Zimbabwe PH Buzz Charlton, who specializes in elephant hunting has a great DVD out entitled "Hunting the African Elephant."
He shows many elephants being shot and shows great info on shot placement and describes many of the shots as they are seen on the DVD. A refrain heard often is, "If the hunter had been using a rifle that shot a 500gr bullet, this elephant would have dropped..." And one where a tuskless cow charges and Buzz narates, "Thankfully the hunter was using a (Can't recall the cartridge but the rifle was a double) shooting a (Can't recall but it was a big bullet)..." as the elephant, drops and skids within a few yards of the hunter's feet. The elephant wasn't dead, just knocked down and the hunter killed it with his second shot.
Buzz uses a 416 Rigby, but I have heard that he was switching to something larger. There was one scene where Buzz shoots a charging cow and misses the brain but turns the charge, the elephant does not drop and his narative goes, "...if I had been using a rifle with a 500gr bullet, this cow would have dropped..."
So, at least one very experienced pro doesn't think the 416's shooting 400's is really good elephant medicine as far as knock down effect or stopping effect.
On 500gr vs. 450gr solids out of a 458wm, well I have used both 500gr Woodleighs at 2050fps (two elephants) and at 2145fps (~ four elephants) and the 450gr North Fork flat nose solid at a modest ~2200fps (~six elephants), loaded for regulation and not ultimate velocity and not every shot has been a perfect brain shot. Total of twelve elephant. I can see no difference in the striking effect or knockdown effect of the Woodleighs at 2145fps and the North Forks at 2200fps. There is a huge improvement with the NF's and the Woodleighs at 2145fps over the Woodleighs at 2050fps, which I think are close to marginal for elephants.
Regarding performance on buff, the Woodleighs are about perfect at either speed, the flat noses penetrate a bit more than required. I've never shot a buff with a soft. Shot four buff total.
Out of a bolt 458wm rifle, I think the 450's are the go to bullet. Another 100fps are available over what has proven really great in my rifle, whats not to love about that.
When speaking of 200yds, well, that isn't 458wm range for me since my 458wm has only express sights. But 100yds or so is still express sight range and there isn't enough drop to worry about even at the speeds I'm shooting with either the 450's or 500's. I see no reason to shoot buff at any range past maybe 50yds max, at least in the terrain of the Zambezi valley. Elephant range is well inside of that and hopefully between 10 and 15yds. So I'm happy to live with express sights only.
If your 458wm had QD scope mounts, it would surely do fine for any game out to 200yds or so, which in my book is plenty of range. For a second lighter rifle, I use a 375H&H shooting 300gr softs and solids. Should there be an issue with my 458wm, the 375H&H is legal but marginal for elephants and fine buff medicine. Trajectory of the 375H&H out to 200yds is fine as well. A fellow from out west who is more accustomed to longer ranges might find he would like a flatter trajectory for some of the antelope, but I'm no long range shooter and 200yds is damned far for me.
JPK
Last edited by JPK; 09/10/08.
