Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Advice for Bullets

Next August I am going to Namibia to hunt hippo and buffalo. I am using my own 375 Ruger RSM. As a side, the rifle shoots wonderfully small groups with 260 Nosler partitions but I would like to use 300 grain bullets on the buff and hippo.

My problem is this. The 300 grain solids from Nosler don't group within 3-4 inches of the 300 grain partitions from Nosler. Frankly neither group much better than 1.75 inches to 2 inches for 3 shots at 100 but I am thinking that is probably good enough for buffalo. I'll just have to allow a little windage if the solids have to come into play on the buff.

My quandry comes with bullets for the hippo. From what I understand and see on TV, they are most often killed with a brain shot while nearly submerged in the water. I don't know if I can hit an orange (hippo brain size) at 100 yards with either bullet. I just don't have confidence in the bullets at this point and haven't found a load that improves on my groups.

What would you do?

I would go with the 300 gr TSX or Swift A-Frame. That said, coming February in will using the 270 gr TSX in Burkina Faso on western savanna buffalo, roan and others.

Have you tried other bullets - Barnes, for example? You also might ask others if they have experience using the 260 grain Noslers on such critters.

Rolly,

You're right, 2-inch groups are plenty good enough for buffalo, since they're somewhat larger than the apparently squirrel-sized whitetails so many hunters shoot these days.

You might want to talk to your PH about the hippo hunting. Most are indeed killed in the water with brain shots, because it's the most practical way to do thejob, and if so a 300-grain Partition works just as well as a solid. Penetrating the brain doesn't require a solid, as it does on elephants, since bone around the brain isn't nearly as thick. Vast numbers of hippos have been killed with brain shots with "small-bore" rifles with expanding bullets.

Hunting hippo on land is a far more chancy method, since they're not often found out of water in daylight. I know this because of hunting hippo in the Selous Reserve of Tanzania a few years ago, one of the best places to TRY to get a hippo on land. I got one fleeting chance at a big bull at maybe 25-30 yards as he ran though thick brush, so chancy I decided not to shoot, but could have brain-shot many in the water. For dry-land hunting a solid is advised, because they're BIG, requiring far more penetration than a Cape buffalo. But even on land, the range certainly won't be long, so body shots 3-4" from point of aim at 100 yards won't matter.

I would choose the 270 grain TSX as well.

Thanks John,
I always appreciate your advice. For those others who have contributed, I will be trying some 300 grain TSX's in the near future so hopefully they'll improve on the lack luster 300 grain performance I've gotten so far. If those group well, I'll celebrate !

Rolly

I just came back from a lion hunt in Zim.

Most PHs prefer A frames or Trophy bonded.

I have used TSX exclusively since the early 2000s. My 300 gr .375 H&H TSX didn't open up as much as my PH or I liked on my eland or buffalo. He said he's found the newer ones to be harder than the older ones. They acted more "solid" than "soft." I agree with him and consider them failures. He was so concerned about them not opening up on my lion, that we used my 300 Win instead.

Even though my buffalo, eland, zebras and giraffes all dropped, I will no longer use TSX in Africa in large bores. The 180 gr .300 Win @ 3040 fps did open up properly though.

Any statement that starts "Most PHs prefer A-Frames or Trophy Bonded" (or whatever) means "most of the PH's I've hunted with prefer XYZ bullets." often because they want to be agreeable with their client, who prefers XYZ bullets.

One of my more entertaining evenings in Africa occurred during a month-long trip a decade ago, when six PH's sat around and drank beer together, while some of their clients mostly listened. There isn't any more consensus among African PH's than among American elk or brown bear guides, or any other bunch of experienced hunters.

Know what I think?

I think 20 out of 20 PHs prefer a client that can shoot well and smoothly, without being babysat.

