Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game American bison (Buffalo) which rifle would you take?

Due to a family crisis, I had to turn back my RFW elk tag this year and get my points reinstated. I was counting on this hunt to fill the freezer, but that obviously didn't happen. There hasn't been a year in the past 20 or so that I've been able to see the bottom of my freezer! The family crisis will end soon, with the imminent passing of my wife's mother, now in hospice.
Decided on a hunt for a meat buffalo here in the next couple of months, probably a 2-3 YO bull. Can't decide whether to take my .30-06, with Barnes TSX bullets, or my .375 Ruger, also with TSX bullets, which has not seen action since the last Africa safari over 3 years ago.
I'm sure either would work, both are very accurate rifles.

So- if you were me, which would you use? I'm kinda leaning towards the .375 Ruger, just because I've used it on big stuff in Africa and Argentina before with great success, but I also really like my Browning X-Bolt '06, cause it's lighter.
This is kinda a Saturday, it's snowing outside and cold, question.

They are big animals so yeah I'd pick the .375, of the choices you list.

That said, I have a Shiloh Sharps and a buffalo is on my bucket list for it.

The .375! Though, with the bullet mentioned, it will do the job.....just not quite as efficiently as the .375! memtb

Largest caliber and heaviest possible slug one can toss. Personally, a 45-70 or 90 with around a 540 grain slug pushed at about 1,300 fps with black powder.

Big animals are what the 375 is all about. Have fun!

Bigger the hole the better

Sounds like a harvest situation. I’d take a gun you can shoot bug holes with a put a shot right behind the ear. Save all the meat you can. I’ve put more than a few down with a .22 mag.

Of the two, use the 375. A far better choice would be a 45 caliber rifle with a 500 to 520 grain cast round nosed bullet at 1200 to 1250 fps. I have killed about eight, and seen another dozen or so taken. I have taken three with a Sharps 45-110, and the rest with a 45-70. Either works just fine. FWIW, bison don't seem to be impressed all that much with velocity or shock. What works is a hole through and through both shoulders and an air leak. You get that with 500 grains and 1200 fps.

If you can't use your 375 on a Bison, what can you use it for? Hands down take the 375.

7-08 with 140 TSX worked well. One shot in the neck at ~ 150 yds. Saved all of the meat.

Get you a 45-70 with a 405-420gr cast bullet at 1350-1500fps.

Or, there is a bare spot behind elbow joint that appears with a front leg forward. A bullet there or arrow, it will blow the heart to pieces.

Or dont bother and just use your .375 which is better anyhow.

I have had occasion to kill four nuisance bulls over the years. All were taken with my old .30-06 and 180-grain Partitions. None of them dropped like they were pole-axed, but none required a second shot.

Or, there is a bare spot behind elbow joint that appears with a front leg forward. A bullet there or arrow, it will blow the heart to pieces.


^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

I've been involved in the harvest of a couple dozen wild bison and this is the magic spot to place that bullet.

The .375 because it is cool..

I vote 375 just because. Either will work.

My brother killed a nice bull buffalo a few years back on a once in a lifetime draw in WY. Took his ‘06 because it has served him well on other big game hunts out west.

The guide told him “he didn’t bring enough gun.”

After shooting the bull twice it run about a mile and was pissed it had been shot. With a couple of more shots the hunt was over. After skinning the animal, he noticed 4 shots were in a 5” group near the heart. The guide remarked again. “I never said you weren’t hitting him, I said you didn’t bring enough gun”.

I’d choose the .375!

Bighorn, speak with the outfit. We head shoot all Buffalo and have been doing it that way on the family ranch for almost a century. I shot two in the same day with a short barrel 270.

Depending on how much of a hunt vs harvest may dictate need for caliber. Either will work, best of luck.

Yeah, you're right...those of small stature find the .375 a better fit.