375 H&H

[PaulT]

Ray, unfortunately you just missed a package of 7 packets of Federal Premium Cape Shoks I sold about a week and a half ago.
They were loaded with 300gn T.S.X's and were by a margin the best bullet I've witnessed for use on Buffalo.
Boringly reliable to penetrate both front shoulders on the first shot and put the bull down right there !

When I was guiding I had two loan guns for clients not wanting to travel with their own.
I had two loan .375 rifles and this was the standard load I settled on after years of trying others.

You have been advised correctly in shooting for the top of the scapula plate with your first shot.
This is my favored placement for buff and when you get it right it is perfect.
May not kill it instantly but it wont take a step.

I have shot hundreds of buff with that hold and have a recurring memory of seeing legs up in the air as my barrel comes down from recoil.

Best of luck with your hunt.

I was up in my old area just this past July/August and took some good bulls.

I hope you can do the same

 

[Dr Ray]

Ray, unfortunately you just missed a package of 7 packets of Federal Premium Cape Shoks I sold about a week and a half ago.
They were loaded with 300gn T.S.X's and were by a margin the best bullet I've witnessed for use on Buffalo.
Boringly reliable to penetrate both front shoulders on the first shot and put the bull down right there !

When I was guiding I had two loan guns for clients not wanting to travel with their own.
I had two loan .375 rifles and this was the standard load I settled on after years of trying others.

You have been advised correctly in shooting for the top of the scapula plate with your first shot.
This is my favored placement for buff and when you get it right it is perfect.
May not kill it instantly but it wont take a step.

I have shot hundreds of buff with that hold and have a recurring memory of seeing legs up in the air as my barrel comes down from recoil.

Best of luck with your hunt.

I was up in my old area just this past July/August and took some good bulls.

I hope you can do the same

This s a case of excellent advice from someone who has incredible experience. Thank you so much.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Hendershots custom ammo offers a wide range of bullet options and they list suggested use and their velocity.

https://hendershots.net/product/375-hh-magnum-extreme-custom-ammo/

 

[Timbo]

Just my 2- cents, but when I hunted buffalo in the NT, the operator offered to load up some ammo for me on his head, and sight in on arrival. Have you considered this option? As a lot of those guys up there reload anyway, it may be a solution instead of taking factory ammunition.

Best of luck on your hunt - and please post up a report.

 

[Shootist43]

Dr. Ray, your original thoughts were pretty good. IvW's comments are spot on in my estimation. I will be taking Swift A Frames to Africa for my next hunt as they can be used on just about everything. Your biggest concern should be how well do the various offerings shoot out of your gun. I'd buy a box of twenty (one at a time)of the various options you have available and see how well they group. If it were me, I'd start off with the Federal Premium using Swift A frames. If that combination groups well I wouldn't look any further.

 

[Dr Ray]

Dr. Ray, your original thoughts were pretty good. IvW's comments are spot on in my estimation. I will be taking Swift A Frames to Africa for my next hunt as they can be used on just about everything. Your biggest concern should be how well do the various offerings shoot out of your gun. I'd buy a box of twenty (one at a time)of the various options you have available and see how well they group. If it were me, I'd start off with the Federal Premium using Swift A frames. If that combination groups well I wouldn't look any further.

Thank you for your assistance. It is much appreciated.

 

[Dr Ray]

This is why I am a fan of the Barnes TSX. One shot kill with 300 grn .375. I especially like the picture of my buffalo on the right with the herd looking on trying to decide what to do with me. I have only recovered 2 bullets in my hunts. You will get great results from the other bullets you have asked about, a lot depends on what shoots well in your rifle and what is available. It may be difficult to get same point of impact with different brands and bullets, like @Royal27 said, try same brand soft and solid. Good luck with your search!

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A friendly looking herd of "cattle"!

In the next day or so I will post an article on the Woodleigh penetration data. If anyone would like to contribute data I would be grateful and IO'm sure other readers & members would be also grateful.

 

[Dr Ray]

I am asking for some opinions on what type of factory loaded ammo (as I do not do enough shooting to warrant hand loading the 375).
I was thinking of 300 grains solid in Federal premium such as the trophy bonded bear claw or the Woodley Hydro solid for Buffalo.
I am also looking at the Sako 300 grains solid.
I was particularly interested in people's opinions as do not want a use a bullet that is too soft for buffalo and the problem is whether 300 grains solids will shoot to the same point of impact is the 300 soft nose and so forth.

