30-06 for Buffalo...Enough Gun or Not, and Other Questions.

kamlooky said:
Hayya effingdewd............let me know if'n ya need some 30-06 ammo.
Gots some old/new Imperial 220 KKSP ammo here in Kamloops.
Nuff to keep you happy for a bit.
Send me a p.m iff'n yer attal innerested.
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Thanks for the offer man. That's very cool of you.

And thanks to everyone posting in this thread, I sincerely appreciate the advice and sharing of experience.

I don't know what my decision will be if I get the draw...I have a pretty strong emotional attachment to my 30-06 and it would mean a lot to me to hunt buffalo with a rifle that has served me well over the years, but I also recognize the value in going up to a 375 H&H, or maybe a 9.3 x 62.
 
The right load combo and a .45 Colt fired from a mare`s leg will bring a buffalo down... You have to remember that buffalo that see humans will do one of three things stand there looking at you look at them, charge, or turn tail... they are a lot faster then you would think they are for something as big as a Volts wagon... and as smart as one.
 
9.3x62 would be perfect, it was built with creatures of Bison's toughness in mind. Your .30-06 will work, so if you love the gun and want to make memories with it, by all means do but load 200gr+. Just no margin for error and remember it's the bare minimum for a reason (even in the law), as mentioned same as .243 for big deer arguments.
 
I'm with Hoyt.............I got 50 bucks on the bison. Even in a 7 game series I'd put an extra 50 bucks on a 4 game sweep in favor of the bison.

I see them monsters every time I drive the Alaska highway and I wouldn't even be caught within the range you'd have to be with a 45 LC. I've taken 4 over the years, 2 with arrows and one with a 375 H&H and one with a 300 WM. The 300 was the least effective and quite disconcerting that he took 3 very well placed 180 gn bullets before he even indicated a hit, all at less than 75 mtrs. Wide open country so after the third I just watched him and he still took 3 or 4 minutes to tip over!!

If ever you had a hankering for a 375 OP, if you get drawn that would be a good time to fulfill that hankering, that's my advice anyway.
 
Glad to hear some real world frankness on the internet. It seems as if there some shame in not having dropped a Bison with a single shot from a .30-06, and you are less of a hunter and somehow a fool, even less "wise" of a hunter for believing more is justified. A coworker after his Bison hunt found four bullets in his Bison- two were from his .300. The other two were from some long gone hunt that won't ever be mentioned. There is nothing that even comes close to how tough they are, or how big they are, in North America. Nobody hauling a proper megafauna / living Pleistocene rifle along is a fool, because they are the last thing of the class to inhabit our continent.

Attributed to Robert Ruark by John Linebaugh,

"Shoot enough gun, and if you can’t, or won’t learn how to, STAY HOME!"

A little stiff, and .30-06 can marginally, just, be considered enough gun so it's no slur on those who have. But it is good commentary on the bare minimum mentality. Conflicting for me as I'm a keen student of Bell's as well, and if you're as good as Bell was, .30-06 is aplenty.
 
There is another aspect of bison hunting I'd like to fill you in on............the fun is over after the loud bang........they are about as much fun to deal with, on the ground as an elephant!!!! Maybe I'm just getting old.............
 
Dogleg said:
The 450 NE was fun when I used it, although the Hornady factory ammo was less than inspiring. This time my buffalo cull/test will be fairly straight forward comparison of .458 A-Frames versus CEB Safari Raptors, with a side order of 380 grain Rhinos in a .375.
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i want to hear the report.

what about some DGX in the middle?
 
Dogleg said:
The 450 NE was fun when I used it, although the Hornady factory ammo was less than inspiring. This time my buffalo cull/test will be fairly straight forward comparison of .458 A-Frames versus CEB Safari Raptors, with a side order of 380 grain Rhinos in a .375.
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Interested in hearing your side by side comparison of heavy .375 and .458 for effectiveness, you're building a portfolio of medium and big bore effectiveness experience I don't believe any here can match. I'm thinking the .450 is the gun for me as I like doubles, and I like the availability of components in .458".

effinggoof, sorry, but this is the way all decent threads go, wormhole into parallel discussions. So thanks for the opportunity. ;)
 
effinggoof said:
Have a draw in for buffalo this year.

Don't know squat about buffalo hunting.

If I get a tag, do I have to upgrade from the venerable 30-06, or with careful ammunition selection am I good to go?

If you have specific ammo recommendations, please share.

What ranges are guys usually popping BC Buffalo at?


Any Buffalo hunting tips?
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Only magnums and doubles kill stuff - ask any one of the "experts" they'll tell ya!

All BS aside.......

The old "30-06" (loaded with the right bullet) will do the job if you keep your side of deal and place bullet in the right place!
 
Kudu,

in most of the situations it may work but minimun doesnt mean it is optimum. marginal means no errors possible and im not sure if anyone can pretend not doing one never.

.358 should be the minimum on my opinion with the 9.3s a very good start. it can be done with lower .30 but why taking the chance when some better ones are available with today great bullets.
 
Kudu said:
Only magnums and doubles kill stuff - ask any one of the "experts" they'll tell ya!

All BS aside.......

The old "30-06" (loaded with the right bullet) will do the job if you keep your side of deal and place bullet in the right place!
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You amuse me Kudu, just as I'm sure I amuse you. Did I trade you my .30-06 Oberndorf? That is a fantastic rifle.

How many Wood Bison have you hunted? I know you have African experience.

effinggoof, all these threads eventually degenerate to what's about to come, so keep in mind one absolute fact of hunting:

Bigger is better, if you can handle it. If you can't, it is the worst choice. Nobody can reasonably argue otherwise.
 
Ardent said:
Interested in hearing your side by side comparison of heavy .375 and .458 for effectiveness, you're building a portfolio of medium and big bore effectiveness experience I don't believe any here can match. I'm thinking the .450 is the gun for me as I like doubles, and I like the availability of components in .458".

effinggoof, sorry, but this is the way all decent threads go, wormhole into parallel discussions. So thanks for the opportunity. ;)
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Apologize for nothing...this thread has lots of useful info, and if it wanders a bit that's completely fine.
 
Interested in hearing your side by side comparison of heavy .375 and .458 for effectiveness,
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Not to worry, you'll be among the first to hear. I'm quite curious about the Rhinos; just to see if the extreme expanded diameters and weights can put them in 45 country or at least how close they can get.
 
Dogleg said:
Not to worry, you'll be among the first to hear. I'm quite curious about the Rhinos; just to see if the extreme expanded diameters and weights can put them in 45 country or at least how close they can get.
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Hey DL, have you tried them Rhino bullets on paper? Will the standard 375 H&H twist rifling stabilize them? That's certainly heading into the extreme in 375 bullet weights, curious how far they would stay stabile, and what their terminal performance would be, being so close the envelope edge for stability, which my calculations say they must be.
I have always wondered how stability plays into terminal performance on heavy game and penetration, and how it works in conjunction with bullet construction and configuration. Bullet construction has been debated ad infinitum but bullet stability upon impact and through out it's penetration travel is a lot more theoretical and of great interest to me. Looking forward to your testing and reports.
 
Hey DL, have you tried them Rhino bullets on paper? Will the standard 375 H&H twist rifling stabilize them? That's certainly heading into the extreme in 375 bullet weights, curious how far they would stay stabile, and what their terminal performance would be, being so close the envelope edge for stability, which my calculations say they must be.
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100 yards with my M70 Alaskan, with Davie's load and Boomer's bullets. MOB for sure. The terminal performance with the H&H is fairly well documented, but KR still wants a report.


 
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