Buffalo hunting, what caliber would you use.

MPH · November 27, 2002, 03:39 PM

My brother took our father over to SD to shoot a buffalo. My father took the 50-70 to shoot and had to fire 3 shots to down the buffalo. Granted, the rifle he had is over 100 years old and black powder. He could of probably gotten a better shot placement, but all in all, a buffalo is one big animal.
What would you use to down one of these prairie creatures with a one shot kill. Oh, don't think about head shots as they've real thick skulls.

Ala Dan · November 27, 2002, 03:43 PM

From the movie "Jeremiah Johnson", a .50 caliber
Hawken!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

Rob62 · November 27, 2002, 03:52 PM

I've used a 30-06 with 180 grain handloads (Nosler Partition @ about 2800 FPS) and though I ended up not getting a shot. I felt I had plenty of gun/caliber if a decent animal had presented itself.

FWIW - The buffalo (American Bison) that I saw were not as large as I expected them to be.

Rob

Gewehr98 · November 27, 2002, 03:54 PM

I always considered my Ruger #1S in .45-70, with my 405gr handloads, to be a proper buffalo gun. With a Garrett Hammerhead load in the chamber, maybe even Cape Buffalo!

Dr.Rob · November 27, 2002, 04:09 PM

.375 H&H with a 300 gr Nosler partition.

Then again, a hot load from an 1895 Marlin in 45-70 would be more traditional.

Gila Jorge · November 27, 2002, 04:19 PM

Marlin 1895SS 45-70 with Buffalo Bore's 350 gr
hot roded loads,,,maybe even a 400 grainer from
Buffalo Bore. Sundles makes the best high performance rounds around and he's one heck of nice fellow. Good people to deal with.

Kaboom · November 27, 2002, 06:40 PM

I would use my Sharps replica with a 475gr Lyman cast. With proper placement should do the job on anything on earth.

yorec · November 27, 2002, 06:48 PM

What else? My .58 flintlock reproduction Hawken!

I'd probably bring my .300 win mag just in case we can't get close enough for the old flinter's range. Wouldn't want to miss out on taking on of those if I'd footed the bill for a hunt!

Iggy · November 27, 2002, 06:50 PM

How about a Sharp's 45-70 with a 530gr. paper patch..

Shoots a fair group..Hits pretty hard and don't spoil much meat..

Hiram · November 27, 2002, 09:06 PM

Any of the old big black powder cartridges.Rifle single shot,Iron sights,prone or with cross sticks.Hunters used lung shots,they bleed,try hard to breath,and just drop over and does not get the rest of the herd all upset.Thats how they could drop 6 head in one setting and keep the skinners busy.

ronin308 · November 27, 2002, 10:08 PM

I'd either use a Guide Gun with some Garrett Hammerheads or a .375 H&H.

C.R.Sam · November 27, 2002, 10:22 PM

Lot of Bison have fallen to the little 50-70.
Methinks it was a matter of shot placement and luck; rather than a caliber issue; that required three shots to bring it down.

Sam

Redlg155 · November 27, 2002, 10:31 PM

I'd want to use a .45-70.

There is just something about shooting one with that caliber that really appeals to me. Especially in a single shot rifle.

Of course I'd want a horse nearby also.

Good SHooting
RED

3 gun · November 28, 2002, 06:52 AM

Just when I thought I had my gun safe full. I guess I'll be at the show this weekend looking for something in 45-70.

Long Path · November 28, 2002, 09:29 AM

I concur that a .45-70 would make a dandy choice.

As for my ownself, I think I would love to do it with a .54 muzzle loader.

Oh, and I'm moving this one to The Hunt.

12-34hom · November 28, 2002, 10:05 AM

Modern = 300 Winchester or Weatherby magnum.

Or... a fine old Express rifle in maybe, 375 H&H or 40 caliber offering.

12-34hom.

Wildalaska · November 28, 2002, 02:26 PM

50 Alaskan. At 150 yards the 450 grain slug penetrated shoulder to shoulder, expanded out to about .80 (Kodiak Bullet).

On a Buffalo shot about 2 months ago in Copper Center, AK.

eroyd · November 28, 2002, 04:33 PM

I don't know, it would seem kind of unappropriate to shoot them boxcar's with anything but one of those old 'traditional rounds', out of a long rifle, and of course you'd need to be wearinging skins and firs yourself, smelling of campfire smoke, lastnights whiskey and bad tobacco just for atmosphere.

