Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 505 Gibbs modern powders.

My favorite buffalo hunting round is a 525 grain TSX over 145 grains of RL-25. It is a bit more accurate over 145.5 grains of powder, but that is moving faster than I need and gives a huge muzzle flash. Out of my Ruger they will shoot a 3 shot group with all the holes touching at 50 yards. And it shoots within about 3" of that POI at 100 yards... I would not be afraid to shoot PG, or a follow up (not that is has been needed, so far) on a buff at 200 and expect to hit on target, with some force.

I actually don't hand load but have a buddy making these for me. There are probably better powders out there, and I think there is some filler used.

Found a used (well sold as used, but not very!) and very fancy CZ 550 in the 505 Gibbs and ended up owning it. Had to send it back for action/magazine work... Probably should have sprung for the AHR upgrade? Then ended up with a customized Ruger RSM in the same cartridge (rebored from a 416 Rigby). I've hunted in Africa with both, and I can tell you there is no recoil when shooting at big dangerous critters!