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Old August 1, 2008, 05:33 PM   #1
KEN K
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BUFFALO (bison) hunt

Going on a buffalo hunt in late Oct. From what info I can get the classic heart long shot is the easiest but the head shot will drop them in there tracks. My question is, what bullet to use in my 8MM Mauser 175gr. sp or 220gr. sp . The 220 is a pretty hard round and I found out to my chagrin that they aren't too good on whitetail, they blow through like a FMJ and left me with a long blood trail to follow. Anyone ever take a buffalo with the head shot? The ranch owner says to put one in the ear or just behind the ear so as not to loase any meat. I should get around 2400 fps in the 220 and 2700 fps in the 175 . Any thoughts on which to use?
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Old August 1, 2008, 07:53 PM   #2
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I don't have any informed answer for you but I wonder how you found such diverse ammo? I thought that 195, 196 and 198 grain were the usual loadings, and pretty hard to find.
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Old August 1, 2008, 09:36 PM   #3
KEN K
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I reload my own both the bullets are made by Sierra and I bought the 175s off the shelf at a local gun shop that carries a lot of reloading supplies.
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Old August 2, 2008, 12:06 AM   #4
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The heart lung shot was the preferred shot for the old timers. They shot hundreds every day.
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Old August 2, 2008, 08:55 AM   #5
Art Eatman
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From reading about the days of the buffalo hunters: A heart/lung shot would have the animal remain in place until it collapsed. This meant no disturbance to the rest of the group, and thus no running away. Multiple animals could be killed from one shooting location.
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Old August 2, 2008, 02:10 PM   #6
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Having known a few people who have gone on a bison "hunt" (some were buckskinners, others used BP cartridge rifles, and others used modern firearms), the animals are not hard to kill, but take a while to drop with the heart/lung shot. But you can take them out right now with one in the ear. Either way, the 8X57 with a 175 gr bullet will work. I know one guy who took his with a 243.
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Old August 3, 2008, 06:22 AM   #7
KEN K
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Thanks guys. I guess it will come down to range and how comfortable I am with the shot but I like the idea of the ear shot to put him down before the adrenalin starts pumping, at least with deer the meat seams to taste better when you get a quick kill.
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Old August 3, 2008, 11:49 AM   #8
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The big bullet is not working well on whitetails, but this animal is five times bigger than a deer.
I would go with the 220 grain.
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Old August 3, 2008, 09:41 PM   #9
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Ken, just watch yourself no matter which one you use. I have read that of the first 12 ranchers who tried to raise buffalo 11 were killed by their animals. I don't know if that was true but I noticed during my drive through the west this year all the buffalo ranches had really big elaborate warning signs saying that these are really dangerous critters.
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Old August 4, 2008, 09:05 PM   #10
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I've seen three bison shot.

1) Adult cow, .30-06/ 180gr Core-Lokt, behind the ear: Dropped like a rock

2) 2 year old cow, .45-70-550. 5 shots: Lungs, guts, quartering through the guts to the offside lung/shoulder, Bridge of nose (attempted head shot), and finally, the neck. This went on over the course of two miles.

3) 8-year-old trophy Bull, .44-100-450. Two shots: One through both lungs. The Bull ran 300yds up a steep hill. 200 yds out on the plateau, a second .44/450 was placed behind the ear, ending it instantly.

4 & 5) The owner of the ranch said two Chicago men paid to shoot big bulls. They used a .30-06/220gr sp and a .30-378 WBY with 200gr partitions. Both put their bullets in to the lungs, and it was (reportedly) not a quick death. The bull shot with the .30-378 took 5 hits: 4 in the lungs, it went down, and a coup de grace was given, guess where, behind the ear.
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Old August 4, 2008, 10:46 PM   #11
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Quote:
I have read that of the first 12 ranchers who tried to raise buffalo 11 were killed by their animals.
While I don't know whether that is true or not, I used to live in Nevada, and I knew the ranch manager at the Jacks Valley Ranch, where they raised bison for meat for Harrah's casino in Reno. I asked how come the fence around the ranch was all bui;t out of 4X10 lumber. He told me that when they first started raising bison, they tried using 8-strand barbed wire. The bulls just walked through them, and they spent too much money doctoring the cows that got cut up when they leaned against the t-bar posts and snapped them. These are big animals, and they are dangerous (but so are Holstein cows) just because of their size.
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Old August 18, 2008, 12:53 AM   #12
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I shot a 2 year old bull with a 45-70 300gr Win partition Gold. Double lung pass through, one shot. It stood still for around 6 seconds, then bled profusely through the nose and right down it went. Placement is everything.
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Old August 18, 2008, 07:05 AM   #13
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Quote:
2) 2 year old cow, .45-70-550. 5 shots: Lungs, guts, quartering through the guts to the offside lung/shoulder, Bridge of nose (attempted head shot), and finally, the neck. This went on over the course of two miles.
Ouch. Those things can take some punishment.
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Old August 18, 2008, 07:37 AM   #14
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If I ever shoot one (my youngest son has vetoed it lol) it will be with my470 Capstick (500g A-Frame at 2400 fps). I'll go for the top of the heart/lung shot. I find animals can go a lot further without blood than they can without air...

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Old August 18, 2008, 12:23 PM   #15
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Quote:
it will be with my 470 Capstick
Nice. How is the recoil on that 470 Capstick? Pretty brisk?
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Old August 18, 2008, 04:16 PM   #16
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The old timers used Lung shots, but they were not concerned about right now drops because there was a skinning crew that followed up and did that work. The lung shot works because the lungs/ thoracic cavity fills with blood and the animal eventually runs dry and dies. The thoracic/lung cavity of the average buffalo can hold about 40 gallons so death is not to be expected quikly every time.

