mono vs lead for Cape Buffalo?

[375Fox]

So now you are getting into personal attacks by insinuating that I'm dishonest. I'm not offended nor do I care but glad if it makes you feel a little better.

Winning frequently gets in the way of an honest discussion. In this case the personal attack was started by you in your previous post, but I do think you and I have very different ideas of a quality buffalo hunt.

 

[YancyW]

You are overthinking it. Forget about the perfect setup in how you want the Buff to stand. Be prepared from broadside, to quartering on, to frontal. It's hunting.
Before the bandwagon gets here, I'm not saying if they are grazing peacefully in front of you that you can't wait, but don't give up on a dream buff because you didn't prepare well enough to take a quartering on shot. I would say 85% of Buff we have shot, were quartering on.

This. People work themselves into knots thinking about this stuff.

 

[grand veneur]

I would prefer to hunt without PH like I did it in Burkina Faso for almost fifteen years. My local guide and tracker as well as the two other trackers were enough for me. The guide had a single-barreled shotgun with him so that I was always sure that I had shot the buffalo on my own. It is certain that something like that is only possible under special conditions, but this is another topic. Unfortunately, something like that does not work in Southeast and South-Africa, but the local trackers also play there an important role.

 

[SStomcat]

Winning frequently gets in the way of an honest discussion. In this case the personal attack was started by you in your previous post, but I do think you and I have very different ideas of a quality buffalo hunt.

Having different ideas leads to a better idea once you know to disagree agreeably

 

[matt85]

TSX or Aframes, see if you can get yourself a copy of "Kevin Robertson's Shots for African Game".

+1 to this.

I personally used a-frames for my buffalo and they worked wonders. I give the slight edge to the a-frames because a tsx would likely have struggled with my first shot. My first shot hit a small unseen tree before hitting a buffalo, which could have damaged the hollow point.

 

[Pondoro]

From everything I’ve read from PH’s and experienced buffalo hunters, it all comes down to good initial shot placement with an adequate caliber. The biggest failure point is poor shot placement by the client which is more likely with a larger ccrtridge and an unfamiliar action.

No question, the 470 NE is a great DG cartridge, but to suggest you wouldn’t consider using a 375 H&H is likely saying you wouldn’t use a 30/06 for deer. In all likelihood, more buffalo have been taken with a 375 H&H or a 9.3x62 than any other cartridges.

You are getting things a little backwards here.. I said I would not use my .375H&H as long as I own a scoped .470 double rifle.. Sure, the .375H&H kill buffalo..but when you bump into big bulls in dense bush, 15 - 20 meters distance, you have 2 seconds to shoot if he come. Then the .470 is very reassuring..

I get 2170fps out of my .470 Krieghoff with Hornady DGX Bonded ammo..that is close to 5200 footpounds..

If you shoot buffalo at distance, ie out of a heard..sure then .375 is fine.

And FYI I have shot 2 elephants with my .375..but that does not make .375 a true elephant rifle. That is .416/.458 and up..

 

[mattdeere1]

In my experience the TSX was the best for penetration on Mbogo or any of the larger African game

. The swift A Frame was decent with good weight retention. Everything else was garbage in comparison.

 

[pilar]

Yes I have, you need to learn how to disagree agreeably, somehow you seem to have this in your head that you are always correct and anyone that has a different view is no good. You keep repeating that the client fired the shot hours earlier, that to me is meaningless, it is in this situation that matters and the PH was dead wrong to shoot first.
What you choose to do is your choice, and that applies to you and you only doesn't mean it becomes ubiquitous.

I’m confused on what you consider PH protocol procedures on dangerous game
IMHO it’s game on 1st available shot no matter who gets it , if it’s ph then better be ready to start putting insurance shots in there asap ( after a little muzzle discipline “ my pet peeve on YouTube safari videos “)
Our blood tracking dog guy always insists he and his son follow his dog alone and finish the job if necessary.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

Have any of you been apart of or seen a DRT on a cape buffalo with the first shot?