A strange regulation from some bureaucrat, here in B.C. limits the cartridges you are allowed to use on bison. Don't have the exact specifications but it's to do with energy/bullet weight yadda yadda yadda. . . and basically makes the lightest legal cartridge a 7mm mag or a hot 3006. Strangely, these regs illiminate the 45-70. It would be interesting to see this regulation challenged.
You are allowed to use a bow.

Lone Star · November 28, 2002, 05:04 PM

People interested in this sort of question will want to know that Mike Venturino, the classic arms scribe at, "Shooting Times", has just published, "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West". Contact him at MLV Enterprises, P.O. Box 914, Livingston, MT 59047. I regret that I don't know the price; most of his books run a bit under $30, and they've all been worth it. (I have the new book, but it was a gift, so don't know the cost.)

Lone Star

40ozflatfoot · November 28, 2002, 07:46 PM

Years ago, I saw a story in one of the old BP mags. The feature article showed a series of photos of the author dropping a full sized bull bison from about 25 yards with his 50 cal Hawkin. He was in a shallow trench, prone, with the heaviest charge he could put in the gun. He was using a patched round ball. The photos were taken from a distance by a friend.

They showed him lining up the bull at the moment the bull saw him; the next photo shows the bull all four legs in the air rolling over from the shot. The author went for a head shot, which he said took away about 1/3 to 1/2 half of the brain case. The photo also shows the author frantically reloading, and for good reason.

The bull got up, and charged.

The author had to use another shot through the heart to slow the bull down long enough to get away, which he did. Moments after that, the bull finally went down for the count.

Those bison hunters knew what they were doing when they chose to stand off a few hundred yards for their kills.

dfaugh · November 28, 2002, 10:47 PM

just to be sure

Johnny Guest · November 30, 2002, 06:52 PM

I think that, shooting such a "tradional" old west style animal, I'd like to use an appropriate older-style rifle. Or, at least, an old model cartridge, such as .45-70.

As far as just taking the animal in aproper fashion, though, I wouldn't be at all shy about using my .338 WinMag or, even, a .30'06 with proper choice of bullets.

One old friend, now departed, did it both ways--Rem Rolling Block .45-70 with a long brass scope sight, shooting 500 gr handloads. Then with a Model 70 Win lightweight '06, with factory 180 loads. Both one shot kills.

Best,
Johnny

retiredsgt · December 1, 2002, 09:55 PM

I have a load of a 300 gr. Sierra HP over enough IMR 4198 to get 2100 FPS and a 1" group at 100 yds. This is for my Ruger No.1 in 45/70. I have a 6 x Leupold on it as the old eyes are not like they used to be. I believe it would get the job done.

November 27, 2002, 03:43 PM	#2
Ala Dan Member in memoriam Join Date: August 13, 1999 Location: In The HOT, Humid, and Mu Posts: 6,116	Griz or Buffalo- From the movie "Jeremiah Johnson", a .50 caliber Hawken! Best Wishes, Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

November 27, 2002, 03:52 PM	#3
Rob62 Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 1999 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 560	I've used a 30-06 with 180 grain handloads (Nosler Partition @ about 2800 FPS) and though I ended up not getting a shot. I felt I had plenty of gun/caliber if a decent animal had presented itself. FWIW - The buffalo (American Bison) that I saw were not as large as I expected them to be. Rob __________________ NRA & NAHC Life Member

November 27, 2002, 03:54 PM	#4
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	Probably use a .45-70 in some flavor. I always considered my Ruger #1S in .45-70, with my 405gr handloads, to be a proper buffalo gun. With a Garrett Hammerhead load in the chamber, maybe even Cape Buffalo! __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires

November 27, 2002, 04:09 PM	#5
Dr.Rob Staff Alumnus Join Date: July 28, 1999 Location: Denver Posts: 2,454	.375 H&H with a 300 gr Nosler partition. Then again, a hot load from an 1895 Marlin in 45-70 would be more traditional. __________________ You broke into the wrong Rec Room!