There is a place near here that sells hunts to dudes, and when he has to finish off a wounded one, he puts the bullet behind the ear or in the spine at the front of the shoulder.
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Old August 18, 2008, 06:13 PM   #17
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I'll let you know later this fall when my rifle gets back. It's a 375 H&H right now, recoil is very mild. I decided to get it rebored to 470 Capstick. I expect recoil to be a bit more noticeable ...



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Old August 18, 2008, 08:24 PM   #18
Kreyzhorse
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Quote:
I'll let you know later this fall when my rifle gets back. It's a 375 H&H right now, recoil is very mild. I decided to get it rebored to 470 Capstick. I expect recoil to be a bit more noticeable ...
Cool. My buddy has a .375 Ruger No. 1. It's recoil isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Can't shoot it all day, but really not too bad.

One day I hope to head to Africa and will have to invest in a big bore myself. Let me know how that .470 Capstick works out for you and your shoulder...
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Old August 18, 2008, 09:38 PM   #19
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Will do hope to have it back by January or so, going to use the 375 H&H as it is on elk, then send it in late October

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Old August 19, 2008, 02:49 AM   #20
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Nosler makes a 200 gr partition you should probably get 2650 with 4350.
There is a book "The perfect Shot" shows how they are built.Buffs are built a little funny.
I'm figuring on trying in a year,with a 50-90 black powder in a Rolling Block.
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Old August 19, 2008, 06:56 AM   #21
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Will do hope to have it back by January or so, going to use the 375 H&H as it is on elk, then send it in late October.
That .375 outta do a job on elk. My buddy actually took his .375 after whitetail this past year. Certainly overkill, but his doe dropped in her tracks as was likely dead on her feet. Little too much meat damage for my liking (about the size of a .$50 piece on the way out) but then again he only had to shoot her once.

He pulled his shot and hit her high on the back but a couple of inches below her spine. I believe a 30.06 or other round might have required a follow up shot on a wounded animal.

Good luck with the conversion.
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Old August 19, 2008, 08:05 AM   #22
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Head shot on bison

Ken,

If I may add some personal experience?

I did a lot of head shots on blesbok on the open plains for the venison market. Assuming that your shot shall be from about 200 yards in open grassland, fenced, I shall go for the brain. Sight your rifle at 200 yds, knowing it shall be about 1.50 inches high at 100. Wait for a side on shot and take it calmly on the line between the ear and eyes. If in doubt go for the earhole. A brain shot is indicated by the hind legs folding in immediately.

If you happen to miss the brain the shock shall put it down, but only temporary. This shall be indicated by the front legs folding first, or all four folding simultaneously, but not as sudden as the rear legs in a brain shot. Get close quick and shoot it into the brain then.

I do not do brain shots on game in the dense bush where off-hand shooting is called for, as a possible shot through the sinuses will not put the beast down and make it run and it may be impossible to find.

Of course the heart-lung area is a vital zone, but no animal shall drop immediately as the haemmorhage has to take effect. If it was a good shot and the animal bursts off at speed, just let it go, as following up causes axtra adrenalin that will boost it along. I have learned to NOT do any immediate follow up shots. Sit back, have a quick coffee from the flask and remember where the crosshairs were at the moment of the shot. By the time you are done the beast shall be dead about sixty yards from where it had stood.

Oh, and I do not approach any fallen animal head on after any shot, always slowly from behind.

I bet the bison is good meat, and a head shot shall ensure that it is all the better. Consider using a rest like crossed sticks too, for that head shot.
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Old August 19, 2008, 06:26 PM   #23
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I know my Sierra reloading manual states that the 220 grain bullet is too heavy for the 8X57 to reliably perform and should only be used in the 8mm Rem Mag. My manual is a little old so I don't know if that data is still up to date or not, but I can't imagine you needing a bullet heavier than the 175 grain. Of course you are talking to a guy who likes to launch 200 grain bullets out of his .30-06.
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Old August 20, 2008, 03:58 AM   #24
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ONLY from the 8mm RM...

Your 30-06 will put a 220 gr Sako Hammerhead into the front chest of a blue wildebeest and it goes through all the way and sticks into the spine, right at the tail. Seen it from my own rifle.

The 8x57 and 175 gr may not penetrate that same distance due to its lesser sectional density, but as the bullet weight goes up, and because the velocity is less and then lesser expansion it shall penetrate sufficiently, adequately, reaching the vitals even if the shot has to go through a shoulder. No problem with 220 gr on the old 8mm. It just loves it. Seen it from my buddy's old 8x57.
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Old August 20, 2008, 08:20 AM   #25
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.45-70

On my buffalo hunt last year I used a 1886 Winchester lever action in .45-70. As we were sneaking up on the herd, I was told to put my shot on the front shoulder socket of the animal. The heart/lungs are right behind it and by breaking the shoulder it would go down and eliminate the chance of running. One shot, went down and died just a few seconds after.

Five of us went on the hunt, two of us took single shots to kill ours, another two guys took 3 or more shots and the fifth guy's... took 8 rounds, ran for close to 3 miles and went through a number of neighboring rancher's fences. It was a very fun hunt and we had a great time. Once those things get their adreniline pumping, if they aren't down, they take a while to stop.
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