Bullet for Cape Buffalo

[Red Leg]

I’m an A-Frame guy myself, but I’ve talked to guys who swear by the Woodleigh hydro solid for their first shot. They claim it creates a wound channel more akin to a premium soft. Curious if others have seen this?

I can say with a good bit of experience that it does not. I have taken bear and plains game with it. Glad I didn't use one on a buffalo. It performs MUCH more like a conventional solid than a SP. In other words, things take a while to die. The other end of the spectrum also illustrates the point. They essentially do no more damage to the tiniest targets like duiker than conventional solids. Were I going after an elephant, a Hydro would be my first choice - but never for a first shot at a buffalo or anything else much bigger than an oribi.

 

[WAB]

I can say with a good bit of experience that it does not. I have taken bear and plains game with it. Glad I didn't use one on a buffalo. It performs MUCH more like a conventional solid than a SP. In other words, things take a while to die. The other end of the spectrum also illustrates the point. They essentially do no more damage to the tiniest targets like duiker than conventional solids. Were I going after an elephant, a Hydro would be my first choice - but never for a first shot at a buffalo or anything else much bigger than an oribi.

Thanks for the validation. I was highly skeptical of the claims, you have confirmed my suspicions.

 

[Waterbuck2008]

TSX, Swift A Frame, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw; All will put a buff down, and work plenty well for follow-ups

 

[meigsbucks]

I used a 400 gr Barnes TSX out of a .416 Ruger for a frontal shot on the buff in my avatar. The solid was an insurance shot when it was down.

 

[TSALA HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hi Rare Breed

The Barnes Vortex will do the job , like most comments above concentrate on shot placement from shooting sticks.Quick reload after first shot and ready to shoot again.Get the rifle and bullet on a nice tight grouping.

We will do a few simulations and game plan to get you comfortable when you are here.

Looking froward and excited to host you.

Regards

Rouan

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I read with interest on all the comments about hunters and PH's recommending against taking any solids/ or only TSX's.

I'll paint a scenario.

First shot does not go as intended, Buffalo is wounded and stands in a thick bush, facing directly away from you. Bush is too thick to get a shot from the side, not even to mention moving into the Buff's peripheral vision, increasing the chance of a charge. How do you plan getting to the vitals from the rear without a solid? Neither a Soft nor a TSX will make it through everything, including the stomach with 100% certainty.
I'm interested to hear everyone's game plan.

My plan is easy. Buff is already wounded, so I let my hunter bust him with a solid on a Texas Heart Shot. Will be reading with interest. Take 5 or so solids. Rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

 

[hyipl]

350gr woodleigh pp and fmj from a zim buff

 

[mark-hunter]

Mario, scenario is clear. So with texas heart shot, we can expect solid to penetrate to vitals?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Mario, scenario is clear. So with texas heart shot, we can expect solid to penetrate to vitals?

A solid will exit the animal's chest.

All I am saying, is carry a few solids in your ammo belt to switch over to, should you need them.

 

[fourfive8]

I read with interest on all the comments about hunters and PH's recommending against taking any solids/ or only TSX's.

I'll paint a scenario.

First shot does not go as intended, Buffalo is wounded and stands in a thick bush, facing directly away from you. Bush is too thick to get a shot from the side, not even to mention moving into the Buff's peripheral vision, increasing the chance of a charge. How do you plan getting to the vitals from the rear without a solid? Neither a Soft nor a TSX will make it through everything, including the stomach with 100% certainty.
I'm interested to hear everyone's game plan.

My plan is easy. Buff is already wounded, so I let my hunter bust him with a solid on a Texas Heart Shot. Will be reading with interest. Take 5 or so solids. Rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

