Been planning this trip for over a year now. Anyone can search my profile and past posts and figure out that I started by looking at RSA and moved on to plains game in Namibia. Problem is I read far too much on this forum and now I’ve gotten a Buffalo bug. I’ve read many reports where the addiction starts and people return looking for Buff and other DG. I have decided to not wait for a return and include Buffalo in the 2010 trip. I’m still planning the location, etc.

But the reason I am starting this post is I wanted to share images of a beautiful partner I will be taking with me. Of course I will be taking my wife but this is not a picture of her. This is a series of shots of the .375 I have just acquired to comply with the minimum caliber requirement for Buffalo.

This gun was just passed on to me by a very generous man who felt a hunter should not travel on safari without a fitting firearm.

This is a Hoffman Arms barrel fitted to a Winchester M-70 action from 1938. The stock I have learned had been added later. The generous individual I made mention of owned this gun since 1984 (give or take by his memory). He has hunted Africa many times yet this gun has never made the trip.

It will in 2010!!

I did not know how to do it justice in just one image so please excuse the multiple close ups.

VERY nice two-by-four they whittled out there...

Now THAT is a safari rifle!!

Nice pics

FB

That's a beautiful rifle. Looks very similiar to my Dakota 7mm, which has very similiar grain.

Good luck with it! Shoot it a lot before you leave.

That look bloody nice! - You obviously have a good man with good taste for a friend.

I would give my left nut for that piece of wood. You were right, the close-ups were required to do justice to such a fine rifle.

That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

That is a work of art!! It deserves to go to Africa! Great friend...........

Good Hunting,

Bob

Just a work of art. Use it wisely. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Superb! Use a premium bullet, get close and shoot for bone! Congrats and best of luck on safari!

If it shoots as well as it looks then you should never let her go. 300 grain Swift A-Frames or Trophy Bonded served me well.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
Superb! Use a premium bullet, get close and shoot for bone! Congrats and best of luck on safari!

Yes. Go for the "bone" in the buffalo's heart!

That gifted rifle is a three dimentional definition of "PERFECT". I endorse the advice: Learn to shoot this one well and don't listen to "bigger is better" arguments.

Enjoy the rest of your trip planning.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

A thing of beauty.....if I can add something....smack a pachmayer (spelling???) but plate on, and you will be surprise how perfect that rifle will be for all hunting you will ever do....But I'm just moaning like a woman....it realy is a thing of beauty Sir!

Have you organised that Buff hunt yet? Let me know if we can assist you in putting it together.

Good luck and enjoy?!

Very nice. What a friend, but he's right, why let that workhorse sit in a safe somewhere when it can do what it was built for. That rifles time is coming just as your's is too.

I almost never go to Africa without my 375, but I have to admit it's usaully my light rifle. Nothing against it I just have a lot of big bores. I do believe "one rifle, one planet" and the 375 H&H is that one rifle. I've shot red fox up to buffalo with mine.

quote:

Originally posted by Andrew McLaren:

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
Superb! Use a premium bullet, get close and shoot for bone! Congrats and best of luck on safari!

Yes. Go for the "bone" in the buffalo's heart!

Hmmmm . . . I would say that you need to spend a little more time studying anatomy . . . there is no "bone" in a buffalo's heart.

Still, just to be clear, one can shoot for bone and the heart at the same time and be assured of hitting both.

This can be done by placing your bullet so that it strikes the buff at a point that is one third up his body from the brisket and on a vertical line that extends up from his front leg.

This shot will break his shoulder and destroy the top of his heart and the aorta where it enters the heart. It will also seriously damage the lungs.

With a good bullet, this shot is always fatal, and since it breaks the shoulder, it will break the buff down as well, which is always a good thing. Not always necessary, but certainly always good.

Shot placement is key, of course.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to add: Bigger is definitely better!

Sorry for the hijack, Frostbit. That rifle is a peach and I would not hesitate to use it on buffalo. Your friend is a friend indeed!

WOW, that is a great looking rifle, I can't help but believe that it is the ONLY rifle you NEED for all African hunting....as one of the AR members says..."beware of the man with only one rifle", and what a great way to live that adage.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

Saeed,
Hush! You are wrecking CZ, Ruger, Dakota and a host of other bigger bore makers. Plus, you are putting ideas into our heads that we only need one gun...

I notice from the past years of your trip photos, that you use that same old tired gun on your hunts. That is a shame. You should upgrade to something that kills better, faster or bigger.

Great rifle! You are all set. Now go and shoot it and good luck on your safari.

If you have been a regular participant in this forum than you must know that the 375 is wholey inadequate for any African game. You must have, at minimum, a 600 thunderboomer, or at least, a 45-70. Anything less will jeopardize the safety of you, your Wife, your PH, your PH's dog, and anyone within 300 NM of camp.
in the interests of safety I will generously offer to take the responsibility for that dangerous firearm off your hands. Just send it on to me and I will keep it safely locked up in my gun safe, only using it to shoot chipmunks under canned hunting conditions.

Saeed: Frostbit: Wow! What a nice rifle. I'm in need of some generous benefactor too, do you know of any more?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

Saeed,

What are "mo" bullets?

Jim

Superb bit of gear.

Impressive rifle, if you do not want or what looks too small for a big buffalo, I put on the waiting list to receive jejeej. I hope that you can build the rifle with a large buffalo, and when you return to us its illustrious safari with beautiful pictures.

