Texas pig vs. Cape Buffalo - 375cal 270gr TSX - feedback welcome

[Datchew]

Hi all,

Going for numero uno on cape buffalo in July next year.
I've been working up my 375 H&H load in preparation and tonight finally had some pigs large enough for trials.
I had an unexpected outcome and would like to hear from those of you that have shot a few buffalo and have experience with different loads.

I'm not quite to the point of concern that this load is too anemic for buffalo since multiple people have successfully used it and recommended it, (including my PH) but well... maybe I am concerned. Feedback welcome.

This was shot out of a blaser R8 in 375H&H with a standard unmolested barrel.
Load was 270gr TSX over RL15 powder at 73.5gr. I haven't taken velocity yet but the grouping was fantastic.

I lined up 2 large pigs for the test. My hope was to get 3 to line up in order to ensure bullet recovery as I didn't know what to expect as far as penetration capability.
I shoot a lot of pigs but typically with ball ammo in 762NATO (roughly 308 cal FMJ) from a FAL or 150gr 308 accubonds from a ruger no 1.

Pig 1 lined up with a 2nd boar, broadside.
Boars were probably 160-180lbs. (I shoot a lot of pigs and can typically guess within 20-25 lbs. but it was late and I didn't weigh it)
Bullet went in and through both front shoulders and turned bones on both sides to powder and small sticks of bone.
Exit wound was surprisingly small - looked like a broadhead exit. Very little blood.
Pig width at shoulder thickest point is 13-14"
About 1/2" inch fat and 3/4" hide thickness on both shoulders. He was a stout one. I'd hate to hit him with a vehicle.

2nd pig directly behind him was hit probably rear hams or gut. Had a buddy watching through binos and that was his take on the situation.
No blood trail and the pig wasn't recovered so my plan failed and the 2nd pig is feeding coyotes tomorrow.

I have read about this bullet going through buffalo and exiting the other side so I expected it to go clean through the first pig and if I was lucky, stop in the 2nd one.

Perhaps these pigs and their tough hide are tougher than I give them credit for or is the cape buffalo perhaps thin skinned?
Interested to hear your feedback.

 

[375Fox]

I think you are thinking about it wrong. A lot of buffalo were taken with solids before premium softs came about. It’s about penetration not explosive performance. Tough softs will do more damage than a solid but continue to penetrate unlike a faster expanding/weight shedding bullet that would dump more energy up front on impact.
I’ve shot a lot of ground hogs with my 375 and 300 gr swift A frames for practice. They typically run away while my 223 would drop them on the spot. Bullets designed for buffalo perform better on bone and tough muscle than on thinner skinned game. I wouldn’t doubt your TSX’s but I think you would be better off with 300 gr on your buffalo still. I think you’ll find pigs very thin skinned and lightly built compared to a buffalo bull.

 

[Rem280]

I have shot hogs with 250 grain 375 H&H rounds and a Cape Buffalo with a 270 grain TSX in 375 Ruger. Do your part and you are fine.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Buffalo have a thick skin around 1/2-/ of an inch

 

[BigHill]

SD.

 

[Piet Brood]

I shot two old bulls with my Winchester M70 using 270gr TSX. This one was recovered and weighed 270.2gr afterwards. They worked perfectly well on both bulls.

 

[Altitude sickness]

If you shoot a Buffalo in the correct spot with your TSX. He will not go far.

 

[Ndczerwinski]

Took a buffalo with the 270 gr TSX out of my 375 ruger this spring. The round worked awsome. Great penetration and expansion.

I ran these over my Labradar and was getting 2800 fps versus the factory Hornady Dangerous Game load that was 300 gr at 2600 fps.

When you compare the ballistics with those numbers you will see velocity and energy favor the 270 gr load in almost all cases. The recoil and group sizes were also significantly better for me.

I use that same load to kill Cape buffalo, sable, Kudu, Gemsbok, Zebra, white blesbuck and a giant water buck.

It worked great from the tiny blesbuck up to the giant buffalo.

 

[Datchew]

Thank you for the feedback all.

I think you are thinking about it wrong. A lot of buffalo were taken with solids before premium softs came about. It’s about penetration not explosive performance.

I was scratching my head on this part a bit because lack of penetration was my main concern. However, upon further thought, the bullet DID make it through the pig's tough hide twice, took out both shoulders (pulverized) and then into the 2nd pig.

An accubond in 300wm or even a FMJ 147gr in 308 would not have similar penetration in my experience.
So that's reassuring.

@Ndczerwinski - your info aligns with my logic for choosing the 270. 10% mass reduction but moving faster as these mono bullets are designed. Then a lot of good feedback from actual hunts made me lean to the 270 with the 300 as plan B and A-frames as plan C in load development.

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

I've shot one buffalo with the 270 grains TSX. Fired from an H&H, my load was 69,5 grains of H4895. 1st shot was 100% frontal just in the hole above the sternum. Bullet ended in the paunch. Second shot was broadside in the ribs. Bullet ended encased in the ribs of the other side. Third shot was heavily quartering away, same hole as the 2nd. Bullet ended encased in the front of the ribcage.

A 300 grains may have exited on the 2nd shot, but I don't think the buffalo would have been dead faster. Proper shot placement on the first shot is the key.