.416 Rem bullet for Cape Buffalo

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I have booked a cape buffalo hunt in far north S. Africa. My plan is to use my .416 Rem. rifle. Question: Will using Swift A-Frame 350 gr. bullets be "plenty" sufficient, loaded to about 2,500 fps mv? I could go to another bullet and/or weight, if strongly advised to do so. Comments, experience, and recommendations will be greatly appreciated. THANKS! Alan

Alan you are good id go with 400 grain A Frames. I don’t hunt buffalo with my 416 rem mag. My 375 h-h swift 300 grain bullets puts them down. You’re completely fine with the A Frames. Just breathe with good shot placement you will have little to know problems. A frames or TSX.

 

[DLSJR]

Does the 400gr TSX's in 416 get pass-throughs on buffalo most of the time even running away and head on shots?

I doubt you’ll get an exit on a buffalo shot end to end. The stomach will stop most bullets but TSX’s will drive deeper than almost any other non-solid bullet. Broadside yes you need to be aware of exiting, but lengthwise very unlikely. My 416 load gives me 2,400 fps with 400 grain bullets and that weight/speed is a great buffalo load. 2,400 seems to be a great ‘sweet spot’ for just about any dangerous game.

 

[DLSJR]

You’re spot on. I’ve had any number of discussions with experienced PH’s about this and there seems to be a consensus that sticking to around 2,400 fps, give or take, seems to give the most consistent results For efficiently killing buffalo. Thus, my favorite 416 load pushes a 400 grain bullet at 2,350 and my 375 load sends a 300 grain at a touch over 2,400. They’re accurate and effective.

I need to edit the above post as I finally shot both my 375 and 416 with a Garmin chronograph. I’m actually getting 2,400 with my 416 and 2,550 with my 375 load. Both are very effective loads.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

For 416 Rigby/Remington, have any of you tried the 430gr to 450gr ammo in Northfork or Woodleigh Weldcore ?

In the video below @ 36:38 Kevin Robertson really recommends 416 Northfork in 430gr on cape buffalo as it has massive expansion and he was really impressed with it even more so than the Barnes TSX 400gr for broadside shots...

@ 36:38...

He mentions that the Northfork 430gr is great for broadside shots but not the best at a running away shot. So, I guess it would be best to use Barnes TSX 400gr for running away shots?

 

[Beck]

400 grain barnes tsx

 

[358 Norma]

Swift 400 grain A-frame worked well for me.

 

[dogcat1]

Aframes or TSX are the cat's meow! Use the 400 grainer if you can. That is why you are shooting a .416 is for the 400 gr bullet. Otherwise just use a .375HH with a 300gr or a 350 gr.

 

[Green Chile]

416 is my fav caliber for buff and my 2 bullet choices are the 400 gr TSX or 400 gr CPS.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I have booked a cape buffalo hunt in far north S. Africa. My plan is to use my .416 Rem. rifle. Question: Will using Swift A-Frame 350 gr. bullets be "plenty" sufficient, loaded to about 2,500 fps mv? I could go to another bullet and/or weight, if strongly advised to do so. Comments, experience, and recommendations will be greatly appreciated. THANKS! Alan

You will be doing your 416 a disservice by shooting the 350gr. Shoot the 400gr bullet as a minimum. There is a difference in their reaction when getting hit with 400gr+

If I may ask, why were you asking about the 350gr in the first place? Is it a recoil issue?

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

All the above comments are spot on. It's always good to shoot what you are most accurate and comfortable with. 350 or 400 grains will not make much difference with proper shot placement.

 

[BeeMaa]

For 416 Rigby/Remington, have any of you tried the 430gr to 450gr ammo in Northfork or Woodleigh Weldcore ?

In the video below @ 36:38 Kevin Robertson really recommends 416 Northfork in 430gr on cape buffalo as it has massive expansion and he was really impressed with it even more so than the Barnes TSX 400gr for broadside shots...

@ 36:38...

He mentions that the Northfork 430gr is great for broadside shots but not the best at a running away shot. So, I guess it would be best to use Barnes TSX 400gr for running away shots?

Are you switching bullets in your magazine or rifle when you hunt or just carrying some in an ammo belt? Have you given that a try?

 

[Cecil Hammonds]

I used Swift A-Frame 400 grain with my 416 Rem on my buffalo hunt. Recovered bullet weighed 398 grains.

 

[Aethyc00]

I used a 400 grain factory Hornady DGX for my Buffalo and 10 other plains game animals. It performed very well. My Buffalo folded like a cheap tent on the first shot. Broke both shoulders. You wont go wrong with your 416 Rem Mag.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

I used a 400 grain factory Hornady DGX for my Buffalo and 10 other plains game animals. It performed very well. My Buffalo folded like a cheap tent on the first shot. Broke both shoulders. You wont go wrong with your 416 Rem Mag.

Was it a lower heart/lung shot through the triangle area or higher up lung shot?

 

[Fatback]

2 weeks ago in the Caprivi in Namibia, 400 grain AFrames at 2400 ft/sec MV, 50 yards. 1st was a facing shot in the chest. Dumped the bull on his nose. He spun a bit and the second was quartering away and that was all she wrote. Retained weights were 397 and 383 grains respectively. Can’t ask for anything more

 

[UpNorthMI]

I have a new .416 Rem Mag rifle but have hunted buffalo with my double in .500/416 NE with 400 gr Hornady DGX Bonded. I'll be shooting one of the following 3 bullets on my next buffalo hunt in ,416 Rem Mag:
-400 gr Barnes TSX
-400 gr Swift A Frames
-400 gr Hornady DGX Bonded

I found the extra punch of a .416 over a .375 to be significant and convinced myself that a new rifle was needed!

 

[Beefeater]

.416 Rem Mag. 400 gr TSX. Hunted in Makuti with MJK Safaris. 1 shot each was all that was required.

 

[Aethyc00]

Was it a lower heart/lung shot through the triangle area or higher up lung shot?

View attachment 709916

Heart and lung yep.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

400Gr Swift A Frame or Barnes TSX or Trophy Bonded Bear Claw.