.458 win Mag hunting/guiding stories

[JPbowhunter]

And the buffalo from the little yarn I wrote, same rifle and I think I was using 500 grain Woodleigh softs but I’m not certain...

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How would a cobber like that be?

 

[PeteG]

Thanks, PeteG. What’s the barrel length on that one?

Off the top of my head, i think 23", will ask the old man to check it and also send me a pic of the copper solid we recovered.

 

[BenKK]

How would a cobber like that be?

G’day, how old?

It’s a good question. In this hard, harsh country I reckon he may have been a twelve year old (guessing). I reckon in this country by fifteen that’s a pretty good innings.

In captivity they can attain thirty.

I was always curious about the statement made on The Great Australian Buffalo Hunt that some of the old Bulman bulls were carrying .50BMG slugs from fighter pilots obviously running amok in 1944 or so. Unless he was talking about some bulls he shot way earlier than the film, it’s hard for me to imagine a Bulman bull in the 1970s having been around in WW2. But what if he’s dead right? That’d certainly be interesting! My gut feeling is our interior bulls don’t live that long. But I’d love to find-out for sure!

Look that film up on YouTube if you haven’t seen it already.

 

[Timbo]

G’day, how old?

It’s a good question. In this hard, harsh country I reckon he may have been a twelve year old (guessing). I reckon in this country by fifteen that’s a pretty good innings.

In captivity they can attain thirty.

I was always curious about the statement made on The Great Australian Buffalo Hunt that some of the old Bulman bulls were carrying .50BMG slugs from fighter pilots obviously running amok in 1944 or so. Unless he was talking about some bulls he shot way earlier than the film, it’s hard for me to imagine a Bulman bull in the 1970s having been around in WW2. But what if he’s dead right? That’d certainly be interesting! My gut feeling is our interior bulls don’t live that long. But I’d love to find-out for sure!

Look that film up on YouTube if you haven’t seen it already.

An old ex buffalo shooter told me that each vertical depression along the horn equates to one year of age. My best NT buff has 15 such ridges. This is him, he was almost hairless too.

For comparison this is a younger bull, which is my daughter's last buff she rolled with my .30/06:

 

[BenKK]

Makes sense. Do you put your daughter’s at ten or eleven by that method? That’s what I got when I zoomed-in and tried to count.

 

[BenKK]

Counting some ancient heads on the back veranda here and can’t get more than fourteen or fifteen.

 

[JPbowhunter]

G’day, how old?

It’s a good question. In this hard, harsh country I reckon he may have been a twelve year old (guessing). I reckon in this country by fifteen that’s a pretty good innings.

In captivity they can attain thirty.

I was always curious about the statement made on The Great Australian Buffalo Hunt that some of the old Bulman bulls were carrying .50BMG slugs from fighter pilots obviously running amok in 1944 or so. Unless he was talking about some bulls he shot way earlier than the film, it’s hard for me to imagine a Bulman bull in the 1970s having been around in WW2. But what if he’s dead right? That’d certainly be interesting! My gut feeling is our interior bulls don’t live that long. But I’d love to find-out for sure!

Look that film up on YouTube if you haven’t seen it already.

Yeah cheers mate, i find aging animals very interesting so I collect lower jaws of deer I shoot.

I guess I can't really say never having been up north but at least with deer being in sandy country will wear their teeth quicker than clay type country. That's gunna be a factor on the tail end years with nutrition. Not having tigers gnawing on you probably also helps so I wouldn't be surprised to hear of 20 year old plus animals kicking around. But 15 does sound like a decent innings for a wild animal in rough country.

I have watched or read most buffalo things I could find, saw that film years ago. I assume it was early days but i guess you never know, they weren't getting as hammered back then so makes sense more were living to old age.

 

[JPbowhunter]

An old ex buffalo shooter told me that each vertical depression along the horn equates to one year of age. My best NT buff has 15 such ridges. This is him, he was almost hairless too.

View attachment 284255

For comparison this is a younger bull, which is my daughter's last buff she rolled with my .30/06:

View attachment 284257

Nice buff mate! I've wondered that myself but never heard anyone say it so I assumed it must not be the case.

Makes sense though.

This can be an educational forum!

 

[Timbo]

Makes sense. Do you put your daughter’s at ten or eleven by that method? That’s what I got when I zoomed-in and tried to count.

I think you're right. Hers was definitely younger, as the tips were still sharp, as opposed to mine which were broken and worn down.

 

[Timbo]

Nice buff mate! I've wondered that myself but never heard anyone say it so I assumed it must not be the case.

Makes sense though.

This can be an educational forum!

