Hi Velo Dog . Theres nothing wrong with a frontal shot on a buffalo. I prefer the broadside shot , but its only personal preference and because of one or two bad experiences early on in my career ( early 90's ) with dodgy RWS bullets. No reason not to take a full frontal shot with an adequate calibre loaded with good quality bullets. The DGX's don't work well for me in my 500 NE. They tend to break up , especially when hitting big bones. I now use hand loaded CEB's . A friend of mine loads Rhino soft nose bullets with great success and Dzombo solids in his 500 NE.
You took a beautiful buffalo. Congratulations.
Thanks Jan,
The broadside shot seems the best to me as well from all that I have read and listened to.
But my one and only buffalo so far, apparently thought we were lions hunkered down in the foliage and he obviously wanted to fight, as himself and his grumpy looking mates were busy advancing to us, not charging but very surly/cheeky behavior.
None of them seemed interested in turning broadside LOL.
If we'd waited much longer, we surely would have known what type of weeds they'd had for breakfast, by their breath.
What you said supports my beginner's opinion as well.
It seemed odd to me if the frontal / brisket shot is risky that, people like Dr. Kevin Robertson would have warned against it, in his superb book "The Perfect Shot".
Bullets have leaped forward in quality lately and hunters are rejoicing.
I am not familiar with CEB bullets but am quite versed on Rhino and Dzombo.
In fact, I have a box of 200 grain Rhino 8mm softs for my 8x57 Mauser but they are hard to get here in Alaska so, not sure if I will shoot them any time soon.
They have an awesome reputation, as do Dzombo bullets.
From reading unhappy customer's comments on the DGX, and from my meager two animal experience with them, I have concluded that they appear to have a velocity threshold of around 2000 fps.
It seems to me that the steel jacket (possibly the hardened lead alloy core as well) is too brittle to resist fracturing at higher velocity, (or even moderate velocity such as the .458 Lott produces).
Yours truly used that bullet as my soft because after trying multiple combinations of bullet brands, powder and primer combinations, my old .450 No2 double regulated way better with the DGX & DGS at 2050 fps than any other combination of bullet and components, including Woodleigh 480 and 500 gr bullets (among other brands) at various speeds.
I dare say; probably as well as any best grade Holland & Holland was ever regulated.
Very accurate as doubles go.
In terms of a soft for bolt actions and single shots, presuming no accuracy issues, I would likely choose Swift A-Frame (excellent reputation and relatively easy to get here where I live).
I had written to Hornady after my last safari, indicating that I had great success with their bullets on two animals but that it was at low velocity/2050 fps.
Yet, they shed a bit of the front ends (still otherwise boring deep into the animals though).
Therefore, I suggested they consider no longer thinning the DGX jacket near the "nose" as they currently do and that they also consider not cutting the stress slits so far down into the ogive as well.
If they left the jacket full thickness, from base to nose and only cut the stress slits to about 1/3 their current length, I feel they'd have a much better performer.
I realize that drawing steel jackets is tough enough on their equipment as it is and that thickening the nose will increase wear and tear on said equipment but, such is life in the fast lane.
NNTR to any of the above but, Thank You for your answer to my original question.
Tot Siens (or however you spell it),
Velo Dog.
