Has anyone ever shot a buffalo with a Sierra Game King Bullet in .375

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I can't weigh in on this with any personal knowledge, but I can't imagine a basic cup and core bullet doing the job in any situation on a buff. For the time being...I'm gonna grab me some popcorn.

@TheSayHeyKid
The old cup and core have been killing game for years. As long as they are use within their velocity parameters I can't see any issues.
If you don't try and break major big bones and pick your shot they work just as well if not better than they did 60 years ago. Even these modern plastic tip high bc wizbang bullets like the balistic tips are just a glorified cup and core with a pretty plastic hat. They kill game and you don't hear many complaints about them
Bob

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

Go with a monolithic bullet for DG. In .375 H&H its Barnes 300 grain TSX. Terminal performance is terrific.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I wouldn't shoot much of anything other then paper with a SGK

How about THICK cardboard?

 

[F. Vaccaro]

@TheSayHeyKid
The old cup and core have been killing game for years. As long as they are use within their velocity parameters I can't see any issues.
If you don't try and break major big bones and pick your shot they work just as well if not better than they did 60 years ago. Even these modern plastic tip high bc wizbang bullets like the balistic tips are just a glorified cup and core with a pretty plastic hat. They kill game and you don't hear many complaints about them
Bob

Plastic hat! LOVE IT!

 

[Forrest Halley]

@TheSayHeyKid
The old cup and core have been killing game for years. As long as they are use within their velocity parameters I can't see any issues.
If you don't try and break major big bones and pick your shot they work just as well if not better than they did 60 years ago. Even these modern plastic tip high bc wizbang bullets like the balistic tips are just a glorified cup and core with a pretty plastic hat. They kill game and you don't hear many complaints about them
Bob

Oh but Bob you're wrong...
Plastic hat did cause problems. During a long range study of Hornady A Max there was a repetitive occurrence of the plastic tip melting and causing destabilization. Hence the ELD-X...

 

[IvW]

@TheSayHeyKid
The old cup and core have been killing game for years. As long as they are use within their velocity parameters I can't see any issues.
If you don't try and break major big bones and pick your shot they work just as well if not better than they did 60 years ago. Even these modern plastic tip high bc wizbang bullets like the balistic tips are just a glorified cup and core with a pretty plastic hat. They kill game and you don't hear many complaints about them
Bob

On Cape Buffalo I have to disagree....very bad choice for that.....375 leopard yes Cape Buffalo in the thick stuff forget it....you gonna track for a long time and your PH probably gonna have to sort out the crap you created.....

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Oh but Bob you're wrong...
Plastic hat did cause problems. During a long range study of Hornady A Max there was a repetitive occurrence of the plastic tip melting and causing destabilization. Hence the ELD-X...

@Forrest Halley
The ELDX is just a better version of the plastic hat. Don't get me started on the aluminium tipped target bullets, me thinks the were inveted for those that wear a colander covered with aluminium on their head to keep cosmic rays out.
All this shit by a lot of people that think they are better bullets .
If you need all that stuff plus Hubble scopes on tour rifle it time you learnt to hunt.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[fourfive8]

If you need all that stuff plus Hubble scopes on tour rifle it time you learnt to hunt.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

Bob, thanks, best I’ve heard in a long time- gave me a good chuckle!

 

[deewayne2003]

I wouldn't shoot much of anything other then paper with a SGK

Amen to that!… I had several failures with them on whitetail while using 130gr SGK.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, thanks, best I’ve heard in a long time- gave me a good chuckle!

@fourfive8
Got to have some fun sometimes and stir the pot.
Even the ELDX with its heat resistant plastic hat is just a fancy cup and core that allows it to come apart at longer range. Where as the older cup and core seem to hang together better the further out they get. Core separation at longer ranges with the plastic hat or better penetration without take your pick.
Bob

 

[F. Vaccaro]

@Forrest Halley
The ELDX is just a better version of the plastic hat. Don't get me started on the aluminium tipped target bullets, me thinks the were inveted for those that wear a colander covered with aluminium on their head to keep cosmic rays out.
All this shit by a lot of people that think they are better bullets .
If you need all that stuff plus Hubble scopes on tour rifle it time you learnt to hunt.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

Was the Winchester Silver tip in that category?
It was popular for along time.

