The Distance to Sight in For Cape Buffalo?

[Jay A Huminsky]

In theory, the 300 g, 375 H&H should cross the line of sight at both 50 and 100 yards. I've yet to experience this in real life on the range, and testing it against a Cape Buffalo is a bit unsettling. I've been told I am too anal, but in a head on charge at 30 yards, bullet placement is EVERYTHING, and the brain shot is the ONLY thing. My standard deviations, using both Barnes TSX and North Fork SCFB, are 1.5" from 50 to 100 yards. At 100 yards, 1.5" will easily put me inside a high heart/lung target space. I might be answering my own question here, but what would your "preferred" zeroing range be?

 

[Altitude sickness]

.375 H&H magazine rifle. 100 yards.

 

[BJH65]

I sighted in my 375’s, 416’s and 458 Lott .5 inches high at 50 yards which is usually dead on at 100 yards for DG.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I personally don't want to shoot a buff past 50 yards, so I'm inclined to zero at 50. With that setting, then take some shots at 100 yards to see where you're hitting. Adjust accordingly if a little low. The only reason I see for shooting that far is to slow/finish a wounded but running animal. In that case you're kind of shooting for anything black.

With the zero set to 50 yards, then characterize where you're hitting at 10, 20, 30 and finally 40 yards. Then maybe some minor adjustments to the 50 yard setting.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

I will be in Africa in 38 days for a cull hunt and cape buff using my 458 with 420 gr CEB Raptors backed up with 400 gr CEB Safari Solids this bullet will be to test their porotype .700 long nose bullet. both bullets print the same poi at 50 yards, hopefully this will be a better than their current shorter bullet. with the 50 yard sighting I was about 4 inches low at 100, but like Phoenix Bill said I do not want to shoot over 50 yards and would like it to be around 30 yards

 

[RR 314]

As Phoenix Phil stated, I go dead nuts at 50 yards.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

How about 70 yards? That should put you just a bit high at 50 yards and maybe a bit lower at 100 yards. Give it a shot (or several) and see what you get.

I shot my first buffalo at 110 meters and second one running at 65 yards.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Dead on at 50. I guess it depends on your anticipated shot. I’ve never shot a buff past 35. But I don’t hunt open country for buff.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Curious if you're shooting irons or glass?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

50 metres/yards, and try to get within that distance before shooting. On my last hunt we were looking for a non-trohy, which is elusive. We must have stalked into at least seven herds searching and measuring and always got to within 50 metres. It was quite easy. On one occasion we got to 20 metres and when the time came I shot my buff at 33 metres.

 

[Doug3006]

Both of my 375s shoot 300 grain TSXs to the same point of impact at 50 and 100. Sight yours in at 100 and then check POI at 50. I believe you’ll be close enough.

 

[roklok]

Like you said, I think you answered your own question. With a 300 grain bullet at 2500 FPS, dead on at 50 will be dead on at 100, with a scope 1.5 inches over bore. It will also impact within an inch of point of aim from about 15 yards to 130. That seems like a perfect zero for buffalo hunting.

 

[375Fox]

It’s a buffalo. The kill zone is big. Anything from 0 to 2” high at 100 will cover anything from close up to 100 yards. Sighting in 2” high will give you more flexibility on PG during and after the buffalo hunt. I’ve done both settings but I’m going to lean towards 2” high on most future hunts.

Also I think you’d be lucky to get a charge at 30 yards you could prepare for. Your first heart lung shot maybe 30 yards, but in the low probably a charge were to happen it would be on follow up on a wounded buffalo in thick brush and much closer. If you are sighting in for a charge, I think you’ll find a 100 yard zero low at 10-15 yard.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

It’s a buffalo. The kill zone is big. Anything from 0 to 2” high at 100 will cover anything from close up to 100 yards. Sighting in 2” high will give you more flexibility on PG during and after the buffalo hunt. I’ve done both settings but I’m going to lean towards 2” high on most future hunts.

Also I think you’d be lucky to get a charge at 30 yards you could prepare for. Your first heart lung shot maybe 30 yards, but in the low probably a charge were to happen it would be on follow up on a wounded buffalo in thick brush and much closer. If you are sighting in for a charge, I think you’ll find a 100 yard zero low at 10-15 yard.

2" high at 100 yards or 50 yards?

 

[318AE]

My experience is just a little different. You are often about 1.5” low at the muzzle - bore center line to scope center line. It often works out you are at scope centerline at 50 yards (0”, bullet is traveling up initially of course), and an inch high at 100 yards, and back to zero somewhere just short of 150 yards. I’ve found zero at 50 and an 1” high at 100 are about the same thing. This really depends on you scope centerline to bore centerline of course.

In summation, an inch high at 100 works really well….

 

[Green Chile]

Much depends on the area and you will want to ask your PH for recommendations. Where I hunt...for buff or lion, I regulate at 50 yards and spend most of my time practicing between 20-50 yards. For ele it's kind of the opposite, I want to know exactly where it hits at 20 yards but check it out to 50 yards (knowing I can certainly hit an ele much further out if following up).

Almost all of my DG has been 50 or less. If I was going to Moz, I would be prepared for 100 plus yards on buff. For leopard, you will sight in to the exact range from blind to bait. For croc, you will want to ask your PH what distance to be prepared for. Some need to shoot across water to a bait and some are much closer.