Here are the reports from Woodleigh (Geoff McDonald)
Photos 1 & 2 .....Mr John Marozzi, & bull giraffe taken quartering on with a quick left & right at 60 yards with a 500 NE and 570gn hydro.
It took 3 wobbly steps and collapsed. Both bullets exited in front of the rear hip.
Natal RSA September 2017

Photo #3 Mr Chris Jauffret & asian buffalo. The rifle used was a Verney Carron Azur in 375flanged & 300gr hydro
I have just returned from another buffalo hunt up north and will attach a photo for you to look at. (again using the same rifle and 300gr hydros).
The performance of hydros never ceases to impresses me. My first shot on the bull above was a bit far back and low, as it was running through thick bamboo on a river bank. ( so not a fatal shot). My second shot, once I had reloaded, was at about 70metres quartering away as the bull ran across the open plain after it had re-emerged from the bamboo jungle. The bullet entered the right back leg and penetrated into the vitals dropping the bull with in 20 metres. Awesome performance! I cant recommend hydros enough to any one who is serious about big game hunting.

 

[Opposite Pole]

I am asking for some opinions on what type of factory loaded ammo (as I do not do enough shooting to warrant hand loading the 375).
I was thinking of 300 grains solid in Federal premium such as the trophy bonded bear claw or the Woodley Hydro solid for Buffalo.
I am also looking at the Sako 300 grains solid.
I was particularly interested in people's opinions as do not want a use a bullet that is too soft for buffalo and the problem is whether 300 grains solids will shoot to the same point of impact is the 300 soft nose and so forth.

Hi Dr Ray, regarding the Federal TBBC in 375H&H below is a copy of my old post about the performance of this ammo. Also you mention solid, TBBC is not a solid.

I have experienced poor performance from the following 375 H&H Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load https://www.federalpremium.com/ammunition/rifle/family/cape-shok/cape-shok-trophy-bonded-bear-claw/p375t3

I was stalking a large cow Water Buffalo. The beast was feeding on the edge of a forest. I got to within approximately 50m (55yds) of it. It was as easy a shot as a hunter can hope for. Undisturbed animal, broadside presentation. Having kneeled I took a rest on a tree and fired. Upon receiving the shot the animal took off into the paperbark forest. Here I made a serious mistake. Being sure of the shot I did not fire again while I could have gone for the rear spinal shot or a hind leg shot – there was enough time to fire off at least one more aimed shot. There were two of us there and we both agreed the shot was true and waited a short while before following the animal. Had the bullet performed as expected it would have taken out the lungs and most likely the heart as well. However, the animal disappeared and initially we found no blood at all. The shot was fired at 8am and we spent the rest of the day trying to find and follow spoor. Hard going as we were tracking through wet, muddy paperbark forest late in the wet season with temperatures around 40C (100F) and 99% humidity. After several hours, we found minimal traces of blood in two spots. Did not manage to track down the animal that day and stared again the following morning. At 7am we spotted an animal about 100m away. It was standing broadside to us and looked healthy on its feet. However, close observation through binoculars revealed its sides were somewhat collapsed indicating that perhaps it did not drink and feed for some time. I fired one standing shot and several running ones until the beast fell, upon reaching the animal I fired a finishing shot into the base of the skull as the animal was still alive.

Trying to understand what happened we started looking for the bullet. Upon hitting bone, it failed to break it and instead deflected of its path by about 90 degrees and went straight into the gut cavity where it got lodged. I was quite keen to find that projectile but not keen enough to go through the content of its injured gut cavity. I’ve gone back to the place where I fired that first shot the previous day. The path of the bullet was clear, there were no branches it could have hit on its way.

I do not want to bad mouth a reputable projectile as perhaps my experience was just an isolated incident. I do not think any projectile on the market is going to perform 100% correctly 100% of the time but be that as it may this particular one did fail resulting in suffering animal and a long and stressful follow up.