Yes good plan! That scenario seems fairly common. Been there, done that. A straight penetrating solid of good design will have best chance to penetrate to vitals under all circumstances, most times unpredictable and poor, than any soft or expanding. Unless the first shot with a soft somehow brains the animal or hits spine, neither of which are a planned shot placement to begin with, it's very likely the animal is going to present unpredictable and poor angles from then on. Expecting a soft to penetrate through a brush veil, heavy pelvis or socket bones, through a wetpack of fresh rumen and then on into the vitals in a straight line is not what a soft can reliably do. A well designed, flat nosed monolithic is designed to give the best chance to do that.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Yes good plan! That scenario seems fairly common. Been there, done that. A straight penetrating solid of good design will have best chance to penetrate to vitals under all circumstances, most times unpredictable and poor, than any soft or expanding. Unless the first shot with a soft somehow brains the animal or hits spine, neither of which are a planned shot placement to begin with, it's very likely the animal is going to present unpredictable and poor angles from then on. Expecting a soft to penetrate through a brush veil, heavy pelvis or socket bones, through a wetpack of fresh rumen and then on into the vitals in a straight line is not what a soft can reliably do. A well designed, flat nosed monolithic is designed to give the best chance to do that.

I still have my hunters take the first shot with premium softs. I also don't like them loading solids, and then softs in the magazine. My opinion is that the old way of shooting a soft and then having a solid next, is outdated. Once the first shot goes, unless its a lone bull, its usually mayhem with animals running all over the place. I can't think of a worse time to have a solid up next which you know is going to pass through the animal.
There will be plenty of time to load a solid once the situation is evaluated, and it is needed. Even on a charge, you want a soft. It will give you the best chance of tripping the switch on a brain shot.

 

[Red Leg]

I read with interest on all the comments about hunters and PH's recommending against taking any solids/ or only TSX's.

I'll paint a scenario.

First shot does not go as intended, Buffalo is wounded and stands in a thick bush, facing directly away from you. Bush is too thick to get a shot from the side, not even to mention moving into the Buff's peripheral vision, increasing the chance of a charge. How do you plan getting to the vitals from the rear without a solid? Neither a Soft nor a TSX will make it through everything, including the stomach with 100% certainty.
I'm interested to hear everyone's game plan.

My plan is easy. Buff is already wounded, so I let my hunter bust him with a solid on a Texas Heart Shot. Will be reading with interest. Take 5 or so solids. Rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

Certainly can't argue with that specific scenario. However, the majority of immediate follow-up shots tend to not be that. And the worst case follow-up is an inbound bull. I personally would rather drive an A-Frame or TSX up his snout rather than a solid. It may only be a few millimeters, but that extra margin in wound channel or foot pounds of energy could make the difference.

I also don't like mixing loads in the same magazine. Too often and too easily, the wrong load can make its way to the top.

But yes, I do carry a few solids, primarily for little guys, but also for the scenario that you paint.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Certainly can't argue with that specific scenario. However, the majority of immediate follow-up shots tend to not be that. And the worst case follow-up is an inbound bull. I personally would rather drive an A-Frame or TSX up his snout rather than a solid. It may only be a few millimeters, but that extra margin in wound channel or foot pounds of energy could make the difference.

I also don't like mixing loads in the same magazine. Too often and too easily, the wrong load can make its way to the top.

But yes, I do carry a few solids, primarily for little guys, but also for the scenario that you paint.

I agree 100% with you.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

I still have my hunters take the first shot with premium softs. I also don't like them loading solids, and then softs in the magazine. My opinion is that the old way of shooting a soft and then having a solid next, is outdated. Once the first shot goes, unless its a lone bull, its usually mayhem with animals running all over the place. I can't think of a worse time to have a solid up next which you know is going to pass through the animal.
There will be plenty of time to load a solid once the situation is evaluated, and it is needed. Even on a charge, you want a soft. It will give you the best chance of tripping the switch on a brain shot.

My PH suggested solids in the magazine and TSX in the chamber. I disagreed with this advice but deferred. I would not defer again. I'd rather have an expander for my follow-up shots in the herd. A good solid will penetrate a buffalo easily from the side, with plenty of energy left on the other side. That does not make it easy to put in backup shots without hitting another animal. Lots of opportunities lost in that scenario if you've loaded solids.

On a straight-departing shot, dropping a solid in isn't all that hard- it is certainly not an immediately life-threatening situation. Or, since you've (I certainly hope) already run the action and have a soft in and need it out one way or the other to load the solid, shoot him in the femur or the spine to slow him down, then take the Texas heart shot.

