A Few "User Friendly" Cartridges for Cape Buffalo. Just For Fun, Pick Your Winner.

[Rumrunner]

.416 Rem Mag 400 gr. Swift A-Frame 2300 FPS Shoot broadside without much worry of a pass through.
.375 H&H Mag 300 gr. Swift A-Frame 2350 FPS More user friendly

 

[Betterinthebush]

I know absolutely nothing about shooting buffalo. Of the three PH’s I asked, after I told them what I owned (box ammo), they were unanimous for my .416 Rigby:

Barnes 400gr. TSX-FB (Federal Premium)

Second place: Speer TBBC 400gr. (Federal Premium)

After I anchor my first bull, the next hunt I’ll switch to my .470NE for CQ work. I’ve no idea what I’m going to use in it. One thing at a time. I’m certain my PH will guide me. My job is to control my breathing and park the bullet appropriately.

 

[Ruraldoc]

Killed my first and only bull with a 416 Remington with a 400 grain swift a frame.

One shot, a buffalo who went a short distance and promptly fell and died right there.

I think the 400 grain premium expanding bullets from 450/400, 416s, and 404s are about perfect.

When I go for my next buffalo, it will be hard to take anything bigger or smaller.

 

[ActionBob]

Well, "user friendly" includes keeping the user alive, doing a fair bit of damage (to the animal) on the first shot, and capable of being fired accurately. There is no "perfect answer" but for me the .416 Rigby fits the bill. The case is voluminous, pressures are low, it has plenty of horsepower, and sectional density for the 400 gr bullets is generally excellent. The .375 H&H is a close second. Double rifles have their place, but a trusty bolt rifle with a good scope is probably more "user friendly" for the average hunter. This sort of rules out the 450/400 and the like. The .404 Jeffrey is probably in there somewhere too.

I would definitely put the 404 Jeffrey in there but loaded to original speeds.

 

[IvW]

Cape buffalo only the 400's are the ideal....

404 Jeff should be on your list, it is the perfect Cape buffalo cartridge......

 

[Brian]

IvW,
Yes you are right, I always seem to have overlooked it.
The case has been used for some awesome new cartridges.
I like it.
What bullets and velocity do you like with the 404 Jeff on cape buffalo.?

 

[DLSJR]

Both rifles I shoot for dangerous game are pretty user friendly.
One is a 375 H&H, shooting 300 grain bullets, mostly TSX’s or Bearclaws at 2,550 fps.
The other is a 416 Hoffman (think 416 Remington), shooting 400 grain bullets, again mostly Bearclaws & TSX’s at 2,400 fps.

I actually went out and shot both rifles this week over my gunsmith’s Garmin chronograph, and got higher measured velocities than I thought either gun was achieving. Both rifles are set up very similarly, pre-64 model 70’s bedded in Brown Precision stocks, custom barrels - 375 has a Shilen barrel and 416 is a Hart barrel, Leupold VX5 scopes. I try to keep it simple and both rifles are easy to shoot well.

I haven’t had a double in a long time but am hankering to get one for an elephant hunt. When I do get one it’ll most likely be a 470 NE, which is what I had before. Not sure if the rifle or hunt will be ordered first but one will follow the other pretty rapidly when I decide on where I’ll be do7ng my next elephant hunt.

 

[Sabre]

Did anyone mention .223 with 55 grain bullets yet?
No? I'll see myself out....

 

[cmk]

What bullets and velocity do you like with the 404 Jeff on cape buffalo.?

There aren't too many options regarding expanding bullets - at least not stuff that can be gotten 'almost anywhere'.

A-Frame,
NorthFork (SS or CPS),
TSX,
Woodleigh RN,
Hornady DGX Bonded,

are the ones I come to think of. All 400gn, and running either at 2200-2300 should do the trick. Though my personal experience is just one buffalo (NF SS 400).

Woodleigh of course has a 450 gn option and the Hydro, and NF can be had in 340, 380 and 430 gn as well.

Don't know if WL has started production yet of the more obscure calibres, and A-Frame always seem hard to find.

 

[cmk]

Did anyone mention .223 with 55 grain bullets yet?
No? I'll see myself out....

Naah, but if you mention the 243 or 35 Whelen, @Bob Nelson 35Whelen will be around shortly to scold or praise you, respectively

 

[grand veneur]

Sure, we can also quote the cartridges 30-06 Springfield, 8x57IS and especially the 8x68S. All are cartridges that are very user friendly when it comes to buffalo hunting. The cartridge 8x68S was previously offered by RWS with a 12,7g FMJ bullet, because it appears to have been used for buffalo hunting at times in the past.

