Guns and Gear for a Cape Buffalo Hunt

Editor's note: Author Philip Massaro recently used the following gear to hunt Cape buffalo in Mozambique. You can catch up on that story here.

Double rifles are a special hunting tool, and the Heym Model 89B stands out among doubles. It differs from the famous 88B in that the barrel contour is slimmer, the receiver is rounded, the pistol grip has been opened up a bit and the balance is perfect. Heym makes its rifles to the customer’s desired length of pull, and this rifle fit me perfectly.

Recoil was no issue with the .450/400 3-inch, but the cartridge was extremely effective on buffalo. The Peregrine BushMaster bullets expanded perfectly and gave fantastic penetration. Handloaded to a muzzle velocity of 2075 fps, they provided all the killing power I needed, yet the recoil was acceptable, as is characteristic of the .450/400 NE.

For glass on this hunt, I used a Bushnell Elite 10x42 binocular. Images were crisp and defined, whether we were out in the harsh light of the swamps or in the shadowy forests. Light and rugged, the binocular stood up very well to the day-to-day rigors of safari.

My cartridge belt came from African Sporting Creations, and it worked perfectly. I could withdraw cartridges to reload the double with ease, even under the stress of walking up on a wounded buffalo, and they never rattled or fell out of their loops.