Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Cape buffalo Hunt

I shot a broadside bull at 35 yards with a 300gr. TSX. The bullet was recovered under the offside hide and the bull died within 75-100 yards.

Wow, it looks like some good weight retention. I've been told cape Buffalo are hard critters to kill.

Noslers consistently shed 25-40% for their weight and then become a solid in the listed caliber The petals are designed to peal back and fall off. . Swift A frame, Winchester fail safe, and Barnes TSX shed essential no weight but continue on with a much wider wound channel and tissue destruction. Take your pick- a .375 three hundred gr Nosler reduced to 200 gr as it progresses or a .375 TSX three hundred gr expanded to .500” for the entire length of the woundchannel. Both equal dead on a perfect shot but all shots( at least mine) aren’t perfect. YMMV....

After some digging through my surplus I came across a box of brand new Winchester Fail Safe bullets in 308 caliber for M70 300 win. I wish they still made the fail-safe bullet.

jdollar,

Apparently you are totally ignorant of the the fact that larger-caliber, heavier Partitions have the partition moved forward so they'll retain more weight, since they're often used on larger game.

The minimum weight-retention those models are designed for is 75%, IF the front core totally disappears. The models I KNOW are designed that way are the 9.3mm 286, 300 .375, 400 .416 and 500 .458. Of the few of those models I've seen recovered, the average retained weight has been 86.5%, with a maximum of 95.2% from a 400-grain .416 that penetrated a big Botswana buffalo from the rear of the left ribs to the right shoulder. The LEAST I've seen retained by a 300-grain .375 is 263.1 grains, which is 87.7%, or about the same amount retained by Swift A-Frames and Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, and in fact I've seen plenty of Barnes TSX (and similar bullets) that only retained around 90% of their weight, due to petals breaking off--and sometimes much less.

The only one of those big Partitions that lost its "petals" and front core was a 286-grain 9.3mm that hit a big blue wildebeest in the right shoulder joint. The bull went about 20-25 yards, staggering all the way, dropping dead. The bullet was found under the hide behind the rear of the ribs on the left side, probably four feet of penetration, retaining 75% of its weight. All the others, from 9.3mm up, retained the rear core and did NOT shear off their "petals."

Any of the mentioned bullets will work on buff. Shot placement is WAY more important than bullet selection as long as we are limiting the discussion to PREMIUM bullets so pick the one that your rifle likes and practice like hell.
BTW, the 350gr Woodleighs work too.

For what is worth I will post the results from my one buff hunt and will add that I am making plans for 2019. I used a 300 TSX above 71gr. of RL 15 for 2470 FPS. 70 yard shot, very close to broadside and the bullet broke both shoulders. The bull made it about 50 yards and went down. One more in the back and the game was over. Used same load on some large and small plains game and all went down at the shot.

I've got to call BS on myself here: I took another look at this and realized that the photo I posted was of a Nosler E-tip that I shot an elk with last year out of a 33 Nosler. I don't know what I did with the photo of the TSX from my buffalo but, well, it looks about the same as this one.

I totally disagree! Nosler does NOT intend for the petals to "fall off" of the partition bullet. The whole point in the petals peeling back is to open the wound channel and create more internal damage as the bullet travels through the animal. The actual design is intended for the petals to peel back until they make contact with the bullet and that is supposed to keep them from peeling any further, keeping them from breaking off.

Randall

Randall,

Exactly, and Nosler also controls how much the jacket around the front core peels back by its thickness and taper--which also contributes to the high weight retention of large-caliber, heavy Partitions as I described in my previous post.

It always amazes me how many hunters think they can extrapolate how ALL bullets of a certain brand and name work from the results of SOME bullets of that brand and design. Every bullet company I know of tweaks the basic design depending on caliber, weight, intended use, etc.

That bullet looks as if it expanded perfectly. But we do sacrifice powder capacity with solids?

I like your post, well-stated MD.

My first, second and third choice would be a 300 or a 270gr monometal. Whatever shot the best. Then I would go forth and shoot hundreds of practice rounds from 25 to 300 yards.

I used 300gr TSX's in my 375, and 400gr TSX's in my 404 last June. Used the 404 on the buffalo.


PH told me to use 300gr/375 or 400gr/404. TSX or A-Frame, whichever shot the best. He preferred the 404 over 375 for buffalo.

This one took five 500 grain bullets from a 458 Lott before he gave up. The adrenalin was pumping as I had just put two in his buddy and this one went to help his compadre. After two good hits, he decided to take the fight to me. The fourth hit finally put him down and the fifth shot was an insurance shot to the spine.

In most instances, one good hit is enough but, not always. T.S.

I've come to the conclusion, that is a very nice looking Buffalo. 5 rounds from a 458 Lott, that sounds exciting.

It was certainly the highlight of that trip. LOL I just stood there and started slinging lead. The Tanzanian game scout was nearby and running backwards firing his SKS from the hip. When I think about it I still laugh. :-) . Upon skinning, there were no 30 caliber holes in the buff and the animal's heart was completely destroyed. His horns measured 42 inches - a good cape buffalo. He is now in the entrance hall of our Houston home sharing space with a 57 inch greater kudu. I relive the hunts almost daily as I look up at them.

T.S..

Good reading for a flatland Southern redneck. Never had the pleasure of a buff hunt and outside God's grace never will. But exciting just reading about it. And to show just how small my world is, I didn't even know Partitions had petals. lol

[quote=shootem]Good reading for a flatland Southern redneck.


Yeah, they have great stories on this forum. Loving the Campfire!
+!

Masailand buffalo that fell to a 416 Rigby with a 400gr Woodleigh solid through the heart. He went 200 yards and tipped over with the customary death bellow.

Oh boy, thats a beauty!