416 Rigby
- Thread starter alaska100
- Start date
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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Never reloaded for it, but it will definitely be enough gun for cape buffalo. I'd think that any of the following would serve you well: Swift A-Frame (either 350 grain or 400 grain), Nosler Partition (400 grain) or Woodleigh (340 grain or 410 grain). That sounds like a great hunt you have planned.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,540
- 6,609
+1
350 grain or 400 grain
Africa Huntress
Handloader
- Feb 14, 2012
- 461
- 2
We use G.S. Custom and Woodleigh only at this level. However, Nosler, Swift, Barnes and North Fork will all work well for you. The cost of the bullets are the cheapest part of your trip, so dont make your decision based on the price of the bullet.
Scotty, I will answer your question here about the 416 and 280 AI. you are correct, we did get some Nosler for these two calibers but have not used them yet. The 416 s are part of a gift which includes the rifle, scope, and bullets for an older gentlemen who has wanted to hunt Buffalo all his life but was never able to do so for one reason or another. He will do it soon and then I will report back to you. The Nosler we ordered for the 280 AI is for us and we will use them on a hunt in Tajikistan and will report back to you after the hunt. thanks for asking
oops forgot, as has been suggested bullets in the 400gr and up is what we use in the Rigby for
buffalo
Scotty, I will answer your question here about the 416 and 280 AI. you are correct, we did get some Nosler for these two calibers but have not used them yet. The 416 s are part of a gift which includes the rifle, scope, and bullets for an older gentlemen who has wanted to hunt Buffalo all his life but was never able to do so for one reason or another. He will do it soon and then I will report back to you. The Nosler we ordered for the 280 AI is for us and we will use them on a hunt in Tajikistan and will report back to you after the hunt. thanks for asking
oops forgot, as has been suggested bullets in the 400gr and up is what we use in the Rigby for
buffalo
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
alaska100":1ph2xfc4 said:
What a cool problem to have :lol: Hopefully needing a good load for Cape Buff will be me in a few years??? Good luck and take lots of pics!
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,442
- 3,471
I use GS Customs in my 416 WBY. Excellent bullets ! I use the 330gr GS.
The GS Custom are very good bullets. I have used them in .375 before but they are not all the easy to get here in Canada.
Lots of good advice here. You can't really go wrong with any of the obvious choices such as the expanding and solid offerings from Nosler, Barnes and Woodleigh. You should also take a long hard look at North Forks offerings, including their CPS.
As was mentioned by Africa Huntress I would stick with the 400 grain bullets, but would not hesitate to drop down to 350 if I was shooting the TSX.
Most PH's still like to see you use a good stout soft point for the first shot followed by solids. Some will not worry about this if you are shooting TSX and this would not be an issue either with the North Fork CPS, which I have seen in use.
Have fun on your hunt. If I could just win the lottery I would go buff hunting every year. :wink:
Lots of good advice here. You can't really go wrong with any of the obvious choices such as the expanding and solid offerings from Nosler, Barnes and Woodleigh. You should also take a long hard look at North Forks offerings, including their CPS.
As was mentioned by Africa Huntress I would stick with the 400 grain bullets, but would not hesitate to drop down to 350 if I was shooting the TSX.
Most PH's still like to see you use a good stout soft point for the first shot followed by solids. Some will not worry about this if you are shooting TSX and this would not be an issue either with the North Fork CPS, which I have seen in use.
Have fun on your hunt. If I could just win the lottery I would go buff hunting every year. :wink:
Spent a good deal of time with a 416 Rigby a while back. We wanted to use Barnes TSX and Banded Solids.
The owner of the rifle wanted to use the 350 grain bullets to help tame the recoil. However, this was a Merkel double rifle that had sights that were regulated for 400 grain bullets. These sights are fixed and only an expert can shange the POI. Even thought the 350 grain TSX bullets shot great, they were much too high on the paper.
