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.

I’d take whichever rifle you felt most confident with. About 2 inches below and to the rear of the ear will sever the spine where it meets the skull. They will drop like a rock.

I was fortunate enough to be drawn for a once in a lifetime Bison per it on Antelope Island in Utah. The Parks & Rec there require you take an orientation course prior to the hunt and the neck shot is what they recommend.

I used my .300 Weatherby with a 180 Barnes TTX. Worked like a charm from about 100 or so yards. I had rezeroed my rifle to be dead on at 100 yards.

And the recoil shy will always choose the 45-70 over the 375.

Sounds like the perfect coyote rifle

If anyone wants to hunt Bison lemme know, we raise them for meat and harvest on the ranch.

I've seen them killed with everything from a .223 on up to a 375 H&H. when I guide for elk or bison the first question I ask is what kind of rifle is the person using. the bigger it is, usually the bigger the rodeo it's gonna turn into. personally I prefer it when the rifle is a 270, 308 or 30-06. I've seen a double lunged by a 45-70 buffalo stand and pour blood out of it for a couple minutes. and I've seen a 308 through the heart make it slump over in seconds. but the most effective is anything placed just under and behind the ear. it's lights out instantly. Tried to get a video to show it but can't get it to upload

That's sorta how I feel. If I were going I'd not buy anything special and would have no doubts a 30-06 would work. Probably every bit as good as the 375. But if you've got a 375 you might as well use it instead of letting it sit in the safe.

30 CALIBER AND UP.

Guys seem to like to take the 45-70 on Bison hunts because they think they're using the cartridge that decimated the Bison herds. They're not.

Take the rifle you shoot the best!

I remember buying a ticket for a buffalo hunt thirty plus years ago. On the ticket it said 30 cal or larger. Now that was before the days of super bullets and the 9mm cast or 223ai, even the 6.5 Creed.😂

Colorado1135,

Thanks for your experienced response: "I've seen them killed with everything from a .223 on up to a 375 H&H. when I guide for elk or bison the first question I ask is what kind of rifle is the person using. the bigger it is, usually the bigger the rodeo it's gonna turn into. personally I prefer it when the rifle is a 270, 308 or 30-06. I've seen a double lunged by a 45-70 buffalo stand and pour blood out of it for a couple minutes. and I've seen a 308 through the heart make it slump over in seconds. but the most effective is anything placed just under and behind the ear. it's lights out instantly."

My experience on bison is far more limited, but parallels yours. Have seen them heart-lung shot with cartridges from the .270 Winchester to .50-110, and a .270 and a 130-grain TSX killed just as quickly as a 550-grain cast from the .50-110, Both were hit about 1/3 of the way up the chest behind the shoulder, and went about 35-40 yards before falling.

Have also seen a guy with a .458 Lott miss "the shoulder" because he didn't actually know where the shoulder bones are located on a bison-which is somewhat different than on, say, an elk because of the bison's hump. He missed all of the shoulder bones and barely touched the top of the heart-lung cavity, which of course turned into a 3-hour rodeo. Before that he was absolutely convinced that one shot from a .458 Lott would dump the bull right there.

Would also like to ask a question: A buffalo rancher in Wyoming said they die slower in cold winter weather (when of course the hides are prime), due to a slower metabolism. How does that compare to your experience?

That’s just because he was cold John. 🙂

I’ve taken just two meat heifers, about 1000-lb’s each off a western NE ranch. The first was with a double gun in 9.3x74 (loved that rifle and cartridge) and the second with a Ruger Redhawk in 45 Colt with hard cast 325’s at ~ 1300 FPS (Buffalo Bores). Granted neither was at long range but the first shot counts especially in the rolling plaines with a lot of ravines.

Great fun. Good healthy meat but not like a marbled beef ribeye.

When growing up in eastern South Dakota farming country during the 70's we had an acquaintance that raised buffalo. After having a couple of rodeos with the buffalo "hunts" and having them take off and crashing through fences. One bull went 5 miles.

He went strictly to the behind the ear shot placement on all of his kills. Preferably in the corral, and not in the 1/4 section pasture.

Size of the hunting area can make a big difference.

Mule deer, who was the rancher? Just curious.

so someone thinks there is a better bullet made than a barnes? LMAO again.

