Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Chronos » 22 Jun 2015, 4:25 pm

Mick280 wrote:Don't know of to many dangerous game cartridges that are punching out over 3000fps , 340 - 375 Wby Maybe.
Educate me please!!


No one said 3000fps.

It's about energy, not velocity and 5000fpe is just one mark used to measure DG cartridges.


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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Chronos » 22 Jun 2015, 4:38 pm

Mick280 wrote:Going back to MalleeFarmer's original question!
My choice for the two applications he has mentioned would be a good quality Lever Action in 45/70.


Are you sure about the 45-70? More a man stopper that a large game cartridge. Pigs yes but possibly not buffalo, not when your life may depend on it.

Put it this way, unless it has Weatherby in its name or can push 250gr fast is be careful about what you buy.

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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Walt68 » 22 Jun 2015, 4:51 pm

Savage 116 in .338 WM, will do the trick nicely with 250 grain Remington Corelockt.
very accurate, the price is right.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Baronvonrort » 22 Jun 2015, 6:15 pm

MalleeFarmer wrote:G'day going Up north next year and I'm thinking I'll need a rifle for Buffs and Boars what would be a suitable Rifle
Cheers
Mallee.


This guy shot over 30,000 of them with a .308w,perhaps that could be suitable.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OneyeUxzL40
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by headspace » 22 Jun 2015, 6:20 pm

I've shot 2 Buffalo with my 308W using 165gn bullets. The first one was a big cow and the bullet was a 165gn Interlock. The second was a 3 year old bull and I used a 165gn Barnes MRX on it, through shoulder and into the heart /lungs. The pet meat shooters up in the NT use mainly 30 cal., but if I was seriously going after a bigger one my choice would be a 9.3x64. A lot easier to load and shoot with not as much recoil as the 375Holland. Plenty of Buff have been taken with the 338Win mag, but if you want to go the extra expense for 375 H &H go for it. The thing with Buff is try to get as close as possible and place your shot well. Some people go up there with bloody cannons they can't shoot well because of the recoil plus the cost of the ammo. Having said all that, and money no object I'd make space in my safe for a 416Rigby. But I just like it.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Mick280 » 22 Jun 2015, 6:25 pm

Sorry Chronos
My bad on the energy reading mate ( Have to get my glasses checked )
As for the 45/70,Haven't shot buffalo with mine but have heard and read about plenty who have.
As for my experiences with it , Have accounted for quiet a few gnarly old scrub Bulls in N/E WA with mine using 400 gn Barnes Busters with not to many follow ups needed!
Again , apologies for the mix up , Had me scratching my head there for a minute.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by North East » 22 Jun 2015, 6:33 pm

Had me confused too.
Browning BL-22 lever action...open sights
T3 Varmint .204 Ruger...Meopta Meostar 4-16X44
T3 Lite .30-06 Sprg...Aimpoint Hunter 1X red dot

....that will do me
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Chronos » 22 Jun 2015, 7:06 pm

Mick280 wrote:Sorry Chronos
My bad on the energy reading mate ( Have to get my glasses checked )
As for the 45/70,Haven't shot buffalo with mine but have heard and read about plenty who have.
As for my experiences with it , Have accounted for quiet a few gnarly old scrub Bulls in N/E WA with mine using 400 gn Barnes Busters with not to many follow ups needed!
Again , apologies for the mix up , Had me scratching my head there for a minute.
Mick



No worries mick, probably should have made it clearer I was talking about foot pounds energy and not feet per second when I wrote 3000fpe invade some read it as a typo.

I think headspace has nailed it when he said "people go up there with canons they can't shoot well"

Know your gun and its limitations then choose your shot I guess it the key.

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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Mick280 » 22 Jun 2015, 7:27 pm

Totally agree with the both of you!
If you can't shoot it confidently and competently, Don't shoot it at all!!!
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Oldbloke » 22 Jun 2015, 7:33 pm

Chronos wrote:
Mick280 wrote:Don't know of to many dangerous game cartridges that are punching out over 3000fps , 340 - 375 Wby Maybe.
Educate me please!!


No one said 3000fps.

It's about energy, not velocity and 5000fpe is just one mark used to measure DG cartridges.


Chronos

:D :lol: Sometimes the brain anticipates what it expects to see. I had to blink too. We dont often see fpe mentioned but see fps pretty often.

Juxt for 1 trip I would try and borrow a suitable rifle. I would expect a 338 or similar would do the job, I would be using high quality projectiles.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by brett1868 » 22 Jun 2015, 8:35 pm

:D I should be right for Buffalo with 13000 fpe :lol:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Title_II » 22 Jun 2015, 9:49 pm

There are .50 BMG loads that run over 3,000 :)
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by KWhorenet » 23 Jun 2015, 1:36 am

brett1868 wrote::D I should be right for Buffalo with 13000 fpe :lol:


Is that at the muzzle or at 1.8 nautical miles :lol:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by wrenchman » 23 Jun 2015, 5:50 am

The 45/70 can be real good if you hand load or buy premium rounds most 45/70 rounds are loaded light we have lots of old guns loaded for the 45/70 that should not be shot with modern rounds.
I have a friend who hunts with it and has hunted Africa with it I didn't think much of it till then.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Techc » 29 Jun 2015, 3:17 pm

KWhorenet wrote:Is that at the muzzle or at 1.8 nautical miles :lol:


Hunting sea buffalo? :lol:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Franky » 29 Jun 2015, 7:42 pm

Did anyone else consider using a 204 I hear there's not much they can't do?
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Die Judicii » 29 Jun 2015, 7:51 pm

Franky wrote:Did anyone else consider using a 204 I hear there's not much they can't do?