We switched to the 400 grain Barnes bullets and they worked great. This rifle shot them quite well and at 50 yards the groups from the two barrels would overlap. I was impressed. I was also impressed with the recoil. About a dozen shots from the bench was my limit.
When we got the 400 grain Barnes to 2400 fps the barrels were perfectly regulated. I was able to get the 400 grain TSX and 400 Grain Banded solids to shoot to the same place with a little manipulation of powder charges. I wound up loading 99 grains of RL 22 behind the TSX and 100 grains of RL 22 behind the Banded Solids.
All the loads I used were loaded with Hornady brass and Fed 215 primers.
The owner of the rifle wanted to use the 350 grain bullets to help tame the recoil. However, this was a Merkel double rifle that had sights that were regulated for 400 grain bullets. These sights are fixed and only an expert can shange the POI. Even thought the 350 grain TSX bullets shot great, they were much too high on the paper.
We switched to the 400 grain Barnes bullets and they worked great. This rifle shot them quite well and at 50 yards the groups from the two barrels would overlap. I was impressed. I was also impressed with the recoil. About a dozen shots from the bench was my limit.
When we got the 400 grain Barnes to 2400 fps the barrels were perfectly regulated. I was able to get the 400 grain TSX and 400 Grain Banded solids to shoot to the same place with a little manipulation of powder charges. I wound up loading 99 grains of RL 22 behind the TSX and 100 grains of RL 22 behind the Banded Solids.
All the loads I used were loaded with Hornady brass and Fed 215 primers.
TRIC
Beginner
- Dec 14, 2005
- 200
- 0
I load for my CZ Safari. Load 400 gr Barnes TSX with 102gr of RL22 and Federal 215 primers. Very accurate.
- Thread starter
- #11
- Oct 30, 2004
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Pick a bullet I will work a Q/L sim for you
C Broad Arrow
Beginner
- Jul 24, 2008
- 83
- 0
One word... SOLIDS!
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,584
- 9,713
Congrats on your upcoming safari.
That is going to be an awesome hunt.
JD338
That is going to be an awesome hunt.
JD338
Rem Jim
Handloader
- Jan 7, 2012
- 688
- 9
Mooswa":1m0o1tgh said:
Being new to african game hunting - why would they want you to use a soft point first -? is it too get a blood wound inside into the lungs etc or what ? i though with buffs they want you to shoot them in the shoulder area or chest or just behind the shoulder into the heart area ? Just wanting to gain knowledge - i want to kill a BUFF ! RJ
As I under stand it, the reason for an expandable on the first shot it to inflict max damage and energy. Most Cape buf don't go down in the first shot even with a mortal hit. Solids are liked for follow up shots because they can still reach the heart from any angle as the bull is running off, or right at you. I know a lot of bulls are shot in a herd, and solids are frowned apon because they can take out two or more buffalo with a single shot. Best bet would be to talk to you PH and find out what they would like you to use.
If it were me I would not worry about solids. I would worry more about making my first shot count with a tough bullet (pretty much any that have already been mentioned here). My though is that if the first one takes out the heart, another one in the heart isn't going to do much better from any angle. I would think that after the first leathal hit a guy would be wanting to transfer as much energy into joints that make that critter mobile. A heart shot critter with busted hips, or shoulders won't go as far as one that has ben shot twice in the heart and still has all the shoulders/hips/spine intact.
Just my $.02
If it were me I would not worry about solids. I would worry more about making my first shot count with a tough bullet (pretty much any that have already been mentioned here). My though is that if the first one takes out the heart, another one in the heart isn't going to do much better from any angle. I would think that after the first leathal hit a guy would be wanting to transfer as much energy into joints that make that critter mobile. A heart shot critter with busted hips, or shoulders won't go as far as one that has ben shot twice in the heart and still has all the shoulders/hips/spine intact.
Just my $.02
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
SJB358":2g0na3vj said:
I now have a reason to buy a 416!!! To kill water jugs :mrgreen:
Woodycreek":3tuur3db said:
Do we really need reasons?
http://www.montanarifleco.com/custom.ri ... tionRifles