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[dchamp]

What ever you choose I look forward to your report on your hunt. As a side note I took my .458 Lott out yesterday and shot Barnes Vortex 500gr TSX and Federal CapeShok 500gr Woodleigh Hydros, the TSX is to the right of the Hydro. The range was 100yds. I am going to shoot it again in a couple of weeks to make sure it wasn't fluke. The only way to know is to shoot it.

 

[wesheltonj]

You could go (1) Norma Oryx in 300g or (2) Norma in 350g either in FMJ or Soft Woodleigh. Go with the 350 for DG.

 

[Dr Ray]

You could go (1) Norma Oryx in 300g or (2) Norma in 350g either in FMJ or Soft Woodleigh. Go with the 350 for DG.

One of the reasons I was looking at Woodleigh is that there is a heavy bullet for the same velocity (at least that’s my impression).
I will use the 350 grain Bullets and thanks fir your contribution.

 

[Waterbuck2008]

A lot of honest info here - another vote for starting with the A-frame. If it groups acceptably, that's your huckleberry. Barnes TSX would be right there with it, too. I've used both, and would trust either in a tight spot. Quite a few reliable choices on both sides of the Pacific, and your 350 grain choice sounds like a fine plan, too.

 

[John J]

I do enjoy handloading even in smaller quantities that I don't shoot as often. I am stuck between the 375 H&H and 416 Rigby. If given the chance I would like to use both when I get down there in '19. Here is the email from Woodleigh on the heavy duty 375. Mostlikely will be a woodie or northfork in the chamber as I do like heavy for caliber.

 

[Newboomer]

I am asking for some opinions on what type of factory loaded ammo (as I do not do enough shooting to warrant hand loading the 375).
I was thinking of 300 grains solid in Federal premium such as the trophy bonded bear claw or the Woodley Hydro solid for Buffalo.
I am also looking at the Sako 300 grains solid.
I was particularly interested in people's opinions as do not want a use a bullet that is too soft for buffalo and the problem is whether 300 grains solids will shoot to the same point of impact is the 300 soft nose and so forth.

I used Barnes 350g TSX ahead of 58.2 g of 4064 in 375HH for my buff. Head on shot and we found him 80 yards away stone dead. Skinners couldn't find the slug in him anywhere. PH guessed it went clear through as his butt was a mess.

 

[IvW]

I used Barnes 350g TSX ahead of 58.2 g of 4064 in 375HH for my buff. Head on shot and we found him 80 yards away stone dead. Skinners couldn't find the slug in him anywhere. PH guessed it went clear through as his butt was a mess.

The only problem with using a bullet that will pass all the way through on Cape buffalo on the initial shot(no matter how good they are) is that you will be limiting yourself on the shots you can take.

You will not be able to take a shot if there is a possibility of another buffalo behind the one you want to shoot.

This can be very frustrating in a herd situation and after you have spent hrs and quite often day's tracking and hunting for your buffalo.

A premium grade bullet, that penetrates in a straight line and ends up under the skin on the opposite side is my choice.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I use 375 H&H from RWS with bullet TUG 19,5g ( 300gr ) . I'm very pleased.

 

[WAB]

If I did not reload I would use Swift Ammo with A-Frames or Federal Ammo with A-Frames or trophy bonded bear claws. It may be just my bad luck, but I’ve never gotten acceptable accuracy with Barnes bullets. I know others have, but I’m pretty locked in to A-Frames at this point.

 

[Luvthunt]

Read all of the above very quickly so may have missed some things——BUT the heavy for caliber seems to be based on sound thinking and impirical data. Ie 350 gr for 375–430 or 480 for 416 and 550 for458. With that in mind the North Folk people make those weights and in a bullet that is forward thinking in todays .
With that thought I would contact Superior Ammo. And have them load what I wanted if I did not load myself with North Folks.
There is no arguing with the fact that momentum increases thus penetration. North Folk solids are forward thing also.
Yes, I like Swift aframes and have used them in Africa on several hunts and IMO they performed well. My old 375 [a 1949 mod70] with 25” barrel liked them. But no solids in the past so used TBSledgehammers. A bit off with POI but a 25+ - did the deed.

 

[Rick Cox]

You may be interested in reviewing the section in my recent rather lengthy account with regards using Swift A Frames on a buff last June. ( Hunting South Africa with Pawprint Safaris) Next week I plan on a follow up article discussing this and other personal experiences involving bullets. It will include an analysis from Swift.