I'm pretty sure you practice with your big bore rifle(s) before traveling to Africa to create fresh muscle memory for its use on the hunt, to verify it is working properly, and to verify it shoots to your point of aim.

Would I be accurate that you also verify your solid and soft point ammunition is functioning correctly - that is, it penetrates and/or expands as you expect it to? I ask about this because I remember reading about problems with 458 Winchester Magnum bullets for its first few years after introduction. I also remember several years ago that Hornady solids were not holding together.

So how do you test your ammunition, solids AND soft points? My first thought for solids testing was to use test protocol Linebaugh uses for his penetration testing. Then I decided not to guess, rather to ask those who have hunted Africa or are booked to go.

I used to test a lot of bullets in magazines, but have not done that in many years..Todays bullets are the best in history and most of them work fine..You can bet that Nosler, North Fork, Woodleigh, swift, and any "premium or super premium" bullet will do what the manufacture says it will..Today solids will do the job..

My personal preferences are: GS Custom monolithic HVSPs and especially their flat nose solids; North Fork softs, Woodleigh softs and solids; There are a few others that I'm sure are excellent, but I have not used them extensively, so I stick with the ones I know work under about any conditions.

I agree with Ray. I have used most of the bullets he has mentioned, with excellent results. I recently used the CEB bullets on cape buffalo with excellent results.

I learned something I did not expect.

Naphtali
First let me say I've never hunted Dangerous game in Africa, only plains game but I plan on hunting DG in my future.
I have a range at my house and shoot extensively.
If you plan on using softs and solids by all means shoot them and keep trying different softs and solids or different handloads until you get them shooting "close enough" at the distances you are planning on shooting.
My penetration tests are quite simple I use water jugs lined up and measure in inches the distance in penetration.
Not an exact science but if your bullet comes apart in water jugs it isn't strong enough to stand up to a tough animal.
I also dig bullets out of the sand bank I use for a back stop, really tough bullets do fairly well in sand but sand is tough and nothing penetrates deep but if it hold together in sand it is a tough bullet.
Ray is definitely right, there are lots of really great bullets these days and by and large most of them do what they say they will if used within their design parameters.
Once I've shot my rifles at the bench to develop loads and sight the rifle in then I practice shooting from sticks, offhand, sitting, remove the quick release scope rings and shoot irons, replace scope shoot again to verify it returns to zero.
During these drills I shoot the steel gongs rather than paper. I usually practice a lot at 100 yards but don't forget some up close work too.
Not sure if this is what you meant.

I practice with both softs and solids, but, having a bolt and a double to practice with, is time consuming, so I practice with the double one night, loading, sighting and firing with snap caps I made.
The following night I practice with the bolt, doing the same, for me, dry firing and loading takes precedence over other factors, minute of buffalo allows a wide margin for a good hit, so sighting isn't anything more than both eyes open looking down the barrel.
The only time I have had to use 4 shots in the double was on an Aussie water buff, it simply kept coming, even with 3 570gr pills out of my 500 Nitro. The last shot dropped it at 20 feet. In Aus, we rarely use solids, so all 4 were Woodleigh softs, it just wouldn't drop.

Cheers.

1) Pick several known premium softs through a combination of endorcement, heresay, Internet inuendo, advertising and others tests on water, plywood and newspaper. Take advice from others that have followed the same process, but might have followed up by killing a buffalo with it.
U
2) Take said bullets to Australia, kill a pile of buffalo with different bullets and make up your own mind. Experiment with different calibers and shot placement while you're at it.

3) Do the same with solids, til you wonder why anyone uses them.


4) Quit using them.

I use Woodleigh softs and solids so I know they will perform well.
A month to six weeks prior to my hunt I shoot 2-6 shots a day off hand.
A problem arose in 2008 on a buffalo hunt. While I practiced a lot it was slow deliberate aim. When I was required to take quick, snap shots, I shot high. I have not made that error again and my .600 Wilkes has dropped a dozen buffalo and hippo.
I July, we go to Zim for a bull elephant.
Cheers,
Cal
PS. I also use the .600 for plains game and caribou and moose here in AK and it is great practice for larger game.

We tested Woodleigh Solids in .458Win. and .475NE, stacked 2x8" pinewood and made a 1 meter block..

Shots were taken at 20m range.

Rifles: ZKK 602, 25" barrel, DR with 23" barrels..

The .458s (500gr.) went 97cm or all through and the .475s went 96-98cm..no bullet distortion..

Recovered bullets from both calibres looked reloadable..

Factory ammo used was Federal and Kynoch, 500 grain .458s and 480 grain .475s...

Not very scientifical but gives you an idea..

The modern softs discussed above have such a reputation that we never bothered to test them..

On buffalo, I've used Woodleigh's, Nosler's, and Swift A Frame softs. They all worked. My favorite is the Swift A Frame. I don't like Barnes for dangerous game, but they are lights out for plains game. I know many will disagree with me on that point, but I had a Barnes in .416 deviate significantly in a relatively small animal. It could have been a disaster on a buffalo.

Any good solid will work. I've wanted to try the North Forks, but haven't yet.