Cape Buffalo hunting in 2022 - What would be the better choice in 375 H&H?

[CoElkHunter]

Is the 'Jesse" part of the bush or a given area of a vegetation type?

?? Wouldn’t know. I would think bush is bush and one taken outside the bush is worth more than two still in the bush?

 

[Luvthunt]

300 Swift Aframes and any 300 gr flat nose mono metal solid.

 

[Challer]

300 Swift Aframes and any 300 gr flat nose mono metal solid.

CEB has 300gr bullets in stock and I collected a few boxes. Swift just hasn’t had 375s for a long time.

 

[Flipper Dude]

300 gr Barnes TSX. Call John with Safari Arms If you don’t reload yourself. Have him work you up some test loads. 300 TSX is super on any plains game you want to take as well

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I am a Swift Aframe user all they way. Have taken a lot of game with the 300 gr Aframes. If you need a couple boxes Federal 300 gr Aframes for a hunt send me a pm. I have some spares I won’t be needing for 2022 safari as I will be taking a 458 Lott loaded with Aframes.

 

[Deleted member 74279]

Question:

Cape Buffalo hunting in 2022. What would be the better choice in 375 H&H ?

Hornady Dangerous Game Series in 300 grain

Fed Premium Bear Claw in 250 grain.

I have plenty of both.

Thanks
Mike

You will get a million different answers to this. There are many good bullets these days. I would very, VERY strongly suggest staying away from anything under 300gr.. Contact your PH and ask what he would like you to use. As others have said don't try to save money on bullets, always use the best you can buy, buffalo are extremely tough and can kill you!

Best of luck.

 

[BnC 04]

I think that is very bad advice and very few experienced users of the .375 on buffalo would agree with it.

Agreed, should go heavy in this instance. My fingers went one way, brain the other...

 

[uplander01]

I've done the 375 on Buffalo, but with 350 grain North Fork Softs and cup point solids. It works fine when shot placement is correct and everything goes well. I have "more favorite" caliber options in my safe now and quite honestly just prefer something with more raw power and energy in my hands while after the big fellas. That being said I agree completely with the 300gr recommendation, and the Swift A Frame would definitely be a good choice in todays market-(they are available)

 

[nomspc]

I love the 350 Woodleigh Weldcore, but good luck finding them. I also have personal positive experience with the 300 Barnes TSX, and can let you have a few boxes, PM me if interested.

 

[YancyW]

Question:

Cape Buffalo hunting in 2022. What would be the better choice in 375 H&H ?

Hornady Dangerous Game Series in 300 grain

Fed Premium Bear Claw in 250 grain.

I have plenty of both.

Thanks
Mike

If it truly a situation where I had to pick one of the two, I would take the 300gr DGS. If you are open to other suggestions, you are going to get pages worth of them.

Edit: IvW just pointed out DGS is a solid, I was thinking GMX which would be a copper bullet. No way a solid is going to work for what you need.

 

[IvW]

Hornady DGS is a solid bullet no idea why anybody would recommend them for buffalo let alone as the only choice for buffalo.....

Find other premium expanders in minimum 300 gr and forget about DGS completely.....use them for practice.....

 

[YancyW]

Hornady DGS is a solid bullet no idea why anybody would recommend them for buffalo let alone as the only choice for buffalo.....

Find other premium expanders in minimum 300 gr and forget about DGS completely.....use them for practice.....

I would bet others made the same mistake I did and confused DGS with GMX. Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[TTundra]

The new DGX bonded still have failures.

Can you elaborate on this? I haven't seen any reports of the new bonded version failing in the field. I've seen a few where users say it performed well. Do you have any reports you can reference to look at for the new version having failed?

 

[BourbonTrail]

Is the 'Jesse" part of the bush or a given area of a vegetation type?

My understanding- Jesse is a vast thicket of thorn scrub common in places like Zim…as opposed to more open Mopane/miombo woodland or open savanna

 

[jwp475]

Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore Ammo Co. Shot a Buffalo 2" off center in the spine as he charged. The 270 grain TSX crushed the vertebrae in its path but lacked the diameter to take out the spinal cord.
My recomendation is for a larger caliber such as a 416 or 404. I like the 350 TSX or TTSX in 416 Remington

 

[Tanks]

I want to start by saying that I wholeheartedly agree with the advice to use a bullet of 300 grains. Having said that, I get the impression that KSZWHX is not a handloader and is dependent on factory ammo. Before I posted, I checked my five favorite sites to see what was available. Hornady. That was it. I too would prefer 300-grains Swift A-frames, but they are not available. ...

Choice ammunition has 300 grain Nosler Accubonds available 27, boxes and can be back ordered.

.375 H&H Magnum 300 Grain NOSLER ACCUBOND~100% HAND LOADED !!

.375 H&H 300 Grain Nosler AccuBond Hand-Loaded Ammunition

choiceammunition.com

 

[Tanks]

Very curious and very honest question…if going after a Buffalo with a 375, why would you not want to use a 300 gr bullet?

A better question is why would you go after a buffalo with a .375 when big bore calibers are available?

 

[375Fox]

Can you elaborate on this? I haven't seen any reports of the new bonded version failing in the field. I've seen a few where users say it performed well. Do you have any reports you can reference to look at for the new version having failed?

I’ll send you a PM

 

[Randy F]

A better question is why would you go after a buffalo with a .375 when big bore calibers are available?

It's a fair question if you have that choice. Not everyone does.

If, however, the .375 is what you have, then you have a bullet choice. It really was a serious question, I wasn't being a smarta**, I really was just curious if anyone had made the choice to hunt a Buff with a lighter bullet and why.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Question:

Cape Buffalo hunting in 2022. What would be the better choice in 375 H&H ?

Hornady Dangerous Game Series in 300 grain

Fed Premium Bear Claw in 250 grain.

I have plenty of both.

Thanks
Mike

Mike,

You've got a lot of answers I guess you weren't quite looking for, but for a good reason. I'll echo the comments about going 300gr or larger and with bullets of known quality to include Swift A-Frame, Barnes TSX and North Fork Bonded Cores (if you can find them).

If you're not a bandleader then I'd recommend as others have to find a custom ammo maker. A few to check with would be:

1) Choice Ammunition
2) Hendershots Ammunition
3) Superior Ammunition

Do a google for each of these and you'll find their websites easy enough.