quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
My (limited) experience with buff and the 375 H&H. Premium softs do damage, solids whistle right through. Last hunt PH had me load soft in chamber and 2 softs in mag on top of 2 solids. Solids were obviously only last resort.
Frank, I have some 270gr Barnes solids if you want to try them.
Russ

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Ganyana,

We are talking Buffalo but are they good enough for hippo? And how do you contact this Stuart fellow?

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
I did not even have the chance (as pegleg refers to) to go through "staff" of the outfitters before my first trip for buff because I didn't even deal with the outfitter when I booked through Cabela's which refused to identify the outfitter - I found out about 5 days before departure when the outfitter sent me an express mail US Special Delivery advising me about a last minute change in Zimbabwe customs regulations about guns and ammo. In my ignorance about hunting Zim in May I sighted in with SPs. While having a casual drink with the real ourfitter in Harare before flying off to the "bush",he asked what I had sighted in with. On being told he said "Oh, Chris will make you sight in for solids" -of which I had some 20 roundsout of 100. Sure enough, Chris made me sight in (resting on the hood of the Toyota LandCruiser -or what you English types call a "bonnet") Yes, (for you PHs) I was well aware that Chris was also watching to see if I was afraid of my rifle. For the record - a 300 gr. solid broke the point of the shoulder of what became "my" buff and I saw (when he was really cut up in the butchery what damage the solid did by spraying bone fragments into the lungs. As another side point - I had asked my PH before we were in the field about aiming points - He gave a terse reply -"Break bones". I am a "veteran" of having dropped all of one buff - but I think that the solid is what breaks bones based on my single experience. (BTW, I had found that my Ruger only varied about an inch and a half in points of impact at 50 yards between solids and SPs. Do what your PH wants!

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Fairgame- I have more 'excitement' out of hippo on land at night in the wheat fields than with any other animal in the last decade. Had a few clients shoot them at dawn or dusk on land- and with a good solid through the shoulder they don't make the water.

doing cropping at night is a whole differnt story as shot placement isn't always what it should be. I now have a surefire mounted on my double to go with the mini trijicon red dot on top...people insist that what I have done to my double is like drinking blue lable and fanta- but hey- It works

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Eagle27,

The behind the shoulder shot is normally dead centre of the lungs on most broadside game here in Africa. It is the preferred shot as there is margin for error and the lungs present a large target. If the shot is forward and into the shoulder (as you prefer) then (as you have noted) the animal goes down, however if you take the centre of shoulder as your point of aim and your shot is forward then you stand a very good chance of wounding an animal as there are no vitals there.

Pondoro wrote some good stuff and by all accounts a first rate shot but in my opinion there are many who have written better about this subject.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Eagle27,

The behind the shoulder shot is normally dead centre of the lungs on most broadside game here in Africa. It is the preferred shot as there is margin for error and the lungs present a large target. If the shot is forward and into the shoulder (as you prefer) then (as you have noted) the animal goes down, however if you take the centre of shoulder as your point of aim and your shot is forward then you stand a very good chance of wounding an animal as there are no vitals there.

Pondoro wrote some good stuff and by all accounts a first rate shot but in my opinion there are many who have written better about this subject.

Can see your argument Fairgame and it has some merit but if talking about shooting off the point of aim lets take the opposite scenario where your shot actually goes behind the point of aim on a side on hit, then if you are aiming "behind the shoulder" you have a gut shot. If you are aiming dead on at the shoulder and hit back a bit you are at least into the heart/lung area that you favour.
The shoulder point of aim on a reasonably sized animal (even deer) should be large enough for anyone out hunting to hit.

All a bit of a compromise either way but being a lefty using a normal bolt action I have always had to make the first shot count and put it exactly where I want it. I can reload reasonable quickly of course but it is always that first shot that has to be the best.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by eagle27:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by fairgame:
Eagle27,

Example - One of the best shots on Lion is six inches from top of shoulder (shoulder plate and spine) and it will drop him like a ton of bricks. Note I have never called it as the margin for error is too great and rather have someone shoot at a dinner plate sized target and enjoy the smoke.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by eagle27:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by fairgame:
Eagle27,

Example - One of the best shots on Lion is six inches from top of shoulder (shoulder plate and spine) and it will drop him like a ton of bricks. Note I have never called it as the margin for error is too great and rather have someone shoot at a dinner plate sized target and enjoy the smoke.

Andrew - I totally agree with you on this one, but how come you always tell me to shoot them in the head?????

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
Unfortunately, there are various descriptions of "on the shoulder". Where is that shot placed for you?

4365H&H

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Also good excuse to have a couple of smokes before the next move.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Also good excuse to have a couple of smokes before the next move.

Is that ethical to make the animal suffer while you "ponder your next move"??

quote:

Originally posted by Caracal:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Also good excuse to have a couple of smokes before the next move.

Is that ethical to make the animal suffer while you "ponder your next move"??

Of course. If you don't push a sick animal it will lay down and that gives you the chance to end it. If you push it right after the shot even a very sick animal can run a long way.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
fairgame:

"Glorious, glorious, a keg of beer and the four of us - Thank the Lord there's no more of us!"

Fairgame, you sound like somebody I would be glad to hoist a few with in our limited membership club!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Heeeeck yes!

Especially if you are going into elephant territory!