Rubbish. Every PH I have met, six or so, prefer that the hunter arrives with TSX's or A-Frames and are well clear that they do not like the Partition. Same in NE BC and a SE Alaskan brown bear hunt. Dummy me, I listen to them. When a Tanzanian hunt come gratis I may change my view...

The 260 comes in a solid as well. Put one of these into the cranium of a "river horse" and you would then be glad for having all of the assistance you could muster. I have not shot one nor will I but they are a very formidable animasl and after Croc's are the number one people killer, not sure if that factors in Black Mambas but enough to take heed.

Regarding PH's some are encyclopedic founts of knowledge while others are shoot um good kill um good types but all are congenially and excellent company for the sun downer.

The PH I hunt with, John Sharp prefers Woodleighs. Go figure. Point being flesh is flesh and bone is bone and I don't need a PH (or really anyone else) to tell me what to bring. Suffice to say, TTSX/TSXs will be my choice to the maximum extent possible and ESPECIALLY on buffalo, driven as fast as possible and in those cases where another bullet might be a better choice, say on a thin skinned/boned animal like a leopard, a partition or whatever good bonded cup and core works.

Nothing like a good bullet thread to bring out difference of opinions.

If shooting bonded bullets I prefer the North Fork, they retain weight extremely well and have been accurate in my rifles. Swift are a close second.

When using mono metals the TSX have performed well as have the Cutting Edge Bullet Raptors. The CEB is a terrible looking concept, but it a devastating bullet on big game.

A couple of other notes:

If you trust a PH’s opinion, I have not hunted with one that liked Partitions on buffalo, they all felt the bullet was not stout enough (An edit:At least the ones I remember talking with about bullets). Take that for what it is worth.

Develop confidence in your ammo or change it. There should be no doubt in your mind that your ammo is accurate and dependable.

Shoot a buffalo or hippo in the right place it will die, they are tough but will die just like any other animal. Put a bad shot in one it can become very interesting.

I also still believe in solids. Softs first, solids after unless I am using North Fork Cup points in my 470.

Ed,

Rubbish? I might suggest six PH's is a pretty small sample.

I have personally hunted with 15 PH's that I can think of off the top of my head, including some who observed me and several hunting partners killing buffalo quite neatly with Partitions, among other bullets. I have discussed cartridges and bullets with at least hat many more, usually around safari campfires where the other PH's were guiding my hunting partners.

I cannot remember one who stated Partitions won't work on buffalo, including one who switched to Partitions in his .416 Rigby after Nosler started making them around a decade ago, because he'd had such good luck with .375 Partitions earlier in his career--which started in Kenya before they banned big game safaris. Another who thinks Partitions are fine started as a game ranger for what was then the Rhodesian parks department at age 17, then went on to do several other kinds of big game hunting, including control shooting on Rhodesian ranches, before becoming a PH at around 30, then retiring a couple years ago. He personally killed several hundred buffalo on control shoots with 180-grain Partitions from the .30-06, and no, they were not killed at night with head shots, but primarily on drives, where facing shots were often required.

This doesn't mean none of those PH's DOESN'T like other bullets. The one who started as a game ranger at 17 thinks just about any of today's controlled-expanding bullets works well on buffalo, whether wide-expanders like Woodleighs or deep penetrators like TSX's. This is because he used a bunch of different bullets in his .375 H&H and .458 Lott when backing up clients.

If you think all Alaskan bear guides think Partitions suck, you might ask Phil Shoemaker about them. I would guess Phil has as much experience on BIG bears as any guide now working in Alaska.

Yup. I agree wholeheartedly. The PHs hate partitions. Let me reiterate for those who may have skipped over: I have used TSX exclusively since they came out from coues to brown bear. (The only exception was a brown bear hunt on Kodiak where the outfitter insisted I bring A frames.)

When the lion importation window opened up again I began doing my homework- went to the shows, started looking at hunts and speaking with outfitters. What gun(s)/caliber(s) and bullets to bring. A frames were mentioned in one way or another by pretty much all. Not one had an issue with TSX. It was all A frames and TSX, but they definitely did not like partitions.

