POLL / You are going on a cape buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe... which caliber do you choose? And Why?

[Bejane]

none. I live in Africa and I use a 375, shot Buffalo and Elephant with it. I am comfortable with the recoil and accurate with it.

If I were to upgrade it would be to 416 Rem

 

[Dan458]

This is my next hunt and I will be taking my Lott because it worked well on my first Buff

 

[mark-hunter]

You are going on a cape buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe... which caliber do you choose? And Why?

- .404 Jeffrey
- .416 Rigby
- .458 Lott
- .500 Jeffrey
- .505 Gibbs

Sorry to break the party, but none of the above.
I will take 375 H&H.

Reasons:
Availability of factory ammunition, and availability of spare ammo at home on stock.
Hunt on budget: I will not hunt dozens of buffalos or elephants in my life, to justify buying rifle in 416 to 505 Gibbs range.

Versatility: 375 H&H offers versatility. Which other calibers above do not have.
Of 4 safaris I made till now, I used 375 H&H three times.
And of 4 safaris done, one was on buffalo, 3 on PG.
And I can take the same rifle again, to any of plains game species in Namibia or South Africa.

375 offers manageable recoil.

Availability of rifle. While it was hard enough for me to find the CRF rifle of magnum lenght action in 375 H&H, finding rifle in any of above calibers would be close impossible. I would have to import it from somewhere, follow the procedures, paperwork, import, export papers, etc... Total pain in the neck.
So, getting the rifle, plus later finding ammunition for this would not be worthy of effort, for maybe one or two DG hunts to do.

Ammo used:
swift a frame 300 grains, loaded by norma. (no longer available) Performed superbly.
For elephant hunt, couldnt find solids. So I had to order rhino bullet solids, will reload for them.
Elephant I have not hunted yet, but it is in plan, in foreseeable future.

Before I make you worried, I have to say my access to African guns and cartridges is much more restricted then for average American. I suppose you are targeting American market?
I live in small country in Europe, where average hunter does not hunt buffalos and elephants, so my reasoning for purchasing ammo and rifle should not be generally representative.

But if it helps, if I am to take specific rifle for buffalo and elephant, of all the calibers listed above, provided I have unlimited funds to finance one or two DG hunts per year: my choice would be 416 Rigby. Most standardized of all others, and presumably with best ammunition distribution around.
(I cant help, I prefer vanilla calibers)

Swift a frame, 300 grain in 375 H&H:
Experience, fantasic!
Three bullets taken from my buffalo:

 

[GuttormG]

My 404, it was built for it

 

[Mark R]

416RM using 400gr Woodleigh hydro handloads.

 

[Fordy]

Gday Pendleton ammunition

This from ActionBob needs repeating imo

Well you can't go wrong with any of those calibers. But you can use the wrong bullets. And you can fail to hit the right spot on the buffalo Those points are listed backwards of importance.

Going with your above poll about time some good 500 Jeffery would be nice

Cheers

 

[VertigoBE]

Well you can't go wrong with any of those calibers. But you can use the wrong bullets. And you can fail to hit the right spot on the buffalo Those points are listed backwards of importance.

Fully agree @ActionBob
1. Shot placement (anatomy+practice+sights)
2. Bullet construction (incl speed and load)
3. Rifle platform (reliability, ergonomics)
4. Caliber (anything >=.375H&H is good to go, bonus points if it is relatively easily available at your hunting destination)

 

[grand veneur]

None of them because from this list I only own a rifle caliber 12,7x70 Schüler/500 Jeffery and I would not use it just for a buffalo hunt. However, I did shot a buffalo in Zimbabwe with it, but it was not planned. That was during an elephant hunt and as the buffalo cross our track. The buffalo was shot with a 535gr FMJ bullet from Woodleigh. For a buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe or wherever I would primarily use my rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum and at time the 500gr PP SN bullet from Woodgeigh. But I am flexible, I have already shot buffalo with completely different cartridges and for this reason any cartridge on the list would be welcome.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’d personally opt for a .505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action by Ryan Breeding, Reto Buehller or Joe Smithson. Loaded with South African 600Gr Rhino Solid Shank premium grade expanding bullets at a modest velocity of 2150 feet per second.

Now, that said… I’ve actually shot most of my Cape buffalo over the years (so far) with .375 Holland & Holland Magnums over the years (mostly camp rental rifles until I was gifted a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom in this caliber by my son-in-law).

Also one with a .458 Winchester Magnum.

Ranges are between 35 yards-95 yards. Ammunition has been (in a chronological order):
1) RWS 300Gr Kegelspitze Cone points (for the initial shot) & RWS 300Gr round nosed nickel jacketed FMJ solids (for backup shots)

2) RWS 300Gr Kegelspitze Cone points (for the initial shot) & Remington 300Gr Hornady round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids (for backup shots)

3) Federal Premium 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws

4) Remington 300Gr Swift A Frames

5) Rhino 300Gr Solid Shanks (hand loaded)

6) Barnes 300Gr TSX

For the .458 Winchester Magnum, I had used:
Hand loaded Hornady 500Gr soft point (in the first barrel) and 500Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solid (in the second barrel). Chronographed velocity was 2125 FPS in fresh ammunition.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I’d personally opt for a .505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action by Ryan Breeding, Reto Buehller or Joe Smithson. Loaded with South African 600Gr Rhino Solid Shank premium grade expanding bullets at a modest velocity of 2150 feet per second.

