http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b169/RIPtorn/PC230096.jpg

Neither the horns nor the rug are the greatest but it is a nice size for bulk yet still highly edible.

Iron sights at 75 yards.
.509/570gr Barnes XLC
and
.510/570gr GSC FN
both
about 2405 fps
23" barrel of 10" twist (McGowen stainless)

The first XLC broke the off-side left shoulder and the bull went down on impact.

He then struggled to his feet on three legs and recieved a GSC FN Portuguese style, entering at the southwestern left buttock and coming out
his right mid-neck northeasterly. He went down again as his hind legs buckled, but he was still upright on his keel, though going nowhere.

He got another GSC FN in the southeastern right ham and it came out of the northwestern left shoulder and he toppled over for the second time.

But he was still breathing so got a second XLC in the brisket as I approached. He moved no more.

Amazing to see one knocked over like that with the first shot and then get up on three legs.

The XLC's were found against the off side hide on two broadside shots.

The GSC FN's penetrated stem to stern and are still ricocheting around Western Kentucky.

He got double X-ed, cross ways by XLC's and long ways GSC FN's.

Hamburger?

There is zero felt recoil from a 10.75 pound 500 A-Square when shooting bison.

Smaller rifles may kill them just as fast or a single well placed shot may be all that is needed, with the right bullet, but the bigger bores do seem to smack them harder.

The XLC's were picture perfect in recovery.
They are soaking in Chlorox right now. The Barnes TSX of same caliber and weight should be even better.

Excellent Story, thanks for sharing that rip!!

Barnes are darn fine bullets!!

4 fast shots? While not at DG, sure is amazing work for a severly rebated rim round!!

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Excellent Story, thanks for sharing that rip!!

Barnes are darn fine bullets!!

4 fast shots? While not at DG, sure is amazing work for a severly rebated rim round!!

jeffe

Yes Jeffe, I was living dangerously, using a severely rebated .460 Weatherby case necked up to .510, just to make things dicey.

I just wanted to kill something with this rifle before it gets turned into the .510 Big Bang,
a .510/.505 Gibbs.

Then I will take it against really dangerous game.

Live and learn!

Ron,
Too cool.. glad for you and the hunt!!

jeffe

I suppose there was never any doubt about the GS Custom FNs, but it is comforting to receive repeated confirmation. Congrats!

Thank you Jeffe and 500grains,
Here are the two recovered XLC's and an unfired GSC FN and XLC for comparison:





Usually it takes an elephant to recover one of these FN laser-straight penetrators, eh?

I suppose I should go weigh those recovered .509/570gr XLC's and put the calipers to their widest point. Oh bother! I'll add it on below:

XLC's:
A) most expansion from 25 feet
B) less expansion from 75 yards

If you have not eaten one of the steaks yet, please do so asap and let us know how they are.

Barnes X look fantastic when expanded. But I keep wondering why they don't exit on a broadside lung shot. I wonder if a North Fork soft would have gone through. Certainly a North Fork cup nose would have.

The carcass is already hanging in the custom butcher's fridge and the skin and skull are at the taxidermy shop. But I ate plenty of those steaks over the last year from the Nebraska Comstock bison. It was about the same size, though had bigger horns and prettier hair and is a now a shoulder mount and loose skull.

This latest one will be a buffalo robe and European mount, and whatever meat can be salvaged up to the bullet holes, after hosing out the insides.

Actual weight on this one from the certified truck scales: 1620 pounds after bleeding by bullets alone.

"A" bullet above: 1.002" max diameter of mushroom, and 569.3 grains for 99.8% retained weight.

"B" bullet: 0.940" ... 569.5grains ... 99.9%

The unfired XLC weighed 570.2 grains.

The North Fork Soft Points seem to penetrate as well and expand as well, but might shed up to 5% weight and shoot more accurately in most rifles than the X's and XLC's, and I'll have to see if the TSX is better. Bet it is.

Nice work RIP !!

and nice pics, we have an American Reastruant in my home town, the owner Steve is a lovely bloke, and he has a seasoning he puts on his steaks called Loussiana Blackened.........................they are the nicest steaks I have eaten, I reckon it would go well on some of that Bison !!

Tres Cool! Great report RIP, and congrats!

Merry Christmas,
Canuck

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b169/RIPtorn/PC230096.jpg

Neither the horns nor the rug are the greatest but it is a nice size for bulk yet still highly edible.

Iron sights at 75 yards.
.509/570gr Barnes XLC
and
.510/570gr GSC FN
both
about 2450 fps
23" barrel of 10" twist (McGowen stainless)

The first XLC broke the off-side left shoulder and the bull went down on impact.

He then struggled to his feet on three legs and recieved a GSC FN Portuguese style, entering at the southwestern left buttock and coming out
his right mid-neck northeasterly. He went down again as his hind legs buckled, but he was still upright on his keel, though going nowhere.

