Just got back from a week in NT buff hunting.A week of mixed fortune.Hot as hell and as humid as a sauna.
First outing with the 500 Nitro double.
First buff ran several kilometers with a few 570 gn Woods.in place-finished up soon enough but messy.
Projectile tests on dead bull showed good mushrooming on a chest shot with a soft-but not complete penetration.Solid whistled through both shoulders.
Next bull copped a 570 soft in the shoulder,went down then regained his footing and went to bolt.
At this point I was tired of pissing around and (despite the PH's reservations) opened up with Wood. solids.They struck like the Hammer of Thor!The next shot hit the bull VERY hard,the next dropped him like a rabbit hit with a 222.Unfortunately another very large bull wheeled around behind the target animal and a solid that had gone through both shoulders of bull number one penetrated bull number two breaking the nearest rib,traversing the chest,breaking but not penetrating the far rib.Projectile was found the next day during the autopsy looking in perfect condition except for the rifling marks.Both animals died within 60 seconds of the shooting stopping,about 20 yards apart.You would have to have seen it to believe it!
Animal weights as estimated by PH at the end of this incident-buff one 650kgs,buff two 850 kgs.
Final impression-with the 500 on big animals use solids,the Wood. soft are too soft but the solids are great.
Softs are for limp dicks in this diameter rifle.
But be prepared for the extra trophy fee sting.
Will post pics of projectile ASAP.
In the mean time here are the two buffs after being dragged together with the 'cruiser.