A certain AR member might be interested in opinions as to answer to the title question.
I would recommend getting the 380-grain North Fork SP , CP, FP for a dedicated DGR.
However, with this 340-grainer, I would not hesitate to hunt buffalo, and it certainly would be great for all plains game including eland.
You could rest assured it would not exit on broadside buffalo shooting in herds.
It would end up bulging the offside hide.
I have only shot game with the 380-grainer SP, one large bison bull died with one shot.

.423/340-grain bonded lead nose and solid copper shank, like a groove-shanked Trophy Bonded Bear Claw:
At 2700 fps MV it is truly a NonCon.
If it was a brass-hollow-point-exploding-nose-blower-cylinder-penetrator, it would exit more often.
But the +95% North Fork weight retention is in a big drag chute nose.
Rarely exit.

Powder: I use Varget Extreme (Hodgdon/Aussie) for all 404 Jeffery loads from 320-grainers to 400-grainers.
If I want a 2200 fps Cup&Core 400-grainer load I use H4831SC.

The targets below are from 24" McGowen-barreled African Sheep Rifle.
I also have a target from another rifle, same load, which I will post below these.

The first target is at 100 yards, first shot was a fouling shot,
then it settled down for three good ones where I wanted,
so I moved out to 200 yards and 300 yards for more 3-shot groups.
Drop info is useful from zero to 300 yards.
Could calculate a BC,
but there is no accounting for wind and wobbles:







And here is the same 340-grain North Fork SP load in a CZ 550 Magnum that was just dropped into a CZ Kevlar stock,
with no glass bedding at all, the F-Block in the wood stock forearm was discarded:

I used the 380 grain .423 North Fork Softs in my 404 Jeffery on two Cape Buffalo, December 2010 in Masiland...those are bit bodied Buffalo. I recovered one bullet, perfect mushroom 355 grains.

I used the RIP Varget loads, at nominal 2400 fps for the 380 grain bullet, easily could have increased velocity if desired.

Agree, stick with the 380 grain bullets for dedicated buffalo.

I hear North Fork is possibly going to produce some 430 grain bullets...hope to try those in FP Solid on Elephant.

I have some 340 North Forks to work up some loads in the future....

jjs,
Good work on the buffalo!

My 404 Jeffery African Sheep Rifle does an amazing job of putting all loads to near same POI,
when aimed at a 100-yard bullseye,
and with all loads near my top velocities,
probably only 55K psi in my M70 Winchester,
no pressure signs, modern, strong action.
McGowen 24" long 1:10" twist stainless barrel.

400-gr Kynoch FMJ with 81 grains Varget: 2401 fps MV
380-gr North Fork SP with 83 grains Varget: 2526 fps MV
340-gr North Fork with 87.6 grains Varget: 2706 fps MV



All shoot very close to 3" high at 100 yards with same scope setting shown in the 340-gr SP targets above.
So one could get them all zeroed right on at 100 yards, and know your trajectory for each bullet.

Using the 340-grainer for plains game does not preclude one's rifle from using the 380-grainer for buff from zero to 100 yards.

I found similar results as far as grouping closely with North Fork Cup Points and Softs, even the factory Hornady 404 Jeffery softs grouped reasonably close.

Recently received some of the 340 grain softs and see how they group in my rifle vs 380 grain bullets.

My rifle grouped better as I increased velocity to 2400 fps. Over the next year, I going to work up a bit more, however, @ 2400 fps, with 380s/400 grain bullets, it's good out to 200 yds.

The 404 makes a great all around rifle and can be built slimmer, trimmer than a 416 Rigby and more case capacity than 416 Remington...mine weighs in at 8.25 lbs bare and is a pleasure to carry...this was/is a significant aspect in my choosing the 404 as well as future rifle projects.

I have to agree RIP. Although both my buff have fallen to single 380grNFs, the 340gr @ 2600fps+ is much flatter shooting out to 300yds & the construction would have it do well on heavier game like bufflao. I would not expect an exit on any broadside shot that was quartering at all though. My last buff took the 380gr @ 2200fps on a mild 1/4ing broadside @ 75yds & stayed in the hide on the far side.
If I get to go again, I may just go 340gr all the way. With my same scope setting, the 340gr shoot about 2" higher @ 100.

fredj338,
That is a good zero with your 380-grainers at 2200 fps dead-on at 100 yards, and your 340-grainers 2 inches higher, at same 100 yards with same sight setting.
And your 340-grainer velocity was what MV?
A little slower than 2700 fps, eh?

It is not all in the velocities needed to produce recoil enough to give equal muzzle rise at the time the bullets exit the muzzle,
stock pitch and drop and shooter technique also must be involved.

Some rifles, like double rifles, with significant drop and pitch of buttstock, will throw the heavier bullets higher at 100 yards with slower MV:
Speed up the load and it goes from high and diverged to lower and converging for the two-barrel group.
Slower bullet, more barrel time, more muzzle rise before bullet exits the muzzle: Shoots higher.

Some rifles with minimum drop and pitch, like some bolt actions, will shoot the slower loads lower at 100 yards, not higher.
That is intuitively correct, and so because of less muzzle rise,
therefore since gravity acts downward for a longer time on the slower bullet in flight, which takes longer to get to target, it hits lower on the target.

Each rifle-shooter combo is a law unto itself, regarding zeroing-in. Such legislation should be decided before going afield with more than one bullet weight.
Endless possibilities.

Thanks Guys, I needed that!

Very interesting.

Many Thanks

HBH

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
fredj338,
That is a good zero with your 380-grainers at 2200 fps dead-on at 100 yards, and your 340-grainers 2 inches higher, at same 100 yards with same sight setting.
And your 340-grainer velocity was what MV?
A little slower than 2700 fps, eh?

It is not all in the velocities needed to produce recoil enough to give equal muzzle rise at the time the bullets exit the muzzle,
stock pitch and drop and shooter technique also must be involved.

Some rifles, like double rifles, with significant drop and pitch of buttstock, will throw the heavier bullets higher at 100 yards with slower MV:
Speed up the load and it goes from high and diverged to lower and converging for the two-barrel group.
Slower bullet, more barrel time, more muzzle rise before bullet exits the muzzle: Shoots higher.

Some rifles with minimum drop and pitch, like some bolt actions, will shoot the slower loads lower at 100 yards, not higher.
That is intuitively correct, and so because of less muzzle rise,
therefore since gravity acts downward for a longer time on the slower bullet in flight, which takes longer to get to target, it hits lower on the target.

Each rifle-shooter combo is a law unto itself, regarding zeroing-in. Such legislation should be decided before going afield with more than one bullet weight.
Endless possibilities.

Yes, about 2625fps for the 340gr. My rifle is also quite heavy, 10.25# w/ a lot of weight in the 23" bbl. Still, I was really surprised at the 300yd accuracy. Well within minute of kudu w/ a bit of hold over.