He got another GSC FN in the southeastern right ham and it came out of the northwestern left shoulder and he toppled over for the second time.

But he was still breathing so got a second XLC in the brisket as I approached. He moved no more.

Amazing to see one knocked over like that with the first shot and then get up on three legs.

The XLC's were found against the off side hide on two broadside shots.

The GSC FN's penetrated stem to stern and are still ricocheting around Western Kentucky.

He got double X-ed, cross ways by XLC's and long ways GSC FN's.

Hamburger?

There is zero felt recoil from a 10.75 pound 500 A-Square when shooting bison.

Smaller rifles may kill them just as fast or a single well placed shot may be all that is needed, with the right bullet, but the bigger bores do seem to smack them harder.

The XLC's were picture perfect in recovery.
They are soaking in Chlorox right now. The Barnes TSX of same caliber and weight should be even better.

Rip where was this buffalo taken at?

Excellent. Impressive weight retention...Is that normal for the XLC's? And they sure are pretty when they expend like that!

will you be making buff jerky?
let me know if you are getting tired of buffalo steaks i'll p.m. you my fed ex acct if you do congrats...

Jarrod:

http://www.doubledhunting.com

This kind of hunting and shooting is not for the "free chase purist" (FCP).

If high fences and put-and-take of meat animals, i.e. livestock butchering for food, gets anyone's panties in a knot, he should not go here.

An FCP with knotted panties should stay out of the grocery store too.

Well done Ron, tough animals!

Forrest,
Thanks.
One correction was done above.
Velocity with the .509/570gr XLC was 2405 fps, not 2450 fps, after I checked my records instead of ad lib. 23" barrel is correct. My 27" barrel would probably make that a 2505 fps load, so 2450 fps would be close to the average for my two rifles.

I'll keep the Ruger No.1 with the 27" barrel as .500A2/.510 JAB, but this 23" barrel needs to be rechambered to .510 Big Bang with the Gibbs case shortened to 3.000" (trim to 2.990" case length). That will be perfect, no rebate. The 500A2 is just too small with the monolithic copper (and more so with brass) bullets in a 3.85" box.

This 500A2 load was a compressed load of RL-15 110 grains, with the bullet seated to the cannelure and crimped. COL is about 3.65" but could be lengthened to just shy of 3.85" and more powder added by using the TSX with the extra cannelures.

That is a BRNO ZKK 602 in a McMillan stock that is walnut brown fiberglass.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:
Excellent. Impressive weight retention...Is that normal for the XLC's? And they sure are pretty when they expend like that!

bulldog563,
This particular bullet seems tough enough not to lose its petals at 2400 fps, and makes a beautiful mushroom.

The fast twist seems to sweep the petals a bit too, to follow the barrel twist rate after impact.

If buzzsaw bullets exist, this is one of them. But I don't think that is really important, rather just the fact that it expands to almost twice diameter and puts the speed brakes on penetration.

So, 500grains, it is no wonder these stop on the off-side hide and the nondeforming FN's punch through, eh? ... Unless velocity were upped enough to finish folding back the petals, then the XLC might punch through the off-side hide.

Mike Brady at North Fork says that higher velocity makes his soft points penetrate deeper. Of course the old inferior soft points of yore might just blow up and penetrate less with higher velocity.

I expect the Woodleighs would pancake and stop penetrating with too high velocity, but at least hold together.

The Woodleigh Weldcores are at their best at 2150 fps MV.

boomstick,
No jerky planned, too many relatives and acquaintances would be smuggling it out in their pants. The meat will be padlocked in a freezer.

Very Nice! Congratulations!

It's interesting to note how similar the "X" bullets look to my own (570gr./.505's @ 2,325fps) at about the same disparity in range (mine were @ 50 and 100):

BTW - I'm running real short on jerky over here.

Really nice, RIP. Tough animals when they want to be.

I guess the .510 Big Bang will solve that penetration "problem" with the Barnes, eh?

Nick,
It is really the same bullet just squeezed down by .004" diameter and lengthed a little by the squeeze, eh? Consistency between yours and my results. Hey! maybe this is good data?

tiggertate,
You got the same idea as I do. The .505 Gibbs case and the .510 bullet are lonesome for each other.

Of course with the TSX in .505/525gr becoming available, the .510 Big Bang may not be necessary, but what the hell, eh? Stunt rifles are fun.

Double D Hunting does not mean "looking for big bra's in a bar." That would be "dear hunting."

quote:

boomstick,
No jerky planned, too many relatives and acquaintances would be smuggling it out in their pants. The meat will be padlocked in a freezer.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:


Neither the horns nor the rug are the greatest but it is a nice size for bulk yet still highly edible.