Thanks! I saw a very unusually marked buff the previous day: longer, narrower horns, black and white facial markings with a "lightning bolt" mark down his face. But I'm happy with this old, old, veteran!!

Mate, I've been on this site a few years now and it's a great place to ask for advice and help. Guys are just unstinting with what they know, and are always happy to pass on their knowledge as you've realised already by the posts to your thread. As for buff - I hope you get to drop a beauty one day!!

 

[Timbo]

Counting some ancient heads on the back veranda here and can’t get more than fourteen or fifteen.

Yep! 15 sounds about as ancient as they get. If you look at my buff you'll note the hairless hide, ribs starting to show (despite the good feed about), worn and busted tips. This old guy was cleanly taken at precisely the right stage of his long life. I specifically wanted a wide, old and worn trophy - and am glad our paths met!!

 

[Timbo]

Yeah cheers mate, i find aging animals very interesting so I collect lower jaws of deer I shoot.

I guess I can't really say never having been up north but at least with deer being in sandy country will wear their teeth quicker than clay type country. That's gunna be a factor on the tail end years with nutrition. Not having tigers gnawing on you probably also helps so I wouldn't be surprised to hear of 20 year old plus animals kicking around. But 15 does sound like a decent innings for a wild animal in rough country.

I have watched or read most buffalo things I could find, saw that film years ago. I assume it was early days but i guess you never know, they weren't getting as hammered back then so makes sense more were living to old age.

I just thought I'd throw this pic in. My brother's mate shot this in SW West Australia!

 

[JPbowhunter]

@Timbo did you ever check his bottom jaw?

 

[Timbo]

@Timbo did you ever check his bottom jaw?

No mate. Didn't think about it, as free ranging deer of this size are rarer than hens teeth our way. But I can tell you, it's now shoulder mounted and takes pride of place on his wall.

 

[PaulT]

I too have been intrigued with aging buffalo.

Like everyone else I have theories but nothing scientifically tested.

The region I sued to hunt provided for quite an expanse of Coastal forest where the bulls seem to gravitate to once reaching some extreme age point and I was lucky in being able to take a few with my clients.

One of (in my opinion) the oldest was this fella,

 

[Wheels]

Somewhere along the line the debate over ballistics always pops up.
For comparison, we fired a few rounds through the chrony yesterday.
Hornady 500gr solids +-2,070fps.
Winchester 510gr? Softs from many years ago... +-2,060fps
480gr peregrine vrg2 copper solid +-2,150fps

I think the old Winchester ammo was the same my dad used to use back in the day, and that’s way back...
Might pull one and see what gr it is.

The vrg2 copper solid went 2’ through a bag of sand and then on to a loose hanging 2” thick converter belt. The front had expanded a bit and it had bent a little. Will try get. A pic loaded later.
At that speed, I’d have no issues him taking it hunting.
It’s an old Cogswell and Harrison so I reckon it deserves a few more visits to the bush.

Interesting information.

In the old Winchester Super X ammo, I am pretty sure the softs were 510g and the solids were 500g. This might save you a buck on pulling a bullet.

 

[PeteG]

Interesting information.

In the old Winchester Super X ammo, I am pretty sure the softs were 510g and the solids were 500g. This might save you a buck on pulling a bullet.

Great news. I won’t bother pulling them then. Dad always remembered them as 510’s. His memory isn’t always the greatest, except when he is recalling his hunting days.
Can’t remember what we discussed two days ago but remembers what he shot 35 years ago in Sichifulo and how it happened etc!

 

[Wheels]

Great news. I won’t bother pulling them then. Dad always remembered them as 510’s. His memory isn’t always the greatest, except when he is recalling his hunting days.
Can’t remember what we discussed two days ago but remembers what he shot 35 years ago in Sichifulo and how it happened etc!

In 35 years, when someone posts about 458 ammo on AH, you will now be able to say that you remember the old Super X softs weighed 510 grains. Just like you will also be able to tell them what Chipata and Lubumbashi used to be called because that was important information. You won't be able to tell them who won the most recent World Cup, Superbowl, Rugby World Cup, etc. even though you watched it.

It's called getting old. You will learn about that in 35 years too.

 

[PeteG]

In 35 years, when someone posts about 458 ammo on AH, you will now be able to say that you remember the old Super X softs weighed 510 grains. Just like you will also be able to tell them what Chipata and Lubumbashi used to be called because that was important information. You won't be able to tell them who won the most recent World Cup, Superbowl, Rugby World Cup, etc. even though you watched it.

It's called getting old. You will learn about that in 35 years too.

Getting there quicker than I’d like too!

 

[Wheels]

Heard somewhere that for every friend you take hunting, it staves off a year of aging.