400g Trophy Bonded for Buffalo?

20 July 2004, 09:54

N'gagi

How would you guys feel about using a 400 grain TBBC in .458 for buffalo?

The advertised velocity for federal Premium ammo is close to 2400 FPS.

Just curious.

20 July 2004, 15:01

Atkinson

I have been told by knowledgable folks that they are a bit soft, and not as good a bullet as they were originally, don't know that for a fact....but I do trust the two PHs that told me that...They apparantly worked well for them on all plainsgame...based on that I will stick with Nosler, Woodleigh and North Forks...

I would never hunt buffalo with a 45 cal. 400 gr. bullet, I want at least a 450 gr. and that must be a monolithic so I can get the proper SD....otherwise I want a 500 gr. bullet.

20 July 2004, 16:50

Pancho

That's what I used on my buff, but out of a 416 Rigby at about 2450fps. Bull ran about 50 ft and collapsed with a bullet thru the heart. I'm a fan of the TBBC in the 270 Win also. Seen them do wonderful work on our mulies out here.

20 July 2004, 17:32

Saeed

I have shot about a number of buffalo using the TBBC 400 grain bullets.

They worked extremely well.

I loaded them at 2500 in both a 416 Weatherby and a 416 Rigby Improved.

I will try to find the bullets and post their pictures here later in the day.

20 July 2004, 17:36

Socrates

SAEED!!!

YOU USED A 416, AND DIDN'T TELL US?????

SHAME ON YOU....

OR, DID YOU USE A 458, OR LOTT?

S

20 July 2004, 19:16

Shumba

Saeed, Mark is using the 400 grain bullet out of a 458 and not a 416. I may agree with Ray that a 450 grain bullet should be minimum in the 458 WM.

I will look it up, but I believe the book "The Perfect Shot" specifically states that the 400 bullets are too light in the .458 for dangerous game.

Mark, you better buy a couple of boxes of the 450 grain to 500 grain softpoints. Or, get your butt in the garage and load up some 500 grain soft points before we leave.

Tim

20 July 2004, 19:32

Kyler Hamann

Tim,
You're just worried because you know you'd have to help follow up a wounded buffalo with him.

Mark,
The only way to find out if Tim is a real pal when hunting together is to take your .375 loaded with some of those 220gr. Hornadys. Drill a bit of a hollow point in them and load them up as fast as you can. If Tim goes along on all your stalks you'll know you've got a hunting partner for the long haul.

(We were worried you might chicken out and take FACTORY LOADS .... I want to be the first to demand that you remove your ACCURATERELOADING.COM windshield sticker from your jeep and that you NOT wear your AR.com hat while on the safari.

)

You'll have a great time,
Kyler

21 July 2004, 07:06

N'gagi

Quote:

(We were worried you might chicken out and take FACTORY LOADS .... I want to be the first to demand that you remove your ACCURATERELOADING.COM windshield sticker from your jeep and that you NOT wear your AR.com hat while on the safari. )

You'll have a great time,
Kyler

You two BEACH BUMS forget I live in the desert. It's 120F in my garage. I'm just afraid the powder keg will spontaneously combust when I pop the top off!

Seriously I've been having some second thoughts, so I'll probably throw together a few dozen 500X's

21 July 2004, 07:11

Saeed

Mark,

Don't listen to all the arm chair hunters

Stick with the following formula, and you won't go wrong.

300 grain in the 375s
400 grains in the 416s
And 500 grains in the 458s.

And use only premium bullets.

Anything larger than these calibers are only for those who wish to prove MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS

Shoot straight, and have a great hunt my friend.

27 July 2004, 20:51

Andy

N'gagi,

I dont think anyone who has told you a 400grain 458 winchester magnum wont work on buffalo has ever used one.

Their retained weight and expansion are almost identical to a 416 of the same weight.

I know this from shooting them into numerous test mediums.

The Sectional Density of a bullet in a box is meaningless unless it is a FMJ.

The SD of an expanded 416 and 458 Trophy Bonded or North Fork are almost exactly lke same bullet weight in a 416. This is a fact.

The Federal 400 gr TBBC and Remington 450 gr Swift are two of the best loads available in a 458 win mag.

I dont know why African hunters are so, well, un-curious about unconventional bullet weights. We will spend contless hours trying to get a 375 or 458 to shoot sub MOA groups, but not take thirty minutes to test a few 400 or 450 grain .458 bullets in a couple buckets of water, or a feed lot steer and see how they penetrate and expand.

If you do, you will see that the 400 gr and 450 gr 458 are a dandy for this short, underpowered cartridge.

And the North Fork is even better than the Trophy Bonded.

A traditional 500 gr bullet weight is no guarantee of good performance. The original 400 gr TBBC is a whole lot better than the new 500 gr Trophy Bonded by Speer!

Andy