I wouldn't shun the mount off of my wall, Old Grasshopper!!! I hope to meet you some day BTW. I think you could teach me LOTS of great stuff (I'm a young wippersnapper of 34. )!!! Congrats and Merry Christmas!

Woodsracer,
Since I am prematurely gray headed with white chin whiskers, though only 39 and holding , I better drop the young grasshopper/old grasshopper schtick if you are 34.

When I bring the .510 Big Bang down to Alan Wilson's for field trials I'll look you up.

The .510 Big Bang will have a .505 Gibbs case necked to .510 and trim-to brass length of 3.000" or 3.010" max. Simple as that.

The .510 BB should be a hoot.

.510 BB, a BB gun.

The die is cast: To heck with the .475 Gibbs stuff, we already have the .470 Mbogo. What the world needs is another good 50 cal, and I hope I have another good 50 years, and you need another good 67 years to make it to 101.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Good work bro Ron,
With that rifle you made double damn sure the double D bull was dead (on arrival).
bro' dart.

PS,
Just so everybody is straight on this, Ron is the older brother (but not by much).

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
Good work bro Ron,
With that rifle you made double damn sure the double D bull was dead (on arrival).
bro' dart.

Thank you Bro'dart,
That is high praise from a veteran Bison Basher such as you, only one year shorter in the tooth than me. And to think I have another brother who is only 10.5 months older than me! Poor Mom!

Ah ha! .510 BB = Bison Basher.

Double Dog cool!

My new cartridge is simply the ".510 BB." The interpretations of BB will be numerous and varied.

Is there a Swahili word that sounds like "bee-bee?"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too Bro'dart.

Swahili "bibi" would be pronounced like the English "beebee."

In Swahili "bibi" means "grandmother."
It may also mean "lady."

HA!/DOA will honor our grandmothers, wives and daughters, indeed all good women everywhere, by naming our biggest gun the ".510 Bibi."

.308 Chui
.338 Simba
.375 Nyati
.423 Kifaru
.458 Tembo
.510 Bibi

All Lapua's except Grandma is a Gibbs. Grandma keeps good company.

The .510 Bibi is "The Mother of all Buffalo Bashers."

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Woodsracer,
Since I am prematurely gray headed with white chin whiskers, though only 39 and holding , I better drop the young grasshopper/old grasshopper schtick if you are 34.

I merely was referring to the fact that I feel belittled by your experiences, and look forward to your future endeavors!!! Unfortunately, in my case, it isn't the age.......it's the mileage. That's why I am prematurely bald!

Hmmm...I wonder if my GF will know the difference if I ask for a DRR BB gun for Christmas next year??

(DRR BB = Daisy Red Rider BB gun, or Dr. Ron 510 Bibi gun???)



Cheers and Merry Christmas!!!

Canuck

RIP,

Congrats!

I am surprised that your buff (I know, bison bison) didn't just give up and die on the spot after taking such a hit. I have heard that they are not so tough. But animals are unpredictable and you did what I would have done and what should be in every such case until the critter is truly and surely dead: Keep on shooting.

I have to think, though, that your first well-placed X-bullet would have done the trick with the passage of not too much time.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
RIP,

Congrats!

I am surprised that your buff (I know, bison bison) didn't just give up and die on the spot after taking such a hit. I have heard that they are not so tough. But animals are unpredictable and you did what I would have done and what should be in every such case until the critter is truly and surely dead: Keep on shooting.

I have to think, though, that your first well-placed X-bullet would have done the trick with the passage of not too much time.

He just wanted more Dark and Bloody Ground of Legend!!!
In this thread, the venerable .45-70 knocked down a buff.

MR,
As you say, I agree.
However, my last two "buffalo" were one shot kills with smaller rifles with scopes, at similar ranges, and similar bulk of critter:

Botswana 42" cape buffalo at about 50 to 75 yds in the mopane thicket, with a Ruger RSM .416 Rigby, and a 380 grain GSC FN at 2509 fps: bullet passed through the on-side humerus of the left shoulder (which is the heaviest/thickest bone in the buffalo) then broke a rib, then lung, then both atria of the top of the heart, then lung, rib, and out the offside hide ... this buffalo bucked upward like a rodeo bull, then spun 90 degrees and ran 50 yards away, disappearing quickly in the mopane bushes, and fell over dead, giving the death bellow within seconds of his rodeo display. I gave the corpse an insurance shot from close range before touching the eyeball with the rifle muzzle.

The last bison took a .404 Jeffery bullet at about 75 yards also, a 380 grain North Fork softpoint at about 2525 fps, from The African Sheep Rifle, Winchester M70. This bullet broke a rib going in and clipped the great vessels over the heart, tore up lungs explosively and broke both the humerus and scapula where they meet in the glenohumeral shoulder joint. That bull sprayed blood and lung out of the entrance hole and staggered 8 steps forward and died. I did not even bother to shoot him again.

