Bully For The .405
Roosevelt's "big medicine" enjoys a revival.
By Craig Boddington

My daughter, Brittany, whispered, "Dad, he's getting closer." Her eyes were wide, and all her attention was focused on the buffalo. And he was getting closer. Much closer--About 25 yards out. I was certain he'd seen us, but the breeze was favorable, and the buff's body language suggested curiosity, not aggression. His head was down, covering his chest, and there was no reason to risk a tricky brain shot. At least not yet.

The bull was still coming, one slow step at a time. He was old and huge-bodied, his flat, wide horns swinging slightly. "Dad," came a small, urgent voice, "he's really close." .....

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Brittany Boddington shot an exceptional Australian wild boar with her father's .405 Winchester Ruger No. 1. Performance on big hogs was so outstanding, the Boddingtons had no qualms about using the rifle on buffalo.

Brittany Boddington's water buffalo had very good horns and weighed close to 2,500 pounds. A single 300-grain Hornady bullet at very close range did the job nicely, making her professional hunter, Peter Harding, very happy.

Shot with a Ruger No. 1 .405 Winchester, the author's water buffalo was by far the best he's taken after several trips to Australia.

You can argue as to whether the .405 Winchester is truly suitable for game such as buffalo, but there is no question that it's perfect for wild boar and, by extension, black bear and other game normally taken at fairly close range.