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A couple of questions for the learned and experienced that might help me select my buff gun for next year: 1. What is the most common cartridge used for Cape Buffalo? 2. EXcluding the .375 H&H, what rifle/catridge, specifically, would you use on Cape Buffalo if you had your druthers? Namibiahunter  . | ||
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I have used only doubles on cape buff, a 450 No2, a 450/400 3 1/4", both with iron sights, and a scoped 9,3x74R. All 3 worked great. For the trophy hunter of today... I think the best buff gun is a 450/400 double with a 1-4 scope with an illuminated reticle, in a QD mount. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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416 either Rem. or Rigby version. Tom Z NRA Life Member | |||
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Any of the 416's are great buff cartridges. ------------------------------- Will Stewart / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun. --------------------------------------- and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor Member, GOA, N.A.G.R. _________________________ "Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped “Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped. red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com _________________________ Hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go. | |||
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I've used the .375, .416 Rem and the .458 Lott. Note that buffalo hunting in - for example - Zimbabwe in April is going to be vastly different then buffalo hunting in Tanzania in November. Then again, one can encounter different conditions on the same hunt, which is why the double + scoped .375 is such an attractive combo. Considering all aspects, if I had to select a single caliber to be my "buffalo gun" it would be a .416. | |||
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I am certainly no expert, but I like the .458 Lott with a 1.25-4x variable scope for buff. It seems that I generally prefer bigger bored rifles than most people, however. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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I'm no expert either, but I like best the 458 win mag with 450gr A-frames or 500gr flat meplat solids. The 375 H&H with 300gr A-frames has also performed well for me. Main thing, as you know, is make the first shot a good one. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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I have used 450 Dakota (4), 470 NE (1) and 416 Rem. (1). I would prefer a gun larger than the 375. A 404 or 416 would be a great choice for many reason, mostly because the manageable recoil compared to the others. 375 will work if you can not tolerate the recoil of the others. | |||
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I agree with mrlexma ...... also I'm no expert, but the Lott performed great for me. ____________________________ .470 & 9.3X74R Chapuis' Tikka O/U 9.3X74R Searcy Classics 450/.400 3" & .577 C&H .375 2 1/2" Krieghoff .500 NE Member Dallas Safari Club | |||
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I'll second the double plus a scoped 375H&H bolt combo. Great combo for any dangerous game hunt. I like the 458wm for buff. But I'd be happy with a 416 or 375. JPK  Free 500grains | |||
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one of the 416's........I use a 416 Rigby | |||
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I'd take my .416 Rigby again or .458 AR bolt rifle but I'd take a .470 DR as the primary. Mike -------------- DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ... Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com | |||
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Based on my vast experience of one Buffalo, I'd choose the .375 Rem Ultra Mag. It has the energy of a 400 gr .416 and the trajectory of a 180 gr .30-06. It worked for me! NRA Endowment Life Member | |||
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If I can get the proper load sorted out, I'll be taking a 404 Jeffery. Tried to load some rounds with the reloading gear that I inhereted from my brother but the electric powder scale wouldn't stay consistant. It would throw a proper charge, as measured on a seperate scale, and then would throw a heavy load. Finally I gave up on it. I ordered a set of scoops from midway and will use them to get close and a trickler to finish the load off. It's a pain, but it should be more accurate than the electric unit. The other two guys I'm going with are taking 375 H&Hs. | |||
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I have used a 458 Lott and 375 as back up and 450#2 and a 375 as backup and light rifle... You can pick up a 458win mag cheap and with 450gr X bullets loaded will crush a buf... Just shot my friends 458 in 22in model 70... It was very nice to shoot as compared to the Lott... Mike | |||
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The best thing to understand is to be comfortable with the gun and to practice. Then be certain of your placement. Unless you use a Howitzer nothing takes the place of your bullet placement, and use solids. | |||
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I have a winchester 70 in 470 capstick for just such occassion. | |||
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.416 Rigby or Rem. It makes a good Elephant gun as well. Recoil is very manageable and that's the bottom line if you ever need a second shot. It matters not the caliber if you need a second shot and can't recover and hit your mark. That's when we can be thankful for the man next to us with a bigger gun  LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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I have used a 458 WM, 450/400 3" and a 470. I cannot tell any difference in the effect of those calibers - maybe it would show up in a larger sampling. I pick which rifle to carry based upon what else I am hunting in addition to buffalo. In the future it will be the 450/400 all the way. ALLEN W. JOHNSON - DRSS Into my heart on air that kills From yon far country blows: What are those blue remembered hills, What spires, what farms are those? That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again. A. E. Housman | |||
