Feral water buffalo in South America is the game. I am told they look like these:

The gun is a Winchester Model 70 .470 Capstick (the one in my signature photo).

If you've had REAL experience with this species, what cartridge and bullet(s) did you use?

Projectiles I am contemplating are:
a 'soft' (e.g. 500gr. Swift A-Frame);
a monometal 'solid' (e.g., 500gr. Bridger flatnose); and,
a monometal 'soft' (e.g., 500gr. Barnes XLC).

When I hunt Cape buffalo, I load Swift A-Frame in the chamber, and fill the magazines with solids. Would this make sense with this species, too, or should I stick with one type of bullet?

George

They're both buffalo of about the same size, the water buff maybe alittle bigger and both of heavy build. Why would you load differently for one over the other?

Their temperament may be more like bison than Cape buffalo, so I may not have to concern myself with having to stop a charge from close quarters, for one.

They may be 'softer', i.e., easier to kill with a body shot than a Cape buffalo.

They may be as phlegmatic as bison, standing there soaking up lead.

George

Not in SA, but did hunt a couple of its cousins in RVN, We used a Col. 458 win mag, it was up in the Rubber Plantation area, they were wild and hard to approach,only ammo he had were the 510 grain soft points, they worked okay, took 2 rounds on the first one and 3 on the second,like any thing else wounded they can be very nasty up close

Dave,
Where did you locate a .458 in RVN?!

George

George, where and when you going to South America to hunt the buffs? Whats a trip like that run? How long a flight is it from the states?

Mad Dog

It is though a friend of a friend. The details are still being hammered out. When they have been finalized, I'll update the thread.



George

Hi George

I did kill a water buffalo in Argentina about six years ago. I believe I was in an area called Entre Rios. I used by 416 Rem with Barnes X loaded to about 2400. I hit him a bit too far back, only taking one lung and we recovered him the next day with dogs. It was very thick and brushy, not at all like the Pampa and visibility was only about fify meters. These buffs are not generally regarded as being dangerous on a par with the Cape Buffalo (i have killed three Capes in Zim) but this one had a lot of stamina and went a long way after being hit. If I were you I would stick with my established buffalo load and concentrate on making a good shot. Hope this helps and wish you agreat hunt.

Cigani2

George, it belong to a French Col. retired, who had one hell of a trophy room, he said he had bought it in Belguim, its about all I remember of it now,his other rifle was a Winchester 71, but I don't think it was in 348

George

I was of the belief that the South American water buffalo is the same species as the feral buffalo we have in Australia, but the animals in the photo you posted look a little different. Their horns curve up reminiscent of the cape buff, where our buffalo tend to have the tips facing straight back.

For what its worth, our buffalo are physically a little bigger, but do not have the same aggressive temperament when messed with that the Cape Buff is renowned for.

The Two water buffalo I have shot in Australia fell to a .375 H&H loaded with 300gn Nosler Partitions. They were shot at about 70 yards and about 50 yards. Each took three shots in the shoulder, but they probably only needed one - I just keep shooting something like buff until they go down.





Fergus

I shot one in Argentina last year w/ Jorge Noya. The previous poster is correct. These are not pics of the Argentine sub-species. Their horns curve downward. We hunted in the La Pampa region west of Santa Rosa. Open country but the buff were hiding in little pot holes and in the brush along streams. I used a 300 Win on mine and it WAS NOT ENOUGH GUN. My outfitter tried to get me to use something bigger but the 300 was what I brought. Took 6 200 gr Speers and 3 180 Barnes X before he went down. He also led me on a 3 mi foot race. If I can post a pic you'll notice that I've sweated up my cap in the 40 degree temp during the footrace to bring him down. Also take note that the 200 gr Speer (regular old bullet) out penetrated the Barnes X considerably on this animal. All the Xs were recovered on the near side and seemed to have deflected when one of the "petals" came off. The Speers on the other hand, penetrated thru the on side shoulder and into the offside shoulder before stopping. If I had relied on X bullets, the buff would still be runnin around although he would probably have been really pissed. As to the origional post, yes, Argentian is a great hunt destination. I'm going back ASAP. The ranch I hunted on was loaded up with Blackbuck, Red Stag, and feral hogs. I'm told they also had some Puma on the property but I didn't see one. Highlight of the trip was the stalk for Blackbuck and getting busted by the South American Ostriches. Another highlight was seeing and photographing the Patagonian Hare, a south american kangaroo. [image]C:\My Documents\My Pictures\Argentina\DSC00074.JPG[/image]

Somebody help. I don't know how to post a picture.