JPK,

Relax, I am not going to hunt buffalo with a 405 Win, or any other 40 caliber rifle. I hunt buffalo with a proper stopping rifle, which shoots 570gr or 600gr Woodleigh soft points at 2350+ fps. It has absolutely NO PROBLEM punching very large holes clear through buffalo. Solids SUCK for buffalo, as they do no damage. An animal dies from shock, blood lose, or a combination of the two (excluding CNS hits). Solids do not shock, nor do they do enough tissue trauma to promote a good bleed out. However, if you like them, by all means use them. I shall reserve the solids for their intended purpose, brain shots on ele or any critter with very thick hides (buffalo don't qualify).

That is all I have to say on the subject. So please if nothing else let us just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

BillinOregon, if you would like some load data I can supply it for the 405 Winnie and 300gr pills as well as 400 gr Woodleighs. I have used Rel7, IMR3031, W748, IMR4895, and maybe one or two others. You can get to 2000+ fps safely with a 400 gr Woodleigh in the M1895 Winchester, but that is about it. I suppose if you really like high pressure loads you can get it to 2100+ fps in a No.1, but like I said they would be high pressure indeed (~ 70 ksi I would think). Send me a PM and I will share what I have in my reloading notes.

Scott