Moved from the medium bore section where I started it due to lack of sleep

Question:
Which would you choose to go after a well shot but wounded buff in the thick stuff?

Choices:
375 H&H
416 Rigby
404 Jeffery
458 Lott
450 Rigby
470 NE
500 NE
500 Jeffery
505 Gibbs
500 A2

 

I'm voting 375 as the recoil of anything larger effects my shooting (that's fancy for "it hurts and I flinch"). Not exactly a stopper, but a 416 or 458 poorly placed is going to be far less effective than a well placed 375.

Probably will never get the chance to hunt Cape Buffalo, but I would probably take a 470 or 500 double in the scenario given.

I am torn between a flawlessly functioning bolt action 404 Jeffery that holds 5 shots and a 500 NE DR.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
I am torn between a flawlessly functioning bolt action 404 Jeffery that holds 5 shots and a 500 NE DR.

TWO RADICALLY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RECOIL;
TWO RADICALLY DIFFERENT METHODS of ADDRESSING THE MATTER.

I am surprised that you could be so torn.

Where is the .600 choice?
Cal

I'd say a Lott if you can shoot it.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Where is the .600 choice?
Cal

Back in the artillery train---



PS Cal if you know the Seaveys there in Willow, say Hi to Dallas for me and congratulate him on the win. He is married to my niece.

Since I am in the process of getting my 450 RUM stocked, that is what I would be carrying...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
I am torn between a flawlessly functioning bolt action 404 Jeffery that holds 5 shots and a 500 NE DR.

A flanged 404!

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
Moved from the medium bore section where I started it due to lack of sleep

A 577 Nitro.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
A 577 Nitro.

+1

585HE, with a hairy load. 12-13,000 ft lbs.
You may only get one shot in those situations.Ed

I was torn between the 500 NE double and the 500A2. I went with the A2 because I have done almost all of my hunting with scopes.

Of course, I would have that scoped rifle in a relatively short, fast package. In this case a 500 AccRel Nyati on a Ruger Hawkeye action and relatively lightweight Boyd's laminate stock. As Ed says, you can only plan on one shot. It's good to have a hunting partner, too.

I went with the 416 Rigby because thats what I have and know. If I had the ability to own a good double in 470 thens thats what I would use.

I voted 500 NE as it has dropped a bunch of buffalo for me. Like Cal I had to vote for it because you didn't have my 577 listed. That one hammers them.

My choice is one that is able to penetrate the scull on a frontal brain shot with a quality soft EXPANDING bullet.I think some of the really big calibers are poor penetrators.I would go with the Lott and 550gr bullets or better yet,the 500NE DR.
My vote goes to the 500NE.

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
As Ed says, you can only plan on one shot. It's good to have a hunting partner, too.

+1

I picked the .500 Jeffery, but I would load it with a 570 grain bullet to match .500 NE performance. A 570 grain bullet at 2150 fps is what I strove for and achieved with a 22" barrel. Four shots immediately available instead of two.

That is essentially what I did with my wildcat .505 SRE, which I used to kill five Cape buffalo. Most were one shot kills and I never had to deal with following up a wounded animal, but I am convinced that if I had, I would have been satisfied with my choice.

I picked the 500NE because the 450NE was not listed and like the 470, all the 500 is: a 450NE with less penetration and more recoil..

quote:

all the 500 is: a 450NE with less penetration and more recoil.. Smiler

I think not!

My choice would be the .450 X 3 1/4".

I choose the 458 Lott, since it is the cartridge that shoots my "big boy", well I think it is a cartridge that still shoots some comfort and precision.

Ovny.

Well, watching Saeed's recent videos I guess .375 and up will work. So, all of the above as far as the poll goes.

doing an "exit poll" monitoring, the trends are:

2 for .375
19 for .416-.423
22 for .458-.474
28 for .50

Sounds like some buffalo are going to get hammered.

That is quite a pic XAUSA. I'd use my 375 since that is what I have and like.

500 Jeffery for me same reason

I went with 404 but 416 would have worked as well, I shoot a wildcat 416 (416 B&M). the point is--use what you shoot best, because you don't have time to think.

Although my 458B&M is now my all purpose african rifle, under the parameters of the OP, I would take my 500NE into the bush after the wounded buff. Going into thick bush after wounded DG of any type is extremely dangerous and bigger stopping power is always a better choice as is the quick second shot from a DR. Both rifles will be going to Zim with me in September and we have 4 species of DG on quota, so the OP is always a real possibility.