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I generally tell clients to bring a good scoped .375. Bigger is always better, IF and only if you can shoot it with the same degree of accuracy as you would a .375. I prefer bullets going over 2300fps for buff (and lion). A client should never need to take a true texas heart shot, so enough penetration to stop a charge is all you are looking for. Consiquently you can get away with a 350TSX in the 416's and even a 400grn X in the 458 and 458 Lott- Although I settled on 450grn TSX's when working up loads for my own Lott. Have always been very fond of the .404 but no longer own one. these days I generally carry a 500/416 to back up clients but would stick to a scoped 9,3 for my own hunting | |||
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A problem I have seen often is people with more gun than they can mentaly handle. If a person is scared of a gun, all those extra ft/lbs of energy and going to bail him out of the hole he may dig for himself. Get a rifle you aren't scared of and shoot it well. | |||
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I have taken buffalo with a 450 Ackley, 470 NE, and 500 NE, several with each caliber. They all worked well in that every one of them died. I really could not tell the difference between the 450 Ackley and 470 NE as far as the bufflaoes reaction to being hit. The 500 NE, however; produced dramatic results compared to the other two calibers. The buffalo seemed very hurt upon impact both times. So I guess my oppinion is if you can handle the recoil the larger the diameter of the bullet the better.  6x NFR Qualifier NFR Champion Reserve World Champion Bareback Rider PRCA Million Dollar Club 02' Salt Lake Olympic Qualifier and an all around good guy! | |||
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My 416 Rem Mag and 470NE both acted like the Hammer of Thor Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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I have shot them with a number of calibers, and one is about as good as the other..My favorites are the .416 Rem, 404 Jefferys, and the 450-400-3"....that said the 375 is a fine buffalo gun... Probably the best advise is shoot the largest caliber that your recoil tolerance can handle "comfortably", and comfortably is the clue...With me its the 40 calibers. If you can shoot a bigger bore without a second thought about it then that is for you... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I have too little experience to draw any broad conclusions, but I know that 458 Win mag, 375 H&H and 338Win are none too powerful for me. I think I'll try a 416 if I ever get to hunt buff again. | |||
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My life insurence is my double rifle made by Heym caliber 577 Nitro Express. One shot one kill. | |||
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I personally like my .470 NE double rifle or my .458 Lott. But hey, my .375 has worked. | |||
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A scoped 416Rem, RIG or 404. | |||
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I'm pretty happy with my 416 Rem/Model 70. "There always seems to be a big market for making the clear, complex." | |||
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I've found a .458 Win mag w/ 450 or 500's to leave me feeling "Undergunned", or wishing I had something else. I would add here that I've never taken a shot @ either Buff or Elephant from over 40 yds. Good field technique, work in close and make a good first shot. Your experience may vary...this has been mine. Cheers, Don | |||
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SORRY CHAPS.... Please add the word "NEVER" to my previous post...!!!!!!!!! I've NEVER felt undergunned....w/ a .458. It's early down here in the Sunshine state, and I was up a bit late. Cheers, Don | |||
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A 375 will do the job, a 416 will do it better, and if you can handle recoil and shoot straight a 458, 470, 500 will do it even better. Truth be known most folk get a bad case of flinchitis above 416 level recoil. "An individual with experience is never at the mercies of an individual with an argument" | |||
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My 416 Rigby put my bull down in Mozambique last year with one shot. He went about 40 yards. It was a perfect shot though. :^) When I go back, it will be with my 416. | |||
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416 Rem will "get r' done". OMG!-- my bow is "pull-push feed" - how dreadfully embarrasing!!!!! | |||
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I find it curious that you ask for the most common buff cartridge but then ask us to pick anything but the 375??? It's the minimum in most places and far and away the most popular choice. _______________________________  | |||
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I guess I wanted to confirm my suspicion that the most common buffalo gun used is the .375 H&H. The reason I asked what you all used with the EXception of the .375 H&H is that I have a .375 H&H that I've taken plains game with and I will be taking it with me as a secondary (or primary) for buffalo. I also have a .416 Taylor that will probably be my primary buff gun, if I can get it smoothed out and shooting right. I have plenty of time so I thought I'd throw out that second question to get a feel of what is being used out there. Namibiahunter . | |||
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That makes sense. I doubt you would see a tremendous difference between the 375 and 416 Taylor if placed similarly on game. _______________________________ | |||
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1. Probably the 375H&H becasue it has been around since 1912 and used my more PH's than any other single cartridge??!! 2. Shoot the largest caliber that you can handle very, very well. My preference in a bolt is 416 Rigby and double 470NE. I have shot two buff with 375H&H, one was one shot through the heart...and it ran off aobut 60 yeards, the other took 5-6 rounds, the first VERY well placed at 20 yards and it ran off and caused us a merry chase of 500 yards and one attempted charge...I think it is light for the job, but will do it if that's what you can handle well... 470EDDY | |||
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