What ammo to use on a Bison hunt???

[destroyer4570]

Hello fellow leveraction shooters, I am planning on going on a Bison hunt in the upcoming month, I have looked over the Buffalo Bore ammo web site as well as Garrett custom cartrides. Trouble is i'm having problems deciding which ammo to go with. I plan on using ammo in the 420-430gr range for a bison,the bison will probably most likely be a meat animal vs a huge trophy bull about 1000-1500lbs or so. Which Ammo do you think I should go with? Any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.... Thanks

[huntershooter]

I've used (handload) a Cast Performance 420 gr. WFNGC (Wide Flat Nose Gas Check) @ 1850 fps (.45/70) on Bison.
Penetration being a major consideration when hunting "large, thick skinned" critters, this load shot through a quartering buff twice. No bullet recovered.
Dead Bison.

[rjohns94]

I used a 500 grain round nose bullet moving around 1400 fps. On a 67 yard shot, the broadside to me, 1200# animal, dropped when the shot took out the spine over the shoulder/neck junction. No bullet was recovered. The bison took no steps. I used my Shilo Hartford sharps in 45-70, and a full case of blackpowder, topped with .030 vegetable wad, slight compressed load with the 500 grain bullet. Fired off with a BR-2 primer. DEADLY accurate.

[Tycer]

http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse- ... Detail.bok According to Bogie's TP calculation, this is around 155

Mike does a 420 @ 1900 also.

He's a great guy and supports our forum. Flawless loading practices!

[alnitak]

Randy Garrett Hammerhead +P, 420 grain at 1850 fps. If you have a Marlin with Ballard rifling, he also has a 540 grain Hammerhead +P

I used one of the 420 grain Hammerheads on a quartering buff. Took out both lungs and the far shoulder, and kept on going off into the brush.

Read more here: http://www.garrettcartridges.com/050100.asp

Products here: http://www.garrettcartridges.com/products.asp

[Coldfingers]

My son used one of my handloaded 420 WFNGC's over a stiff dose of H322 to take a Montana cow buff. A meat hunt. Frontal shot with stem to stern penetration. FLOP!!! Everyone was impressed to say the least, especially the fellar who had just taken multiple shots with one of the hot WSM's and had to have the owners step in to finish the job.

We have had great success with the similar BuffBore loadings on moose also. You probably don't have to heat up the ol 45-70 all that much for a typical meat bull but it sure don't hurt none either.

It will sure be more fun than the average trip to the meat counter!

My Best,

Scotty

[JimT]

1800 pound bull bison taken under free range conditions on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation near Eagle Butte, SD.
170 yards with Garrett 420-gr Hammerhead -- by Christopher Moe

Full-size photo here http://www.leverguns.com/outdoors/levergunners.htm

[kimwcook]

Now that's a load of "Bull".

[TedH]

That's a BIG critter!

[86er]

Just call Mike at Grizzly Cartridge. He is a sponsor of this forum and you GET A DISCOUNT by mentioning you are a forum member.
The Phone # is (503) - 556-3006

I'm sure he will discuss your needs and intentions as well as your rifle. Then he can help you intelligently choose whatever cartridge is best for the job.

[alnitak]

1800 pound bull bison taken under free range conditions on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation near Eagle Butte, SD.
170 yards with Garrett 420-gr Hammerhead -- by Christopher Moe

Full-size photo here http://www.leverguns.com/outdoors/levergunners.htm

Did you see the other BIGGER one at the bottom of the page...2,500 pounds, and body length penetration (and exit) with the 540 grain Garrett Hammermead!

[RKrodle]

http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse- ... Detail.bok According to Bogie's TP calculation, this is around 155

Mike does a 420 @ 1900 also.

He's a great guy and supports our forum. Flawless loading practices!

+1 on the Grizzly. Mike is a great guy and a supporter of the forum.

[destroyer4570]

Grizzly cartridges huh? Okay thanks,I'll check out their web site and maybe give him a call....Again thanks

[KCSO]

Personally I have only killed 6 Buffalo, but i have recovered bullets from and observed the results of bullets from another 20 or so kills. Since I live between the Ponca herd and the Santee herd I have had some opportunity to see buffalo killed. First and formost will be how you are hunting. Fair chase on say 2000 acres is a different from dropping one from the back of a pickup at 25 yards. In the latter case a 22 behind the ear works just fine and doesn't ruin any meat. For the former for our last hunt we killed 3 buffalo with a 50 caliber hawken, a 45-90 and a 45-70 all loaded with black powder. For a heart lung shot the 50 caliber shooting a round ball over 80 grains of FFg put a ball through the Buff side to side at 60 yards. The buff ran 40 yards and dropped dead. The 45-90 was a pure heart shot and the buff stood for about 30 seconds and then dropped to the ground with his buddies nudging him. The 45-70 was a bran shot taken at the center of the skull as the buff came up out of a ravine. The buff dropped at the shot and the bullet, a 405 backed with 67 grains of FFg dropped at the shot. The bullet went through the brain and brok 3 neck vertebra and then lodged in the shoulder. These buff ranged from 900 to 1200 pounds. Unless you screw up and shoot in the wrong spot it is not hard to put a bullet through both sides of a buff. A 45-70 with a 405 bullet at 1300 fps is perfectly adaquate. Quite frankly I would not be afraid to take a buff with a 45 Colt round from a good rifle, say a 300 grain bullet at 1400 or so. My first bull was taken with a Sharps 45-80 PP and since I was putting him down in a feed yard it was also a brain shot, the 450 grain bullet was recovered in the shoulder after gong through a lot of buff and weighed in at 400 grains. I have a trade gun ball recovered from a buff that flattened to almost 1 inch and was found under the hide on the off side. The buff died within 50 yards but I would have wanted full penetration for a better blood trail on that one as it was in heavy cover. For putting down buff on the farm we found that a hard cast 220 grain slug at 2000 fps from a 30-40 Krag was gerat, plenty of penetration and the bullets expanded about the same as a factory 180 slug. My next Buff will be taken with BP and my Spencer Carbine as the ranch I hunt on I can usually sneak to within 50 yards or so.

Load is not as important as bullet placment so study buff in all positions and figure how you are going to get your bullet to the vitals. If you are hunting in cover a hole through and through is better.

[destroyer4570]

KCSO, Thanks for the responce, I found your reply very informative. I will be hunting a exotic game ranch in south texas. I beleive it's abot a 5000acre ranch, so I guess it's pretty close to free ranging as one can get without leaving the state. I feel that you bring up a good point. I too think that shot placement is also they key to a clean, humane, kill regardless of load you use. I am now looking into using 420gr from either garrett cartridge or Grizzly ammunition....Thanks for the info