Thanks for the input and discussion!

Went thru my ammo inventory today, and I have 75 rounds of loaded .375 Ruger ammo with 270 gr. Barnes TSX bullets. Last time I used this ammo was in Argentina, on a successful Asian Water Buff hunt.
The only one of these 270 gr. bullets I have ever recovered was from a Nilgai bull, taken at around 200 yards. Bull went down immediately. Anyway, probably a good round for buffalo, and a good excuse to get the .375 out of the gun safe and back hunting again. I considered also taking my .454 Casull handgun on the hunt, but I simply will not have the time to get in the practice necessary to be confident in shot placement.

375’s of about any iteration and the 270-gr TSX are a good combination.

He's shooting Barnes in both calibers.

A friend drew a Utah tag several years back and was advised to drop his bison within yards of a road. It took off after the first round, and it was 3 days of packing to salvage the kill A 270. Regardless of choice, one should be very familiar with the quarry's anatomy.

I shot a huge one this fall on the south fork of the Kuskokwim(Farewell draw tag). Should make book. Used my trusty old 375H&H with 270 gr TSX. It was 60 yards away and about 5ft from the brush and ran in at a the shot. Pretty soon a bison walks out and not knowing if it was the same or different one I didn't shoot again. Then it starting grazing and I knew I made the right decision since it was clearly a different animal though I'd only seen one when I shot. After a few bites of horsetail it fell over dead. I've shot a few big critters up here but I've never seen that before! It sucked to butcher and I've done more than my fair share of moose. Fortunately it was only about a half mile from where a Cub could land so the pack wasn't horrible

The meat is good but over rated as far as I'm concerned.I'll take moose over it any day. At xmas I smoked a bison roast and a moose roast and it confirmed my opinion in a side by side test. The bison seems to be drier and is harder to get to cook rare. Seems to go from raw to medium well while the moose holds its moisture better.

My bud drew a tag several years ago, and head shot a large bull bang flop dead with his Marlin 30-30.

Several years ago I filmed my brother shoot a buff in the ear hole with his .30-06. It worked.



P

You want bloodshot meat or freezer meat? 223 Remington in the ear hole nice and neat....been there done that

Not what I'd want for an animal that size.

When I took mine I used an original 1863-68 Sharpes carbine in 50-70 government. I used a factory loaded round that was loaded in the 1880's. Saw one took with a 270 Win, 300 Win mag twice, 7mm rem mag, 348 Win, 243 win and 480 Ruger.

Now that's cool!

This is a shot placement issue, not horsepower.

I do not litter, however when I shoot at a head of game I leave the cartridge case where it falls. When I find a single or two empty cases in the woods I ponder what was shot and when. When someone finds my 1880's 50-70 I hope someone imagines it killed a buffalo, which it did, just 120 years after the evidence would lead a person to believe.

My #4 Rolling Block in 45-70

This.

My uncle gifted me his 30-30 that has accounted for hundreds of Buffalo.

I would use my 375 Ruger Guide Gun with my 300gr. Nosler Accubond load traveling 2590fps.

I shot a good Bison with my 375 Ruger and the 260gr Partition bullet. First shot was broadside at 125yds and the bullet caught him just behind the shoulder. Upon impact the bull didn't even flinch. He walked a few steps and then turned around (180 deg) presenting me with another broadside shot. Boom …. and the second bullet also hit him just behind the shoulder. Given a few seconds more and he just tipped over dead. Both bullets had expanded into perfect mushrooms and were caught in the off-side hide, one on each side.

I think if I hunt them again I'll use the 270 TSX bullet and see if it exits.

One thing for sure is that buffalo can soak up a lot of lead.

I’m nostalgic that way too and I think your thought process is pretty cool. I have a large cartridge collection with original and some various cartridges that are quite rare today. I think using an original rifle with its original load to be a very cool way to go and leaving that case to be found in the distant future a neat way of continuing the mystique for others to ponder. 👍

I shot a big bull 2 years ago with an original Winchester model 1895.

