I have read repeatedly that one goes after a buffalo with an expanding bullet in the chamber and solids in the magazine.

In a 375 H&H bolt action rifle, going after a buffalo you intend to shoot at less than 30 yards, which expanding bullets and which solids do you recommend, and how fast should they be moving (particularly the first up-close expanding bullet)?

H. C.

Henry,

I only have experience with one buffalo but used Federal Premium 375 Trophy Bonded softs and had a one shot kill. Bullet retained 99% of its weight and expanded double.

BigB

A Swift A-Frame at ~2550fps works just fine!

George

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Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!

I used the 300 grain Swift A-Frame in the chamber followed by 300 grain Barnes solids all at 2,525 fps.

My PH said that my buffalo would have died pretty quickly from my first shot (300 grain Swift A-Frame) if I would have waited for just a bit. However, I did not go to Africa to save ammo, so I gave him a couple of solids for good measure.

The result was one dead 41" buffalo after 4 days of hard hunting in 100+ degree heat.

I just use solids for Buffalo for the most part...I always had a soft in the chamber when I needed a solid, so I just quit using softs...the GS FN is the best of both worlds IMHO....

A solid is more important in a 375 than in a larger caliber....frontal and rear shots require a solid on Buffalo with the 375.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

HenryC470,

I think the only expanding bullet I might use on buffalo would be the TB Bear Claws, in addition to the one I have used many times, the Barnes X 300 grain.

I just do not trust the rest of them on buffalo.

In fact, I have stopped using solids since I used the X. It performs just as well.

On several occasions I have shot buffalo in the head, the bullets never had any problems penetrating through the brain and stopping in the neck.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

My first (and only buff so far) was shot with a 300gr Nosler at a muzzle velcoity of approx 2550 fps at a range of 45-50 yards. It was semi-frontal shot and he dropped at the shot..the recovered bullet weighed 201gr and the front part had come off and wasn't found. Had solids in the magazine and used one while he was dead on the ground...recovered under the skin on the far side (probably stopped from exiting by the ground).

Hey Friends,
what about the woodleigh RN in 300gr.?
Did none of u use them on biff�s? My gunsmith- who travels since 1980 for a min of 2 times down to africa- says that the inly Softbullet he uses.
It gives superb shock and a fine mushroom.
Okay he uses a 460 Wthby , and no 375H&H.

By the way, i do have a question concerning solids and Softnosebullets on Buff.
Is it necessary to use a solid? Okay a solid will penetrate much more, but it destroyes much less than a softnose.It gives u just a hole.
Is a softnosebullet to soft for a frontal brain shot on 50m on a buff?
I heared that a lot PH tell there clients to use both. At first a solid and then the softnose. Nut wouldn�t the other way round, not the better choice. The first shot is on a standing buff, so u can take your time for aiming. And t he second shot -on the running buff- with a solid, because you have to shoot through the bush, where a solid would made a lot of sense.
Thanks for u answers
konstantin

Even though I swear by Swift A Frames, I have to go with Saeed on this one, in that the X has to be the best of both worlds. I don't care too much for using strictly solids, except for back up. I've seen too many ocassions were solids just punched all the way through numerous times in the heart-lung area with little effect. I don't for one minute subscribe to the "expend the energy" inside the animal theory, but I do think SPs cause more damage than solids.

I'm in the habit of using an "X" bullet, backed by solids. However, I know, first hand, that the "X" bullet, alone, would suffice in .375, .416 and .458 calibers and I'll be trying them out in .505 in August.

[This message has been edited by Nickudu (edited 05-20-2002).]

Thanks for the information. I guess I'll teach my rifle to shoot some of these and see what agrees with it best. Here are some expanding bullets I didn't see mentioned right away:

Are any of the above choices especially bad for one reason or another?

Nosler Partition

Hornady 300 gr. RN SP Interlock (what I'm practicing with now, because they're cheap)

Win./Nosler CT Failsafe

Sierra 300 gr. Spitzer Boat Tail

Any sub-300 gr. bullets (I've heard of 250 gr. X-bullets being used. Any sense in this?)

Thanks,

H. C.

[This message has been edited by HenryC470 (edited 05-23-2002).]

As far as softs go, the 300 gr. Woodleigh is a fine bullet on Buff...They sure do make big ugly holes and expand to 50 cent size and normally come to rest under the hide..but like most softs they will not work as well if you get into the spine, at least the recovered bullets don't look so hot, but they kill them sooooo?????

I'll just use the solids and they always make two holes and they don't kill as fast or do as much damage as a soft....but they are absolute in that they always kill.

I have found the GS Solid to leave a longer bigger hole than a soft that makes the one big early terminal cavity then peters out to the off side hide.
Total destruction is more with the FN solid or cup point according to the bullet makers such as Northfork, GS Customs and Speer and I tend to agree on this where the big ungulates are concerned.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

HI,

MR. Atkinson you have used the GSCustom FNs on Buff, but have you ever used a HV on Buff and if so what were your thoughts. Thanks,Kev