I have used the 458 Lott, 470, 450-400, 505 gibbs, 338, 375 H&H, 404 Jefferys, 416 Rigby and Rem, along with some much lesser calibers like the 8x57, 9.3x62 and .308...I have seen them shot with all manner of calibers.

The bigger the bore the better they kill I suppose, but I have found the 9.3x62 and 375 to be good buffalo killers...Most buff take the hit and run a ways and die, regardless of the caliber..The first shot must be correct or even the 505 is pretty worthless...

I have seen Saeed shoot Lord knows how many buffalo with his 375/404 with a 300 gr. bullet at 2700 FPS and his track record for quick kills couldn't be beat by a 800 N.E......

I have settled on the 375 H&H and 416 Rem, backed up with a 470 N.E. double rifle, but I have been looking at these Ruger 458 Lotts with a simi passionate slober, since I sold my lovely 404 Jefferys...

I will stipulate that in a possible charge situation, It always flashed through my mind while pokeing around in the high grass, "Why don't you carry a bigger gun"..
In a charge I would prefer the 458 Lott and up even though the 404 and 416 have faired me well in those situations.

That is my todays opinnion, it will change tomarrow either slightly or perhaps dramatically...I am a gun whore, I like to try them all...

I agree with Allen, the Lott kicks the bejesus out of me, and I shoot a lot of big bores, I don't like its recoil..It is effective no doubt..I also love the 416 Remington caliber and the 404 Jefferys and they are twins in the balistic dept......

One thing thats greatly overlooked on these boards is how much the larger bores weigh and how far one has to pack them in blazing heat!! 14 miles is not unusual you know! I know from reading these posts that most of you are super human, but for me, it is tough packing my double rifle around at 10.5 lbs...I can do it but I don't like it....

I now have a beatiful, light at 8.5 pounds scoped, Brno mod. 22 in 9.3x62 with a 26" barrel and all the original hardware on it, even looks 100% original. Been packing it on my deer hunts behind the house and thats pretty rough country to walk in...Bet I will be packing it for Buffalo next time I go..With a 320 gr. Woodlieh Soft and solid at 2400 FPS or a 270 gr. soft and cup point from Northfork at about 2500 FPS I will fair well enough, and if I get charged I will take "our" .470 from Pierre and sort out the mess....He tells everyone he carries it and then when the shit hits the bloody fan, Ray wants "his" gun back, and hands me the bloody popgun.