A .35win. I handloaded 250 grain Hornady RN. In hind sight I believe it would have worked better with a different t bullet. The first shot at 75 yds was right in the "pocket". He went down on his knees and some other bulls started horning him. He got up and they all took of right into green timber!. The rodeo began. we eventually got in front of them but with the other bulls around him it was hard to get a clear shot, especially with Irion sights. I truly wished for my scoped .375

Eventually got on them and got two more into his chest and off deeper into the green timber. Eventually got on them again and 1 more chest shot and got pretty aggressive ran in and put one behind his ear. The bulls were pretty pissed and had to haul ass to get out of there.

The other bulls finally left. So I had a 2800lb bull 1/2 mile into green timber.

We got to a ranch and got a tractor and old jeep, chain saws and 5 guys. Actually made a road to get him out.

When gutting him out I found 4 off the Hornady's 2 of them hit ribs and were broke up and barley penatrated one lung. The other 2 went through both lungs a bit high and were in the rib meat but didn't make it to the hide.

I believe a better bullet would worked better. These chrono'd 2400.

All in all quite a experience. Bull was 8 1/2 years old, Ground most of it to hamburger, 950lbs of it!

Excellent meat but getting kinda sick of it.


BTW I have a .375 Ruger guide gun in the classifieds.


Lefty

ONE good 405-420gr cast or a Lehigh WFN 380gr solid copper out of a .45-70 would have made an air hole out the other side.

We have taken two with 7mm-08 with 120 ttsx.
Both noggin shots.
My wife’s was from a tractor tire to bison at 30 yards. Mine was from tractor tire to bison at 100 plus.
Behind the ear worked for a sample of two.

Assuming this is a ranch hunt. Grocery shopping with a rifle. Shot placement trumps caliber as already stated. Took a bison cow a few years back. 7mm08 160 grain accubond. Neck and skull junction dropped where she stood. Rancher shoots his meat bison with a 17 remington. Waits for the perfect shot in the ear hole.

Find out what shots the ranch wants you taking. Some will insist on head shots. Others don't trust peoples shooting abilities and want body shots. If they want body shots then I would go large caliber and tough bullet. Otherwise whatever caliber and rifle combo you would use for whitetails, that you can shoot the most accurately, for headshots.

I have killed them with 58 and 62 cal muzzle-loaders, 375H&H and 44 magnum handgun. If you have a bullet that will hold together and if you can place it well, about any heavier caliber deer rifle or any elk rifle will do. The one I killed with the 44 was a single shot through the brain and the bull dropped instantly, and the bullet exited the rear right "bump" of the skull.
So placement with penetration is what is needed. All the rest is of no importance if you break their neck or hit the brain.

But if you want to shoot them through the ribs like a white tail, I would say go as large as you can. That's what I did with both muzzleloaders and the 375. All went down in about 10 seconds, but none dropped at the shot.

If I ever go after another I will probably use a 9.3X62, 9.3X74R, 375H&H or a 404 Jeffery.
Just because I can.

That covers it.

Interesting dilemma.

As it happens, a friend and I shot two Nebraska bulls, each 1,700 pounds live weight, about ten years ago. We both used Model 700's, his in '06 and mine in .375 H&H, and we both shot Barnes X bullets. While both calibers proved adequate to the job, my instinct is that the success of the '06 was substantially attributable to the Barnes X. That said, I'd opt for the .375.

I harvested one w a 9.3x62 to the head and saw another taken with a 270 to the head. Both went down immediately, but you need to let them lay for a bit before touching them or you might get a reflexive kick.

If you elect NOT to shoot the bison with your 375, I can't help but ask, what are you saving it for?

375 Ruger all the way.

But I have to ask, why are we talking about head shots? Would we be talking about headshots of the OP was asking about which rifle to use for moose or elk?

This.........

Really? Do tell.

Family place has run Buffalo for just short of a century. Uncle has run that portion of the ranch for nearly 60 years. A short year is 25 buff and back when the heard was much larger, I believe they did over 100. Some are taken by other hunters (its really a harvest) but that rifle has had its fair share. I need to read the old journals to get official talley.

Back to the original poster, has the outfit you are going with given more info on the hunting style?

i have only ever killed one bigger bull and that was with one shot from an arrow and that bull died quickly. but if i was to take a rifle i would probably use a Savage 99 in a 300 Savage cartridge,that i handloaded the ammo for that buffalo hunt.