Now, that said. I’ve actually shot most of my Cape buffalo over the years (so far) with .375 Holland & Holland Magnums over the years (mostly camp rental rifles until I was gifted a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom in this caliber by by son-in-law).
View attachment 690536View attachment 690537View attachment 690538View attachment 690539View attachment 690540View attachment 690541View attachment 690542View attachment 690543View attachment 690544View attachment 690545
Also one with a .458 Winchester Magnum.
View attachment 690546

Ranges are between 35 yards-95 yards. Ammunition has been (in a chronological order):
1) RWS 300Gr Kegelspitze Cone points (for the initial shot) & RWS 300Gr round nosed nickel jacketed FMJ solids (for backup shots)

2) RWS 300Gr Kegelspitze Cone points (for the initial shot) & Remington 300Gr Hornady round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids (for backup shots)

3) Federal Premium 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws

4) Remington 300Gr Swift A Frames

5) Rhino 300Gr Solid Shanks (hand loaded)

6) Barnes 300Gr TSX

For the .458 Winchester Magnum, I had used:
Hand loaded Hornady 500Gr soft point (in the first barrel) and 500Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solid (in the second barrel). Chronographed velocity was 2125 FPS in fresh ammunition.

If there was a forum called “Hunter Habib is speaking” it would be saved to my favorites.

The hunting , ammunition and life experiences you freely gift here is immensely helpful and rich in experience and texture. I thank you for your time and consideration.

 

[nomspc]

Of the listed calibers, I’d go with the .404 due to improved shootability, for me, over the .416 Rigby, but ended up shooting both my buffalo with a .375 H&H. I actually shot these guns on a timed target array and I was so much more fast and accurate on the second and third shots with the .375 that made the decision for me. After extensive discussion with Kevin Robertson, I came to understand how bullet choice, with regard to sectional density, is the principal factor in buffalo hunting. I would suggest that the OP consider loading some heavy-for-caliber bullets in his safari ammo line. Consider:
SECTIONAL DENSITY

.375 300 - .305
.375 300 - .356
.416 400 - .330
.416 450 - .371
.423 400 - .321
.423 450 - .361

Note that the .375 350 SD beats 400 grain bullets in both .416 and .423. For me, the .375 350 grain Woodleigh Weldcore RNSN @ 2300 fps was easy to shoot, very accurate and did the job with great terminal performance (penetration, expansion and weight retention) on two buffalo bulls.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

458 Win Mag, 'cos that's what I own...

 

[mark-hunter]

I was gifted a Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock Custom

Habib, did you have a chance to take this rifle in Africa, and how did it perform?

 

[Luvthunt]

First two Buffalo with 375 HH, second two 416 Rigby last two 458 Lott. If I ever make the trip again it will be with the 416 Rigby.

 

[revturbo9967]

.375 every time. I may bring it loaded with 350 gr north forks next time.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib, did you have a chance to take this rifle in Africa, and how did it perform?

Oh, yes Mark. Quite a few times. Extremely accurate. But I didn't trust the factory Remington flimsy sheet metal extractor. I previously had the extractor of another Remington Model 700 (also chambered in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum) break during a Cape buffalo hunt in 1979. The extractor is far too small for Magnum length cartridges in my experience. And not very stoutly built. In hot dusty conditions (such as Rift Valley in Kenya, Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe, Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the Kalahari in Botswana or Ugalla Game Reserve in Tanzania), the Remington Model 700 type extractor is quite susceptible to failure. Especially with high pressure chamberings. I also don't have a lot of confidence in the factory Remington trigger.

So I had Mcbride's Gun Works retrofit an M16 extractor & dual ejectors to it. Essentially making it a control round feed rifle. I also had them retrofit a Timney trigger to it. It works like a charm now.

Nevertheless, I'll happily trade you for that beautiful BRNO ZKK602 of yours if you ever make me an offer...

 

[MLindsay]

500 A2 570 grn TSX

 

[Lancaster]

I shot my Zim buff with a .375 as that was the only choice of calibre with the camp rifles, 300 grain Swift A-Frame at 60 yards. It took a few minutes to fully expire but was dead when we found it. I bought a .375 on my return.

If I had the choice of the list I'd go .416 as I found the .458 quite a bit more heavy on the recoil. I haven't shot a .404.

 

[uplander01]

I'm dialed in with a 404J & 416 Rigby,...flip a coin and go. Both 400gr bullets, both accurate. If I knew I was going to be walking a lot and it was going to be hot, that would drive me toward the 404 as its a smaller overall package and easier to carry. If the same question was asked but elephant was also in the picture I would pick the rigby as it's got a little more horsepower.

 

[Fatback]

Of the choices on the poll, I’m taking my 404Jeffery, with 400 grain swift AFrames.

However, I will be taking my 416 Rem this year for buff and elephant. I’ll be shooting 400 grain AFrames for the buff and 400 grain Barnes Flatnosed solids for the elephant. I have these bullets also loaded for my 404Jeffery, so I’m good with either choice.