| hoppdoc |
| (.400 member) |
| 05/11/06 07:12 PM |
DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Much has been written about SOLID vs SOFT in African guns.
Traditionally solids must be had because of the mediocre performance of softs on game.
Given todays excellent softs--
Whats your DR bullet pick for 1st shot, 2nd shot on various non charging animals with a 450/500 class DR??
ELE??--- (SOLID/SOLID)?
BUFF??--- (?SOFT/SOLID? vs SOLID/SOLID)?
HIPPO?? ---(?SOLID/SOLID vs SOFT/SOLID)?
RHINO?? ---(SOLID/SOLID)?
BIG CATS??---(SOFT/SOFT)?
CROC??---(SOFT/SOFT vs SOLID/SOLID)?
PG??---(SOFT/SOFT)?
FORUM MEMBERS---What is your preference? If softs what specific SOFT would you use? Woodleigh/SWIFT AFrame/ other???
| JPK |
| (.375 member) |
| 05/11/06 11:03 PM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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HopDoc,
One problem is heading into the bush you just never know what's around the corner. Since I prefer elephant hunting, my rifle starts loaded with solids, but given time or limiting the hunt to only one animal and starting with the optimum load:
Elephant: solid(right -first- barrel)/solid(left -second- barrel)
Buff: North Fork Cup Point(nfcp)/nfcp or soft/solid
Hippo on land: solid/solid
Rhino: solid/solid
Cats: soft/soft
Croc:
PG: bigger PG like kudu, waterbuck, zebra soft/solid
smaller PG like klipspringer, impala solid/solid
My prefernce for solids is North Fork flat nose solid then Woodleigh solids.
Woodleigh softs have been fine on the few animals I have shot with them.
I would hunt anything with my rifle loaded with NF solids or Woodleigh solids.
Animals killed with my DR and the primary bullet type:
11 elephants - all solids
4 cape buffalo - all solids
1 zebra - soft
1 klipspringer - solid
1 baboon - soft
JPK
| 500grains |
| (.416 member) |
| 06/11/06 02:13 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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ELE: solid / solid. This is all about penetration.
BUFF: solid / solid. I am only interested in hunting dagga boys who have retired from the breeding cycle and have left the herd. Therefore overpenetration is not a concern. And I want to be able to take difficult shots with confidence.
HIPPO: solid /solid. Penetration is the name of the game for these big fattys when taking them on land.
LION: soft / soft. Lion are not large animals, and tissue disruption and blood loss is the key.
LEOPARD: soft / soft. Same story as lion, but an even lighter caliber will do.
PG: soft or solid depending. Giraffe are best shot with solids as they are an even tougher target than buffalo. Eland can be shot with softs, but quartering away shots and the shoulder blade need to be avoided, therefore I would probably use a solid for a follow up. For all other PG, a soft is fine but there can be an advantage in using a solid for follow up on a wounded animal which is likely to present a hind end shot.
| JTOMLINSON |
| (.300 member) |
| 06/11/06 05:04 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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What 500 grains said.
In the U.K choice of softs is more limited than in the U.S, so soft nosed in a 450-400 would likely be with woodleigh Weldcores a great bullet, especially at the velocities from a 450-400.
| Marrakai |
| (.416 member) |
| 07/11/06 02:05 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Agree with 500grains, except for buffalo. Even for big old bulls, in my neck of the woods its premium soft-points for the client or resident hunter, and steel-jacketed solids for the PH or guide (almost) every time.
I'll probably remain a Woodleigh fan to the grave, but one of my mates has been getting good results with the new Hornady Interbond bullet in his .458 Lott. This 500-grainer went through the spine of a big bull at the base of the neck and pulled-up under the off-side hide. Still weighed over 425 grains (85%). Not too shabby.......
| clark7781 |
| (.375 member) |
| 07/11/06 06:14 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Dan:
Has NF come out with cup points for the .500 NE yet? (.510 diameter, 570 grain bullet)?
| Fergus_Bailey |
| (.224 member) |
| 07/11/06 07:32 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Marraki
That is one of the best looking softs I have seen that’s been pulled out of an animal like buff. Sounds like great performance and I would bet the bull didn’t complain much either. Do you know how fast this was moving?
| DUGABOY1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 07/11/06 08:37 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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ELE??---SOLID/SOLID
BUFF??--- ? SOFT/SOLID vs SOLID/SOLID)?
HIPPO?? ---(?SOLID/SOLID vs SOFT/SOLID)?
RHINO?? ---(SOLID/SOLID)?
BIG CATS??---(SOFT/SOFT)?
CROC??---(SOFT/SOFT vs SOLID/SOLID)?
PG??---(SOFT/SOFT)?
The bold print above is what I have used, and would use on the animals listed.
Although, I'd likely use NF cup points exclusively on most things today, excluding Elephant, and cats in the big five!
| bonanza |
| (.400 member) |
| 07/11/06 09:24 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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I finally got my GS Custom FN solids ( http://www.gsgroup.co.za/03fn.html ) from South Africa. I got them to use in my .375 double. You can only purchase them directly, so I suggest everybody order a box or two in case they go TU.
| 500grains |
| (.416 member) |
| 07/11/06 12:06 PM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Clark,
NF does not have access to material for th.510".
| Marrakai |
| (.416 member) |
| 08/11/06 12:32 AM |
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Re: DANGEROUS GAME-SOLID vs SOFTS??
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Fergus:
In reply to:
That is one of the best looking softs I have seen.... Do you know how fast this was moving?
Pretty standard Lott velocity I imagine, around 2300 fps. I'll ask Dave next time I see him.