I am thinking of hunting plains game, lepoard and cape buffalo in either RSA with JJHack or Nambia. The only rifle I own is a .308 Remington semi-automatic which is illegal. I have never shot anything bigger than a .308 rifle. I have deer hunted for years with a 12 guage shotgun shooting 2 and 3/4 inch Brenneckes. I also have shot a .50 calibre muzzelloader with two 50 grain triple 7 pelets and a 200 grain bullet. Have I shot anything with a recoil similar to .375 H=H?

Thanks,
Steeleman

The recoil on a 375 really isn't that bad. Shooting it off the bench repeated can make your shoulder a little sore, but when you're shooting it in the field you won't even notice the recoil. To me, the recoil on a 375 is a lot easier to take than heavy 12 gauge loads.

Pete

I bought a CZ 375, it is very heavy shoots great; and when shooting off of sticks does not recoil much at all.

I'd much rather shoot my 10 Lb, 375 H&H with 300 grain loads than my 6.5 Lb over and under with slug loads.

I honestly FEEL more recoil in my 6 3/4 lb 7mm RSAUM than I do in my 10 lb 375. I have found it to be a enjoyable rifle to shoot, as long as it is in a adequately weighted rifle. The CZ 550, Ruger RSM, Remington ABG custom shop rifles are all weighted properly IMO.

I have a 373H&H Sako, which is known for a bit more recoil. My daughter shoots the rifle comfortably. You should not have a problem with the recoil.

My muzzel loader and my Mossberg pump 12 guage are both worse in the recoil department than my 375 H&H Mag.

Yes I have no doubts that you will be able to get used to the recoil. Get a rifle in the 9-10 pound range and get yourself a bit of range time.One reason that the 375 is so popular is that it is a cartridge that almost anyone can get used to.
As for the hunt you describe, Buffalo thrown into the mix makes it a bit unusual for the destinations mentioned. Most of Namibia is very dry with no buffalo. The Caprivi Strip is an exception and if that is where you are headed then you may well be on the right path. South Africa does have some buffalo but I understand that they are few and it is much more expensive to hunt buffalo there than most other countries. That particular combination might be better in Tanzania,Zimbabwe or Botswana. Shop around and ask some of the outfitters that post here. They are much more knowledgable than I on the subject. Please understand that I am not trying to be a smart a&&& a trying to tell you where to go or who to book with. It is just that when you are talking buffalo PG and Leopard hunts those two countries are not the first to come to mind.

I have a CZ 550 375. It is a pussycat. I have had a 16 yo girl shoot it off the bench. You want have any problem unless you are recoil shy.

I've fired both 12 Ga slugs from a bench and .375 H&H from a bench and find both to be roughly equal in recoil and both are stiff. The recoil of a .338 Win Mag isn't much different however!

Shooting any of these in the field however isn't noticible as others have said.

To skip to the quick here, The .375 H&H is far more rifle than you need for plains game. With good handloads and some Northfork bullets the .280 Remington, 7 MM Rem Mag, .30-06, .338-06 will all work just fine

I have 2 M70 .375s. I agree that anyone can probably master a .375 but they are definitely not for the guy whose shooting is confined to putting a couple of rounds through his deer rifle once a year before the season opens. I don't know how much you shoot but if you practice and take the time to really become familiar with the rifle they are pretty comfortable to shoot. I shoot a .300 H&H Mag with 168gr and 180gr bullets from the bench a lot and I think that the .375s kick quite a bit more although I don't find it to be as objectionable as my 45-70 Guide Gun with heavy cast bullet loads. When shooting from the bench, if I'm doing a lot of load testing, I sometimes will put a shot bag filled with styrofoam peanuts between me and the gun and that absorbs most of the sting, a Past recoil shield works well too. When fired offhand I find the .375 to be about like a 12ga with slugs the recoil not being all that objectioneable. Good Luck.

When I bought my 375, I sent it out to have a recoil arrester put on it by magnaport. Its hardly noticable now. It screws on and off for bench versus hunting. I think it cost like $185.00.

Suspect what you've shot isn't like shooting a large caliber rifle. The shotguns tend to "push" a bit more in recoil, while big rifles have a much sharper feel to the recoil. You'll notice the difference.

Having said that, you can work up to it easily enough. My biggest suggestion is to stay off the bench until you've fired several boxes from the standing and sitting (on the ground) position. Only then should you shoot from the bench, and using a PAST recoil pad is a great idea. Otherwise, you risk developing a flinch, which is more of a challenge to undo.

A well-stocked rifle will make a difference for the better, but you will notice a clear difference from what you've been shooting.

I think the 375 is a great choice for you. I owned a 375 in both a CZ and Whitworth. I much prefered shooting them to my shotgun w/slugs.

I recently bought a M70 .375 and had the same concern for the same reasons. Having done some shooting with it now, I would say the recoil is no worse than the trukey loads I shoot out of my 12 ga.

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I recently bought a M70 .375 and had the same concern for the same reasons. Having done some shooting with it now, I would say the recoil is no worse than the trukey loads I shoot out of my 12 ga.

Ditto

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Originally posted by ManCannon:

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I recently bought a M70 .375 and had the same concern for the same reasons. Having done some shooting with it now, I would say the recoil is no worse than the trukey loads I shoot out of my 12 ga.

Ditto

Ditto again.

You won't have any problem with your .375 H&H. I suggest you consider a Ruger RSM. It has plenty of weight - something that is appreciated in the larger bores. The .375 is a great cartridge. You'll love using it.