Buffalo rifle show and tell

[schmijar]

Alright gents, I've acquired my .375 and I'm fitting it out for my first buffalo hunt in 2027.

So share yours, what do you feel makes a proper buffalo bolt gun?

Optic? Iron sights? Sling or no sling? Barrel band? What do you consider essential, especially from experienced cape buffalo hunters. Pictures are very welcome.

 

[grand veneur]

I am surprised that you have not received an answer yet. Normally, you are overrun with answers to questions like these and unfortunately, in the end, you still don't know what a right buffalo rifle should be.

In my opinion, there really is not such a thing. The caliber and the cartridge choice are important, bolt action or double rifle is a matter of taste; both have advantages and disadvantages. A scope can be very helpful, but any rifles used for hunting dangerous game should also have open sights. How this rifle is carried also varies from hunter to hunter, there are not absolute rules. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with your rifle, meaning you can shoot it accurately from various positions and also to feed it very quickly in a wrong situation. I am also more of an advocate for the use of scoped bolt action rifles for buffalo hunting. Which caliber is a different topic.

 

[PARA45]

Here is mine, with a Buffalo taken this year. I took a cow Buffalo, a Lioness and a group of PG with this rifle in 2022. The more I shoot it, the more it grows on me.

It's a AHR CZ-550 in 375 H&H, with the stocked worked on by JD Renner. It has a 1-6x24 Trijicon scope on Alaskan Arms Mounts.

 

[schmijar]

I am surprised that you have not received an answer yet. Normally, you are overrun with answers to questions like these and unfortunately, in the end, you still don't know what a right buffalo rifle should be.

In my opinion, there really is not such a thing. The caliber and the cartridge choice are important, bolt action or double rifle is a matter of taste; both have advantages and disadvantages. A scope can be very helpful, but any rifles used for hunting dangerous game should also have open sights. How this rifle is carried also varies from hunter to hunter, there are not absolute rules. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with your rifle, meaning you can shoot it accurately from various positions and also to feed it very quickly in a wrong situation. I am also more of an advocate for the use of scoped bolt action rifles for buffalo hunting. Which caliber is a different topic.

Oh, I'm not looking for any final word on rifles, i know better than that. And I'm 95% sure how I'm going to fit mine out. I just like looking at setups, and I know a lot of people like to share them, so let's all have a distraction at the office today

 

[grand veneur]

We can also talk about all kinds of rifles that have been used to shoot buffalo. There will surely be as many rifles as there will be buffalo hunters and not always what has killed a buffalo is a buffalo rifle. I shot this one with a combined rifle calibers 12/70-9,3x74R, a rifle normally not used for this purpose.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’ve been shooting most of mine with rented bolt action .375 Holland & Holland Magnums over the years.

Then, I started using a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom which my loving son-in-law gifted me. In 2023, I had McBride’s Guns install an M-16 extractor and fit a Timney trigger to it. It’s a nice accurate rifle. Thoroughly to be depended upon.

I’ve also shot one with a double rifle in .458 Winchester Magnum.

And also one with a Mauser Oberndorf Sporter Type A in 10.75x68mm Mauser (but for the life of me, I can’t seem to find the photograph of that Cape buffalo anywhere around my house).

In my opinion, the ideal Cape buffalo rifle should be above 9.3mm caliber. Bolt action definitely for novice hunters, but experienced ones can “Graduate” to a double if they so prefer. The rifle should be equipped with quick detachable low power telescopic sights for long range work in open country but quick instinctive shooting in dense vegetation (especially for follow up work where I absolutely mandate that the telescopic sight must always be removed). The iron sights should be a simple unobtrusive wide V backsight and an uncovered ivory bead foresight. This setup is quite easy for the eye to quickly line up. And they do not go out of setting when bumped (unlike telescopic sights).

 

[grand veneur]

Even obsolete rifles with the nowadays very unpopular German trigger would be used. Here a rifle caliber 11,2x72 built 1924 by August Schüler in Suhl that also worked.

 

[Fatback]

Here is my Winchester M70 in 416 Rem Mag. I’ll be leaving in less than a month to hunt buffalo and elephant in Namibia. This rifle is new to me, so this will be its inaugural safari. These pictures are from some of my practice sessions.

