Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Cape buffalo Hunt

This thread is a hypothetical thread based on some of your experiences and the 375 caliber rifle. If a hunter were to choose one type of bullet to use in the 375 what would it be? Solid copper, Swift A-Frame, or a Nosler Partition? The 375 is the chosen caliber of course.

TSX or A-Frame backed by Barnes flat nosed banded solids. I "think" I prefer 300 grain bullets. I say "think" because I honestly haven't been able to tell much difference between 270 and 300 weight bullets.

I've only shot about half a dozen buff, so the research continues!

Swift A-Frame.

Have only shot two. One with 300 gr TSX and the last one with 300 gr A-frame. If I go again it will be an A-frame.

This ^^^^^^

I have personally never shot one with a .375, but have successfully hunted buff with a .416 Rigby and .470 NE using the same bullets.

Unless you want to use a bullet that sheds weight like dog in spring, forget the Nosler....

Those 2 buffs I shot last month in South Africa died. The 1st was about 40 yards quartering to me. Shot was just inside the front shoulder thru the heart and out the off shoulder bullet was not found. That bull was dead on it's feet he went about 30 yards before he piled up. 2nd bull was shot at 75 yards--high shoulder shot. Bullet broke the left front leg, thru the top of the lungs, thru the off shoulder and end up just under the hide. Bullet was recovered. I got it somewhere here. Typical nolser partition result. Front half gone back half intact. Both the PH & trackers didn't understand why the buff didn't pile up. We had to track & finish him. They can go pretty good & far on 3 legs with no lungs to speak of.

My load was 375 Ruger. 81 grains of IMR 4350, Nolser 300 grain partition.& Winchester Mag Primer.

I used the same load on some plains game also. All were 1 shot kills. A female kudu was the largest taken.

jdollar,

Very interesting. In all my hunting with the 300-grain Partition in the .375 H&H I've recovered two, retaining 87% and 88% of their weight.

Forgot to mention I killed my first big game animals with the 300 Partition 25 years ago....

Colorado bob

Great details, any way you could post a pic of the bullet you recovered on that 2nd bull? Not for nothing but a Cape Buffalo just looks like a monster of a bull.

I'll look in my stuff again. The skinner gave it to me along with the solid from the PH's 416 Rigby. I put it somewhere in my suitcase so I wouldn't lose it. You've heard of Murphy's Law. I got some good photos of the bulls, if I'm smart enough to get them from my wife's phone to the board.

Ingwe,

Damn fine buff.

MM

I can't decide which one is the mangiest !!

It is a dang nice bull. Bob

That's a helluva bull in more than just horn size.

All great bullets, so I would say whichever one your rifle likes best. I've used A-Frames with great results, but have since switched to the TSX.

Nice "spike" bull, isn't that what they call them in Montana?

What caused the change to the solids?

With today's super premium bullets, there is absolutely no need for solids on buffalo, except for hippo (on dry land), elephant and rhino. Just my very neophyte opinion.

INGWE,
NICE LOOKING RIFLE.

Thanks! Its a Whitworth Express with a nice 'patina of use'....

I haven't shot a Cape Buf, but I've shot several moose with my 375 H&H Sako in a McMillan stock. I've only used 300 grain Noslers and Barnes. Convinced that the 300 grain due to the performance I've gotten.