My first Buffalo Hunt : Any good Advices ???

Hi guys:

I have hunted many times in Africa, mainly plains game, but also some Hippo and one liones. But i feel really excited, because in 4 weeks, the 2th of June i go for my first buffalo.

Tha country is ZAR, is a fenced area of 6000 has, with quite a good number of buffalo. I know in a fenced area, there will be no problem to find them sooner or later.

Caliber 404 Jefery. No scope.

Any suggestions.??? Advices ????

Thanks !!!

Hola Jose,

What bullet are you going to use?

Enjoy your first of the big five!

Que te vaya muy bien y te hagas con un buen bufalo!

Originally Posted by nsok

Hola Jose,

What bullet are you going to use?

Enjoy your first of the big five!

Hornady DGX Soft Point 400 gr
I am very excited with the oportunity.
I promise some pics

Gracias !!!
Jose

Thats probably all you will need however you may want to stack a couple of solids (FMJ) in the mag under the softs for insurance should things get spooky, which is unlikely but it does happen. Often buff dont go down immediately and require follow up shots at less than ideal angles and for that, you cannot beat the solid bullet.

I agree with sestoppelman! Sounds like a fun hunt!

The very best of luck to you Hose, on your first buffalo.

The best advice I could give you is to make that first shot count !
The first shot is the most important, and if you dont feel confident in hitting the lethal area then wait until you can, or pass on the shot.

There are some great images on this site showing the lethal areas of good shot placement for buffalo.
Study them hard until you have a mental picture in 3D of where you need to target with your bullet.

Be comfortable and confident with your rifle, and be proficient in reloading, aquiring your target and following up with accurate follow-up shots J.I.C (just in case !).

Apart from the actual shooting, relax and enjoy and soak up an experience you will never forget.

Again, best of luck.

Originally Posted by PaulT

The best advice I could give you is to make that first shot count !
The first shot is the most important, and if you dont feel confident in hitting the lethal area then wait until you can, or pass on the shot.

+1
From every "bad" video I have watched this has appeared to be a major contributor to the situation turning.......

Good luck and shoot straight and show us your hunt video!

Jose,
Have you practiced shooting, chambering another round on the run and taking an offhand follow up shot? Also a quick follow up shot at a moving target? These seem to be common shot scenarios while buff hunting.
I saw a little piece of video one time where Bob Fulkrod had a line and pulley system set up where someone would push a plastic jug full of water. As it rolled down the line he would try to put a bullet in it from different angles. Not only fun but very good practice.

Hola Jose.

Just take it easy and shoot straight, they are big but still go down if you hit them on the right spot.

From you, I expect no less than 40 inches and a huge hard boss.

Mucha suerte!

Soft, Soft, Solid and enjoy

I used a 404J on my 2nd Buffalo. Woodleigh 400 grs, soft followed by a solid. Loaded to 2185 fps. I think that you will be quite happy with the 404. It definitely hits with more authority than a 375.

Originally Posted by Nyati

Hola Jose.

From you, I expect no less than 40 inches and a huge hard boss.

Mucha suerte!

I will do my best Nyati, i am confident about this.
Hunting in a big fenced area, is not as "pure" as a completely wild buffalo, but with this size of farm for me is fair hunting as well.

I am not really interested in a huge bull, i am looking for a mature bull, hard boss, and a challenging hunt in the middle of the herd... and a life time experience to remember.

Originally Posted by hunting

Soft, Soft, Solid and enjoy

I am sure i will enjoy.

Originally Posted by TerryR

I used a 404J on my 2nd Buffalo. Woodleigh 400 grs, soft followed by a solid. Loaded to 2185 fps. I think that you will be quite happy with the 404. It definitely hits with more authority than a 375.

My Bullets flies a quite a bit slower than yours only 600 m/s ( that means 1800 ft/s ), but with this speed i get the best grouping... so i will sacrifice a bit of velicity, to get some more accuracy.

I have a 375 H&H which is my usual african rifle... but this time i will take the 404 Jeff because i agree with you that 375 H&H is a bit "on the lower limit" to hunt buffalo. Specially if something goes wrong.