I used this Winchester M70 in 458 Win Mag last year on an old buffalo in Zim.

Here are a couple more Model 70s that I haven’t hunted buffalo with yet….

A 404Jeffery and a 375 H&H. The rifle with the deer is the 375 H&H.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Yeah, I know you said bolt gun... but I am 2 for 2 on buffalo with this beauty.

 

[impact14]

I've not yet hunted Buffalo but my rifle for doing so in the future is top in the photo below (pictured with my cherished Remington 673 "guide gun" in 300 saum). It is a very nice Winchester Model 70 Super Grade in 458 Win Mag. I actually picked it up from a fellow forum member who lives relatively local to me.

I plan to put a 1-4 LPVO on it.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Show and tell has been one of my favorite pass times since 1st grade!

I will be using this next March to chase Cape Buffalo. It is a Rigby Big Game in .416 Rigby with a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 on Quick Detach EAW rings. I currently have a sling on it, but will probably take it off for the hunt.

Of course, my set up is only theoretical at this point as I have no experience hunting them yet.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

404 Jeffery I built on postwar 8mm Czech vz.24 (98 Mauser) with Parkwest 3-position Model 70 safety, Timney trigger, 416 Remington bottom metal from Blackburn, magnum follower from New England Custom Gun, very low one-piece discontinued Weaver base, low Warne QD rings, Lija barrel, Titan QD sling swivels, used stock from Gunbroker (probably commercial Mauser - I refinished it), Winchester Model 70 crossbolts (ebay), Winchester Model 70 Safari Express iron sights (ebay), Bushnell Elite 4500 1-4x30mm scope. The sling is quality leather, double brass buckle, sold by a Polish craftsman on ebay.

 

[Mekaniks]

Yeah, I know you said bolt gun... but I am 2 for 2 on buffalo with this beauty.


View attachment 697969

Is that a straight 45-70 or did you have it opened up to WWG .457?

 

[schmijar]

Goodness @franzfmdavis that Rigby....

 

[Red Leg]

My first bull was taken in the Caprivi with a custom .375 H&H built around an FN action. It is an interesting and well thought out general purpose rifle. It uses a Griffin & Howe side mount which leaves adequate space for a Redfield rear sight using a ghost ring for when the telescopic sight needs to be removed.

My second bull was taken in the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique with a Blaser S2 wearing 375 barrels.

Three and four were taken with the Blaser R8 in .375 H&H. Number three came from Mozambique and number four from the Limpopo.

Two bulls were taken with the 300 gr TSX and two with 300 gr A-Frames. None went farther than 25 yards and one died in hos tracks.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Is that a straight 45-70 or did you have it opened up to WWG .457?

At this time and for my 2 buffalo... straight up .45-70.

 

[DLSJR]

My 375 is built around a pre-64 express action, Brown Precision fiberglass stock, 24” Shilen select match grade stainless barrel, Timney trigger set to 2 3/4 lbs and topped with a Leupold VX5HD scope in 2-10x with CDS turret and Firedot Reticle, set in Talley mounts. It’s the one rifle my PH, Alan Vincent, truly covets.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

one thing I might add is when you go into the thick stuff take the sling off, you do not need it getting hung up at the wrong time.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Show and tell has been one of my favorite pass times since 1st grade!

I will be using this next March to chase Cape Buffalo. It is a Rigby Big Game in .416 Rigby with a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 on Quick Detach EAW rings. I currently have a sling on it, but will probably take it off for the hunt.

Of course, my set up is only theoretical at this point as I have no experience hunting them yet.

View attachment 697971
View attachment 697980View attachment 697981

Stunning wood! Beautiful!

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Some great buffalo rifles in here gents, and enjoy seeing both the variety as well as the essential similarities.

Still a buffalo hunting novice, yet sincere enthusiast, so no cemented feelings on what necessarily makes a proper buffalo rifle. I am making headway as to what I personally prefer though. I like a low power scope with option for quick detach should I want/need to roll with open sights. I also like using enough gun, which thus far I’m quite smitten with my Rigby big game rifle in 416 and use a Swaro Z8i 1-8x24 optic in Rigby/Recknagel quick detach rings. Its quickly dispatched everything I’ve pointed it at so far, so zero complaints.

First two photos are my bull from 2024, the other two bulls were from this May.