My Buffalo Rifle

[Buckdog]

Nice rifle! I can vouch that the 416rem will put buff and other big critters down no problems. 400gr swift A frames and 400gr barnes solids at 2500fps will do the trick. If you are a handloader and have a chronograph run both bullets at the same velocity and they will shoot pretty much to the same POI at 50 and 100yds. The barnes solids will need less powder and be a very compressed load. word of caution work up to that velocity and see if your gun can handle the pressures without stuck case issuses and test them in the heat of the day too.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Charlie, are you the lucky rascal that bought Toby458's Merkel?

@CAustin Please tell me you have seen the light and got a double?

 

[Rick Cox]

From the Barnes website. But I stopped at 72.0 gr of RL15 because it was already going 2,655fps. I may eventually back off to 70.0 or 71.0 if the accuracy improves, but .62" works well.

Right on I have the Barnes manual.

 

[TOBY458]

Nice rifle! I can vouch that the 416rem will put buff and other big critters down no problems. 400gr swift A frames and 400gr barnes solids at 2500fps will do the trick. If you are a handloader and have a chronograph run both bullets at the same velocity and they will shoot pretty much to the same POI at 50 and 100yds. The barnes solids will need less powder and be a very compressed load. word of caution work up to that velocity and see if your gun can handle the pressures without stuck case issuses and test them in the heat of the day too.

I normally run my loads to 2300 fps or so. That way pressures are low, and the power is still on par with modern 404 Jeffrey loads. I can't imagine needing more than that. Do you find the Swift bullets hold together well on buffalo?

 

[matt85]

my favorite 416 RM load is a 300gr Barnes TSX over 81.5gr of H4895. in a Hornady case with Federal 215 primers this load yields an average of 2700 fps and is extremely accurate. I would trust this load for every thing up to buffalo but I "might" consider moving up to a 350gr TSX or a 400gr A-frame for buffalo. however, I would bet money my 300gr TSX load would drop a buffalo from most angles.

in my own experience with the same rifle as yours, it seems to like running 400gr Swift A-frames at around 2250fps which is plenty should you choose this option (I can dig up this load data if you want it).

-matt

 

[Buckdog]

I normally run my loads to 2300 fps or so. That way pressures are low, and the power is still on par with modern 404 Jeffrey loads. I can't imagine needing more than that. Do you find the Swift bullets hold together well on buffalo?

Toby 458, I have put a total of 6 400gr swift a frames into buff and other big critters and they all held together and preformed flawlessly at 2500fps. 2400fps I believe is the factory velocity for 416rem and sort of the gold std for 416s in general. 2250-2300 a bit slow but all guns are different in what loads and pressure they can handle and lower pressure def on the safe side as far as a stuck case at the wrong time! If your gun likes 2250fps hey be happy and it will kill a buff just as dead as 2500fps. I tried lower velocity around 2400 first and the sweet spot for me was 2500 to get the solids and a frames to same POI. I did put the gun and rds out in 95 degree heat and cook it good and try the rds that way too to be safe and I think that is prudent to do for any DG gun and rds before going to Africa when your ass can be on the line.

 

[crs]

My three Buffalo Rifles with rough scores:
1886 .45-90 shooting 450 grain solids at 2150 fps MV.
One ele, 3 cape buff, a leopard, bison, and numerous Texas exotics and plains game:


Miroku/Winchester 1895 TD shooting 400 grain Woodies and various 300 grain bullets. One cape buff, two water buff, warthog, numerous feral hogs and other US plainsgame:


My Simson Suhl .405 WCF shooting 300 grain loads and 400 grain Woodies. Take feral hogs, Nilgai, and soon elk, but not yet bloodied on DG:

 

[PaulT]

This is my own personal buffalo rifle.

Win mod 70 action.
Pacnor .50 cal barrel.
Accurate Innovations stock, bedded in aluminium block.
N.E.C.G front and back sights.
Chambered in .500 MDM Ultra mag (.375 RUM necked up to true .50 cal; 450gn CEB Raptors at 2400 fps).

Devastating on buffalo.

 

[TOBY458]

Here's what a 375 h&h with Barnes 300gr TSX will do. This is a management bull I took in Australia in 2015. Big body, just not huge horns, but still a great hunt!

 

[John A Flaws]

I have the buffalo rifles but no buffalo because the rifles have consumed all my funds. August Schuler 500, Jeffery and Son 450 NE No2, Army Navy Co-Op society 404 Jeffery, Westley Richard 425, and Holland and Holland 375 magnum.

 

[lwaters]

Those are some really neat rifles

 

[CAustin]

Nice rifles @John A Flaws.

 

[brettp]

Those are some really neat rifles

Sell a few and go hunt!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Nice rifles.
Witold

 

[CDorroh]

Rigby Big Game in .416 Rigby. In the early stages of planning a 2019 trip to Zambia for cape buffalo.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Legendary rifle in legendary calibre.
Witold

 

[Dr Ray]

Seeing that my Merkel 470 found a new home today, (with one of our members), I suppose this will be my dedicated buffalo rifle. It's a Winchester Model 70, 416 Rem Mag, with Mcmillan stock and Leupold VX3 1.5-5x20 scope. Let me see your buffalo rifles!

View attachment 204091

What an excellent choice of cartridge, rifle, and scope!

 

[Shootist43]

John Flaws, that is the most impressive collection of "Buffalo Rifles" I've ever seen. When or if you go, which one would you take?

 

[TOBY458]

I have the buffalo rifles but no buffalo because the rifles have consumed all my funds. August Schuler 500, Jeffery and Son 450 NE No2, Army Navy Co-Op society 404 Jeffery, Westley Richard 425, and Holland and Holland 375 magnum.
View attachment 204797 View attachment 204798 View attachment 204799 View attachment 204800 View attachment 204801

Nice stuff! Now sell a few and go hunting!

 

[Rick Cox]

My three Buffalo Rifles with rough scores:
1886 .45-90 shooting 450 grain solids at 2150 fps MV.
One ele, 3 cape buff, a leopard, bison, and numerous Texas exotics and plains game:


Miroku/Winchester 1895 TD shooting 400 grain Woodies and various 300 grain bullets. One cape buff, two water buff, warthog, numerous feral hogs and other US plainsgame:


My Simson Suhl .405 WCF shooting 300 grain loads and 400 grain Woodies. Take feral hogs, Nilgai, and soon elk, but not yet bloodied on DG:

Awesome! Like my daddy used to say: "you can't argue with success."