257 Weatherby on cape buffalo?

[gajie270]

i have heard that at some point in the 40-50s Roy Weatherby shot and harvested a cape buffalo with a 257 Weatherby magnum. I think its an interesting story and I want to hear some view points.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Put a hole in at least one lung of an animal and it is going to bleed out and die. The question is how long will it take and how many shots required?This comes under the heading of something that "can" be done, but in my opinion is something that "should not" be done.

I've read many stories of poachers armed only with AK's taking down elephants. Can't imagine how that could be any more dangerous or less humane to the animals.

 

[Berettaco]

Hmmmm - not saying it can’t be done but it definitely wouldn’t be my first choice of caliber. I watched my buff soak up the 404J with well placed vital shots and was extremely impressed with how tough they are.
To attempt a “stunt” with a 257 wby I’d say you would need a clear brain or neck shot. If I was hunting PG with a 257 wby and ran into a scenario where I was forced to shoot a buff with it….. well, I’d try for the brain or spine and hope there was a tree nearby

 

[Puddle]

There are the old, and there are the bold, but...

 

[PARA45]

I don't have access to the book here, but yes he did killed a Cape Buffalo with a single shot from a 257 Weatherby, and it is mentioned in his book The Man. The Gun. The Legend. People did crazy things back in those days, and I'm not saying that this is something that needs to be repeated, but it was done.

 

[Red Leg]

As a famous member of our exalted group (@Velo Dog ) once brilliantly noted - and I paraphrase - "you could probably kill a buffalo with a frozen herring ........ but why would you?"

There is also a rather long list of hunters attempting silly things with the .22 and .250 Savages.

 

[gajie270]

As a famous member of our exalted group (@Velo Dog ) once brilliantly noted - and I paraphrase - "you could probably kill a buffalo with a frozen herring ........ but why would you?"

There is also a rather long list of hunters attempting silly things with the .22 and .250 Savages.

i feel the same way about 223 on whitetail

 

[BnC 04]

Kind of like using an airgun on a buffalo...
Folks are doing it. My opinion is it's all for publicity.

 

[IvW]

Real kak idea.....

 

[Tbitty]

 

[Hunter-Habib]

i have heard that at some point in the 40-50s Roy Weatherby shot and harvested a cape buffalo with a 257 Weatherby magnum. I think its an interesting story and I want to hear some view points.

No body ever mentions that the Cape buffalo got away and was found dead one day later ….

six miles away with a 117Gr Hornady soft point that went through one lung and reached the heart.

 

[WAB]

The .257 Wby is a fine cartridge. It is not a buffalo cartridge. I have no doubt he did it, however Roy’s position on terminal ballistics was questionable at best. He encouraged a generation of hunters to attempt many irresponsible stunts.

 

[JimP]

The big question is "who knows?

As with most cartridges anything is possible when in the right situation.

 

[375Fox]

No body ever mentions that the Cape buffalo got away and was found dead one day later ….

six miles away with a 117Gr Hornady soft point that went through one lung and reached the heart.

I’d be really surprised if that bullet from a 257 weatherby would actually make it all the way through shoulder or ribs, one lung, and into the heart. I don’t know the year this was done, but bullet technology hadn’t caught up to weatherby velocities yet. I’d expect the bullet to simply blow up on impact with very little penetration, which would align to the buffalo running 6 miles. I’m not advocating hunting buffalo with less than a 375, but I think a 257 weatherby today with a premium bonded or all copper bullet would be a different story . . . probably better the story stays buffalo shot with a 257 weatherby ran 6 miles before it died.

 

[JimP]

I wonder how many buffs were shot and killed with the 303 British or the 7x57 along with the 8 mm Mauser and or other cartridges before the arrival of the newer bullets?

Most of it comes down to the bullet placement with the lighter bullets and if you can place your shot into the right areas that old buffalo will be taking a dirt nap.

Even today there are rounds that would make fine buffalo cartridges if it wasn't for caliber restrictions.

 

[375Fox]

I wonder how many buffs were shot and killed with the 303 British or the 7x57 along with the 8 mm Mauser and or other cartridges before the arrival of the newer bullets?

Most of it comes down to the bullet placement with the lighter bullets and if you can place your shot into the right areas that old buffalo will be taking a dirt nap.

Even today there are rounds that would make fine buffalo cartridges if it wasn't for caliber restrictions.

If you listen to Kevin Robertson’s buffalo hunting podcasts. He talks about shooting buffalo with 303 because that’s all he had at time as farmer. I have to wonder how many have been killed by homemade muzzle loaders too? Something about 303 and 8mm Mauser though is FMJ bullets from military surplus would have been widely available.

 

[mark-hunter]

i have heard that at some point in the 40-50s Roy Weatherby shot and harvested a cape buffalo with a 257 Weatherby magnum. I think its an interesting story and I want to hear some view points.

In previous era, Bell shot elephants with 7x57.

Weatherby exploits in Africa had to be observed in context of time, and through his own personality (his favourite cartirdidge was 257 Wby, which he needed to prove badly).
He needed proof for his new brainchild, and secondly and probably there was no official regulations about calibers to be used for DG. So, most probaly he did it

Modern best industry practice denies both of them: Bells approach (light fast Bullet), and similar approach of Roy Weatherby (lighter and more faster bullet, on warp speed).

The modern rules of hunting DG (buffalo) are clear: minimum 375 H&H, and in some countries or areas, acceptable minimum is 9.3. Thats it, that is modern best industry practice, where tradition had brought us.
.
Personally, hunting buffalo with anything less then 375 or 9.3, I would consider exhibitionism. Certainly doable, but not legal and without solid reason for that considering the number of available appropriate calibers on market..

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’d be really surprised if that bullet from a 257 weatherby would actually make it all the way through shoulder or ribs, one lung, and into the heart. I don’t know the year this was done, but bullet technology hadn’t caught up to weatherby velocities yet. I’d expect the bullet to simply blow up on impact with very little penetration, which would align to the buffalo running 6 miles. I’m not advocating hunting buffalo with less than a 375, but I think a 257 weatherby today with a premium bonded or all copper bullet would be a different story . . . probably better the story stays buffalo shot with a 257 weatherby ran 6 miles before it died.

Now, it's plausible (though unlikely) that the bullet managed to slip between the ribs without hitting the bone.

There's another version of the story (in an issue of Outdoor Life magazine) which claims that the white hunter's .470 Nitro Express was also fired at the Cape Buffalo. But that Roy Weatherby was given official credit, because the .257 Weatherby bullet managed to rupture a lung and is "Would Most Probably" have eventually proven fatal.

Two versions of the story, same common element: That the .257 Weatherby alone couldn't pull the brakes on the buffalo in a timely manner.


A long time ago, a local (African) friend used 200Gr Nosler Partitions in a .30-06 to shoot several Cape buffalo for the butcher at the Wankie colliery to feed the workers. He reported that they worked wonders if a perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder was taken.

 

[Doug3006]

I propose a handy rule of thumb. If you feel the need to ask the august members of this forum whether a rifle/caliber/bullet combination is adequate, then the answer is “no, it is not.” There’s quite a few suitable calibers and bullets for dangerous game. Use one of them instead. Starts at 375 and goes up.

 

[Sourdough]

What does “harvest” mean? Is that some kind of woke phrase?