Reloading For Buffalo

[zephyr]

Have you given any thought to the CEB bullets

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Have you given any thought to the CEB bullets

I have considered CEB and will probably start to play around with them one day but my personal preference is a lead core bonded bullet, also I have enough 458 calibre 550 grain Woodleighs to last a lifetime of buffalo hunting.

 

[deewayne2003]

@Aussie_Hunter

My triumphant return to OZ was going to be an epic Arnhem Land buff hunt with a fellow forum member; I was going to spend all of September 2021 in the NT….. Covid did not agree so it’s lingering in the “some day” hunts.

I bought a Ruger RSM from another forum member, fitted it with a NECG peep sight that was purchased from yet another forum member and had the Woodleighs worked out in 410gr PP & FMJ + 400gr Hydros; and was beginning work on 450gr Woodleighs when the hunt was canceled.

So I sold the RSM and sent off a BRNO ZKK-602 in .375H&H for conversion to .404J and I’m waiting for the rifles return for load development before stock work will begin and hope to have the .404J ready for my return to OZ …”someday”

 

[Frederik]

Deewayne, I don't know what to to say the RSM was shooting great or did you just have an itch to own a mighty 404Jeff???

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Deewayne, I don't know what to to say the RSM was shooting great or did you just have an itch to own a mighty 404Jeff???

I was going to say the same thing, looks like it was shooting great. I have a RSM in 375H&H and I love it, great rifle.

 

[deewayne2003]

Deewayne, I don't know what to to say the RSM was shooting great or did you just have an itch to own a mighty 404Jeff???

Yes I did have an itch for a .404J and considering that the BRNO has such a massive magazine that it can hold 4-5 + 1 in the chamber when converted I figured that a BRNO in .404J would be an ideal buff, scrub, pig, nag & Banteng rifle that I figured it was a project worth taking on.

I’ve got the time now so why not.

 

[Rell]

Chapuis SxS 450-400 3”
400gr Woodliegh softs and solids
66gr RL15
Hornady brass
Fed GM primers
Fiber wads
@2175fps

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Chapuis SxS 450-400 3”
400gr Woodliegh softs and solids
66gr RL15
Hornady brass
Fed GM primers
Fiber wads
@2175fps

The 450/400 3" must really be a soft shooting cartridge huh? A 400 grain bullet with only 66 grains of RL15 behind it sounds great to me.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

For me Woodleigh for both my 375 H&H and 458 lott luckily I have quite a bit of supply still and only use them to hunt with. (unless I win a big lotto )

375 H&H Musgrave built on a opened standard action and I need to keep the overal length to 90mm for proper feeding out of my magazine.

67gr of Norma203B powder with Fed 215 primers and RWS cases.
Gives me good accuarcy and a speed of 2470fps

The 458 lott I recently changed over from the 480gr RN to the 500gr protected point.
81gr of Norma203B powder with Hornady cases and giving me a speed of 2180fps

Have not shot anything with the 500gr bullet yet but if they perform anything or better than the 480gr softs RN I would be very happy.

I might just get a chance in 2 weeks time backing up on a buffalo bull hunt.

The Woodleigh protected points are a great bullet I have used them quite a bit with great results, I like them better than the RNSN mostly because the nose of the bullet doesn't deform under heavy recoil in the magazine. You won't notice much difference in performance, in the field the PP & RNSN seem to give very similar results with expansion and penetration from what I have seen anyway, I loaded the 500 grain PP with 81.5 grains of RL15 putting them right at 2190fps for a mates Lott that he will be using for buffalo this year.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I shot a buffalo in 2019 using a .450 Rigby. Used a Barnes TSX @ either 2300 or 2350 FPS. One frontal chest shot at 110 yards - bullet mushroomed perfectly, photos of the bullet below, hard to argue with those kind of results!

View attachment 447326View attachment 447327View attachment 447328

500 grain TSX?

 

[Beck]

500 grain TS

500 grain TSX?

Correct sir

 

[Rare Breed]

Chapuis SxS 450-400 3”
400gr Woodliegh softs and solids
66gr RL15
Hornady brass
Fed GM primers
Fiber wads
@2175fps

Nice…I have the exact gun and set up yet use H4831SC and get 2052 FPS

 

[ARHinAK]

I’m reloading for a May 2022 Buffalo hunt.
Searcy .470 NE
500 grain Barnes TSX
103 gr H-1000
Hornady brass
Federal mag rifle primers.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I’m reloading for a May 2022 Buffalo hunt.
Searcy .470 NE
500 grain Barnes TSX
103 gr H-1000
Hornady brass
Federal mag rifle primers.

Sounds like a decent load, what sort of velocity you looking at? Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Bullthrower338]

470 N.E. Searcy
Fed 215M primer
118.0 grains of IMR 7977
500 gr Swift A-Frame
Norma Brass
Avg 2180 FPS

 

[ARHinAK]

Sounds like a decent load, what sort of velocity you looking at? Good luck on your hunt.

Honestly I haven’t chrono ‘d it. It’s within 2 grains of the max load listed by Barnes and it shoots good. I should find out just because but I’m thinking it’ll work.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

470 N.E. Searcy
Fed 215M primer
118.0 grains of IMR 7977
500 gr Swift A-Frame
Norma Brass
Avg 2180 FPS

You bringing that to Australia or what?

 

[Bullthrower338]

You bringing that to Australia or what?

I will the next time I come back

 

[Rell]

Nice…I have the exact gun and set up yet use H4831SC and get 2052 FPS

I have 26 inch barrels. I think that probably gives me 50-75fps over 24s?

 

[MS 9x56]

I'm with you on the standard weights for calibre, this is the first time ever I have gone with heavy for calibre and the reasons for this is supply, I have had 458 calibre 500 grain A-frames on order for nearly 12 months and the importer of Swift in Australia is still unable to provide an ETA, the other reason is the 450 Rigby cartridge can easily push the heavier bullets at decent velocities. Anyway will see how we go, maybe heavy for calibre might become a new favourite for me.

As long as you are not shooting more than about 250 meters there is nothing to dislike about heavy for caliber bullets. I have within the last 2 years started loading heavy for caliber round nose bullets in all my calibers. Performance on game is noticeably different in shorter blood trails and less meat damage. Most important to a meat hunter. Most of the bullets I have been buying are new old stock as most manufacturers in the US have stopped producing round nose bullets for below 35 caliber. Except of course for the 30-30.