What ammunition for Cape Buffalo?

[Kristofer Hansson]

I am coming from Sweden and I am going for a Cape buffalo hunt in September. This is my first trip for buffalo (Selous/Tanzania) and I have only been hunting plains game two times in Namibia.
I know there are many threads about this issue but most of them was a couple of years old.
I wonder what bullet I should use for the buffalo in my 375 h&h (Blaser R8). I am looking at Barnes Vor-TX 300 gr but our Swedish Norma African PH 350 gr also looks interesting.
Thank you for your answers.
From a Swedish bb (Buffalo beginner)

 

[jand]

Kristofer , welcome to AH.

This is going to be interesting. You will get a variety of answers on bullet selection for Buffalo as well as the soft first or not question that goes hand in hand.

Talk to your PH whom you will be hunting with and make sure he is happy with what you bring.

Enjoy the hunt

 

[cpr0312]

Welcome aboard!

 

[cpr0312]

Ask you PH. Many people will say use a swift A frame or Barnes X type, 300 grain or larger. I would agree, this is what I used on my buff

 

[Pheroze]

The Woodleigh manual specifically references the Norma loading as the velocity bench mark for reloading the 350gr bullets. Have fun deciding!

 

[BRICKBURN]

............ Swedish Norma African PH 350 gr also looks interesting. .......

If this bullet shoots well out of YOUR rifle use it.
Obviously it is easily accessible for you.

Please take lots of notes and pictures of your hunt and share a hunt report with us.

Good luck.

 

[Buckdog]

300gr Swift A Frames if you can get them. Do not use anything Hornady at a cape Buff! Good luck to you shoot straight and practice plenty off sticks and free hand and at reloading quickly. Those damn things just dont want to die sometimes.

 

[BRICKBURN]

By the way.... Welcome to AH!

 

[cagkt3]

Yes, welcome sir!

 

[Royal27]

Premium bullet (both that you mentioned are) that shoots best from YOUR rifle.

As mentioned, get input from your PH as well, especially on whether he wants solids backing up the first on second shot, or not.

 

[CAustin]

Welcome to AH sir! About to hunt hippo with a 375 and I will be using Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and I am taking Swift A Frames loaded by Federal.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

Welcome. I recently was mulling over the same decision. I tested handholds with Barnes TSX's in 300 and 350gr, and Woodleigh PP's (what's loaded in the Norma PH ammo) in 300 and 350gr. They all grouped within 1.25" from my CZ, but the woodleigh 350's got down under .75". Between that and the praise those heavy bullets have gotten, I've decided to take those this fall for one of my buffalo.

As stated above, go with what shoots best in YOUR rifle, so long as it has a solid reputation for heavy game.

 

[wesheltonj]

I hunt with Norma Ammo, I like it. That said, Norma African PH, 350 grain Woodleigh Softpoint and followup with the FMJ's.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

Välkommen ombord Kristoffer,

I've never been Buffalo hunting, but have used Norma (Oryx) growing up in Sweden for all the normal hunting there.
Since I moved to South Africa I've been mainly using local ammo.
Norma is great, with solid reputation, but unfortunately expensive and sometimes hard to get your hands on here in SA.

I'm sure you can be confident with the Norma ammo that you can get easily in Sweden. Caveat is if they group decent in your Blaser. Distance won't be that long, so decent will do it.

One suggestion is to make a set of tripods for practice.
I've never seen anyone back home using the African style tripod, but I highly recommend that you shoot with them. Start off with a light rifle and and get the numbers in. Will be very helpful for you to be comfortable.

Many ways to make them, but you an easily do them yourself.
Three dowels (rundstav), 2.05m long (I'm 1.90 and usually want them longer than most) with dia 25mm from a hard wood, Birch, Ash, Oak or Beech (Björk, Ask, Ek eller Bok). Cut slices from an inner tube from a bike and bind them together about 12cm from the end.
I guess there are many videos on the net on how to make them.

Good luck with all and enjoy the preparations.

Once you have had Africa's red soil on your feet, it will forever stay in your blood. -Tragelaphus Gustavius Rex

//Gus

 

[Adrian Matei]

You can use norma Orix or Swift a frame
Swift a frame is more recommended for Buffalo and is working excellent on big animals

 

[matt85]

Barnes TSX, Woodleigh round nose, and Swift A-frame are all solid choices.

I do advise you be careful with the Barnes TSX as it will pass threw on a broad side shot which means there is a risk of hitting a second animal. on the same note, if you choose Barnes I recommend going with a 270gr bullet over a 300gr (faster is better with monometal bullets). if you choose the Woodleigh bullets then I would avoid the protected point line, a few of the PH's I know have seen issues with these not opening reliably.

-matt