Favorite Buffalo gun and cartridge?

[Dragan miloševič]

just want some opinions.

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

it all depends on yourself, what kind of recoil can you handle and shoot accurately with. Most of the clients I've taken out buffalo hunting used .375H&H and most of them went down within 80m. I say rather shoot accurately with a smaller calibre than trying to pound the animal with a big calibre. The .416 is also a nice calibre but has bit more of a thump to it and might affect your accuracy.

 

[Red Leg]

For a truly pure buffalo hunt, either a .404, .416 or 500/416. However, such a hunt is rare.

For a buffalo hunt which will also have the opportunity for PG then absolutely a scoped .375.

 

[Mike70560]

To date I have killed 11 buffalo. Two with a 416 Remington in a Ruger No. 1, one with a 375 H&H CZ 550 rifle, another one with the 375 H&H and finished it off with a 470 Nitro, and seven with my 470 Nitro Krieghoff Double.

For me, hands down, the 470 Nitro Double with iron sights is my absolute favorite way to hunt buffalo.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My favorite Buffalo gun - Mauser M98 in 404Jeffery. I use cartridges from RWS and Hornady.
Witold

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Great topic... Many opinions here, I must admit that if you can handle the recoil a 460 WBY with the correct projectile puts s spell on buffalo...

Must agree with Mike as well a 470 is a heluva buff gun...
Holy crap Mike70560 you know how difficult that was for me!

My best always

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Dragan,

I've only taken one buffalo.
I used a vintage British double, probably made by Manton but marked: "Army & Navy Cooperative Society, London" (which was sort of the "Cabela's" of it's day in London).
It was a hammergun in .450 No2NE and I used dreaded "cup & core" bullets (Hornady 480 grain, one soft and one solid respectively) which regulated best in that rifle, and the whole affair worked extremely well for me.
Since then, I have sold that rifle (I'm only a blue collar worker/tax slave).

If money were no object, I'd probably have a Westley Richards best grade drop lock double built to fit me with 26" ejector barrels in .450-400 NE 3" specifically for buffalo hunting with express sights, wide shallow "V" rear blade, large warthog ivory front bead, etc.
As repeaters go, I would have a 98 Mauser built to fit me in .404 Jeffery, claw mounted with 4x Austro-German scope, standard crosswires.

However, I guess I will never be rich enough to hunt buffalo again, even with my meager rifles already on hand.
I do like the old Brno 602 magnum, the CZ 550 magnum, Winchester Model 70 and custom Model 98 Mausers as far as a Working Man's income can afford.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Mike70560]

Great topic... Many opinions here, I must admit that if you can handle the recoil a 460 WBY with the correct projectile puts s spell on buffalo...

Must agree with Mike as well a 470 is a heluva buff gun...
Holy crap Mike70560 you know how difficult that was for me!

My best always

That was just plain mean, especially since you are one of my favorite South African outfitters.

 

[Dragan miloševič]

do you guys think a Winchester m70 Safari express in 458 WMG is capable for taking down all of the big five. If not, what calibre would you guys recommend for all big 5?

 

[Velo Dog]

do you guys think a Winchester m70 Safari express in 458 WMG is capable for taking down all of the big five. If not, what calibre would you guys recommend for all big 5?

!

 

[Red Leg]

Well, yes.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

 

[ActionBob]

do you guys think a Winchester m70 Safari express in 458 WMG is capable for taking down all of the big five. If not, what calibre would you guys recommend for all big 5?

Rather than a M70 in 458 WM why not get one in 414 Rem Mag? Look at the ballistics. The 416 has more energy as it is moving faster, it shoots flatter as it is moving faster... But it is not moving so fast as to compromise bullet performance. The 416 is a way better PG rifle and is second only to the 375 H&H as the most flexible caliber that is also legal for all DG.

If you want a 458, stop pussy footing around, go all the way and get a Lott.

 

[gizmo]

My favorite buff gun? Well that would be any gun I have in my sweaty hands while hunting buffalo!

 

[bassasdaindia]

we are going round and round in circles here , you really have been given some great advice .

 

[Patrick R]

we are going round and round in circles here , you really have been given some great advice .

hell yeh!

I think gizmo has it spot on!

 

[petrusg]

For my client: 375 or 416 - even a double if they have one and want to get nice and close

I go nowhere without my 500NE

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

do you guys think a Winchester m70 Safari express in 458 WMG is capable for taking down all of the big five. If not, what calibre would you guys recommend for all big 5?

you will not have any issues taking down the big 5 with the .458

 

[ZG47]

That was just plain mean, especially since you are one of my favorite South African outfitters.

Well ... he is a Seth Effrican, talking to a rooinek!

 

[jand]

The old saying in the automotive world " There's nothing like cubic inches " seems to hold true with Big game rifles also.
Buffalo go down well with anything from a 9.3 x 62 upwards. Actually I've seen them killed with a 30 06. But the most fun you can have with your clothes on is shooting a big bore at close range at a cranky old Buffalo Bull . That's just my opinion offcourse