 

[colorado]

Or you could throw rocks at them, if you just wanted to make them mad ...

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Was the Winchester Silver tip in that category?
It was popular for along time.

@F. Vaccaro
The Winchester Silvertip is a different construction mate. Instead of having a plastic hat inserted into a hollow point like the balistic tip, the old silver tip has an aluminium condom over a lead tip that is tucked in between the jacket and core. This aluminium condom was supposed to stop bullet tip deformation of heavy recoiling rifles deforming the tips under recoil. It was also supposed to slow expansion a bit. At closer range and higher velocity it did diddly squat and bullets still expanded quickly.
The aluminium condom didn't improve the bc of the projectile just made it look pretty. Under the condom it was still just a cup and core soft point.
I hope this a simple explanation helps.
Bob

 

[Safari Dave]

Not for buffalo.

Use something stronger.

Old Nosler Partitions are still very reliable bullets. (300g)

I've taken 7 PG with 200g Game-Kings in .30 caliber, but I would use a better expanding bullet for my first shot on a buffalo.


I like my last PH's (Reinhardt Fourie) philosophy on shots with a bolt action...

1. Expanding, deep penetrating bullet - breaking the humorous and taking out as much heart and lungs as possible along the way.

2. Solid - through the chest, if the bull is alone. Very precise, if the bull is with the herd, or needed to stop a charge.

3. Expanding - a heart shot, between the two front legs, assuming the bull is lying on the ground.

4. Solid - to break the spine between the shoulder blades, when the PH pokes the animal with his rifle.


Solids from then on, because things have gotten dangerous and crazy!


Work up loads where your expanding bullets and solids have the same POI.

Have both with you and know your rifle.




My PH thought a .375 H&H was fine for buffalo. (I do too, except for trying to stop a charge)

I wanted a little more, so I used a .416 Rigby - one Hornady .400g DGX, was all it took, but I gave him two more, just in case...

 

[Nhoro]

500Gr. Partitions do no damage to AR500 Steel @50 either, a107Gr SMK fired from a 6 Creedmoor @300 does, it means nothing.

Copper solids from a lott do very little damage to steel plate while lead core softs make it through the plate from a 375. I am pretty sure the solid will go through a buffalo while a 375 soft of any description will generally not. Old school cup and core bullets were well known to fail on buffalo.

 

[Dakota Hunter]

A Game King is a very soft bullet. A Barnes X,Swift A Frame or even the old Nosler Partition would be a much better choice.

 

[cajunchefray]

Not for buffalo.

Use something stronger.

Old Nosler Partitions are still very reliable bullets. (300g)

I've taken 7 PG with 200g Game-Kings in .30 caliber, but I would use a better expanding bullet for my first shot on a buffalo.


I like my last PH's (Reinhardt Fourie) philosophy on shots with a bolt action...

1. Expanding, deep penetrating bullet - breaking the humorous and taking out as much heart and lungs as possible along the way.

2. Solid - through the chest, if the bull is alone. Very precise, if the bull is with the herd, or needed to stop a charge.

3. Expanding - a heart shot, between the two front legs, assuming the bull is lying on the ground.

4. Solid - to break the spine between the shoulder blades, when the PH pokes the animal with his rifle.


Solids from then on, because things have gotten dangerous and crazy!


Work up loads where your expanding bullets and solids have the same POI.

Have both with you and know your rifle.




My PH thought a .375 H&H was fine for buffalo. (I do too, except for trying to stop a charge)

I wanted a little more, so I used a .416 Rigby - one Hornady .400g DGX, was all it took, but I gave him two more, just in case...



View attachment 498762

THAT, is a nice buffalo!