When I booked and formally asked I was told Swift A frames and bring a dozen solids. Well, I had 60 TSX left over from my last brown bear hunt so I said "F it".

YMMV....... That was the first and LAST time I will ever disregard the advice of a PH. After all, WTF do they know anyway. Not like they do it for a living......




L -> R Buffalo frontal @ 80 yds, eland quartering away @ 125 yds and the dirt @ 55 yds as a control. After the dirt we decided to use the 300 Win. The two 300 Win recovered from an impala frontal @ 100 and zebra @ 150 showed the typical expansion I have seen in my previously recovered TSX and what I expected to see from the 375. The biggest issue was the lack of full cavity expansion. Expansion was less than expected.


375:










300:

Yup, I have 300 gr 375, 400 gr 416 and 500 gr 458 Partitions loaded up and ready for conus, Alaska, and Africa, cant wait to get my tail out there and test them, I or my PH, Guide, etc wont be let down and left wondering, I know that in my guts!

gunner,

Here's something that pretty much confirms your gut feelings! These four Nosler Partitions were all recovered from dead buffalo. The two on the left are 300-grain .375's, retaining 88% and 89% of their weight. The two on the right are 400-grain .416's, retaining 83% and 95% of their weight. Please note the left-hand .416 lost its front core, a real no-no according to many experts, yet weighs 332 grains after breaking one shoulder. The .416 that retained 95% entered a quartering-away Botswana bull in the left rear of the ribcage, penetrating part of the paunch and both lungs before ending up under the skin of the right shoulder.

As I've noted in other posts, the bigger, heavier Partitions have the partition moved forward so they'll retain far more weight than the typical 2/3 of lighter, smaller-caliber Partitions. Exactly how long they've been made this way I don't know, but it was true of the 300-grain .375's in 1998, the first year I ever recovered one. Also don't know how many Partitions are built this way, though a 225-grain .338 that broke the big shoulder joint of a huge musk ox retained 85% of its weight, despite retaining only a sliver of its front core.

Another vote for TSX in 9.3 x 62

Just finished a trip to Zambia. 250 TSX one shot killed buff, bushbuck waterbuck, impala, warthog etc.

Only the RWS H-Mantle has ever equalled the TSX.

That's what I'm talking about MD, nice, Thanks for the story and pics, I send the 300 gr 375's out at 2660 and the 400 gr 416's at an honest too goodness 2400 fps from a 416 Taylor, they should hold up nicely at that speed, and do all that needs doing, the mighty 500 gr 458's at a leisurely 2150 should indeed be some real penetrators from my old FN Browning 458 WM.

I took a hippo on the Zambian hunt with .450#2 NE double and Woodleigh solids. If you want a thrilling way to hunt them, walk right up to them on a sandy stretch of the river, get to within 30 yards, and they will make their move. I put the first right in the lungs broadside which was 100% fatal. The rest of the follow ups were to try to anchor him before he crossed the river into the Park. Mucho excitement.

As for your Noslers, I'm surprised you can't get the printing closer. First, I'd chronograph hem to check velo. If sufficiently off, match them up and see what you get. Try Woodleigh solids. Change powders. I'll bet one of these tricks will fix you up.

Check out Hammer bullets, they have what you are looking for!

300g - Norma Oryx
350g - Woodleigh

If you use Nosler Partitions you won’t be sorry. I’ve never heard or read a reliable recounting of a failure with Partitions. If someone doesn’t like them, I believe that they see a possible theoretical advantage to a different bullet design. But their dislike has zero to do with experience.

Another anecdotal experience with the Partition. .375 300gr impacting at about 2,600fps. Dropped this guy instantly in his tracks. Went through ribs on both sides and destroyed everything in between. No recovered bullet because it exited and just kept going onward to the horizon.