November 27, 2002, 06:48 PM	#8
yorec Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2000 Location: Wyoming Posts: 2,328	What else? My .58 flintlock reproduction Hawken! I'd probably bring my .300 win mag just in case we can't get close enough for the old flinter's range. Wouldn't want to miss out on taking on of those if I'd footed the bill for a hunt! __________________ What part of "... shall not be infringed..." don't you understand?

November 27, 2002, 03:39 PM	#1
MPH Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2001 Location: WY Posts: 275	Buffalo hunting, what caliber would you use. My brother took our father over to SD to shoot a buffalo. My father took the 50-70 to shoot and had to fire 3 shots to down the buffalo. Granted, the rifle he had is over 100 years old and black powder. He could of probably gotten a better shot placement, but all in all, a buffalo is one big animal. What would you use to down one of these prairie creatures with a one shot kill. Oh, don't think about head shots as they've real thick skulls.

November 27, 2002, 04:19 PM	#6
Gila Jorge Member Join Date: November 21, 2002 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 91	Marlin 1895SS 45-70 with Buffalo Bore's 350 gr hot roded loads,,,maybe even a 400 grainer from Buffalo Bore. Sundles makes the best high performance rounds around and he's one heck of nice fellow. Good people to deal with.

November 27, 2002, 06:40 PM	#7
Kaboom Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2000 Location: North Mo. Posts: 640	I would use my Sharps replica with a 475gr Lyman cast. With proper placement should do the job on anything on earth.

November 27, 2002, 06:50 PM	#9
Iggy Member Join Date: October 4, 2002 Location: Wyoming Posts: 89	Buffler Load How about a Sharp's 45-70 with a 530gr. paper patch.. Shoots a fair group..Hits pretty hard and don't spoil much meat..

November 27, 2002, 09:06 PM	#10
Hiram Junior Member Join Date: November 14, 2002 Location: Nebraska Posts: 9	Any of the old big black powder cartridges.Rifle single shot,Iron sights,prone or with cross sticks.Hunters used lung shots,they bleed,try hard to breath,and just drop over and does not get the rest of the herd all upset.Thats how they could drop 6 head in one setting and keep the skinners busy. __________________ Past Master 2001

November 27, 2002, 10:08 PM	#11
ronin308 Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2001 Posts: 1,977	I'd either use a Guide Gun with some Garrett Hammerheads or a .375 H&H. __________________ If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara desert in five years there’d be a shortage of sand. -Milton Friedman

November 27, 2002, 10:22 PM	#12
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Lot of Bison have fallen to the little 50-70. Methinks it was a matter of shot placement and luck; rather than a caliber issue; that required three shots to bring it down. Sam

November 27, 2002, 10:31 PM	#13
Redlg155 Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: NW Florida Posts: 2,307	I'd want to use a .45-70. There is just something about shooting one with that caliber that really appeals to me. Especially in a single shot rifle. Of course I'd want a horse nearby also. Good SHooting RED

November 28, 2002, 06:52 AM	#14
3 gun Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 1999 Location: N41 24.283 W81 43.370 N.E.Ohio Posts: 561	Just when I thought I had my gun safe full. I guess I'll be at the show this weekend looking for something in 45-70. __________________ Change you can believe in... Pre-65 US silver coins NRA RSO & Certified Instructor in rifle, pistol, shotgun. An unloaded pistol is a paperweight. Opportunity knocks..Trouble kicks down the door.

November 28, 2002, 09:29 AM	#15
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	I concur that a .45-70 would make a dandy choice. As for my ownself, I think I would love to do it with a .54 muzzle loader. Oh, and I'm moving this one to The Hunt. __________________ "Welcome to The Firing Line, a virtual community dedicated to the discussion and advancement of responsible firearms ownership."T.F.L. Policy Page Will you, too, be one who stands in the gap? ____________

November 28, 2002, 10:05 AM	#16
12-34hom Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Iowa - northeastern Posts: 1,810	Buffalo hunting. Modern = 300 Winchester or Weatherby magnum. Or... a fine old Express rifle in maybe, 375 H&H or 40 caliber offering. 12-34hom. __________________ This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend, it is my life. I must master itas i master my life.Without me my rifle is useless, without my rifle i am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I Will. Before God i swear this creed. My rifle and myself are defenders of my country. We are masters of our enemy. We are saviours of my life. So be it until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.