The latest bison was shot too high with iron sights, so the great vessels or heart were not hit, just lungs and shoulder and I have to wonder about some spinal or brachial plexus shock making him flop over onto his side when hit, then struggle to his feet with a useless left front leg, offside shoulder broken.

This proves to me that I ought to put a 2.5X Leupold on the .510 Bibi next time out.

I was just hitting the bison in center of mass at the shoulders and then the backside with iron sights.

Quickest death short of a CNS hit seems to come from disconnecting the heart at the great vessels: aorta, vena cava, and pulmonary arteries and veins.

It was impressive to flatten a bison with one XLC, and to shoot some FN's through him stern to stem.

woodsracer,
The horn-and-head configuration, plus the Boddington-style posing behind the animal, tell me that the critter was a small animal. Still nice to see a .45-70 can do it with the right bullet and good placement.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
woodsracer,
The horn-and-head configuration, plus the Boddington-style posing behind the animal, tell me that the critter was a small animal. Still nice to see a .45-70 can do it with the right bullet and good placement.

Humbly........I wouldn't know. But I am rapidly getting there!!!

Please, no humble. We are all grasshoppers and professional small boys here.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Woodsracer,
Since I am prematurely gray headed with white chin whiskers, though only 39 and holding , I better drop the young grasshopper/old grasshopper schtick if you are 34.

When I bring the .510 Big Bang down to Alan Wilson's for field trials I'll look you up.

The .510 Big Bang will have a .505 Gibbs case necked to .510 and trim-to brass length of 3.000" or 3.010" max. Simple as that.

The .510 BB should be a hoot.

.510 BB, a BB gun.

The die is cast: To heck with the .475 Gibbs stuff, we already have the .470 Mbogo. What the world needs is another good 50 cal, and I hope I have another good 50 years, and you need another good 67 years to make it to 101.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

RIP, thanks for the website. I may have to check that place out sometime as Im only 150 miles from there.

Rip you say your going down to Allen Wilson's. Is that Allen Wilson's in Monterey TN. If so he is a first class guy, and a nice hunting operation also. Only about an hour drive.

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:
Rip you say your going down to Allen Wilson's. Is that Allen Wilson's in Monterey TN. If so he is a first class guy, and a nice hunting operation also. Only about an hour drive.

Jarrod,
Yep, that's the one, Alan Wilson's Wilderness Lodge. Alan even has the meat processing right there on premises, and they do a good job. That is where I do most of my grocery shopping. I see you have been there.

David Donaldson of Double D Wildlife Ranch gets most of his bison at auctions, coming out of Land Between the Lakes, from the Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley state managed herd surplus. They come in all sizes from that source, but the bigger ones don't last very long at Double D: FRESH MEAT!!!

He and I discussed a pricing method of $1/pound. That is very fair and will probably beat most places for price of groceries.

It would be fun to go shoot a couple of the smaller and tastier ones, or a little one more often, if you can get them for a dollar per pound on the hoof. I reckon I will want to do that next time. David does that for his own freezer. They are "livestock" wild in behavior, but taste better than beef, with half the fat and cholesterol.

Double D doesn't do the meat processing, so you need to make arrangements for that in advance before pulling the trigger. Schedule it with Yoder's Custom Butchering in Sebree, KY (270-884-3007). They are as good as it gets, a Mennonite family business. David will hoist the whole carcass into his truck and deliver it there free of charge, included in the grocery bill. Butchering fees extra. Taxidermy fees extra.

PS: Double D's website has not been maintained or updated for a while (their webguy moved away soon after the site went up), the e-mail contact feature there may not be working, but the cell phone for David works. It is a going concern, and he is fine folk too.

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:

Rip you say your going down to Allen Wilson's. Is that Allen Wilson's in Monterey TN. If so he is a first class guy, and a nice hunting operation also. Only about an hour drive.

I'm 30 miles "off the hill" and haven't been there yet. Sounds like I need to check it out!!!

quote:

Originally posted by woodsracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:

Rip you say your going down to Allen Wilson's. Is that Allen Wilson's in Monterey TN. If so he is a first class guy, and a nice hunting operation also. Only about an hour drive.

I'm 30 miles "off the hill" and haven't been there yet. Sounds like I need to check it out!!!

Woodsracer, where are you from?

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:

quote:

Originally posted by woodsracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:

Rip you say your going down to Allen Wilson's. Is that Allen Wilson's in Monterey TN. If so he is a first class guy, and a nice hunting operation also. Only about an hour drive.

I'm 30 miles "off the hill" and haven't been there yet. Sounds like I need to check it out!!!

Woodsracer, where are you from?

Roll off the BIG HILL westward from Monterey......and you'll find me in Cookeville.