Re: Real world .375 H&H experience

29 October 2004, 18:03

Ive shot four buffalo bulls, one lion, one leopard and one elephant with my .375. All died with no problems except to them . I used woodleigh solids and trophy bonded bearclaw. Got super penetration on the elephant heart shot and he went went down quickly as it broke the offside shoulder.

30 October 2004, 13:35

crl

Just a curious question related to the real life experiences. What barrel length is best suited of the 375? I am ordering my Dakota Safari on Monday. They come with the std 23 1/2 barrel. Is this something I should consider.

thanks
crl

30 October 2004, 13:56

<allen day>

I have custom .375 H&H with a 24" barrel, and I think a 23" or 23 1/2" barrel would be just as suitable, but I wouldn't want to go any shorter than 23" for my own use.

AD

30 October 2004, 14:51

Shumba

25" is the right length. At least I have to believe that since my (and all other original) Pre-64 M70 in 375H&H have 25" barrels.

Tim

26 October 2004, 01:21

Ganyana

Joe

Have personally only used a .375 to shoot one buff. Used a 9,3 on the last 39. That siad however, I see plenty of .375's used by our parks staff, visiting hunters and appy PH's on the proficiency exam.

Except in the jesse a .375 is more than adequate for elephant. Elephant die easily with a heart shot with anything that can reach it. They have very high Blood pressure and damage the heart or arteries and they keel over very fast (unlike buff). For a brain shot, a .375 is perfect. Have never really seen john Taylors Knock out effect except where the bullet has nicked the brain. That said, when an ele is at full charge, a 9,3 through the brain kills them but they tumble forwards and often actually take a couple of paces forward before they tople forward. from .404 up they tend to go straight down, and from .450 rigby (& Weatherby) up they crumple with some penache.

As you are going as a client, a .375 is all you need as hopefully your PH won't put you in a position where you need to stop a charge under 10 paces.

If you are going for a cow ele and are hunting in an area like the zambezi valley would recomend that you look at .416 and up.

26 October 2004, 01:37

Will

Quote:

If you are going for a cow ele and are hunting in an area like the zambezi valley would recomend that you look at .416 and up.

26 October 2004, 03:31

smallfry

Ha!!! Will, you just live for stuff like that!

26 October 2004, 04:48

JJHACK

I have used the 375HH to take quite a lot of bigger game and dangerous game. My rifle used by two different hunters has also taken 2 white rhino. I have seen quite a few buffalo shot with the 375HH and I have also taken a few for myself and as backup shots.

I suppose there is a difference between where a hunting rifle ends and a backup rifle begins. I'm not sure the line is carved in stone but somewhere very close to that line the 375HH will be found. From what I have seen of about every cartridge and gun design/ manufacture the majority of hunters using the 375HH are very precise shots. This compared to the hunters bringing something bigger.

There is no doubt that a bigger gun kills faster and stops game better with equal placement. It's the "equal placement" part that is the struggle. A well scoped good fitting 375HH in the hands of a hunter who feels comfortable with it and shoots it well for a single well placed shot will be very successful. Wow that was a mouth full!

By comparison a hunter who brings his bigger bore gun and has told himself over and over to just deal with the one shot he needs while hunting is not always putting bullets where they do the most good. I think many hunters are fooling themselves into coming over with big bore rifles they have not put the practice in with hoping everything will turn out right.

One thing about forum chat like this. most visitors say what they think is right and what others either want to hear or what they want others to believe. This Big bore type of thread is typical of these kinds of conversations. I read these posts and see where just about 100% of the posters here say they would never EVER agree to have the PH shoot their game for any reason except as a last resort. Yet I have never met one of these posters in real life. In fact it's been just the opposite. In every case when I talk with the client about this they say if I feel the animal is getting out of sight or a poor shot was made or really for any reason just shoot too. They also make the comment that They would rather the PH shoot and keep everything safe and find the game then to have it become a dangerous situation or lose the animal.

You will not very often see that type of post on any internet forum where back-up shooting philosophy is concerned. The same can be said for big bore rifles. The great majority of posters will rave about their big bore prowess and amazine accuracy and capabilities. Over the years I have met darn few actual hunters who hunt with a 458 Lott or any 500 caliber rifle with comfort and capability.

If you can honestly say that the 40+ calibers are easy and comfortable for you to use, and you can shoot them extremely well then by all means they win hands down for bigger dangerous game. You should also feel very lucky to be in a very elite class of big bore shooters who can manage this. The majority of shooters fall just shy of 40 caliber for there maximum capability. In my opinion you really need to fall on the side of capability not bore diameter. Again there is some where a line although not distinct determines the difference between a sporting arm and an insurance policy. I own both a 375HH and a 458 Lott. For my hunting needs the 375HH gets the nod so far 100% of the time. It would be an odd situation where I would pick the Lott first for recreational sport hunting. The 375HH is just so surgically precise with the scope that I can call my shots with it.

26 October 2004, 04:48

MacD37

Quote:

I know it is a very popular round (I love it for elk). But I am wondering who on this forum has real world experience using it on dangerous game and what your experiences were like.