Thank you for all your advices... i am really excited, and i promise to offer you some pics when i return from the Northern Cape.

Jose

Jose, I'll go with your grouping any day. If that makes you feel confident then that is what to use.
Inside that fence they can still stomp you. You may not have to walk unlimited miles but you are still going to be hunting.
Good luck!

Thanks to all of you for your advices.

I have been practising the weekend, and i shoot one of the bullets towards a water tank. i stopped the bullet there, and here is teh Hornady ammo, and the expansion obtained.

I think even soft pointed, it retains a lot of the weight (it has 355 grains of 400 grains) and the penetration will be enough.

That bullet looks pretty good. However at 1800fps your energy is only running to near 2900 ft/lbs, or about like a .30-06. The .404 built its great reputation on a velocity of about 2150 for nearer 4100 ft/lbs which is quite a lot more and with buff more is better. If we say that the .375 is minimum with an energy level of well over 4000 ft/lbs, where does that put your 1800 fps load at on the grand scale of things? Given those choices I would feel better with the .375 in standard loadings than a quite slow .404 load. It will kill a buff but I would feel better personally with a bit more poop behind that big bullet. I assume you handload and you still have almost a month before you head out. It should be no big trick to boost the load up to over 2000 fps and still maintain your desired level of accuracy which for buff need not be of the hair splitting type. Either way good luck and have fun!

I would further add that various factory loads will do much faster than 1800 fps. Corbon loads the 400 gr Barnes bullets, X and BBS to over 2250 fps and shoots very well in my CZ. Not sure what rifle you have but this round is easy to load and get over 2100 fps. In my CZ it only takes 72 grs of IMR 4064 to get over 2200 fps with low pressure and 1 MOA accuracy.

Originally Posted by sestoppelman

That bullet looks pretty good. However at 1800fps your energy is only running to near 2900 ft/lbs, or about like a .30-06. The .404 built its great reputation on a velocity of about 2150 for nearer 4100 ft/lbs which is quite a lot more and with buff more is better. If we say that the .375 is minimum with an energy level of well over 4000 ft/lbs, where does that put your 1800 fps load at on the grand scale of things? Given those choices I would feel better with the .375 in standard loadings than a quite slow .404 load. It will kill a buff but I would feel better personally with a bit more poop behind that big bullet. I assume you handload and you still have almost a month before you head out. It should be no big trick to boost the load up to over 2000 fps and still maintain your desired level of accuracy which for buff need not be of the hair splitting type. Either way good luck and have fun!

I would further add that various factory loads will do much faster than 1800 fps. Corbon loads the 400 gr Barnes bullets, X and BBS to over 2250 fps and shoots very well in my CZ. Not sure what rifle you have but this round is easy to load and get over 2100 fps. In my CZ it only takes 72 grs of IMR 4064 to get over 2200 fps with low pressure and 1 MOA accuracy.

Luckily my last speed test of this weekend with some more powder and different manufacturers, gave me 2090 ft/sec which is a much more nice speed... and much more energy. I agree with you, that my first load were too soft, the caliber allows me much more energy with other powders. And i still have got same accuracy.... so i feel much more confident. The kick is really mild, so i can reload quickly, and it is not a heavvy recoil caliber at all.

Mi rifle is a Jeffery, made in 1930, a really nice old british rifle. A venerable uncle, that i expect will help me with my first buffalo.

Jose,
Now you're talking! That is close to or right at original type velocities which will serve you well against any critter. And man what a beautiful rifle! I would feel much better about the whole thing with that load over the squib load. Buffalo beware! Enjoy the buff hunt.

Very nice rifle Jose!

Originally Posted by sestoppelman

Jose,
Now you're talking! That is close to or right at original type velocities which will serve you well against any critter. And man what a beautiful rifle! I would feel much better about the whole thing with that load over the squib load. Buffalo beware! Enjoy the buff hunt.

Thank you !!! I am really happy with that old rifle... i am sure it will work very well again (like he did many years ago with his first owner).

It is a pleasure to use a rifle like this... i am really excited....
Jose

Jose now your ready, power and accuracy and something pretty to do the job with.