Anybody have and experience hunting and killing buffalo with the Woodleigh 350 gr. PP .375? How fast were you pushing it? Did you recover the bullet? Did it retain its weight? Regards, AIU

I shot a buff in Makuti with the 350's. Buff was only 6yds on the first shot. That one exited and the other 2 raking shots were not recovered, as far as I can recall. I chrono'd them around 2440, if I remember correctly. I personally like that bullet in the 350 gr.

I used them on 2 buff in the Selous. MV 2405. Did not recover any but they worked very well.
If you do a search you will find several threads on the Woodleighs here and on the Big Bore forum.

One of the ladies in our camp was using the 350 gr PP's on buff in Zim on my second to last hunt. They performed very well.

These positive reports are not surprising. The 350 gr. bonded PP soft by Woodleigh impresses me as the "heavy for caliber" bullet of choice for the first hit out of any .375 caliber buffalo gun. In my 375 H&H Ackely Improved I'm getting 2650 fps (26" barrel) using Normal MRP. I plan on following this with 300 gr Fail Safes at 2900 fps using N204 powder. Regards, AIU

quote:

In my 375 H&H Ackely Improved I'm getting 2650 fps (26" barrel) using Normal MRP.

That is impressive!! Makes me want to AI one of my .375's!

Surestrike,

You might consider it. The 375 H&H Ackley Improved has ~107-109 grains of H20 depending upon the case brand, which is ~2-3 more grains of H20 than the 375 Weatherby. The 375 RUM has ~117 grs. of H2O.

Weatherby markets 375 Weatherby ammo advertised to get 2800 fps with 300 gr. Nosler partitions. I put two thru my gun and they chronoed at 2935 fps - too hot in my opinion given the pressure signs on the cases. They were using 89 grs. of a some cylindrical powder, likely in the Re15-17 burn-rate range. My gun has no freebore and will shoot 375 H&H, 375 Weatherby, and 375 H&H AI.

I like using Normal MRP, but Norma 204 also works quite well. Using these slower burning powders and the longer barrel produce the greater velocities and kinetic energy, which can be as high as 5700 ft.# with the right powder/bullet combination. I'm looking for ~5500 ft.# with the 350 grain Woodleigh, but I think I can get 2700 fps with the right powder, which I'm working on.

Regards, AIU

I have shot one buffalo with the 350 PP and two follow up 350 solids in a 375. I would have to look up my records but I think I ran them all right at 2350 fps.