I basicly agree with JJ, on this except where double rifles are concerened! In my doubles I use Woodliegh soft in the right barrel, and a Woodliegh solid in the left barrel. Generally, you will only get one shot with the bull faceing you squarely,that is the soft, with the second one, the solid usually in the shoulder as he turns to run. all reloads are solid after the first shot. The second pair on bullets from a double are usually up the old bum, and a solid will get into the chest from behind.

In my bolt rifles I load two softs one in the chamber, and one on top of the magazine, and two solids below that for the going away shots. In my bolt rifles I only use premium control expansion softs on buffalo where softs are applied, and either woodliegh, or Barnes Mono-lithic solids, where solids apply. I do not shoot X-bullets in my bolt rifles, simply because the do not shoot well in any of my bolt rifles, and I will not use any solid shank, or mono-lithic in a double rifle.

I will say it again, the only one shot kills I have, on buffalo, have been with a .375 300 gr Nosler Partition, unless the brain or spine was hit. All others have required at least three shots, regardless of bullet construction, or caliber! That is with all shots well placed. Thank GOD, I've never been guilty of makeing a bad shot on a buffalo! (Keeping my fingers crossed, that I don't, in future!)

More, and more PHs are reccognizeing the value of the better soft points avaiable today, for buffalo, especially when hunting herds!

Did your ph have a preference regarding softs or solids on buffalo????

Soft on top, then all solids was the recommendation given to my dad. They joked about going soft-solid-soft-solid, saying they wouldn't as you were essentially playing with fire.

There does not seem to be agreement on this question. Consult the PH that you book with to be sure you are doing things the way he prefers.

This whole debate is based on old style standard bullets. PH's of the "old days" saw plenty of softs fail to penetrate, or go to pieces. Many defaulted to solids as a way of getting some consistancy.

Today a premium soft point or a Barnes X is the best option available. IMO you can forget the solids when using Bonded core softs. Buffalo do not need solids with an X bullet or a premium bonded core bullet. I have never seen a single buffalo shrug off a premium bonded core bullet or an X bullet and run off to escape. That is only if they are well hit. Not even a solid is going to solve a poor hit though.

No doubt about it that a solid will penetrate further but that is also a handicap in many situations where you are hunting in herds of buffalo. One well placed premium soft point from a 375HH or bigger will get the job done just fine. If the buffalo needs another one the premium or especially the X bullet is plenty.

Barnes X

Ja, JJ has said it all. Nevertheless:



My buffalo PH in Botswana was using X-Bullets in his .416 Rigby to back me up. I was using the GSC 380 grain FN in my .416 Rigby, and the PH was amiable enough to allow it.



Bullet placement is the important thing with any bullet, of course, as well as clearance of the offside shooting lane, especially if a solid is to be used. Luckily I broke the shoulder and perforated the heart, and the offside hide, with the first shot, which was the only one needed.



On buffalo (both Bubalus bubalis and Syncerus caffer) I have so far tried Hornady softs (500gr/460Wby), Swift A-Frame (300gr/.375H&H), Barnes X (350gr/.416Rigby), and GSC FN(380gr/.416 Rigby). The GSC FN was the only exit.



I would avoid the Hornady unless they see fit to bond the core, like the Woodleigh which is great within its velocity spec. The .416 X would have been better as a 400 grainer. The FN solid worked great, luckily no second buffalo killed with the one shot. No complaints with the A-Frame either.



Just stick to the premium soft over 0.300 sectional density, .375 caliber or larger, and take your pick: bonded core, partition or A-Frame, monometal, or the solid-shank-bonded-core-nose type like the Bear Claw or North Fork, and you won't go wrong. North Fork Technology has the banded/grooved shank feature to boot.



The next "buffalo" I plan to perforate will be a Bison bison with the 450 grain .458 North Fork "soft" from a 45 Lapua at 2500fps MV. Maybe I will be able to recover the bullet. I will still try to watch out for a cow on the other side of the bull. I can only use so much meat each year.

I was told by the PH to load softs only as he would have solids only if backup was necessary. Ask the PH what his preference is and go with that.
Russ

Well, as already mentioned it seems to heavily depend on the PH what he personally prefers based on his experience.

My PH told me: Only solids when hunting a single Dagga boy; otherwise one soft on top and then only solids for a shot at a bull in a herd...

Both worked well

Best regards,

Erik

With regard to concerns about herd hunting, aren't the oldest buffalo dagga boys that are away from the herd?

Daga boys are seldom alone- they are usually in the company of two or three other buff. a couple of old boys and a beligerant youngster who is no longer tollerated in a herd.

If you want an SCI record you will have to shoot a pre breeding bull with long tips from a big herd.

Seen too many buff run too far with large caliber holes through their hearts from conventional solids. A big solid with a large flat meplat is a wonderfull compromise. Start at .458 and go up. Otherwise start with a soft! A buff hit through the heart with a .577 round nosed solid stayed on its feet for five mins- long enough to toss Clive Conolly and break hiss .577 double (oh yess it had four other lethal holes it it as well...)

Have seen a buff heart shot with .375 solids go for 3km. A good soft nosed .375 is about equal in down time to a .500 solid. Like fail safe, barnes X and Ken Stuarts stuff from SA

This topic surfaces about every two weeks.



It would seem clients and PH's would have got a clue about softs being better than solids by now, but in two weeks.....



Oh yeah, I asked the PH the question on my first buff. He couldn't make up his mind. Never asked again.

The only ph that had an opinion was robbie martin, he liked solids unless you were hunting in a herd. Unless rory tells me differently i will use a soft for the first in then solids after that. The softs are trophy bonded bearclaws which i have always carried but never used. Both previous buffalo were shot with woodleigh solids.