WyoJoe ,as you probably know, there are a few cartridges that just seem to do everything right. The old 375 H&H is one of those! I have shot almost everything from Coyote to Hippo with a 375 H&H,in single shot (Ruger No1), bolt rifle, and double rifle (375 H&H Flanged) and the farthest I have had one run is about 50 yds, and the only "ONE SHOT" kills I have, on Buffalo, have been with a 375 H&H paired with 300 gr Nosler Partitions. All others have required at least 3 shots, regardless of caliber, or bullet type, unless the brain or spine was hit on the first shot! My list goes up to, and including a 500NE 3" double.

Is the 375 H&H the best for coyote, is it the best choice for Buffalo? NO! However, I would not worry about shooting anything on the planet with a good 375 H&H rifle. Would I rather have a .400 cal up for Ele? YES, especially in the thick stuff! Would I rather have a 22-250 for coyote? Absolutely, but dead is dead, and the 375H&H will "DEAD" anything that walks, crawls, or flys, if you do your part! All this may seem like I'm disagreeing with those like Will, and others, but in fact those guys would take on anything with a good 375 rifle, if that was what was in their hands at the time, and to that I agree!

375 H&H: one rifle, one world ! A 375 H&H, and a 12 ga, and you can hunt the world over, without worry!

26 October 2004, 07:43

TerryR

I shot a Botswana Buffalo with the 375 H&H. I was using Federal TBBC's 300gr. My first shot, broadside at 80 yds, took out his lungs but missed the heart. He spun facing away from me and I put two into his rear one of which broke his pelvis. He spun again showing me his other profile, and I put two into his shoulder putting him down for good. He traveled less than 10 yards total and was very sick after the first shot. I would feel extremely confident using the 375 again for buffalo.

26 October 2004, 08:16

shakari

I guess I have more clients shoot the .375 H&H than all the other calibres put together. It's a great client calibre, and assuming correct bullet choice for the species and correct shot placement it will kill any animal in Africa, and I guess I've sen it do just that on most species. (certainly all of the Big stuff)

But from my personal experience, it's not a good chargestopper.........sure it will stop a charge, but not (again, assuming good bullet choice and placement) as quickly as a .416 and a .416 won't stop a charge as quickly as a .500 and so on.

If a PH comes to me asking about work, one of the first questions I ask is what calibre do you use for DG....... if it's below a .458 I don't begin to consider him.

26 October 2004, 09:07

Will

JJHack,

I do not think that a Lott is difficult to hunt with, as even I could blaze them off as fast as I could cycle the bolt.

The problem with the Lott and the other big, big guns is practicing with them. I just couldn't handle the abuse of 5800 ft-lbs.

And along with that you have to add weight to the rifle...it's just a vicious cycle.

Give me a 7 lb. .416 any day.

26 October 2004, 12:04

zimhunter

One elephant and one buffalo. Both with 300gr Woodleigh solids. The elephant was a frontal brain shot and was too high second was a lung shot probably too high also. He got across boundary into park before we caught up. The Buffalo was one shot heart/lung. It reared up went over backward and was dead. Am reluctant to use 375 on elephant although I believe it to be perfectly adequate. I just shot poorly.

26 October 2004, 13:32

Chuck6565

Three African Safaris and nothing but good results with my .375 I've used Swift A-Frames mainly and a few Barnes solids for Buff. Always ammo arround as many people use them over there. A little heavy for long walks.

26 October 2004, 23:09

Bwanamich

I sold my .458 for a .375 and have never looked back. I do not guide hunts (other than friends and family) but hunt for my own enjoyment and meat. I'm always hunting buffalo for the fun of it and for my dogs that just love those big buffalo chops

I have never felt undergunned with my .375 after buffalo and have had a dozen occasions where I hit the base of the neck on a running buffalo (back up shot after the first shot). The term "crumpled" comes to mind when describing the impact to the shot. The "whack" of the bullet hitting the neck bone was like a loud "slap"! In August I had a wounded buff charge me from 10 paces (In mountain forest)and a solid at 5 paces through his brain "stopped" him, and he rolled over down the mountain slope. I recovered the bullet in the fillet. Another reminder and a boost of confidence in the .375's ability.

Several ocasions where I hit them in the brain (frontal shot) the general reaction is of someone opening up a "trap" door under their feet and them "dropping' like a bag of potatoes of a truck!

I am working on getting myself a Lott but will have no hesitation in using my .375.

27 October 2004, 06:33

jbderunz

Just to please the One planet, one rifle Oldsarge I took my 375 along twice in Africa. I spat 375 for everything save birds. I got 3 buffs, 2 roans, 1 warthog, 1 Hartbeest, 1 oribi.
Here is the photo of a bush cow : stirred up with a borrowed 9.3x62 and finished with the 375. I am 5.11.

27 October 2004, 19:11

WyoJoe

Thanks guys. I found out exactly what I wanted. I appreciate the well of knowledge on this forum & being able to tap into it.

27 October 2004, 19:40

ALF

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28 October 2004, 09:07

gerald416

WyoJoe

Speaking for one trip to Africa, I used a 375 H&H (300 gr. Federal, solid, on a Cape buffalo at about 35 yards who was turning towards me. The bullet hit him on the point of the shoulder and he lost all interest thereafter in making trouble. You don't need a war story but take my word for it, I knew after that first shot that he was a dead animal.(BTW, my PH and my outfitter {who flew into camp later}said he was one of the largest buffs (in weight)shot in the Chirisa district of Zimbabwe in years.They put him at about 1800 lbs. He also made the SCI record book for horns, I'm happy to say) I never got to hunt grizzly in our US but the 375 would have been the rifle for me!.