1st with my 45-110 and 540 gr ppb's ,2nd with my 50-140 500gr ppb's. A inch above the elbow angling forward right thru the heart. Only a CNS shot will drop them on the spot no matter what you use. It just takes them sometime to die thru the body. You use a Sharps or a Sharps clone this lets you experience 140 years a go and the way it was...… 30-06 in the heart is just as dead as the 375 in the same place sabe? MB

curious, what distances can one reasonably expect to lug a rifle on your intended foray for bison?

That combo would not be legal in AK bison draw hunts. Minimum 30 caliber, 200gr bullet that delivers 2000FP at 100 yards, which they list as being minimally a 220gr bullet from a 30-06. The BP load would be too slow to make the grade.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=deltabison.weaponslegalhunting

Weapons Legal for Bison Hunting
Bison may be shot with any centerfire rifle, handgun, muzzleloading rifle, bow-and-arrow or crossbow that meet the criteria listed below:

Successful bison hunter with harvested bison
Rifle/handgun: must fire a 200 grain or larger bullet, which retains at least 2000 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. A .30-06 with a 220 grain bullet is about the minimal weapon that meets this specification.
Muzzleloader: muzzle-loading rifles must be .54 caliber or larger, or at least .45 caliber with a 300 grain or larger elongated slug. Further, for safety reasons, those hunting with muzzleloaders must also have within easy reach a smokeless powder rifle meeting the centerfire rifle requirements listed above.
Black Powder cartridge rifles: must fire a 400 grain bullet or larger loaded with a minimum of 70 grains of black powder or equivalent (.45-70 with a 400 grain bullet or a .44-90 with a 550 grain bullet).
Not Legal — .45-70 loaded with 55 grains of black powder, or a .45-70 with a 330 grain bullet.
Bow: longbows, recurve bows, or compound bows are permitted, but they must have a peak draw weight of 50 pounds or more. Arrows must be at least 20 inches in overall length, and tipped with unbarbed, fixed or replaceable-blade type broadheads. Arrow and broadhead together must weigh at least 300 grains total weight. ADF&G strongly recommends that bowhunters have a rifle close at hand.
Crossbow: must have at least 100 lbs. peak draw weight and at least 14 in draw length. The bolt must be 16 or more inches in length, tipped with unbarbed fixed, replaceable or mechanical/retractable blade. The bolt and blade together must weigh a total of 300 grains or more.
— No electronic devices may be attached to the crossbow.

Ryan, I'd tend to agree... but a .375 Ruger is still a medium bore and for most folks it's pretty manageable. The first critter I killed with my old 375 Ruger was a heart-shot bison heifer, and she died pretty cleanly after the shot and a 30-yard run. I've killed several bigger critters with the 375's since then, and I'm convinced it's a great killer of bigger critters without killing my shoulder.

I'd be interested in seeing the video of the shot behind the ear!



Interesting question. Ryan?

I used my 22 magnum..
True story

Billy

Looks like it would "make the grade" to me.

Is there a 350 gr for the 375? At a moderate speed. Have not done it myself. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

I shot a couple year old bull once on a ranch hunt with a .444 and a 300 grain Nosler Sporting JHP. Right behind the shoulder about halfway up. He dropped like a stone and the bullet exited. There’s a lot of difference size wise between a 2 or 3 year old bull and a big one.

I imagine that their “toughness” is akin to their cousins the beef cow and like an old man told me about them. “Damn cows are too stupid to die sometimes”, was what he told me.

usually in the warmer months if we have to put one down we do it with a base of the ear shot so death is instant. we do have a hunter this year who can only come in may, so I'll let you know if I see anything out of the ordinary. sorry I've been away from the computer to answer sooner, been kinda busy with the move.

The cartridge or caliber argument cannot be won.
Where the animal will likely be shot or what limitations or instructions are provided on where to place the shot has more say in the argument.
There are basically 2 options, either the body shot of your choice or head/neck join shot requested.

The former is achievable with most "big game" rifles and the later, with all suggestions made so far, mostly because they already did it.
I know the.460 Weatherby is enough, because it was.

Woodleigh 350 soft points, protective points and soild. I have loaded the Woodleigh 350gr. PP in my 375 Ruger Guide Gun and got an inch 3-shot group at 100yds. Chronographed them at 2390fps average.