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Was it Capstick that would always say "pay the insurance, it's the dead ones that kill ya" He was talking Cape Buffalo but I would have taken that second shot, you bet!
Bison caliber and loads
- Thread starter mahkagari
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I read that book. He throws a spear in a Cape Buff and runs for the nearest tree and the next line....
"you realize from the pounding hooves behind you and the distance to the tree that you are not going to make it".
Classic stuff.
His Pal Gordon was backup and shot the Buff to save Capstick.
But save for what? The old ticker gave out a while later. Would have been more glorious to go out by the buff.
"you realize from the pounding hooves behind you and the distance to the tree that you are not going to make it".
Classic stuff.
His Pal Gordon was backup and shot the Buff to save Capstick.
But save for what? The old ticker gave out a while later. Would have been more glorious to go out by the buff.
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crockett said:
Kind of like the glories of war?
Ron LaClair
In Rembrance
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A glorious end
Ron LaClair
In Rembrance
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I was charged once by a bison in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We were driving through in a motor home and saw a magnificent bull on the side of the road. We stopped and I got out to take a picture. I remember his beady little eyes looked mad...that was just before he charged. I don't think my feet touched the ground more than twice when I leaped to cover the 12 to 15yds back to the vehicle. I was mad that he had scared me so and had to be convinced that shooting him wasn't a good idea...even though I thought so at the time.
That second picture is awesome! Looks like the old boy is just floating in the air.
smoothshooter
50 Cal.
Capstick tripped on a root and fell flat on his face just after he turned to run after throwing the spear. His friend dropped the buffalo by firing his rifle over Capstick's body as he lay on the ground.
Glad to see others here have read Capstick's books and articles. He has always been my favorite writer. I actually felt numb like a close relative had died when I read that he had died of an infection while recovering from heart surgery in a Nairobi hospital.
What a loss of wit and talent!
Glad to see others here have read Capstick's books and articles. He has always been my favorite writer. I actually felt numb like a close relative had died when I read that he had died of an infection while recovering from heart surgery in a Nairobi hospital.
What a loss of wit and talent!
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:surrender: Ok OK someone here, took us wayyyy 
ff we won't mention any names, but it was me :redface:
Lets get back to Bison calibers before a fight over "is Africa, even Africa if you don't have a Rigby Double in your hands" breaks out.
Post Script; As I eye my VHS of CAPSTICK HUNTING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT :wink:
ff we won't mention any names, but it was me :redface: Lets get back to Bison calibers before a fight over "is Africa, even Africa if you don't have a Rigby Double in your hands" breaks out.
Post Script; As I eye my VHS of CAPSTICK HUNTING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT :wink:
Great hunt and good shooting.
On another forum a member once posted he took buff with an identical load.
On the caliber. I think it was James Clyman's or Russell Osborne (I forget which) that fired 20 balls into a buffalo when he first arrived in the mountains- the buff just standing there looking at him. And yet, guys riding up on horse back and using a big horse pistol to drop a cow buff point blank range. Gets sort of confusing on what is sufficient. Since a buffalo could hurt you, makes sense to use the biggest caliber you can get. I've wondered about the Northwest Trade guns. At close distances would they be better than a 54 caliber rifle? The rifle has better long range accuracy but the Trade gun fires a larger ball.
Hey....maybe I just justified building a NW trade gun!
Hey....maybe I just justified building a NW trade gun!
crockett, some of those old stories are just that. Great 'stories'. Dunno all the facts of that incident. e.g. quality and quantiy of the powder being used, range, etc.
Hunting stories about buffs, like the one by the OP here, often say buff don't drop quickly. Mebbe those guys shot 20 times when only once was necessary. Many buff hunt stories show the indians often put only one arrow or shot into a buff then later came back to dress out all the dead ones.
Hunting stories about buffs, like the one by the OP here, often say buff don't drop quickly. Mebbe those guys shot 20 times when only once was necessary. Many buff hunt stories show the indians often put only one arrow or shot into a buff then later came back to dress out all the dead ones.
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Speaking of MONEY (Fwiw, I'm "well-known among friends" here in SA to be a "cheapskate", who is "tight with money" since I retired.) consider a .58 caliber rifled musket or a CVA Big-bore Mountain Rifle, if money is scarce at your house as both are cheap in "used but perfectly serviceable condition" in the pawn shops & gun-shops (at least around here). = Wild game don't care that they fell to a cheap/factory-made rifle.
(Also, check out the garage & estate sales around your town. - One of my Army buddies bought a CVA .58, that needed refinishing, for 75.oo at a garage sale.)
The last WBTS replica RM that I bought used was 150.oo plus tax & it shoots just fine.
(Many a bison in the 19th Century was taken with a WBTS surplus RM, using Minie balls.)
Personally, I just want a rifle, for anything bigger than a mule deer, that makes "a nice big hole" on both sides.
BEST WISHES & GOOD HUNTING, satx
(Also, check out the garage & estate sales around your town. - One of my Army buddies bought a CVA .58, that needed refinishing, for 75.oo at a garage sale.)
The last WBTS replica RM that I bought used was 150.oo plus tax & it shoots just fine.
(Many a bison in the 19th Century was taken with a WBTS surplus RM, using Minie balls.)
Personally, I just want a rifle, for anything bigger than a mule deer, that makes "a nice big hole" on both sides.
BEST WISHES & GOOD HUNTING, satx
smoothshooter
50 Cal.
Quite correct, Sean.
Understanding the singular importance of maintaining discussion thread integrity and continuity, I am rarely ever guilty of going off on some . . HEY!! LOOK AT THAT PRETTY BUTTERFLY ! ! ! . . . . . :idunno:
Understanding the singular importance of maintaining discussion thread integrity and continuity, I am rarely ever guilty of going off on some . . HEY!! LOOK AT THAT PRETTY BUTTERFLY ! ! ! . . . . . :idunno:
Consider a Lyman great Plains rifle with a fast twist barrel in. 54 cal. Then buy a Lyman mould for their 450gn great Plains bullet. Now load 100gns of fffg and an over powder wad and you are in business (thankyou very much Mr Brown bear ðŸ»).
Plan B: Lyman trade rifle in .54. Same ammo with option of using round ball.
Plan B: Lyman trade rifle in .54. Same ammo with option of using round ball.
rodwha
58 Cal.
The Great Plains Hunter is 1:32" regardless of caliber.
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You can always buy a drop-in replacement barrel from Lyman and have the best of both worlds.
oletymepreacher
40 Cal.
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My load was .72 cal 90 grains GOEX FFG round ball.Took two shots to kill. Partner used a .54 100 grains goex ffg in a Lyman round ball shooter. His buffalo was DRT with one shot. My kill distance was 100 yards, his was 50. These were young buff, maybe 1 YO.
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