Nothing beats a good .500 NE in well fit and well used, well handled double rifle for the stated application. There might be a few that are equal but nothing clearly tops it given all the considerations such as weight, handling characteristics, ETC..

Your poll, like any democratic political poll tilted the results.

I voted for a .500 NE. Bear in mind that I do not own a .500 NE, but your scenario envisioned a wounded buffalo. I have a .470 that would fit the bill, but in the case of a wounded buffalo, a .500 could only be better.

For a first shot, I'd opt for the .416, or even the .404.

But again, you chose a wounded buffalo. In that circumstance, you will not feel the recoil, which is a concern expressed by some.

Much different situation between the first shot and follow ups, if necessary. IMHO. A .416 is a very good compromise.

500 MDM been there done that............

Sorry I personally would not choose any of the other cartridges, not because of caliber or cartridge, but because of the rifles themselves........

And don't forget the very most important part of the equation.......... "The Bullet"..........

M

The biggest caliber you can shoot accurately
And quickly under duress.

Plan and train for the worst case and you will be fine.

Nitro

One thing that is unrealistic I think about the poll is that most people would take whatever they took the first shot with.

If a large caliber is comfortable enough to take into the bush after a wounded bull, then I'd venture most people would also take the first shot with it.

I don't see a scenario where the first shot is from 200 yards with a scoped .375 in "thick bush", and then move in with a bigger gun at a much shorter range.

Hi tanks, my fault, I don't see that either. I guess I was thinking, you want to use a rifle for your first shot that you'd be comfortable going into the thick stuff after a wounded buff with as well. We all want the first shot to be perfect and I've never hunted buffalo yet, but (I stayed in a Holiday Inn lol) I hit my brown bear perfectly at 13 yards with a 300g Swift A-Frame out of a 375 H&H, it traversed his body diagonally and he still made it into the alders and made a racket for 5 minutes. He was only an 8 1/2 footer, but I should've had Talley QRs on that rifle (I do now). We found him dead and almost tripped over him before we saw him.

So anyway my fault for the confusion.

Tanks and Chuck are right on the money - you take the first shot hoping it ( PLANNING IT!!! ) to be the last shot. The rifle in your hand is usually the one you have.

I left the double in the truck last hunt, when we got out for a look around, had the 375 bolt rifle in hand, we walked a little ways off, met a couple guys that told us about "big buff in the tall grass". Sure enough, we climb a tree and there they are, but in a very tough to approach spot. I wanted the double before wandering around in there (and there were also a small band of cow elephant there, this same band, in this spot charged Karl S a few days later) and sent one of the junior PH's back for it. While waiting for the rifle, buff got wind something was afoot, and humped it back into Botswana. That buff was VERY nice, but having wrong tool for job at hand, cost us a shot at him.

Fast forward two days, laying in river bank waiting for buff to come to us, have same 375, planning to make a 80 yard-ish shot on another bull, no shot presented itself. About 20 bulls keep coming, finally got clear shot about 15 feet out, thru a very small opening. One shot was enough, and buff herd ran the other way after the shot. Worked out, but didn't ever really think I wished I could switch rifles.

Sometimes, the fun is in doing the best you can, with what you have. Don't think any reasonable hunter here would say " I can't hunt with that, it's too small" when choosing from the list in the poll above. Any of those could do the job, properly placed, and any could fail, if not placed well. No magic here.

Different prospectives of the same DG hunting conundrum.

Use just enough or use more than enough. What is just enough?

Plan for the best scenario possible or plan for the worst scenario possible?

Opinions keep the discussions running...

Voted 375 h&h because that's the largest calibre that our licensing authorities will give you authorisation to possess ammo and to use on UK deer. Anything bigger and you can only get solids to shoot on a range. You can only get ammo to take overseas. If I was going after a wounded anything, I would want a rifle I am totally familiar with.

Appreciate though a 470 would be better, but would nt be proficient with it.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
I picked the 500NE because the 450NE was not listed and like the 470, all the 500 is: a 450NE with less penetration and more recoil..

Jorge, not really sure where you got off on that line of thinking but I can assure you it isn't correct. I know there is some commentary along the lines of less resistance with the smaller diameter bullet, but I think you'll find the 500NE with it's heavier bullet to produce enough momentum to overcome any advantage the .458 cal would have over the .510 in terms of penetration. Quite the contrary, the 500NE's additional diameter would be much appreciated in this event! No doubt the 450NE is a fine chambering ... but it's no 500NE!

I think what Todd is trying to say is that a .450 NE is a fine choice for those that are unable to handle a .500 NE.