Looking for opinions on the best 480-500 grain 458 bullet for Cape Buffalo at a velocity of around 2150 fps. I think the Swift and Barnes may be too tough and some others not tough enough for buff. Looking for real world experience.
I've read that the Swift needs a minimum of 2250-2300 fps to really expand well. And the TSX needs 2400 fps. I have no interest in pushing a 500 grain bullet to 2300 fps in my 8.5 lb 458 Lott. Lol! Plus, 2150 fps is the gold standard velocity that has been deemed perfectly reliable for large bore rifles.
Hahaha! Not yet! I'm just wanting to run the classic 2150fps velocity from my 458 Lott. No need for more.
I'd have no problem using the aframe, NF, or TSX at 2150. I'd also suggest trying the load that works in your rifle at the speed it works best at instead of trying to reach some "gold standard" minimum need. See what the recoil actually feels like to you. For my 8.5 lb Lott I ended up at like 2234 as I recall with Northforks and couldn't tell a difference in recoil until I was well above that. The accuracy degraded a little though so I backed down to where it was best.
Is that a 500 grain Northfork you're using? I have also considered a 450 grain A Frame at around 2300 fps.
Yes. I wanted one soft/solid combo that I could use for buff/ele. For buff I'd have no issue with the 450 although my personal preference would still be the 500.
No, but only because the NF worked so well and had the soft/solid. Not sure how you could go wrong with an aframe though as long as your rifle likes them .
@TOBY458, A few quick responses: 1) Go here, get the PP version of the NF softs: https://www.northforkbullets.com/magento/products/bullets/premium-bonded-core/458-500-ss-287.html/ 2) 8.5 lbs with a 500gr bullet at 2150fps is lively for sure. My double is right at 10lbs and the same 500gr and 2150fps velocity....well you know it's a big bore for sure. I highly recommend you add 1-2lbs of weight to that rifle. 3) I also recommend you put a sling on it and learn to shoot military style with your non-shooting hand elbow in the sling creating tension to minimize muzzle rise.
It weighs 9.5lbs with the scope and rings, and has a mercury recoil reducer in the stock. So, that helps a bit. I've been shooting some "light" 2000 fps loads with 500 grain Hornadys for practice, and it's very manageable.
I'd suggest then developing a load of my beloved NF softs in the Percussion Point version at a minimum of 2200fps. Impact velocity at 50 yards or closer should be at the 2100fps that NF recommends. I say that however with accuracy always the first priority. However, I can't see much accuracy difference at 50 yards. 50 yards or less is typical first shot distance for buffalo.
I don't think id use a Barnes TSX at 2150fps... id have a hard time trusting it to always open. if your going to keep it at 2150fps or less then a good bullet would be the Woodleigh round nose. these are bonded and will perform extremely well at this speed. the Swift A-frame would also work but I believe Woodleigh would open faster at the lower speeds. -matt
2150fps is about ideal for the Woodleigh RNSP to perform as it was designed. If you decide to go that route I doubt you will have too many complaints, personally though i'm not sure i'd want to down-throttle my own Lott to that. My personal load in my Lotts, which incidently weighed 8.5lbs field ready, was a 500gn at 2250. At this velocity the Woodleigh will still perform adequately for most "normal" hunting situations were the initial shot is taken at 50 - 100yds. The only circumstances I was a little disappointed with the Woodlieghs were in "stopping" situations were the shot being taken was at less than 15 yds and the projectile is at full velocity. As a client hunter, and not the PH, you can cover all bases by loading the Wooldieghs at 2200 for the first shot, it is unlikely you will need to take a first shot at less than that distance and then fill the magazine with solids for going away shots and any potential charge stopping situation. If you decide to go that way then load a GOOD solid; i.e LARGE frontal meplat. Good hunting.
The 500 gr Swift is my go to backed up by 500 gr Sledgehammers, both at around 2250 but the choice of Woodleighs at 2150 is on firm ground. The objective is to achieve the fullest expansion of a bullet to obtain the largest permanent wound channel. 2150 with a Swift may achieve that as long as you kept the shots under 5o yds.
In my 458 WM I load the 480gn Woodleigh RN which is tailor made. Running right at your listed speed over a compressed 74gn 2206H. My rifle also sits just on 9 pounds scoped. I've hunted our buffalo and scrub bull with it and will use it on cape buff in 2020, likely with 480gn Hydros as backup. In the Lott I'd likely go for the 500gn RN variant.