 

[375Fox]

Have any of you been apart of or seen a DRT on a cape buffalo with the first shot?

When it’s shot in the brain. You need to abandon the idea of DRT. It’s about shooting quality bullets that retain mass and penetrate through heavy bone to give predictable results. They are very tough animals compared to North American game. I think energy really assists in making a faster kill when comparing equal bullet penetration, but bullets that “dump” their energy and fragment that might kill a whitetail deer DRT won’t have the same effect on a buffalo. A buffalo will run away with a bad flesh wound.

 

[Brian]

I have been fortunate enough to have had 4 DRT, first shot cape buffalo kills. All were broadside double lung shots ( not direct heart shots.) at close range. All went down within 5 yds of being hit.
One with the 700 grain, .577NE, Peregrine Bushmaster VRG3 bullet and three with the .410 grain CEB Raptor bullet in my .500-110 . All loads were moderate velocity. Brian

 

[Nevada Mike]

Swift AFrame of .40"+ diameter and at least 400 grains. at least 2300 fps. Shoulder shot aimed to destroy shoulder, ribs, lungs, upper heart/arteries, followed by more lungs, ribs, shoulder.

 

[SRvet]

Have any of you been apart of or seen a DRT on a cape buffalo with the first shot?

Yes, with a .375 H&H and a 300g TSX @2550fps. Frontal shot on my first buff cow. Dropped to the shot and we then paid the insurance.

 

[Andrew62]

Of the buffaloes I have taken, I did take one with Hornady DGX that was knocked flat on the first shot, took one with Swift Aframes that never took a step.

 

[Red Leg]

Have any of you been apart of or seen a DRT on a cape buffalo with the first shot?

Yes, my first in the Caprivi. 60 yards or so three quarters facing. Rose from his bed and hit him lower third just inside the facing shoulder. He dropped back into it without moving an inch. 300 gr TSX from a .375. Imagine that.

 

[mark-hunter]

Have any of you been apart of or seen a DRT on a cape buffalo with the first shot?

Yes.
I hunted buffalo with a friend. I shot mine, 3 shots. (2 x double lungs, 1 x head)

But next day, my friend was hunting I was camera man in the team (with rifle).
He hunted with Ruger no 1, in 375 H&H. SIngle shot.
He had opportunity on frontal shot at 50 yards.
He hit him in the heart, buffalo run up to 200 meters, and dropped.

 

[mark-hunter]

Further to my post above, some observations and comments:

My three shots were within 31 seconds from first to last.
It was in the open, in tall grass. After the second shot, buffalo turned to us, and looked at us. (with that look!)
I shot him third shot under left eye (aiming between eyes from apprx 80 meters)

My friends buffalo was shot in the bush, at apprx 50 meters.
One shot to the heart, buffalo decided to flee, run maybe 200 meters and dropped.

Some observations and afterthoughts:
After the first shot, you don't know what the buffalo will decide, and first shot does not guarantee instant incapacitation, the buff will have some time to decide what to do for his last moments.
First buffalo (mine) stood his ground, and had thirty seconds to charge (up to him), and second buffalo had 200 meters to make, either on us, or in opposite direction. (up to him)
I was really concerned with situation in the bush, with small visibility.

Next is the comments of my PH.
This in part confirms my observations from these two experiences.
Buffalo in the open, and buffalo in the bush are two different animals.
In the open, they are cautions, and keep some safe distance.
In the bush, they are spooky, and hard to approach. They run away at first wind, or sound.

But it could also be difference of character between the two animals I am describing, one standing his ground, another running for dear life.
Maybe this comments will help you decide on how you want hunt buffalo? In the bush or in the tall grass?

I am attaching screenshots from a film that my friend made when I was hunting.

- observing

- first shot from stick, 100 meters, broad side double lungs

- second shot, off hand (no stick), we approached few steps, to maybe 90 meters, double lungs next to first hit

- third shot, he was facing us, he made few steps towards us, and stopped

- on the spot

A friend was filming behind me all the time.