November 28, 2002, 02:26 PM	#17
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	50 Alaskan. At 150 yards the 450 grain slug penetrated shoulder to shoulder, expanded out to about .80 (Kodiak Bullet). On a Buffalo shot about 2 months ago in Copper Center, AK.

November 28, 2002, 04:33 PM	#18
eroyd Member Join Date: September 13, 2002 Location: british columbia, canada Posts: 81	I don't know, it would seem kind of unappropriate to shoot them boxcar's with anything but one of those old 'traditional rounds', out of a long rifle, and of course you'd need to be wearinging skins and firs yourself, smelling of campfire smoke, lastnights whiskey and bad tobacco just for atmosphere. A strange regulation from some bureaucrat, here in B.C. limits the cartridges you are allowed to use on bison. Don't have the exact specifications but it's to do with energy/bullet weight yadda yadda yadda. . . and basically makes the lightest legal cartridge a 7mm mag or a hot 3006. Strangely, these regs illiminate the 45-70. It would be interesting to see this regulation challenged. You are allowed to use a bow.

November 28, 2002, 05:04 PM	#19
Lone Star Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2002 Posts: 512	People interested in this sort of question will want to know that Mike Venturino, the classic arms scribe at, "Shooting Times", has just published, "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West". Contact him at MLV Enterprises, P.O. Box 914, Livingston, MT 59047. I regret that I don't know the price; most of his books run a bit under $30, and they've all been worth it. (I have the new book, but it was a gift, so don't know the cost.) Lone Star

November 28, 2002, 07:46 PM	#20
40ozflatfoot Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2001 Location: SD Posts: 462	Years ago, I saw a story in one of the old BP mags. The feature article showed a series of photos of the author dropping a full sized bull bison from about 25 yards with his 50 cal Hawkin. He was in a shallow trench, prone, with the heaviest charge he could put in the gun. He was using a patched round ball. The photos were taken from a distance by a friend. They showed him lining up the bull at the moment the bull saw him; the next photo shows the bull all four legs in the air rolling over from the shot. The author went for a head shot, which he said took away about 1/3 to 1/2 half of the brain case. The photo also shows the author frantically reloading, and for good reason. The bull got up, and charged. The author had to use another shot through the heart to slow the bull down long enough to get away, which he did. Moments after that, the bull finally went down for the count. Those bison hunters knew what they were doing when they chose to stand off a few hundred yards for their kills. __________________ There are five boxes to freedom: soap, ballot, witness, jury, cartridge. TFL Alumnus.

November 28, 2002, 10:47 PM	#21
dfaugh Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,715	.600 Nitro Express just to be sure __________________ "If you Listen to Fools, the Mob Rules" "No one has the answer, but one thing is true. You'e got to turn on evil, when its coming after you. You've gotta face it down,and when it tries to hide, you've got to go in after it, and never be denied. Time is running out...Let's roll. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for love. We're going after satan, on the wings of a dove. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth."

November 30, 2002, 06:52 PM	#22
Johnny Guest Moderator in Memoriam Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,123	Have to agree with eroyd, at least in part - - - I think that, shooting such a "tradional" old west style animal, I'd like to use an appropriate older-style rifle. Or, at least, an old model cartridge, such as .45-70. As far as just taking the animal in aproper fashion, though, I wouldn't be at all shy about using my .338 WinMag or, even, a .30'06 with proper choice of bullets. One old friend, now departed, did it both ways--Rem Rolling Block .45-70 with a long brass scope sight, shooting 500 gr handloads. Then with a Model 70 Win lightweight '06, with factory 180 loads. Both one shot kills. Best, Johnny

December 1, 2002, 09:55 PM	#23
retiredsgt Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2001 Location: Red Lion, Pa. Posts: 143	Buffalo Hunt I have a load of a 300 gr. Sierra HP over enough IMR 4198 to get 2100 FPS and a 1" group at 100 yds. This is for my Ruger No.1 in 45/70. I have a 6 x Leupold on it as the old eyes are not like they used to be. I believe it would get the job done.