Gun for buffalo??

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Bob R

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It has become official. Montana will have a very limited Buffalo (American Bison) hunt this winter. They are going to allow the hunting of ten buffalo that wander away from Yellowstone park.

Although they have not drawn yet, I know I am going to be one of the ten (positive thinking). As much as I would love to use my Quigley Sharps, the NRA will not have given it to me yet (more positive thinking), so I need to decide what I can use out of my safe.

The AR15 is out for sure. That leave fixed sight guns I have. K31, 7.5x55, that should be enough gun. Several 7.62x54's that with a 200gr hunting round should be up to the task. I was thinking along the lines of my Finn M39, I am comfortable shooting it out to at least 200yds with irons. I have a feeling this round has probably taken most of the large animals in Europe/Russia.

Then there is the Swede, 6.5x55, with a little work it would also probably be fine, but not as good as the 54r.

There is also the AR10 and M1A both in 7.62x51. There are lots and lots of loads already made up for these, but the M1A is heavy, and the AR10, well it is an AR and I'm not sure such a noble beast should be taken with a new fangled gun. Just the way I feel.

As of now, I am leaning towards the M39, with a little bit of handloading this can be a very satisying round.

So, if you had to make the decision, what would you use, and why? The option of borrowing or buying a 300 mag or 338 is out of the question at this time. It would have to be K31, M39, M1A, AR10, M96 Swede. There is a joker in the pile, a Hakim in 8mm. I am not to keen on using it, but once again, it would be plenty of gun.

thanks,

bob
 
At least use an American caliber. ;)

From what I have heard about buffalo, they are like shooting a cow, a large impressive cow, but still a cow. Put a shot in the chest cavity and wait a couple of minutes for it to lay down and die. It's just the nostalgia of it that makes me want to shoot one, and the large amount of meat.
 
My first thought was 300 mag, 7mm mag, 375 H&H, but those not being an option I personally would use the M1A.
Take a good shot, stay down and wait for it to bleed out.
Just mho.

jojo
 
I would use the M1A, next the AR-10.
I'm with kudu, an American bison should be shot with an American gun in an American caliber :)
Another reason is there is a very wide variety of hunting ammunition in .308 Win. I think it should be loaded with 180gr Rem Core-lokt ultra, Hornady interbond/interlock, Federal Nosler Partitions, etc.
 
I go along with o-s-o. It has to be a .45-70 (I'm not into BP).

It's the only cal. that the Buff should be shot with. It should also be with a very large lead bullet. :)
 
45-70 is traditional and it works too ! However since you have a AR-15 you can convert that to 458 SOCOM. Corbon even loads ammo for it . 300 @ 2100 IIRC.
 
I havn't seen it personally so this is just hearsay...

Buffalo, like cows, have no barrier that separates thier chest from thier abdomen so any round that creates hydrolic shock will kill them.

My cousin (one of those rich guys that goes on safari all the time) says he shot one in the head from the front with a 45-70 and it just rolled right over the top, knocked the bull out and removed some skin, but never penetrated the skull plate. He says shoot them in the vitals and they go right down.
 
I had a look at the hunting regs. No muzzle loading BP and no archery. Center fire rifles only with 150 grain or heavier bullets. Non-resident licence is $750US. Geez.
"...the large animals in Europe/Russia..." There ain't nothing in either place as big as a buffler. Think 2,000 pounds for a big one.
"...I am comfortable shooting it out to at least 200yds with irons..." That'd be the one I'd use. There's nothing like being confident in your load and rifle.
 
My information is pretty dated but I'll pass it along anyway.

Way back in the good old days of the buffalo hunts of 1985-86 I helped a friend in Billings "harvest" a buffalo up out of Gardiner. The Montana wildlife folks REQUIRED the shot placement to be within a triangle consisting of the base of the horn to the eye to the base of the ear. None of this "put it in the boiler room" stuff.

Again, that was then and this is now so I'd check it out since I know you will draw a tag! ;)

Edited to add:

His bull weighed 1700# (weighed by the wildlife dept too)! :what: That was with head, hide, and hooves. I mention hooves cause a front leg from the knee down including the hoof was enough to make me hold it with a bent elbow and my arm pretty much in a full curl position if I was to hold it for anytime while showing it off at work.
 
Buffalo, like cows, have no barrier that separates thier chest from thier abdomen so any round that creates hydrolic shock will kill them.
Click to expand...

OK... Now I've heard it all..... ;)

Having gutted at least a dozen bison in my life and at least that many mooo cows and more than a few cape buffalo. I can assure you that yes they do indeed have a diaphram between the chest and the gut. And a gut shot buffalo is just that...A gut shot buffalo.

Hydraulic shock works great on prarrie dogs and some deer but anything much larger than that and hydraulic shock means NOTHING..A critter the size of a bull bison won't react to the mythical hydraulic shock factor one little, tiny bit. Especially not in the gut. DO NOT TRY THIS!!!!

If you're going to shoot a bison with a .308 you'd better make it a heavy well constructed bullet. Speaking from expereince a 150gr corelokt .308 win at 20 feet WILL NOT exit on a side brain shot on a two year old cow buffalo..These suckers have some serious bone structure.

A big bull has very thick tough hide and don't kid yourself anytime something is wild and weighs in the neighborhood of 2000lbs it could get dangerous in a hurry. More people are killed/mashed by bison than any other animal in Yellowstone by a long shot..

These are wild bison not farm raised. Is your chance of getting charged and smacked very high? No it's not...But I'd use at the bare minimum a 180gr .308 in an X bullet or a Grandslam. I'd perfer a .300 with a 200gr bullet or a .338 with a 225 or a 250. But given my druthers I'd use a .375 and 270gr or 300 grain bullets or a good 400gr bullet out of a .45-70.

Whatever you choose please don't think that wounded bison is not dangerous, treat it with respect and remember bullets are cheap hospital stays and funerals are expensive. After you shoot it shoot it again a couple of times for the wife and kids. Anytime you approach a downed animal that has the tools to kill you always approach it from the rear not the front that way if he starts to get up you've got time to pop him again or at least get out of the way.

Just my humble $.02

I know that guys tend to make this buffalo deal into a drinkathon/shootathon and have very little respect for bison and shoot them with whatever round they've got in the truck .243 .30/30 but better safe that sorry and a clean kill is what we strive for.
 
A 45-70 Gov would be nice, but Bob R is going to shoot it with a gun that he already has.
The M1A with a deep penetrating bullet would be best I think.
 
As something of a traditionalist, I have to admit a distaste for any of the choices Bob R listed. Good lord, man-- you're unlikely to get the chance again. If you draw the hunt, get a proper buffalo rifle!


Oh, and listen to H&H Hunter.
 
Think of things this way... were he to use the M1A, he's along the same traditions.

Think way back when people had extra rifles on the range? The buffalo got shot with service rifles... .45-70 GOVERNMENTS. The M1A is an American service rifle....

Sounds A-OK in my book :)
 
I'd be traditional and borrow dad's Marlin Century Limited 45/70... but I'd use a modern Remington 405gr Core Lokt bullet.

That or get in close and Poke 'em with a .54 cal Miniball.
 
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