 

[grand veneur]

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[Rafiki]

.375 H&H Magnum. Most popular cape buffalo round.
.375 cal. 300 grain bullet 2,500 fps.

450-400 N.E.. Very popular for cape buffalo with double rifle users.
.410 cal. 400 grain bullet 2,100fps.

45-70. Generally rated as a poor choice for cape buffalo.
.458 cal 300 grain bullet 2,500 fps
.458 cal 400 grain bullet 2,100 fps.

.50 Alaskan Never gets mentioned as a cape buffalo cartridge.
. 510 cal 435 grain bullet 2,000 fps.

.50-110 Winchester. Old west bison cartridge, seldom mentioned as a possible cape buffalo cartridge.
. 510 cal. 450 grain bullet 2,100 fps.

Which cartridges do you like as the best one for your first shot on a cape buffalo, and why?

For the sake of fair comparison lets say this;
- All first shots on your buffalo are taken on a standing cape buffalo at about 50 yds and are placed well in the vitals of the cape buffalo.
- All bullets are the same high quality, recent generation design and construction.
- Bullet can be soft or solid, your choice, you're the shooter.

I wouldn't be surprised if I left out some other interesting cartridges in this "User Friendly" category.
If one comes to mind please add it into the mix with it's modern muzzle velocity and bullet weight.

Thanks, Brian

You forgot the ever popular (with me anyway) 500 Sharps 2.5" (50-90 Sharps). So far it's taken 3 Cape Buffalo and a Bison. My most recent test was 575gr Peregrine VRG2 @ 2074fps; Ruger No 1.

 

[IvW]

IvW,
Yes you are right, I always seem to have overlooked it.
The case has been used for some awesome new cartridges.
I like it.
What bullets and velocity do you like with the 404 Jeff on cape buffalo.?

400 to 420gr at 2150 to 2300fps.....premium expanding bullets only no solids for cape buffalo......

 

[Brian]

You forgot the ever popular (with me anyway) 500 Sharps 2.5" (50-90 Sharps). So far it's taken 3 Cape Buffalo and a Bison. My most recent test was 575gr Peregrine VRG2 @ 2074fps; Ruger No 1.

Yes i did!

That would be a great buffalo cartridge, I am down sizing from .577 NE which I used this spring on 6 cape buffalos with 700 grain peregrine VRG3, to the 50-110 Win. 420 CEB bullet at 2,100fps. ( Similar to your 50-90 obviously.)

I have killed several buffalo with the 50-110 Win. using CEB Raptors, it turned out to be, for me, a DRT cartridge with good bullets.

Your 575gr. Peregrine 500 cal. at 2074 fps is perfect, from my point of view. ( I am a CEB nerd ! )

My personal preference is 50 caliber CEB or NF at 2,000 fps - 2,100 fps. Of course that is not a reccomendation, necessarily, it's just one hunters personal preference.

Also, I think that the Ruger No.1 is a perfect rifle for your 50-90 Sharps. My 50-110 is in a TC Encore, a nice little esoteric sort of a rifle but it does not have near the classl that your Ruger No.1 has.

 

[Andrew62]

.375H&H loaded with 300 grain Swift Aframes or Barnes TSX.

I have a 416 Rigby but I don’t like that level of recoil, AND, I’m lazy, my 375H&H, with scope, weighs 7lbs 15oz, I’m not interested in carrying a 10lb rifle!

 

[Brian]

I just found another one that I forgot about.

.405 Winchester

300 grain bullet 2,500 fps.
400 grain bullet 2,000 fps.
That puts it right in there with the other on the list.
Probably get higher velocity in the Ruger No.1 ( Not that it is needed.)

Also, I didn't realize that the .404 J is .421 cal, I always thought it wa s.410 cal.
That's a good thing as Martha Stewart used to say.

You know that I have a weakness for a large caliber and CEB Bullets. I think that the .421 bullet is special order from CEB.

 

[pilar]

I have some .375’s in the safe, because they shoot well and ammo is easy to find
But would feel more comfortable with a 416 something, 450-400 , 404J as a starter point with getting friendly with buff and other DG !
Imo those others are kinda obscure and will kill but to say user friendly would be Obtuse

 

[Nevada Mike]

404 Jeffery. This round has killed a lot of buffalo.

 

[Nevada Mike]

IvW,
Yes you are right, I always seem to have overlooked it.
The case has been used for some awesome new cartridges.
I like it.
What bullets and velocity do you like with the 404 Jeff on cape buffalo.?

404 JEFFERY & 400 GRAIN SWIFT A FRAME.