Still awaiting your answer. You proclaimed your infallibility with a 375 and solids. I too appreciate "straight facts." I am sure the heartfelt and sincere DG hunters who appreciate a .375 would like to further benefit from your big bore experience. What rifle in what chambering were you using when your first shot induced those charges you have also experienced?
"... proclaim my infallibility with a .375 solid."
I don't remember saying that. If I did, I shouldn't have. ( My memory is getting so bad, that I can hide my own easter eggs.)
I would be surprised if you or others would benefit from my experience. I think that you have your minds pretty well made up about this. I think that you are doing fine and enjoying your hunting without my input. No one has to read a hunting blog to enjoy and excel at cape buffalo hunting.
But those few who are reading my post can enjoy our discussion without agreeing with me.
I appreciate your posts very much.
As best as I remember, I have had two good buffalo, one shot, kills with the NF CP Solid, and one where I only clipped one lung with NF CPS and it took about six hours to follow up.
That buffalo charged in the end. It toll 3 rounds fro the PH's 416 Rigby to find it. The rifle I used was my Winchester M70 .375hh with a 300 grain North Fork Cup Point Solid. I feel that the wound channel of a 375 HH solid is too small in diameter for cape buffalo. I think that I may have posted that somewhere here.
The other two charges were by buffalo that were not shot at, but came at us when we were following another another buffalo.
I actually had an old cow that charged us recently, that makes four charges in total, not three. This time we were in the truck!
It was kind of funny and I told the story here on AH recently. It was the last buffalo that I shot with my .577NE with Peregrine 700 grain Bush Master bullet.
This took place in April this year near Rustenburg, North West Province. It was our 8th. day of hunting and we were looking for our sixth buffalo. The PH explained that there was a 22 year old cow ( that is not a typo) in the herd that had a history of charging everything from hunters on foot to moving bakkies.
We were driving along in a open area that was about 80 acres. The PH, Gene and I were riding in the high seats in the back and the tracker, Georg was in the cab driving.
I had a little MP3 player that I was fiddling with at the time and not paying much attention to the bush. ( I had some recordings of buffalo nerd sounds on the MP3 that I was experimenting with.)
Meanwhile, Gene was on the job glassing into the edge of the bush about 200 yds south of us. There had been heavy rains there and the grass was green and nearly four feet tall in places. It was a beautiful area. I have poor hearing and double vision and a mild astigmatism. Also I was about to turn 80 years old, Some people might even say that I was past my prime. (LOL)
Gene signal for George to stop, then he turned to me with a grin on his face and said,
"Remember that old cow that I told you about this morning? the one that charges vehicles and likes to put dents in them? Well, she coming for us coming of us right now."
It took me a while to see her, she was about 150 yards off and coming at us as hard as she could go.
Gene, still grinning asked, "How do you feel about shooting her from the truck? I gave him the thumbs up. He whispered to George to turn the truck to face her and shut the engine off. I got ready which for me included wiping my eyes clear with one of those eye wipes. The old cow was still coming with all he might, when she got within about 100yds. Gene whispered, when she stops you can take your shot.
I told him at the beginning of the hunt that with my poor vision and my green dot Holodun sight I liked shoot no further that 60 yards. He had always provided nice close shots for me and I assumed
that's how this shot would work out. The old cow was still coming hard straight for us and when she was at about 80 yds. I was surprised when Gene made a calf bleat and she stopped and scowled at us with her head high.
Through the tall grass I could only see the top half of her body. What could go wrong. I really struggled with the sight picture and with cautious optimism I squeezed off the shot on my single shot break open rifle.
She was quartering slightly towards us and I hoped to put the 700 grain Peregrine bullet right where her shoulder joined her neck and a couple of inches above the tall grass.
At the shot I couldn't anything through the muzzle blast and recoil. I blinked a couple of time but she was gone.
"What did you do with my buffalo?" I asked trying to be funny.
We dove forward and there she was exactly where I shot her. The .577 NE bullet hit her where I hoped and penetrated all the way to the root of her tail. ( they say that the .577 does not have great penetration.)
Gene laughed and told me that she went down on the spot like she had been struck by lightening. I was very relieved! Gene videos the shot on his cell phone.
After the hunt I sold that rifle and will now use my TC Encore with a 50-110 Winchester barrel. ( it is actually a custom barrel in a true true .500 calibre as opposed to the original .510 barrel.) I have had perfect terminal performance with it on several cape buffalo using the .500 cal. CEB Raptor .410 grain bullet.
I hope that you enjoy this story as much a I enjoy telling it. brian
