Turns out both vewntricles were shredded.

26 July 2008, 18:07

dirklawyer

Shoot the biggest caliber rifle you can shoot accurately, if you can shoot a 458wm as well as a 375 that's the rifle to take. Truth be known, very few guys can shoot a 458 as accurately as they can a 375.

26 July 2008, 22:08

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by dirklawyer:
Shoot the biggest caliber rifle you can shoot accurately, if you can shoot a 458wm as well as a 375 that's the rifle to take. Truth be known, very few guys can shoot a 458 as accurately as they can a 375.

Hell, I'm 65/170 lbs.and shoot my buddy's .458 Win all the time. 450 grain factory load isn't much worse than my .375 H&H loaded to the max with IMR 4350 and a 300 grain bullet. If you can shoot one, you can shoot the other. The Lott is a different story, though.

27 July 2008, 07:20

Dr. Duc

On my last hunt (this month) we had 4 PH's in camp and all favored the 375 for everything except elephant. One carried a 450 Rigby and one had a 416 Rigby but all professed to love the 375 for buff and plains game.

27 July 2008, 07:34

shootaway

Dr.Duc,you would be better off with a LOTT.

27 July 2008, 07:41

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Duc:
On my last hunt (this month) we had 4 PH's in camp and all favored the 375 for everything except elephant. One carried a 450 Rigby and one had a 416 Rigby but all professed to love the 375 for buff and plains game.

I got the same reaction from the three PH's in the camp I was in in the Selous a couple of years ago.

28 July 2008, 10:22

ozhunter

quote:
Originally posted by jetdrvr:
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Duc:
On my last hunt (this month) we had 4 PH's in camp and all favored the 375 for everything except elephant. One carried a 450 Rigby and one had a 416 Rigby but all professed to love the 375 for buff and plains game.

I got the same reaction from the three PH's in the camp I was in in the Selous a couple of years ago.

Most of the PHs I have met also swear by the 375H&H.