mono vs lead for Cape Buffalo?

[YancyW]

I think I’m a very easy client to make happy in camp, but I have given directives there will be no more buffalo served for dinner the rest of a safari. I get tired of it quick.

Same, I am very reluctant to be seen as demanding, but old bull Buffalo is not something I am going to eat, if there are any other options.

 

[Oldwavy]

For Cape Buffalo, I'd recommend fragmenting mono-metal bullets like CEB, Hammer, or Lehigh for quicker kills. Swift A-Frames and Barnes TSX are still solid choices, but the newer stuff is impressive.

Behind-the-shoulder lung shots are my favorite for dropping them quickly and humanely. For stopping a charge, aim for the head or neck with a solid or Barnes TSX - it's a high-pressure situation, so prioritize speed over precision!

 

[Carnivore hunter]

For Cape Buffalo, I'd recommend fragmenting mono-metal bullets like CEB, Hammer, or Lehigh for quicker kills. Swift A-Frames and Barnes TSX are still solid choices, but the newer stuff is impressive.

Behind-the-shoulder lung shots are my favorite for dropping them quickly and humanely. For stopping a charge, aim for the head or neck with a solid or Barnes TSX - it's a high-pressure situation, so prioritize speed over precision!

Has your personal experience in hunting cape buffalo proved that behind the shoulder lung shots stop buffalo quicker than shoulder shots?

 

[Red Leg]

For Cape Buffalo, I'd recommend fragmenting mono-metal bullets like CEB, Hammer, or Lehigh for quicker kills. Swift A-Frames and Barnes TSX are still solid choices, but the newer stuff is impressive.

Behind-the-shoulder lung shots are my favorite for dropping them quickly and humanely. For stopping a charge, aim for the head or neck with a solid or Barnes TSX - it's a high-pressure situation, so prioritize speed over precision!

Behind the shoulder with a fragmenting bullet on a cape buffalo. Mind telling us your sample size? I personally know of no DG PH or experienced hunter who would make that recommendation.

 

[TOBY458]

Although my experience with the CEB Raptor bullets is limited to only one Buffalo, I will say they worked great on the one buffalo I did shoot with them. I shot the bull in the shoulder, and it did massive damage before exiting the off side. This was a 420 gr 458 bullet with a muzzle velocity of around 2275 fps. Based on that limited experience, I’d definitely use them again.

 

[Carnivore hunter]

Although my experience with the CEB Raptor bullets is limited to only one Buffalo, I will say they worked great on the one buffalo I did shoot with them. I shot the bull in the shoulder, and it did massive damage before exiting the off side. This was a 420 gr 458 bullet with a muzzle velocity of around 2275 fps. Based on that limited experience, I’d definitely use them again.

Are you concerned with pass through's and hitting another buff?

Also, do you shoot a high shoulder shot or a low shoulder shot down by the heart?

 

[375Fox]

Behind the shoulder with a fragmenting bullet on a cape buffalo. Mind telling us your sample size? I personally know of no DG PH or experienced hunter who would make that recommendation.

I don’t know a PH that would recommend a behind the shoulder shot on a buffalo, but I do know a highly respected PH in Zimbabwe that highly recommends the cutting edge raptors. I’m still a bit skeptical but I’d like to try based on his feedback.

 

[Aaron N]

Although my experience with the CEB Raptor bullets is limited to only one Buffalo, I will say they worked great on the one buffalo I did shoot with them. I shot the bull in the shoulder, and it did massive damage before exiting the off side. This was a 420 gr 458 bullet with a muzzle velocity of around 2275 fps. Based on that limited experience, I’d definitely use them again.

Did the blades make it through the shoulder and slice into the vitals?

 

[Altitude sickness]

This bull was shot with a 370 grain Safari raptor. It was walking thru and I shot when he was at the blue dot.

I was slightly up hill in the direction the blue arrow is pointing. The bull basically fell forward into its resting spot. We turned him 180 degrees from original position. To use the sun angle for pictures.

It entered in the center of the red circle straight up the leg and I’ve shown the exit hole.

It fell forward about 7 yds and died almost instantly. By the time we walked forward he was stone dead already. No insurance needed.


The CEB Raptor destroyed the vitals and the bullet shank continued on and killed an unseen cow in the brush behind the bull. Even the trackers did not notice her back there.
So for killing things quickly the Raptor excels. But after the blades stop the solid shank keeps penetrating and will exit a chest. Treat them as a solid in a herd. They would excel in frontals and quartering too shots. Just like any bullet. You have to know it’s inherent design pros and cons and stay in its lane.

 

[grand veneur]

For Cape Buffalo, I'd recommend fragmenting mono-metal bullets like CEB, Hammer, or Lehigh for quicker kills. Swift A-Frames and Barnes TSX are still solid choices, but the newer stuff is impressive.

Behind-the-shoulder lung shots are my favorite for dropping them quickly and humanely. For stopping a charge, aim for the head or neck with a solid or Barnes TSX - it's a high-pressure situation, so prioritize speed over precision!

Your statement is very provocative for a controversial discussion when you know what opinion, for the most part justified, is represented on the Forum and in general by big game hunting when it comes to bullets and their speed. It sounds like you have shot a lot of buffalo in this way, nevertheless I doubt that such bullets always work well. You can shoot buffaloes with fragmenting bullets, but such bullets are not primarily suitable for such types of game, especially when the high impact velocity parameter is added to this.That is the last thing you need with deformation and especially fragmenting bullets, no matter what kind of. It has contributed to the bad reputation of some cartridges.

 

[TOBY458]

Are you concerned with pass through's and hitting another buff?

Also, do you shoot a high shoulder shot or a low shoulder shot down by the heart?

