470Nitro,

All in good spirit.Was hoping to lure more comments out.
Ok if with a double or a bolt, I agree with you that solids is the way to go.That is for the guide.The client may use softs if it is good bullets and he is going only for heart and lung but I wont advise that.I'll still carry the solids because if anything seriously happens you really need to break bone.You don't need bullets breaking.On the other hand,if the elephant charges only a brain shot will stop it does'nt matter whether it is soft or solid.............................bottom line.....don't miss the brain.

If hunting lion I'll go for soft cause a soft will have more stopping from the front if it charges.Remember a lion is a soft skinned animal and weighs only 250kg-350kg average.A big rifle will put it in reverse gear but with buffalo and elephant its a different story.What rifle can stop 5000kg of muscle charging at 30km/h-60km/h.Think about it.

The soft/solid combination is always good but more for the hunter than the PH.Especially on Buffalo the first must be soft and the second a solid.If the buff turns and runs away after the first shot the next one must hit immediatly and shooting from behind only a solid will penetrate to the vitals or break the backbone.

Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!