In my first hand experience, a well placed shot and bullet construction seems to be the most logical effective solution to putting down large animals to include Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe, and Elephant.
On my current Safari I took a Buff with a .375H&H and Barnes 350 Grain TSX. First shot was double lung, second shot was spine. Both shots were at approximately 100 Yards. First shot froze him momentarily and then he started walking slowly, stopped briefly, second shot dropped him flat. Only a 3rd insurance was taken at the request of my PH.
I had the option of shooting my 450 Dakota with a 500 Grain Swift Break-Away, but because I was shooting semi prone to prone from the top of a grassed over ant hill, I didn’t want to hammer my collar bone. I also shoot both rifles equally well and do not flinch. I’ve killed Buff and Hippo with the same load and Barnes TSX, I know how effective they are.
Hippo being head shot at 60 yards.
Regarding Elephant shot on my current Safari,
when my Botswana PH confirmed my rifle choice was 450 Dakota with 500 Grain Swift Break-Away, hand loaded to 2,300 FPS. He said great! Load all 5. I mentioned I also had Swift A-Frame loaded to 2475 FPS. He asked me if I shoot the rifle well and without issue. I told him that I shot very tight groups accurately out to 100 yards and will not flinch. He said have a couple A - Frames ready, but he was backing me with a 458 Lott, a 416 Rigby with his best tracker, and Henk my PH had my .375 H&H.
The following day I shot my Elephant at 20 yards and slightly quarter to. Headshot in front of the ear hole/slit, dropped him straight down on all fours and both tusks squared into the dirt. I was instructed to give an insurance shot in the shoulder which resulted in the Ele’s shoulder being pushed further under his body. And ultimately a tilt and shift from it’s original position.
Shoulder Insurance Shot went through the heart:
Based on what I’ve been told directly by someone who has guided as a PH 60 Elephant Hunts and participated in close to 100 total, there are a lot of first time hunters that don’t handle recoil well, don’t practice shooting, don't understand the importance of bullet construction and choice, don’t know which barrel to shoot on their double first, exaggeratedly flench, make terrible first shots that results in elephants being shot multiple times and run off only to be recovered later or next day, and has personally shot many clients animals for them because they couldn’t shoot effectively.
I wouldn’t shoot an elephant without a well constructed and proven solid bullet, nor would I shoot a larger bore rifle that caused me to flinch.
On my current Safari I took a Buff with a .375H&H and Barnes 350 Grain TSX. First shot was double lung, second shot was spine. Both shots were at approximately 100 Yards. First shot froze him momentarily and then he started walking slowly, stopped briefly, second shot dropped him flat. Only a 3rd insurance was taken at the request of my PH.
I had the option of shooting my 450 Dakota with a 500 Grain Swift Break-Away, but because I was shooting semi prone to prone from the top of a grassed over ant hill, I didn’t want to hammer my collar bone. I also shoot both rifles equally well and do not flinch. I’ve killed Buff and Hippo with the same load and Barnes TSX, I know how effective they are.
Hippo being head shot at 60 yards.
Regarding Elephant shot on my current Safari,
when my Botswana PH confirmed my rifle choice was 450 Dakota with 500 Grain Swift Break-Away, hand loaded to 2,300 FPS. He said great! Load all 5. I mentioned I also had Swift A-Frame loaded to 2475 FPS. He asked me if I shoot the rifle well and without issue. I told him that I shot very tight groups accurately out to 100 yards and will not flinch. He said have a couple A - Frames ready, but he was backing me with a 458 Lott, a 416 Rigby with his best tracker, and Henk my PH had my .375 H&H.
The following day I shot my Elephant at 20 yards and slightly quarter to. Headshot in front of the ear hole/slit, dropped him straight down on all fours and both tusks squared into the dirt. I was instructed to give an insurance shot in the shoulder which resulted in the Ele’s shoulder being pushed further under his body. And ultimately a tilt and shift from it’s original position.
Shoulder Insurance Shot went through the heart:
Based on what I’ve been told directly by someone who has guided as a PH 60 Elephant Hunts and participated in close to 100 total, there are a lot of first time hunters that don’t handle recoil well, don’t practice shooting, don't understand the importance of bullet construction and choice, don’t know which barrel to shoot on their double first, exaggeratedly flench, make terrible first shots that results in elephants being shot multiple times and run off only to be recovered later or next day, and has personally shot many clients animals for them because they couldn’t shoot effectively.
I wouldn’t shoot an elephant without a well constructed and proven solid bullet, nor would I shoot a larger bore rifle that caused me to flinch.