If I were shooting in a herd, I would definitely be aware of other buffalo behind the intended target.
I usually try to shoot them in the heart/lung region, but in this incidence I shot him a little high in the shoulder, which clipped the spine.

 

[TOBY458]

Did the blades make it through the shoulder and slice into the vitals?

I really couldn’t tell about that. I just noticed a lot of damage to the vital organs. They were skinning him in the dark, so I couldn’t see everything I wanted to see

 

[TOBY458]

I don’t know a PH that would recommend a behind the shoulder shot on a buffalo, but I do know a highly respected PH in Zimbabwe that highly recommends the cutting edge raptors. I’m still a bit skeptical but I’d like to try based on his feedback.

IMO, the CEB Raptors probably work better in a 40+ caliber rifle, on buffalo. Once those pedals break off, you’re left with a solid, for the most part. I would think that a larger caliber hole, once the pedals break off, would be more desirable. But that’s just my opinion, based on very limited experience. The exit hole on my buffalo, shot with a 458, was basically 458 diameter. Just like you’d have with a solid.

 

[375Fox]

Your statement is very provocative for a controversial discussion when you know what opinion, for the most part justified, is represented on the Forum and in general by big game hunting when it comes to bullets and their speed. It sounds like you have shot a lot of buffalo in this way, nevertheless I doubt that such bullets always work well. You can shoot buffaloes with fragmenting bullets, but such bullets are not primarily suitable for such types of game, especially when the high impact velocity parameter is added to this.That is the last thing you need with deformation and especially fragmenting bullets, no matter what kind of. It has contributed to the bad reputation of some cartridges.

I have not tried yet, but the bullets listed are not traditional fragmenting bullets like say a lead core Berger. There are a lot of tests and discussions of them here on this forum. Bullets like a raptor do better at higher velocity. They break into several designed petals that do their own damage spreading out in a designed pattern while the base penetrates through as a solid. There is no deformation. It breaks into the shape it’s designed for. A traditional fragmenting lead core bullet would break into an unknown number of soft lead pieces and deform based on impact velocity and the type of bone or muscle hit in an uncontrolled way. One bullet is designed for repeatable performance. The other is not. I would never consider using a fragmenting lead core bullet, but I have read and heard enough to have some confidence trying a raptor.

 

[KuduKiller]

Barnes TSX

 

[zephyr]

With CEB Safari Raptors I have shot
3 Cape Buff
1 Eland
1 wildebeest
Numerous Water Buff on a cull hunt in Austrailia
Rifles used
400H&H
45NE
458 Lott
505 Gibbs
Shots on Buff have been 1 behind shoulder, 1 straight on low chest 1 quartering to
All 3 Buff the damage to the heart and lungs were devastating all were one and done but insurance shots were taken just because
The wildebeest was a broadside shot at 100 yards with my 450NE and a 450gr Safari Raptor leaving the end of the gun at 2180fps hitting the animal approx 1800fps at the shot the animal dropped on it's brisket bellowing There was a hole on both sides and ropes of blood exiting from the holes at the skinning shed all the plumbing above the heart was disconnected..
I like my CEB's but if I was going to hunt herd bulls I would probably switch to Northforks or Aframes

 

[coreydb]

I know everyone has their preferences and bias. But in my last buffalo hunt, my first three shots were with Swift A- frames. The fourth round was with a Woodleigh hydro-solid. The bull kept going, though sluggishly, but shuddered and fell on impact from the Woodleigh. A "post-mortem" showed all hits were kill shots, but the solid was the bullet that shook it up and stopped it dead in its tracks. Call it what you want, there is a place and purpose for solids. And YES, the TSXs are superb on buffalo as are the North Forks. I tried different bullets and all worked well, its just that Buffalo are bullet sponges. Go ahead and pick your poison as the saying goes....just aim true and kill 'em dead.

 

[Aaron N]

I really couldn’t tell about that. I just noticed a lot of damage to the vital organs. They were skinning him in the dark, so I couldn’t see everything I wanted to see

Sounds like you got all the info you really needed. A dead buffalo

 

[coreydb]

Sounds like you got all the info you really needed. A dead buffalo

Sounds like you got all the info you really needed. A dead buffalo

That's right! Proof is in the pudding...dead and in bed

 

[Red Leg]

I know everyone has their preferences and bias. But in my last buffalo hunt, my first three shots were with Swift A- frames. The fourth round was with a Woodleigh hydro-solid. The bull kept going, though sluggishly, but shuddered and fell on impact from the Woodleigh. A "post-mortem" showed all hits were kill shots, but the solid was the bullet that shook it up and stopped it dead in its tracks. Call it what you want, there is a place and purpose for solids. And YES, the TSXs are superb on buffalo as are the North Forks. I tried different bullets and all worked well, its just that Buffalo are bullet sponges.

My four were taken with either 300 gr TSX or Swift A Frame. All were essentially one shot kills, though two were given insurance shots. One dropped in his bed and the other three didn't make twenty yards. I have used Woodleigh Hydro's on two bears, several large plains game animals and six members of the tiny ten. Almost everything took a rather long while to die like with any solid. I should note a Suni drops instantly. I would not hesitate to use them to brain an elephant, but they will not be in my rifle for a buffalo.

I really have no interest in a bullet designed to shed shrapnel (and weight) and then perform like a solid from a lighter caliber. One reason I do not use partitions on buffalo.

Go ahead and pick your poison as the saying goes....just aim true and kill 'em dead.

Absolutely. I believe that is the single most critical issue that decides how a buffalo engagement ends. Hit him with a quality bullet in exactly the right place and he never has the opportunity to become a bullet sponge.