I have used the 338 win. with 300 gr. Woodleighs on Cape buffalo and the 9.3x62 with 286 Noslers, 300 gr. Swifts and 320 Woodleighs on them also..They are about equal in killing power IMO and they worked but they do not kill as fast as say a 458 Lott or even the 375 H&H in my experience...I can say the same for the 8x57, 30-06, 7x57 or .308 in that they do not put the big bulls down as fast as the 338..
Personally I think the 338 is a tad light for buffalo and I prefer a .375 or better yet the 40 calibers..I think proper buffalo caliber start at the 416s and go up..Not to say that I wouldn't hunt them with the lesser calibers, I will, but I don't recommend it.
Typically in buffalo hunting you shoot him in the heart/lung area and he turns to run and you give him another one up the keyster, and he goes 50 to 150 yards and dies. With the bigger bores it is usually closer the the 50 and witht the smaller calibers it is usually the 150, that is the norm IMO..
The thing is what if gets upset with your treatment of him and he comes your way to make a issue of it, the 50 yard death might just be to your benefit..I know that every time a buffalo has charged me I always swear that I will use a bigger rifle nest time and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
