I am going on my first African Safari in August, will try for 2 cape buffalo, maybe zebra & wort hog.

I have read many things about solids, don't know to go with Woodleigh for second shot or something like North Fork.

All I know is what I have read, never fired a solid at anything butr a target,

375 HH as spare or backup rifle, 470 NE as primary weapon.

I had the same debate last year. I used woodleigh softs and solids for the 470. Shot one buff broadside with the soft which expanded well, ruined the heart area and then with a Solid that went all the way through from right rear to left front. For the 375, I used Barnes 300G TSX which worked fine on the other buff and all the plains game. I took woodleigh solids for the 375 becasue they were the only ones that printed on top (or close enough) to the TSXs. The Barnes brass solids were wickedly accurate, but unfortunately about two inches to the right in my rifle. Didn't use any except as a spine insurance shot on the second buff. Went all the way through and was lost

Woodleigh Solids have worked great for me in my 450 No2 on 3 elephants and as follow up shots on 2 buff on my first Safari.. However North Fork Flat Point solids, also in my 450 No2 worked great on one bull elephant and one giraffe.

I would check the feeding of any flat point solid in a Bolt Rifle.
In the 470 I would go with the NFFP.

Woodleighs should give you plenty of penetration on buff. In my fooling around, most round nose solids penetrate about 24" before destabilizing and heading off in odd directions. The old style Barnes RNs monometal were the worst offenders.

On the other hand, flat noses with an adequate meplat just don't change direction without major obstacles. They won't do as much damage as a precessing roundnose but they go where you point them.

N E 450 No2 makes a good point to keep in mind, the bullet has to work in the rifle too.

Good luck in August, that sounds like a fun trip!

Woodleigh soft and solids have worked well for me. The soft was under the skin on the off shoulder. The solid was under the skin of the hip after penetrating the length of the buff.

500 grain, .458" Woodleigh solids worked well for me for three buff. No softs used. No deformation on a couple of recovered bullets.

JPK

i would assume that there are more woodleigh users here than north fork users so there will be a lopsided number of posts but north forks as you know are probably the most highly regarded bullets here. you wont go wrong with either though...

north forks are my choice, also the owner is a great guy. give him a call, his # is on his website

http://www.northforkbullets.com/

just be sure to take lots of pictures and tell good stories (even if they are a little embelished)

good luck!

quote:

i would assume that there are more woodleigh users here than north fork users so there will be a lopsided number of posts but north forks as you know are probably the most highly regarded bullets here.

Huh?

Thanks for the tip on feeding. Brockman now has my 375, he will be installing a new stock. I am going to call Brockman tomorrow and see if I can send to him an empty case with a bullet seated and crimped to see if it will feed.
thanks

You can use either with complete confidence.

465H&H

The North fork cup nose is the best buff bullet overall IMO. No weight loss, penetration that is deeper than any other expanding bullet, and no need to mix softs and solids. Just take one type of bullet.

The Woodleigh is a fine bullet but there are better. I would use the NorthFork if it will feed in your rifle, 2nd choice would be the Barnes banded monosolids. With your buffalo, good softs should get it done before you need the solids.

I like Barnes in my 458 Lott. Shoots clear through the long way. What more do you want? The Barnes TSX is great, too. I honestly think that on my next buff hunt I might just skip the solids.

In a double, I would go with NFs.

In a bolt rifle that will feed them, I would go with NFs.

In a bolt rifle that won't feed NFs or other truncated cone FN solids (like mine ), I would go with Woodleighs or Barnes Banded FNs.

gi,

Patterned my 450#2 with NF fn's and the 2 shots at 50 yds look like I fired at six 6inches
they are a 1.5 inch group.

Mike

jboutfishn...

love redding and the area...been there many times and have friends there,

hows the hunting there???

glad you have good luck with the woodleigh