Water buffalo caliber recommendation

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

After hunting NT my only regret was not bringing a double! I hunted with Outback Buffalo Safaris and Aaron damn sure put Buffalo in front of us!

cheers,
Cody

@Bullthrower338
Cody you may have hunted buff out here my friend but you couldn't handle our best products. VEGEMITE was your undoing. I was just giving you a reminder mate.
If you PM me your address I will send you half a pound of this most delicious Australian staple. Only thing is you may want to warn the neighbours to lock their dogs up before you eat it. We don't want a repeat of the dingo story.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[Dr Ray]

@Quaticman
Mate any of the 3 would be more than enough. Water buff have been shot with everything from 303 up. A good mate of mine used to use a 338 Federal with 185gn Barnes tsx to good effect then switched to the 358 Mitchell Express loaded with 225gr Atomic 29 projectiles. His son who used to guide clients after buff used a 35 Whelen then switched to his dads Mitchell Express.
@Dr Ray has clobbered them with a lot of bigger calibers and I'm sure @ 264 could chime in to.
If you want you could go after Bantang while you are here and then throw in a scrubber. These are mean SOBs that have a natural hate of humanity and will charge just for the exersize.
Bob

A lot depends on how close to your vehicle.
The distance = caliber

 

[Dr Ray]

A lot depends on how close to your vehicle.
The distance = caliber

By that I mean the closer the bigger the whack just in case!!

 

[CBH Australia]

A lot depends on how close to your vehicle.
The distance = caliber

So I think you use a .416 among others.

I understand your logic but you did not give us the equation.

So a .500nitro is for up close and personal, the .458 a few steps back and the .416 is pretty close'ish.
Step back and the .375H&H is closely followed by the 9.3x62,
Bit how many more paces do I give myself for a .35Whelen?

 

[Dr Ray]

So I think you use a .416 among others.

I understand your logic but you did not give us the equation.

So a .500nitro is for up close and personal, the .458 a few steps back and the .416 is pretty close'ish.
Step back and the .375H&H is closely followed by the 9.3x62,
Bit how many more paces do I give myself for a .35Whelen?

Ha
My suggestion if on foot a fair running distance from “safety” use a big caliber

35 W 37.6 paces

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

So I think you use a .416 among others.

I understand your logic but you did not give us the equation.

So a .500nitro is for up close and personal, the .458 a few steps back and the .416 is pretty close'ish.
Step back and the .375H&H is closely followed by the 9.3x62,
Bit how many more paces do I give myself for a .35Whelen?

@CBH Australia
Chris you can use the Whelen up close and personal to a reasonable distance.
Just ask Ted Mitchell. He dropped a younger meat buff one shot with his Mitchell Express and upon that happening a far larger bull charged with no warning. All he saw thru the scope was one eye and a bit of firehead when he fired. The bull dropped virtually at his feet.
In a case like that yes I would prefer bigger like the 500 but Ted is an exceptionally good shot.
So yes if you have good nerves and steel balls along with plenty of room in your undies the Whelen will do in nasty situations as well as out to 150 odd yards depending on projectile. I deffinatly wouldn't use a 200gr ftx but a 275gn Woodleigh or 310 as well as the hydro I wouldn't have an issue as all will give 4,000 fpe or close to it.
Bob
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

I have the .375H&H if I get to chase Buffalo.
I'm not sure how good my nerves are or how close I want to get so I will have to rely on shot placement and projectile performance. (The common denominator)

As for the rest DG fascinate me and Buffalo or Scrub Bull might be my best chance and an all Aussie adventure.

 

[crs]

For the Aussies on this forum:
A friend of mine who lives up the coast from Sydney, has taken all Australian big game with his Winchester 1895 .405 WCF. Even his teenage son has taken water buff with the .405. He has also taken many game animals and exotics here in Texas with that rifle and it has performed well for him in Africa. Of course, he does not live in a city and is accustomed to the "outback" and lever action rifles. He has done all this with Hornady factory 300 grain ammo and some of my handloaded 300 grain North Fork ammo at 2250 fps. He is an accomplished hunter and shooter.

 

[machinistbutler]

@Bullthrower338
Cody you may have hunted buff out here my friend but you couldn't handle our best products. VEGEMITE was your undoing. I was just giving you a reminder mate.
If you PM me your address I will send you half a pound of this most delicious Australian staple. Only thing is you may want to warn the neighbours to lock their dogs up before you eat it. We don't want a repeat of the dingo story.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

I was in the Cook islands at the start of this covid disaster. Tried some of the Marmite, which I think is similar to Vegemite.

I have no idea how anyone could eat that. A small amount might be good to start a soup base. I honestly do not have words for how that stuff tasted.

Maybe Burnt balsam fir sap with heavy salt. Ugh.

Loved the Cook islands though!

 

[Foxi]

make us a shooting pattern, freehand 50 m -four to six shots with each.
Then I would know which ones you can take.

 

[Tanks]

So I think you use a .416 among others.

I understand your logic but you did not give us the equation.

So a .500nitro is for up close and personal, the .458 a few steps back and the .416 is pretty close'ish.
Step back and the .375H&H is closely followed by the 9.3x62,
...

The OP said max distance is about 50 meters. That is within the wheelhouse of .500 NE (I recently shot a Cape Buffalo at 53 yards with it).

