Is the 300 H&H still used in Africa

16 April 2001, 19:29

Pete Millan

Mike, I wouldn't say it was wildly popular, the big thing against it all these years was the fact that you needed a L-O-N-G action to house it and that PMP did not make the brass or the ammo.

Lotta folk reasoned that the difference in performance between a 30-06 and a 300H&H wasn't worth the candle and opted for either a 30-06 or a 300 Win Mag, for which PMP made both ammo AND brass.

There are some savvy hunters out there who use one. I plan to be one of them - I want one to match my 375 Mauser, so they are as near a matching pair as possible.

I believe PMP are now making the brass

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I hunt, not to kill, but in order not to have played golf.

[This message has been edited by Pete Millan (edited 04-16-2001).]

16 April 2001, 19:39

Mike375

Pete,

Sounds like we are on the same wave lenght except mine all Model 70 375s.

I have neber owned one but I had quite a bit of involement with 3 of them in the 1970s. A Pre 64 Super Grade, A Sako anda Browning Supreme.

All three were good and all three gave very good velocity.

If I run fired 375 cases through my 300 H&H dies they crinkle at the shoulder but new 387 cases go OK with just the very smallest of crinkles that you can feel but can't really see.

Huntingtons list form dies for 375 to 300 H&H and they are cheap enough.

It is interesting that the 375 was such a success across the world but its little brother never made it.

Mike

17 April 2001, 07:30

Frank Nowakowski

I have an older Sako with a 24" Hart barrel in .300 H&H. Had a few other over the years too, but stupidly sold or traded them. I have been able to run new WW .375 brass through my FL die and zip them right down to .300 H&H with maybe 5-10% crinkling the necks. .300 H&H brass is available from both WW , and RP so don't form them anymore.
I get a kick out of the people that look at the .300 H&H as "only a glorified 06" etc. I get 3000+ fps out of mine with 180 grain partitions and have taken both elk and deer easily out to 300+ yards. A very accurate round, all three of my .300's shot very well. I have a friend with an unfired circa 1953 M70 in .300 H&H and I think he may finally be selling it to me after about a dozen years of hints and rumors. Its a 26" barrel with the original box of ammo the shop gave him when he bought the rifle included.
If I can finally get it I will surely bring it along on my next trip over the pond. What a classic round!

Frank N.

17 April 2001, 18:16

LE270

quote:
Originally posted by Mike375:
It is interesting that the 375 was such a success across the world but its little brother never made it.
Mike

Are you sure this is true? I understand that at one time the .300 H&H was a strong seller in the Model 70 Winchester -- it had, I think a stainless steel barrel. Some of these were later rechambered to 300 Weatherby. I also understand that the H&H ultimately lost favor because people decided that it didn't offer enough velocity increase over the 30/06, and that this was the main reason Winchester developed the 300 Win. Mag.

Can anyone here confirm whether all (or any) of this is true?

18 April 2001, 00:34

500nitro

Still a classic caliber and there are a number of my buddies using them.
I will probably break down and swap my pre-64 30-06 for one of my PH buddies pre-64 300 H&H one of these days......on the other hand I think I will try and get the 300 and keep my 30-06.
Damn, I hate making these decisions, and that 300 case shape is just timeless!

18 April 2001, 11:16

Atkinson

Lots 0f the boys around Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe shoot the 300 H&H, and you can sell one in a heart beat in Tanzania or zimbabwe....I've shot one for years and it looks like drift wood and stainless steel, but it just got a LOT of blue wear, It's a pre 64 M--70 with a worn out custom stock. It still shoots 3/4" at 100 with everything...I'd say it's very popular in my African circles...

28 April 2001, 04:37

MacD37

If I had only my 450/400 3" double, my Mauser 375 H&H, My Mauser 300 H&H,and my Mannlicher Shonauer 243 Win rifles, plus a 12 ga shotgun, I wouldn't need anything else for anything that walks, crawls, or flies!

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>

28 April 2001, 15:17

Atkinson

Mac,
I'd bet my a$$ and half of Georgia that you could get by with just the 300 H&H if you had to....

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

28 April 2001, 15:49

Mike375

Ray,

On the subject of one caliber for everything.

When it comes to 375s and the like, their performance is deemed as being OK on bigger animals.

Thus when we get down to a caliber that is a do anything caliber, I think the smaller game performance is the key. Also smaller game will be where the most shooting will be done and hence exposure to a caliber's weaknesses is more likely to be observed.

The 3 calibers that I have used the most on pigs and kangaroos are the 270, 300 Win and 375. I have used or seen used about everything else from 218 Bee to 460 Wby, but not for the same number of animals.

Bigger than 375 is out once you start doing a lot of shooting, especially from improvised rests.

My best success has come with the 375.The 270 and 300 Win a more critical with bullets. Usually the problem will be they are too hard.

I think the 375 becuase of the bigger diameter and a greater tendency to use blunter bullets allows it to work OK over a much greater number of animals and time. "Time" because it components vary over the years.

The 338 does not seem to do as well. However I think that might be because shooters have a greater tendency to use hard spitzers in them.

For me at least, the 375 has offered the greatest combination of effectiveness, ease of component availability and pleasure of ownership and use of any caliber that I have owned.

Mike

29 April 2001, 03:11

jorge

I have ( and love) my pre-war, pre-64 70. Like you Ray, mine still holds 3/4" groups. Another reason ( aside form the long action) the H&H fell from grace was that after Winchester introduced the 300 Win, they purposely downloaded their factory H&H loads to 2880 fps, the excuse being there were too many old rifles out there, hence, they were being safe. Ha! I can safely handload my H&H to 300 Win Mag velocities with no problems. Is the 300 win mag more efficient? of course it is, but there are still quite a few PHs out there that swear by it. jorge

29 April 2001, 06:27

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
Mac,
I'd bet my a$$ and half of Georgia that you could get by with just the 300 H&H if you had to....

LMAO,, I have a great feeling you would win that bet, but just in case your wrong, how about selling me "Sweet Thang" and you use your 300 H&H !

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>

30 April 2001, 08:24

Atkinson

Now Mac, you know we been talking nonsence, if I did that then I'd have to go around shooting stuff in the head with that 300 H&H and thats not fun...but I suppose it would work, nothing like a well placed bullet to end a confrontation with man or beast.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com