Good hunting,

Oscar.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

Saeed,

What are "mo" bullets?

Jim

Jim, that's easy. "Mo" bullets are the opposite of fewer bullets.

Personally, I prefer "mo betta" bullets (which I believe are also Spike Lee's favorites). "Mo betta" bullets are not only more plentiful but of higher quality.

IMHO, the best of all are "mo betta bigga" bullets, but there are apparently differences of opinion on that subject.

Ahem . . . I believe that Saeed's reference is to monolithic bullets - such as bullets made of 100% copper, in the case of softs, or a copper alloy, such as brass or bronze, in the case of solids.

Saeed's own own Walterhog bullet and the Barnes TSX are examples.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
"mo betta" bullets

I use "mo betta" bullets. I think Ray Atkinson invented them in one of his many careers.

If you're persuaded to leave the .375 behind for something bigger, please send it on to me. I will make it a part of my gun orphanage.

I should read what I write before I post it!

I meant mono bullets - made of copper, with a hollow point.

I use a wireless keyborad and sometimes either it or me miss a key.

Just like in hunting, sometimes we do miss.

A Ph I hunt with once tried to be funny after I shot a klipspringer at 100 yards witha snap off hand shot striaght through his heart.

He said "Amazing! How can you hit a small animal like this through the heart at 100 yards and miss a buffalo at 20?"

"Talent my friend, talent!"

Fantasic rifle!

Super for all of what you are looking to hunt. Best of luck shooting and then hunting with that gorgeous rifle. Truly your friend is nuts for not having taken it at least a few times himself.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

I have to say that I don't agree with this when it comes to elephants in the thick stuff, but a 375H&H will do for an ele or two, more in more open territory.

The real revelation is in Saeed's second post, in which he actually alludes to less than perfect shooting, by himself and others. A significant change from the "just shoot perfectly" mantra that is so typical. Close range, thick bush, big bores and elephants go together, and so does the not as uncommon as proffessed less than perfect or mistaken shot.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Fantasic rifle!

Super for all of what you are looking to hunt. Best of luck shooting and then hunting with that gorgeous rifle. Truly your friend is nuts for not having taken it at least a few times himself.

JPK

He's got a wide collection and tends to be a big bore kinda guy. He's got a .470 NE double coming in three weeks. I think this Hoffman Arms was more of a "collectible" to him as well.

Anyway, he passed it on to me because he felt I needed the proper gun for Africa.

Awesome rifle you have there! That wood is wonderful Although the 375 isn't a beast at all I would add a recoil pad to compliment this fine rifle and make it more comfortable to shoot. A leather covered pad would be nice and wouldn't detract from its classic tone.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

I meant mono bullets

So instead of the "Mo Betta Bullet" it's the "Mono y Mono Bullet".

I have shot everything in africa from Buffalo to duiker with mine. (Using Barnes X bullets at that!, amazing how great minds work together...) That one is a beaut!

If it shoots just half as good as it looks, well, you are a very lucky man!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
That 375 H&H is going to be perfect for ALL hunting in Africa.

Don't listen to the "bigger is better " brigade. Learn to shoot this one well, and make sure you use premium quality bullets - I prefer mo bullets rather than those with a lead core. And I can assure you you won't ever find yourself being undergunned.

Saeed,
Hush! You are wrecking CZ, Ruger, Dakota and a host of other bigger bore makers. Plus, you are putting ideas into our heads that we only need one gun...

I notice from the past years of your trip photos, that you use that same old tired gun on your hunts. That is a shame. You should upgrade to something that kills better, faster or bigger.

I did not say you should not have one, I said you really do not need it for hunting in Africa.

I have all sorts of large calibers, up the 700 Nitro Express.

But, I have fund that the 375 meets all my hunting needs when lion, buffalo or elephant are on the menu.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I should read what I write before I post it!

I meant mono bullets - made of copper, with a hollow point.

I use a wireless keyborad and sometimes either it or me miss a key.

Mine misspells lots of words! I bought a new keyboard and it doesn't spell any better than the one I had!

....................

That's a very nice rifle, and it will do anything you want if you do your part! I've killed a lot of African game with a 375H&H bolt rifle, from large Hippo, and buffalo bulls down to little Jackals, with out a problem to date!

quote:

Originally posted by JKS:
Awesome rifle you have there! That wood is wonderful Although the 375 isn't a beast at all I would add a recoil pad to compliment this fine rifle and make it more comfortable to shoot. A leather covered pad would be nice and wouldn't detract from its classic tone.

John

I'll see how if feels as is when I shoot it. I like the classic look without.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by JKS:
Awesome rifle you have there! That wood is wonderful Although the 375 isn't a beast at all I would add a recoil pad to compliment this fine rifle and make it more comfortable to shoot. A leather covered pad would be nice and wouldn't detract from its classic tone.

John

I'll see how if feels as is when I shoot it. I like the classic look without.

Sorry, I should have added an image.

As I said before, this is a beautiful rifle. No flies on the .375 H&H! I like the 300 gr TSX bullet at about 2600 fps.

You may want to take a bigger gun (.416) as a spare, but this one deserves the trip and should be used. What a beauty.

Take the soft case with you and put the rifle in it while it's in the gun rack on the hunting truck!

Absolutely beautiful. Love the skeletal buttplate and the checkering. Goes nice with the rest of the masterpiece. Keep my gun orphanage in mind!