Also, the logic does not make sense for distance vs caliber. As distance increases velocity at impact decreases and therefore the foot/lbs at impact decreases. So, you'd want to go up in caliber as distance increases. Of course, that point is moot at 50 meters as there is no perceptible decrease at such a short range.

 

[IvW]

I think an O/U double rifle scoped with 2 sets of barrels would be perfect......450/400 NE and 9.3x74R

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have the .375H&H if I get to chase Buffalo.
I'm not sure how good my nerves are or how close I want to get so I will have to rely on shot placement and projectile performance. (The common denominator)

As for the rest DG fascinate me and Buffalo or Scrub Bull might be my best chance and an all Aussie adventure.

@CBH Australia
Chris it will only cost you $3,500 plus $750 trophy fee for a scrubber as opposed to $7,000+ for a,water buff mate. The scrubbers are mean bastards to go with it.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

For the Aussies on this forum:
A friend of mine who lives up the coast from Sydney, has taken all Australian big game with his Winchester 1895 .405 WCF. Even his teenage son has taken water buff with the .405. He has also taken many game animals and exotics here in Texas with that rifle and it has performed well for him in Africa. Of course, he does not live in a city and is accustomed to the "outback" and lever action rifles. He has done all this with Hornady factory 300 grain ammo and some of my handloaded 300 grain North Fork ammo at 2250 fps. He is an accomplished hunter and shooter.

@crs
Sounds like the bloke I know up that way called Peter G
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I was in the Cook islands at the start of this covid disaster. Tried some of the Marmite, which I think is similar to Vegemite.

I have no idea how anyone could eat that. A small amount might be good to start a soup base. I honestly do not have words for how that stuff tasted.

Maybe Burnt balsam fir sap with heavy salt. Ugh.

Loved the Cook islands though!

@machinistbutler
Please do not compare our beloved VEGIMITE with those putrid others like Marmite and promite. The latter 2 are vile where as VEGIMITE is good stuff. That is like comparing pure malt scotch to the blended garbage.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

A lot depends on how close to your vehicle.
The distance = caliber

By that I mean the closer the bigger the whack just in case!!

The OP said max distance is about 50 meters. That is within the wheelhouse of .500 NE (I recently shot a Cape Buffalo at 53 yards with it).

Also, the logic does not make sense for distance vs caliber. As distance increases velocity at impact decreases and therefore the foot/lbs at impact decreases. So, you'd want to go up in caliber as distance increases. Of course, that point is moot at 50 meters as there is no perceptible decrease at such a short range.

Tanks, don't take it too seriously.

Dr Ray was suggesting you want something big if you are up close short distance = larger calibre for assurance and stopping power as opposed to being able to take time to plan the shot from a distance with a .30 Cal class as many do.

I was just having some fun asking what range does Bob's rifle come into effect.
If .50÷.35=70% I had to work out how much head start or safety margin I need if using a .35Whelen.

Just add an extra 37.6 feet head start on the bloke with a 50 cal to stay safe Bob when on foot . That's the short answer .

 

[machinistbutler]

@machinistbutler
Please do not compare our beloved VEGIMITE with those putrid others like Marmite and promite. The latter 2 are vile where as VEGIMITE is good stuff. That is like comparing pure malt scotch to the blended garbage.
Bob

Although it may be blasphemy, I did like the Johnny walker double black, it was quite smooth.

I will try Vegemite some day when I make it down there, hopefully it isn't like an oxo paste lol.

I do love my scotch though. I like a bit of peat and smoke so the Islay or Speyside I really like.

 

[crs]

Bob, close, but the last name is Richards. He has an extensive collection of lever action rifles in his shop in Port Macquarie and he hunts with some of them. Big fellow, 6 foot 4 or 5 inches and good natured too. I have a great pic of a bunch of us on his first trip to Hondo, Texas along with the equally tall Hondo ranch landowner. If I can locate it, I will post it. He has property inland and may deal in real estate.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, close, but the last name is Richards. He has an extensive collection of lever action rifles in his shop in Port Macquarie and he hunts with some of them. Big fellow, 6 foot 4 or 5 inches and good natured too. I have a great pic of a bunch of us on his first trip to Hondo, Texas along with the equally tall Hondo ranch landowner. If I can locate it, I will post it. He has property inland and may deal in real estate.

@crs
Sorry mate that's who I was thinking of yes I know Peter real well and yes he does have a beautiful collection of levers.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Tanks, don't take it too seriously.

Dr Ray was suggesting you want something big if you are up close short distance = larger calibre for assurance and stopping power as opposed to being able to take time to plan the shot from a distance with a .30 Cal class as many do.

I was just having some fun asking what range does Bob's rifle come into effect.
If .50÷.35=70% I had to work out how much head start or safety margin I need if using a .35Whelen.

Just add an extra 37.6 feet head start on the bloke with a 50 cal to stay safe Bob when on foot . That's the short answer .

@CBH Australia
Chris I don't need a head start besides that I can't run far enough to get out of sight on a dark night.
Besides I have complete faith in my Whelen and my skills as a hunter to get the job done.
Not only that if things went pear shaped that bad the buff wouldn't get near me. I would just turn around, drop my strides and he would have a wall of shit to get thru so no problems mate
Bob