 

[IvW]

Why all of the "no need for solids" sentiment? Realizing the expandable technology is great, it would seem they still have a place in the field?

Sure there is, when hunting elephant....not needed or recommended for Cape Buffalo

 

[IvW]

I read with interest on all the comments about hunters and PH's recommending against taking any solids/ or only TSX's.

I'll paint a scenario.

First shot does not go as intended, Buffalo is wounded and stands in a thick bush, facing directly away from you. Bush is too thick to get a shot from the side, not even to mention moving into the Buff's peripheral vision, increasing the chance of a charge. How do you plan getting to the vitals from the rear without a solid? Neither a Soft nor a TSX will make it through everything, including the stomach with 100% certainty.
I'm interested to hear everyone's game plan.

My plan is easy. Buff is already wounded, so I let my hunter bust him with a solid on a Texas Heart Shot. Will be reading with interest. Take 5 or so solids. Rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

Well Marius let's be honest, how often will this happen?
Ok so it has happened, now what?

I always ask the question if you could not hit it in the correct place with the initial shot which would have been controlled, how on earth are you going to hit the sweet spot from the back?

I have always believed firstly that you should use a a caliber that is up to the task. For a PH this is even more important.
I also find it better to shoot at something you can see and not something that is at the other end of the animal especially when it is a wounded DG animal, therefore I would rather go for the anchoring shot in this case rather than attempt to reach a vital organ which I at best in this scenario will be quesing where to aim....

Yes this one is in the open and also offers a neck shot however for demonstration purposes they best shot to take is high spine shot(just above the root of the tail) or either of the hip joints, with a premium grade expanding bullet of course to maximize damage. Either shot will anchor the buff. These targets are easily seen from the rear end.

Reaching the vitals is very tricky shot from the rear. A shot from the rear that only hits a lung is just gonna piss the buff off more and increase the risk of a charge. In order to reach the heart from the rear you would need very impressive penetration and super shot placement, also much more difficult when the buff is slightly quartering from the rear. Probably only a Meplat heavy for caliber brass solid from a 458 or larger traveling at about 2300 will do. I know my 500 Jeff with 570gr Rhino solid @2300 will.

Very difficult shot to pull off. From the rear.

Below photo although not in the bush shows hip joints and root of tail much easier than shot for the vitals.

We had followed a Bow wounded Cape Buffalo for 4 1/2 hrs after waiting an hour before starting, we found him in similar position as below(could only see sweep of horn not shoulders and neck), although also in a thicket, it was hot wind was swirling, we had to act fast, 570gr Rhino controlled expansion bullet from 500 Jeff hit spine just above the root of the tail and buffalo could not regain his back end, allowing us to finish him off.

Personally I use premium grade expanding bullets(Rhino) for buffalo, in 500 Jeff it makes no difference if they are standing, coming or going, that combination flattens them.

 

[IvW]

And yes I always have about 5 solids in the belt.....

 

[Neil Molendyk]

From my limited experience and following the PH's recommendation I used a Swift A frame 400 grain on the initial shot broadside at 75 yards which took out both lungs. Thirty minutes later upon reaching the buffalo I put an additional four Swift Breakaway solids into the beast as he attempted to regain his feet. Only one solid passed through the the chest area and it lodged into the horns. These solids were fired from 15 yards. The Swift break away solids did swell marginally in the nose area and unlike some other manufacturers solids, they could not be reloaded. Given the opportunity, I would to hesitate to use Swift solids as backup bullets again. For what it's worth.

 

[AES]

(A) I have never hunted Buffalo (B) every bit of research I have done does NOT seem to indicate that a Woodleigh Hydro as a first shot is "less good" than an A-Frame (both 416 Rig).
I will be taking a few Buff (and others, hopefully) in September and report back.

 

[Major Khan]

Based up on my personal knowledge on ballistics ... I would recommend the Northfork Cup Nosed Solid . 300 grain weight . @Captain Nwz currently uses cartridges hand loaded with 450 grain Northfork Cup Nosed Solid expanding bullets , in his .458 Winchester magnum caliber pre 64 Winchester Model 70 bolt rifle . I must say that I am most impressed with their terminal performance .