Following on from my earlier thread about rifle choice I have now booked a Buffalo hunt for mid April.

Ammunition availability in the UK is not that great so I will most likely be using Federal factory ammunition.

In theory i will have the choice between Swift A frames and Barnes Triple shock on the soft side. I know they are both well respected but any Pro's or Con's of either would be welcome.

On the solid side, again theoretically I should have the choice between Woodleigh Hydro Solids and Trophy bonded Sledgehammer Solid. Here I have no idea which is considered better so any help or advice is very welcome.

Having never used two types of ammunition down the same rifle it is all new to me how they will behave. Is it common that softs and solid zero sufficiently similar or does it usually require some experimentation to get two that do?

Many thanks for your help

Regards
Guy

Guy,

If you use the Barnes, there is no need for any solids at all.

I have stopped using solids since I started using Barnes X or our own CNC lathe turned Walterhog bullets.

I have shot at least 100 buffalo with these with complete satisfaction.

You will be fine with either A-Frames or Triple Shocks. I would suggest shooting both and see which one your rifle likes best. Contact your PH about solids. Some like a combination of soft and solids, others will recommend soft only. On a recent hunt my PH ask me to use my A-frames only as they so well constructed they do more tissue damage.
Be ready for a lot of debate on the issue of soft v solid as second and third shots. My personal preference is soft-solid sequence as the second shot is more than likely a quartering away slot or running away shot.

Guy

You'll get best results as far as accuracy is concerned if you load your own & experiment with different loads until you find the 'sweet spot' for your particular rifle.

If you do want to go that route & as you're in the UK, you might like to take a squiz at www.reloadingsolutions.com

It's not the best site in the world but it is a good business & you can always contact them to discuss your needs.

Guy,
I agree with Saeed. The Barnes TSX gives great penetration, and better tissue damage than a solid. If you choose to use a solid for your backup shot,the 375 H&H is very forgiving.My rifle shoots the 270gr TSX, the 300gr TSX, and the 300gr CEB solid in virtualy the same place at 100 yards.

Bob

In regards to Barnes and Federal I have used both for Buffalo. If the bullet is placed properly both will do the job. Find out which one shoots the best in your rifle. Personally I use one soft up then solids down. Good hunting.

Thanks all - I have used the Barnes triple shocks on my last two trips for plains game and have been very impressed by them indeed; it is reassuring to hear that they are reliable for Buffalo as well. Hopefully I can source enough to practice with and take with me.

Steve - no interest in loading my own I'm afraid unless availability of factory ammo gets any worse and that might force my hand. I have always found Federal ammo is pretty reliable and as accurate as i can be anyway !

I don't think you can go wrong with the 300 grain Barnes TSX. It's pretty easy to find in the Federal Premium line, and has performed well for me in a single cartridge from impala to buffalo & a few in-between.

TSX and don't look back they will penetrate a bufs head. They rip and cut flesh instead of mashing like conventional softs,

Mike

I will take an A Frame all day over the TSX. My experience has been much more favorable with the A Frames.

I like the 300 TSX for penetration and my rifle loves them. My only complaint is a general lack of bleeding externally compared to other bullets I have used. Had a tough time tracking a Waterbuck once and it was hit well behind the shoulder. It just didn't bleed.

Jim that is exactly why I no longer use them.

quote:

Originally posted by txsouthpaw:
I don't think you can go wrong with the 300 grain Barnes TSX. It's pretty easy to find in the Federal Premium line, and has performed well for me in a single cartridge from impala to buffalo & a few in-between.

That's funny as I am struggling to find them, everywhere say they are on backorder.

Listen to Saeed, he has all the experience anyone needs. If you use solids and softs together, they must print very close to each other.

I have used Barnes TSX on the last three Buff I shot. 300gr shoots well in my rifle and always take along some 300gr. Barnes solids. You never know exactly the situation that may develop and the solids are good for making tiny holes in tiny animals. The TSX and Solids shoot to 1/2 POI oh each other so a no brainer to have both along. Good luck on your hunt.

