Oryx 285 and cow buffalo

[sgt_zim]

Looks like I'm going to RSA next August, probably going to add a buff cow. PH is fine with 9.3x62, but prefers SAF or TSX 286 gr.

I'm pushing my 285 gr Oryx out at a little under 2300. Should I get some SAFs? Swift has them in stock presently.

And if they run out of stock before I can order, how about NF semi-spitzers instead if I should use something other than Oryx?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

It shouldn’t be too hard to work up a good buffalo load with swift. I think two boxes would plenty for the load development and the hunt.

 

[SETH RINGER]

ME THINKS ORYX AND A-FRAMES ARE SIX OF 1 AND HALF DOZEN OF OTHER. BOTH ARE GREAT.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I seem to recall you have a .45-70; use it!! Mine totally rocked my two cows. Just playin'... Best of wishes with your 9.3 and finding a good load. The good folks here will steer you in the right direction. I'm excited for you, and look forward to the success photos.

 

[112Savage]

I’ve only shot whitetail deer with the 285 oryx and never recovered one. The swift was an easy load development. Somewhere between 63 and 65.5 grains of Ramshot Big Game in lapua brass has been magic for most 285/6 grain bullets.

 

[shootist~]

Not meaning to be a cop-out, but I would listen to your PH.
TSX > AF, should you need to discourage a bull. My $.02.

And I hope someone with experience comments on the NFs.

 

[Fryeguy]

I would go with swift AF. Not exactly the same as shooting a buff. I recovered these three AF from an Eland, over 200yards on first 2 shots, 3rd shot was right at 200. These I had going 2465fps. I also had the 232oryx loaded light that my son used to shoot a blue wildebeest, just under 2400fps for reduced recoil, as he is 13, and the biggest factor being that speed had them hitting same point of impact as my other loads. The oryx definitely opened up way more. I know it’s a lighter bullet, but the mushroom size was larger. So with a lighter weight bullet and a larger mushroom penetration was less. I would expect the 285 oryx to penetrate way better than 232’s, but I am guessing the mushroom and bullet expansion would be the same as the 285. Run them faster it may be even more. I attached the 3 AF and also the 2 oryx recovered. The bullet in pic of 2 together is from close to 250yards. The one that really flattened was the finishing shot at less than 100. I would listen to PH and go with AF. I had nosler partitions to use too, and after shooting two animals with aframes, I didn’t even pick up the partitions the rest of time. I’m sold on them. The only thing I didn’t use them in was warthogs.

 

[Fryeguy]

Here is a pic of the bullets together. I was wrong on speed of 232’s. It was less than 2300fps

 

[John Wasmuth]

Looks like I'm going to RSA next August, probably going to add a buff cow. PH is fine with 9.3x62, but prefers SAF or TSX 286 gr.

I'm pushing my 285 gr Oryx out at a little under 2300. Should I get some SAFs? Swift has them in stock presently.

And if they run out of stock before I can order, how about NF semi-spitzers instead if I should use something other than Oryx?

Any of those should work fine but I favor swifts.

 

[Fryeguy]

Also just a heads up. Ravens rock precision has the swift 286 and 300’s in stock. I ordered from them twice in last couple of months and over $150 free shipping. They have been great to deal with so far

 

[Puddle]

Took my last cow Buff with the 286 gr. A-Frame at a MV of just under 2,300 fps. When I mentioned I was bringing A-Frames the PH responded "A-Frames? Then don't bother bringing solids."

The first 2 rounds were enough, and the 3rd round was to insure the first 2 were enough.

Next trip it's the 9.3 again, but with 300 grain A-Frames at ~2,330 MV

 

[Sideshow]

Interesting. You guys are talking the 62. Not that I can see much difference in the 74

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Swift A Frames. Norma Oryx is more suitable for plains game and lions (although Cape buffalo can be taken with them on broadside double lung or heart-lung shots).

 

[RLL]

At bit off from the OP’s question but I’m gonna plug CEB and Hammer Bullets if you want to go the non-conventional route. Plenty of bullet weights to chose from. And you won’t be disappointed by terminal performance. Go with CEB Raptor ESP with tip installed or Hammers if you think you might be shooting out to 200 or so on other game.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Nothing wrong with the oryx, my preference is Woodleighs but hard to find at the moment and obviously A-frames are also a great choice.

 

[sgt_zim]

I’ve only shot whitetail deer with the 285 oryx and never recovered one. The swift was an easy load development. Somewhere between 63 and 65.5 grains of Ramshot Big Game in lapua brass has been magic for most 285/6 grain bullets.

I've had really good success so far with 2000MR (and I have almost 9# of it). By all accounts, it's close enough to Big Game as to make no difference.

 

[Puddle]

I've had really good success so far with 2000MR (and I have almost 9# of it). By all accounts, it's close enough to Big Game as to make no difference.

Looking at my latest Hodgdon burn rate chart those two powders are indeed very close together. I have the opposite condition to yours - a whole lotta Big Game.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I've had really good success so far with 2000MR (and I have almost 9# of it). By all accounts, it's close enough to Big Game as to make no difference.

Good stuff very consistent

 

[RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION]

Thanks for the tag. We have a decent amount of 9.3mm bullets. If you find them somewhere for cheaper let us know and we will try our best to beat the price (free shipping over $150 and no tax to most states)

 

[Longwalker]

I really like the 285 gr. Oryx bullets in my 9.3's and have used them for some fairly large critters like Oryx and Giraffe. But for buffalo I think the slightly narrower mushroom and longer shank of the Swift bullet should result in deeper penetration, which is a good thing. I'd confidently hunt buffalo with my 9.3x62 or 9.3x74R with the 285 gr. Oryx bullet, but I'd prefer the A-frame just a tiny bit more.