On another note, what do you do after you brain-shoot a hippo mostly submerged in water? I don't know much about hippo hunting, but that must be a chore going forward to retrieve the beast.

Bullet talk is the most interesting component of critter killing to me. Beautiful and highly accurate rifles are wonderful to gaze upon and own, but the bullet and where it is put is the decider for making gut piles!

My Dad and many of his friends that rolled their own liked the Nosler Partition and the old factory Core-Lokt for their Alaskan hunts. Calibers were mostly the 30-06, .270 Win., 300 H&H, converted Springfield's made into .308 Norma Mag. and a few of the resident bear guides had the old Mod. 70 .375 for Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula. My Dad was the odd man out and all he used was his beloved old Mod. 70 in .264 Win. with the 140 grain Partition and a bunch of surplus H4831 that he dumped in with one of those little Lee measuring cups.

I never heard a bad word about the Nosler Partition from the 60's until I first started hearing and reading negative comments about the Partition back in the early 90's. During the period when Nosler quit offering the Partition for the .375 H&H a guy I knew paid 300 bucks for two boxes of 300 grain Partitions for his .375 H&H. A mere 3 bucks a bullet!

I remember reading about Bill Jordan using his 378-338 KT and 250 grain Partitions on Cape Buffalo. I would think the big case and big critter would test about any expanding bullet. I loaded the 250 grain semi spitzer for my .338 and switched to the spitzer version when it showed up. The 30-06 got the 200 grain Partition and between the two of them I knew I had the best load I could get for them in Alaska. The three 250 grainers I recovered lost 1/3 of their weight and killed quickly, never recovered a 200 grainer from the 30-06.

Some time in the late 80's articles by Ross Seyfried and professional Australian hunter Bob Penfield convinced me to try the Barnes X bullets. That was the end of me using other bullets for hunting in Alaska. I used the original X bullet, the pretty blue coated ones, the Tripple Shocks and eventually settled on the TTSX version in lighter weights for the .338 and 30-06. I can think of no animal I have ever killed with the X bullet that the Nosler Partition would not of killed. So here I was, close to 40 years old and having good success with my Partition loads, as were my friends, when a couple of articles by a couple of writers influenced me enough to quit using bullets that worked just fine for me, my Dad and our friends for many years.

I even read some stuff by Alaskan guides complaining about the Partition. About all I got to say about that is, Alaskan guides come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and flavors, some are very good and some are border line lousy and some belong in jail. Still, many believe what they say is Gospel and I suspect it is even more so for African Professional Hunters.

On another note, what do you do after you brain-shoot a hippo mostly submerged in water? I don't know much about hippo hunting, but that must be a chore going forward to retrieve the beast.

They sink after the shot and after a few hours the gasses in the gut expand and float them to the surface. Have to watch out for crocs when getting as line on them though.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ALL THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm still waiting to be disappointed by ANY Partition, I'll be waiting to be disappointed in Africa and Alaska too.

Alaska and Africa. Go gunner...

Sounds great. Wifey going too?

DF

I should have said when I can get around to getting back DF, had I got a leopard tag, I'd have had wifey in Moz. chasing buffalo in the long grass right now, would have got too see first hand how the 500 gr Partition leaving at 2150 from an old FN Safari 458 WM would have worked, I have a BRNO mauser in 416 Taylor nearly as ugly as Phils old ugly 458 that throws 400 gr Partitions to 2400, would love to use that rifle on the great bears in Alaska someday.

Gotcha.

Thought you were about to get on the plane...

DF

Partitions are the good answer to hunting bullets.


You may be able to do better.
You definitely can do worse.
You'll always do well.

I wish, buddy, I wish!

My outfitter (two safaris) preferred A Frames or Barnes TTSX/Solids. He didn't hesitate a second before answering the question.

Doesn't Woodligh make a 300 RN?

