Anyone used this combination for buffalo? The A-frame offers twice caliber expanded bullets, but will the 9,3x74R give them enough punsh for proper penetrating?

if you can put the bullet where it belongs the 9,3 will not let you down.
it is merely bovine (cow) shooting unlike elephant shooting

I have sent several clients to shoot buffalo with a 9.3x74 but remember in most countries its not legal, but normally nobody says anything, if fact I personally don't know of an ocassion where a client was even questioned...

That said, the .375 H&H is minimum legal in most countries, and those laws were made by some pretty experienced buffalo shooters..

I would not hesitate to hunt buffalo with a 9.3x74, but I would hunt buffalo with a 30-06 if thats all I had, but I do have a film wherein one buffalo takes 13 hits with a .470 and 500 N.E. and another takes 9 hits with the same, and all on the same hunt!! Food for thought, maybe?

Buffalo can be a source to deal with and once they commit only death will stop them most of the time..

My favorite buff guns are the 40 calibers like the 416, 404 or 450-400, they make me feel more secure I suppose.

I have never noticed elephant all that hard to kill, you normally head shoot them at 15 yards and they go right down, or heart shoot them at 50 yards and they run about 75 yards and die, much like Buffalo...Dangerous game is dangerous game, be it Lion, Hippo, elephant, or buffalo and when things go South it happens in a hurry and your up to your a$$ in gators all the sudden.

Bigger is better, I can understand that..

I can't see the big different between .366 and .375, and with equal panetration the buff should not eighter? But will the 300 grs A-frame penetrate good enough in 9,3x74R-speed?
(I have used 250 grs A-frame for several elchen (Nordic Moose), and the bullet seldom exit).

Islander,
I had a Chapuis in 9.3x74 and used the 300 grain Swifts, in fact it regulated better than any of the 286 grain bullets I tried. Bullet to bullet your only talking about 14 grain difference which equals nothing in terminal effect. What you do have is the Swift bullet which IMHO is one of the best soft bullets on the market will penetrate very well and stay together. Bottom line, plenty of pentration on any buff anywhere when placement is correct.

Dirk

quote:

Bigger is better, I can understand that..

Then you should also understand that the 9.3x74R ain't enough gun if having to follow up a wounded buff. Take something bigger along just in case you need it.

When you experience the amount of abuse a buff can take and keep on ticking, the 9.3x74R will stay in the closet.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

Bigger is better, I can understand that..

Then you should also understand that the 9.3x74R ain't enough gun if having to follow up a wounded buff. Take something bigger along just in case you need it.

When you experience the amount of abuse a buff can take and keep on ticking, the 9.3x74R will stay in the closet.

No shit on that one...

The 9.3mm 300grn SWIFT A FRAME softs have worked well on some Cape Buffalo via my 9.3x62s but I have been told on more than one occasion that the SWIFT A FRAMES are not ideal for the use with double rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
I have been told on more than one occasion that the SWIFT A FRAMES are not ideal for the use with double rifles.

Don't know where you got your info but ain't true, the Swifts are just fine in doubles. You do have to load them down a little because they are harder (increased velocity=increase pressure) than Woodies and Noslers.

Islander:

I just did some penetration testing today with Swift, Woodleigh, and Barnes bullets in my 9.3X62. Take a look at my post in the medium bores thread.

Dave

quote:

The 9.3mm 300grn SWIFT A FRAME softs have worked well on some Cape Buffalo

I would surely recommend the Swift for buff. It's a tough bullet.

i've shot lion, zebra, kudu etc. with a 9.3x74 and the 300 swift, and it always performed well. but i'm not going to attack a buff with one. Sorry i know its been done etc., and works well under ideal conditions, but #1 conditions are not always ideal, and #2 I have more respect for the animal than trying to take it with a minimal round

Can see there are better bigger bullets for buff, espesially when using solids. Therfore I wondered if the expanding A-frame in 300 grs would do the job of penetration. Im almost sure the 250 grs A-frame will not, at 2400 f/sek it almost never exits an 400 pound elchen.

Thought maybe the 300 grs A-frame with lesser velosity and better SD would penetrate far better?

Islander

I have killed cape buff with a 450 no2 a 450/400 and a 9,3x74R.

My biggest buff, in horn and body was taken with the 9,3. He was facing me and I shot him in the center of the chest with a Woodleigh 286gr SOFT.

He turned and ran away, there were other buff behind him, I had a Solid in the left bbl so I did not fire any more shots.

He was down and dead in less than 40 yards.

The Woodleigh Soft was found about half way through the buff.

I would not hesitate to shoot another buff with the 9,3.
I would however have solids in both barrels on the follow up.

If charged I would wait until the buff was close enough for me to make a brain shot.

I would take the first shot at a distance that would leave me enough time for a second shot, if possible. At least that would be my plan.

I have not used the 300gr Swift A Frame in my 9,3.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THE CARDINAL RULE :

when in doubt about your shot placement or if the gun is big enough......

GET OUT THE 577 !

quote:

Originally posted by Islander:
Can see there are better bigger bullets for buff, espesially when using solids. Therfore I wondered if the expanding A-frame in 300 grs would do the job of penetration. Im almost sure the 250 grs A-frame will not, at 2400 f/sek it almost never exits an 400 pound elchen.

Thought maybe the 300 grs A-frame with lesser velosity and better SD would penetrate far better?

I have found 300grn Swifts under the far side skin as I have with 286grn solids.

Islander:

If you elect to shoot a 250 grain bullet in your 9.3, I would suggest that you take a hard look at a Barnes TSX bullet. I would be willing to bet they would give you better penetration than any other 250 grain bullet and probably as good as most of the 286 grainers. This is hard for me to admit. I had a lot of trouble with the original Barnes X bullets when they first came out. Seems like they were changing the ogive every week and doing their experiments on us. For a long time, I was not in the X bullet camp but this new TSX bullet is really a kick ass bullet for the 9.3.

Dave

ozhunter:

Do you say the 300 grs A-frame is penetrating like a 286 grs solid?

And: Solids or not for the second (third, fourth, fifth...) shot?

I have found they have great penetration but i still do back them up with woodleigh solids in 286 or 320grn .

I would not prefer to follow up a wounded Cape Buffalo with any 9.3 unless thats all I had...I have stood 3 full charges and 1 so so charge, and I remember thinking in each case that I wish I had a larger gun and I was using a 404 or 416 or 458 Lott on them!