I get the impression that in the old days (John Hunter etc.) DG was shot with a solid because soft bullets were too fragile. With todays modern bullets in 375 you get a mushroom 2x .375 close to 100% weight retention and plenty of penetration.

So is it fair to say that a modern 375 rig equals an old days +600 solid setup.

Just wondering since much caliber advise is based on what they did in the good old days. Perhaps "use enough gun" equals a 375 loaded with A-frames ?

Modern day bullets are tougher than the old bullets of old. I used Kynoch ammo exclusively as a youngster and had 375 H&H 300 grain soft nose, breakup into tiny fragments on all types of big game antelope, deer, pig, etc.

However comparing a modern day 375 H&H load with a 600 modern day load is not equal!

quote:

So is it fair to say that a modern 375 rig equals an old days +600 solid setup.

No. You're not taking into account the fact that the .600 has three times the bullet weight (900 gr vs. 300 gr) and almost twice the muzzle energy ( 7600 ft. lbs vs 4200 ft. lbs).

The .600 still delivers a much heavier blow.

In my readings and through discussions that I have had with both old PH's and clients that have taken an excessive amount of game. Are as such:

For Buffalo, Giraffe, Eland, Bongo, Giant Forest Hog soft pointed controlled expansion bullets greater than .364 or 9.3 diameter. The most common bullet suggested was the Swift by name, though the Partitian, Grand Slam, and Barnes X were all named.

For elephant, hippo, and rhino a solid in a caliber greater than .375 and most preferred the .416 diameter. Monolithic solids were always preferred to jacketed solids.

For lion a expanding soft point of at least 9.3 bullet diameter and at least 250 grains is preferred. The Nosler partition was liked, but not loved, the Barnes X was hated, and the Swift was considered to hard. Something like the original Winchester Silver Tip or Remington PSP was liked by most.

For leopard and crocodile, the most accurate load in a rifle the hunter could shoot to 100 yards accuratly. No solids, or premium bullets were preferred. Just an accurate rifle that would deliver the accuracy required.