buffalo

[axelp]

This is a question for all you big game hunters...

If I were shooting a bull buffalo with my 62 cal smoothbore fowler, say at 65-70 yards, what kid of powder charge should I start with to develop an accurate load. I usually shoot roundball with 65-70 gr of FF.

thanks

Ken

[BrownBear]

Yours will almost certainly show its own preference.  I've been around a lot of buffalo kills, but I haven't shot one myself.  The two I know of taken with ML's were both 54 cal with 90 grains of 3f (same shooter) They seem to die pretty easy, but I'd be more comfortable at your ranges with a little stiffer load in a 62.   Might not be needed, but we're talking "comfort" here rather than fact.

I don't have a 62 fowler, but I'm currently working out the kinks of a 62 cal GM drop-in for TC.  It seems happiest with 110 grains of 2f Goex, under a .600 ball and thin muslin patch.  I'd be happier with a heavier patch, but I'm yet to order a Tanner .595 mold to go with the under-size GM bore.  Or at least I feel it's undersized compared to my 62 cal rifle that's at it's best with a .610 ball and .018 patch.  Heck, a bare .610 ball won't drop past the GM muzzle.  BTW- The rifle is very happy with the same charge, so at least I can use the same measure for both.  

[Leatherbelly]

   90 to 100 grains 2f. ..but I would cast some hardened lead.(wheel weights) You probably will need a mold 5 thou smaller then you are using for pure. I don't think you'd have to monkey with your patch thickness.
   Hardened lead will penetrate deeper before it flattens. I've never done it but I think with the range you said, this amount of charge should punch thru both sides of the rib cage., even if it hits a rib upon entry.(with hardened lead) They  are big tough animals and can easily run down a horse. Their anatomy layout is somewhat different then a moose or a deer also.
  

[Daryl]

Buffalo live low in their chest - similar to goats. The tendency is to shoot them too high.  If you do a google you might come up with a cross section, showing organ placement and bone structure.

 Personally, I'd prefer a rifle, but a smoothbore will work, of course.   65 to 75 yards is well within the accuracy range of a well-loaded smoothbore.  I'd be using 110 to 130gr. 2F with a hardened ball - ie; straight WW alloy will work fine.  It doesn't have to be harder than that.  You want the ball to traverse the lung cavity with enough speed to damage tissue from the shock wave in front of the ball, not merley punch a 1/2" hole.

Buffalo can be tough, but if you put a large diameter ball or bullet through one's 'lights', they usually go down quite quickly.   Friend of ours, 6'6" tall Sam C., killed one with a .62 Hawken Taylor built him.  One shot was all it took and the buff dropped quickly after the shot. Sam used something like 150gr. 2F on a 50 yard shot.  His Sharps worked allmost as well on another buffalo.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

This is a photo of Sam with his .60 cal Hawken (Don Getz barrel), and the buffalo he shot up near Pink Mountain B.C.

[roundball]

If I were shooting a bull buffalo with my 62 cal smoothbore fowler, say at 65-70 yards, what kid of powder charge should I start with to develop an accurate load. Ken

As one reference:

When I dialed in my new Rice .62cal smoothbore this summer, I started at 80, and tried 90 / 100 / 110 / 120grns 2F.
When I made the step to 110grns the group size tightened noticably, and the report had a distinctive 'crack' to it.  (Oxyoke .022" patch, cast .600")
I tried 120grns 2F but it offerred no additional benefit so I settled on 110grns Goex 2F.
Less than 3" at 50yds from a sitting hunting position, not a bench.

Driving it under a good head of steam like I was, I'd bet the group would be no more than 4" at 75yds...planning to experiment this coming summer to see for sure.

[Dphariss]

I would shoot 100 grains at least. Shoot for the lungs and make sure you understand the anatomy.
Should work but accuracy at that range in right at the ragged edge of good enough.
A marginal shot on a buffalo can be bad bad.

Dan

[Dave Faletti]

How long does the hair get on the bottom of a bison?  I found a niece pic of the skeleton but it seems it could be hard to know where the chest really is depending on the angle and head position.