John has been all over me to load A-Frames for my Buffalo hunt in August. He mentioned Woodleigh as a second choice (I know he has PH'd for Geoff McDonald and has used the Woodleigh bullets himself over the years, but I think he's using A-Frames now in his .470).

I have North Fork, A-Frame and Woodleigh 400gr .410 on the bench and will probably take all three. I will hunt with the A-Frames but use the NF and Woodleigh for insurance shots, for science . Pretty sure all three will work!

Here are two bullets from my .416 Rigby. The Barnes solid was bent slightly along it's longitudinal axis. My guess is that the rear of the bullet was still moving when the front was stopped.

My PH had some negative experiences with Nosler Partitions on large and dangerous game so he specifically asked all of his hunters to avoid using them on his safaris. Not an issue for me as I didn't use them.

Good bud shot this cape buffalo in Zim with his .416 Rigby RSM. His PH carried a push feed M-70 in .416 Rem. That's right, push feed. He thought the Ruger was too heavy.

Here's the recovered 400 gr. TSX and the 41" buff. One shot did the trick, although they had to track him.

DF

I used a 400 gr Swift A-Frame, and a .416 Rigby, for a RSA buffalo in 2015. One shot put him on the ground and second one paid the insurance.

Perfect performance.

donsm70

On my recent trip to Namibia my buddies and I killed about 50 head of game. Other than a duiker and wildcat I killed with a 22LR and an Eland with my 458, I killed the rest with my 300H&H. I took both 150 grain Partition Golds and 150 TSX. Why so light? The shoot well in my rifle and exit anyway so why blow a bigger bullet out the back side.

My buddies used 168 TSX and LRX in their 300s.

The Partitions killed noticeably faster than the monolithic bullets. EVERY TSX and LRX recovered had NO petalsl- just a solid shank.

We had 4 PHs in camp. The only comment about bullets I heard was that for culling buffalo, the TSX in 375 was the best medicine their was. These guys have culling contracts and shoot hundreds of buffalo every year. I thought that was a good endorsement.

I loaded both 450 grain TSX and A-frames for my 458 Lott. They printed the same POI and shot 3/4" groups at 50 yards. I killed my Eland with an A-frame. Dropped him where he stood.

I would use Partitions for pretty much anything if they shot well enough. Simple as that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Have never heard it put better than this.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gunner,

Charlie Sisk once said, "Shut up, load Partitions, and go hunting."

LOL, I can live like hell with ALL that.

When I lived in Africa an old guy I knew said he killed lots of hippos growing up. He said he had an old 2 groove Springfield 03A3 he always used with 220g round nose bullets. He said most all were brain shots in the water.

Bb

Northfork or Barnes TSX. I’ve used em both. No need for a solid.

Anybody tried "Oryx" ? Design looks good..

Lasso the hippos and drag them out of the water, then shoot them.

ManyMoons,

I've shot quite a few head of plains game with the 156 Oryx from a 7x57, from springbok to wildebeest. It worked well, but like many bonded bullets it tends to open up into a wider mushroom, so won't penetrate quite as deeply as other some other bullets. But they tend to retain a lot of weight: The few I've recovered went between 85% and 93%.

Thanks Mule Deer..Last trip I shot 180 grain Scirroco2s in /06 and every one we recovered had a perfect mushroom.. and retained 153 to 160 wt,..Those things penetrate anything...I did figure out they need to be placed in shoulder 'cause lung shots went straight through and out so game ran a little ways if lung shot...Very accurate in our rifles....It was Rem factory..Just wish they were loaded a little faster..Thanks

We tried some TBT on whitetails out of Buffalo this year and I was sold on them until I saw the results ..Perfect mushroom but shoulder shots on two small deer put a big red splat on contact and blew up heart but penetration was only about 10 inches....30/06 165 grain and 50 ands 150 yds..I guess they are not for larger game....I also lost a nice buck at 290yds hit twice..Went back and searched again next day but could not find..Heard the hits and found blood pool..I wonder if penetration did not hit vitals ?