Larry Sellers

I have had great luck with the 300 grain TSX loading. I have not tried the A frame load as I now reload all of my safari calibers.

I would get some of the Sledgehammer solids for if your PH wants solids down on the buffalo (although you shouldn't need them as Saeed says) or if a catankerous elephant or a good small antelope shows up. It has been my experience that these loads print reasonably close together. The woodleigh load I don't know about personally, it may print to the same POA but the only way to find out is shoot it, and that's a bit of money.

If its available over there, Barnes makes a solid load that should print to the same point of impact as well (Barnes Vortex ammo)

Shot with 300gr factory laods(PMP)I shot 9 PRIVI's and then decided to try PMP's.

It looks like the Barnes Triple shocks are in short supply in the UK, it also looks like the a frames are not imported at all.

Any view on the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw or Nosler Partition?

The Nosler Partition was one of, if not the most popular buff bullets for a long time. There have been many a buff fall to them including both of mine.

I'm biased
Barnes only
I hit ele bull with solid in the head and it went all the way thru. Poof
Buffs, dead, dead, dead but tough SOB's

gbax: I've shot most of my DG with Nosler Partitions and with the Trophy Bonded Bearclaws or Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer Solids and personally have never had a problem.

Is the Norma PH line available in the UK http://www.norma.cc/en/Product...ds/Norma-African-PH/ ?

quote:

Originally posted by GBE:
Is the Norma PH line available in the UK http://www.norma.cc/en/Product...ds/Norma-African-PH/ ?

I'm sure it is. I will have a look around.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I will take an A Frame all day over the TSX. My experience has been much more favorable with the A Frames.

+1

The Barnes Vortex ammo in the 375 shoots to the same POI as the Federal Premium does. I used it on the last trip with excellent results.

I also supplemented with some locally bought Norma 375, with both TSX and solids, these were a little hotter loads.

I haven't shot a buff with a .375", 300gr Trophy Bonded Bearclaw but I have shot some of the larger plains game with them, including eland, which is in the size range of a buff.

The recovered bullets look like what you would see in a magazine add for them, perfectly mushroomed and intact. One that smashed an eland spine from the front on was particularly impressive. I would not hesitate to use one for the first shot. But I would load solids for follow on shots since that beautiful mushroom does limit penetration.

Fwiw, all four of the buff I have shot were killed with .458" solids.

JPK

Managed to get hold of some 300 grain Federal Sledgehammer solids but the Barnes TSX are few and far between.

Any view on the Norma 350 grain ammunition - They do a soft and a solid.
http://www.norma.cc/en/Product...and--Holland-Magnum/

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I will take an A Frame all day over the TSX. My experience has been much more favorable with the A Frames.

I agree.

I shoot the Barnes TSX exclusively with the exception of my doubles. Never a single problem with them.

Frostbit, Waterbuck are notorious for not bleeding anyway. Probably NOT an issue with the TSX.

I have used Trophy Bonded Bearclaws and the work fine. They and sledgehammers shoot to the same point of aim, (factory Federals).

Ammo choice is ALWAYS a very personal thing but FWIW, I've seen sufficient TBBC fail to make me think twice about using them for anything more than fishing weights......... Also FWIW, I've never seen a Woodleigh loaded to the correct speed fail.

If you do go the Woodleigh route, be sure to use the PSP for buff not the SP.

Ten Buff with Swift A-Frame gets my vote.
Two with Nosler Partition. Both times found one round with the front half gone !

I only have one buffalo to my credit, but I used Barnes TSX (heavy for caliber) 350 grain bullets and couldn't have asked for them to do a better job: Perfect expansion at 70 and 10-15 yards ("insurance"), super accuracy out of my Winchester Model 70 Classic .375 H&H Magnum, and outstanding penetration-through one shoulder and recovered within an inch of each other, just under the off-shoulder hide.

Load details? Have to use W760 to get enough under 350-grainers in my .375 Wby.

Barry