Most probably way too much recoil for most,,,, :sarcasm:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Noisydad » 29 Jun 2015, 9:49 pm

Definitely think about the venerable .45-70, they were used to wipe the buffalo herds in the US in the late 1860's and they were loaded with black powder too!
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by KWhorenet » 29 Jun 2015, 9:59 pm

Franky wrote:Did anyone else consider using a 204 I hear there's not much they can't do?


As subtle as a 505 Gibbs.

Would a .204 be ok if it was in a T3?
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Jun 2015, 10:35 pm

Noisydad wrote:Definitely think about the venerable .45-70, they were used to wipe the buffalo herds in the US in the late 1860's and they were loaded with black powder too!


Might do the job, but arnt the yank bison about half the size of our buffs? Just asking :D
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by bigfellascott » 29 Jun 2015, 11:07 pm

Franky wrote:Did anyone else consider using a 204 I hear there's not much they can't do?


Only if they have a DBM, those internal mags aren't safe for idiots to use. :D :thumbsup:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by sandgroperbill » 29 Jun 2015, 11:38 pm

.375 cheytac. Should do the job.
I would love to be able to justify a .375 cheytac to wapol...
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by brett1868 » 30 Jun 2015, 12:19 am

sandgroperbill wrote:.375 cheytac. Should do the job.
I would love to be able to justify a .375 cheytac to wapol...


Just list "Drop Bears" as the justification...we all know how lethal they can be and you need the additional range and firepower to dispatch them in a humane manner from a safe distance.

DropBear.jpg
DropBear.jpg (8.2 KiB) Viewed 5579 times


Problem is there's not much of a choice of projectiles on the market suitable for .375 Cheytac, 350Gr SMK's or 350Gr Woodleigh VLD's are about all there is in Australia. Best use the SMK's for drop bears but wear a raincoat if under 50m or you'll get splattered with body parts. I've spent the best part of the past 2 nights prepping 100 cases ready for loading Wednesday night after I prep the projectiles tomorrow night. I'm hoping with all the prep work put in with the brass and projectiles will finally bring my 5 shot 5" groups down another inch or more. I'm curious how well the SMK's dispatch the giant Pilliga bunnies or bush chickens when I get up bush this weekend. Apparently there's been some drop bears spotted near my place so I'll be packing a half inch just in case of attack :)
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Chronos » 30 Jun 2015, 7:38 am

Oldbloke wrote:
Noisydad wrote:Definitely think about the venerable .45-70, they were used to wipe the buffalo herds in the US in the late 1860's and they were loaded with black powder too!


Might do the job, but arnt the yank bison about half the size of our buffs? Just asking :D


Never seen one up close have you? :lol:

Bison are about as big as Bovines get. Bigger and heavier than cape buff and even our water buff

Nearly 2m tall and 1500kg they are huge but not as cranky and dangerous Cape buffalo but you gave to remember when the great herds were nearly wiped out by black powder cartridges back in the day they were driven on horse back to near exhaustion before being shot with little regard to humane kills and not shot on foot one on one like you would hunt a water buffalo or scrub bull these days. There's s reason the dangerous game cartridges were so popular in Africa.

That said there are plenty of blokes taking buff and bull with bows but a broad head driven hard will penetrate deep and create a large wound channel

Like I said earlier in this thread I'd start at .338WM and go up. Basically id take anything from the Sako Brownbear range ;)

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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Title_II » 30 Jun 2015, 8:25 am

Chronos wrote:
Oldbloke wrote:
Noisydad wrote:Definitely think about the venerable .45-70, they were used to wipe the buffalo herds in the US in the late 1860's and they were loaded with black powder too!


Might do the job, but arnt the yank bison about half the size of our buffs? Just asking :D


Never seen one up close have you? :lol:

Bison are about as big as Bovines get. Bigger and heavier than cape buff and even our water buff


Our weewees are much bigger than yours as well :)
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by bigfellascott » 30 Jun 2015, 8:51 am

Good ol 303 should still get the job done no worries (least it did in the ol days) :unknown:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Chronos » 30 Jun 2015, 8:55 am

Title_II wrote:
Chronos wrote:
Oldbloke wrote:
Noisydad wrote:Definitely think about the venerable .45-70, they were used to wipe the buffalo herds in the US in the late 1860's and they were loaded with black powder too!


Might do the job, but arnt the yank bison about half the size of our buffs? Just asking :D


Never seen one up close have you? :lol:

Bison are about as big as Bovines get. Bigger and heavier than cape buff and even our water buff


Our weewees are much bigger than yours as well :)


:lol:

Only on average :friends:

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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Spooner » 01 Jul 2015, 2:20 pm

Chronos wrote:Bison are about as big as Bovines get. Bigger and heavier than cape buff and even our water buff


You seen the Indian Gaur?

The size of the chest/shoulders/back on some of those bulls is insane.

Like a battering ram in 4 tiny poles for legs.
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by bigfellascott » 01 Jul 2015, 3:25 pm

Spooner wrote:
Chronos wrote:Bison are about as big as Bovines get. Bigger and heavier than cape buff and even our water buff


You seen the Indian Gaur?

The size of the chest/shoulders/back on some of those bulls is insane.

Like a battering ram in 4 tiny poles for legs.


You'd want a good solid cal to knock them bastards over, have a go at the muscle on em! :shock:
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Re: Which Cal/Rifle For Buffalo?

Post by Franky » 01 Jul 2015, 7:42 pm

What about a 35 wheelen or a 460 Weatherby mag heres a load for you guys that will stop a truck little lone a Buff

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I know I have stopped a lot of Buff with a plain old 303 took more than 1 shot on average but it works never the less
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