Water buffalo caliber recommendation

[Dr Ray]

OK doc, which is it?

Mostly I use the 400 grain Woodleigh hydros 400 grain Swift A Frames in my 416 Remington Magnum

 

[BeeMaa]

Mostly I use the 400 grain Woodleigh hydros 400 grain Swift A Frames in my 416 Remington Magnum

Yeah, I get that. However in one post you said the Hydro's first and SAF's second. Then a little later you reversed the order.

Obviously you have been successful hunting WB so in the interest of shared knowledge...which order do you load (and shoot) these?

 

[Dr Ray]

Yeah, I get that. However in one post you said the Hydro's first and SAF's second. Then a little later you reversed the order.

Obviously you have been successful hunting WB so in the interest of shared knowledge...which order do you load (and shoot) these?

I tend to change them around

 

[Dr Ray]

I tend to change them around

I hand load using 400 grain Hydro with 78 grains of AR2398 (max load)
Swifts - use factory ammunition with the 400 grain A Frames

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

So did we all agree on a calibre for buffalo or not?

 

[avon_7]

What months would be best to plan a water buffalo hunt in the NT? It seems like something I might need to do after reading all this.

June to Late August is the Dry season and the most comfortable time to be hunting in the NT, however September to Early October (before the first rains ) is the easiest period to find Buffalo as they will be concentrated around any remaining water. I'ts just very hot and humid during this period.

 

[grand veneur]

So did we all agree on a calibre for buffalo or not?

This will be difficult.

We have never been able to agree on a caliber for the African Buffalo that continues to be shot with cartridges from the 9,3x62 to the 600 Nitro Express.

It will be even more difficult for the Water Buffalo in the NWT because in addition a lot of smaller cartridges are also used.

 

[Longdrive]

375 h&h,338,7mm,basically it's a big cow,so anything that will penetrate the thick hide covered in mud!!

 

[Silvine]

I would go with the 375 as well. Not saying the 45-70 wouldn't do the job, but with an animal as large as a water buffalo, I would have more confidence in the 375. I believe there about as large as the cape buffalo, but supposedly not quite as aggresive. I couple of years back, we went hunting in Africa. We stumbled across four trophy size cape buffalo. Being within 15 yds of them, you talk about one large piece of meat. I did not feel too safe with the 300 win mag I had in my hands to say the least. If I was traveling that far to go on a hunt like that and spending that kind of money, I would definetly go with the 375.

 

[avon_7]

They are physically quite a big bigger than Cape Buffalo, but generally not aggressive.
They are curious though and will eye ball you for ages, which unsettles a lot of people.

 

[Dr Ray]

They are physically quite a big bigger than Cape Buffalo, but generally not aggressive.
They are curious though and will eye ball you for ages, which unsettles a lot of people.

Including me!

 

[Sarg]

I will be back up there again in June guiding on them & will be carrying one of my .458Wins as usual !