I'm curious how .375 shooters decided on the make, then decide wood/synthetic, CRF/Push feed length of barrel? is getting a shorter(22-23inch) barrel worth giving up some velocity and adding some recoil. I mean with the choices available from the factory all claiming 1 Inch at 100 yds in the
$ 1000-1500 is it throwing money away getting a custom rig for $$$.

Unless you intend to resell the rifle in a short time, a custom is always the best way to go.

Various ways...some people listen to others and buy what other people like...some of us spend a lot of money trying different things as we search for the perfect rifle...and some just buy a rifle and go hunting.

For most people, a factory rifle is the best way to go. Then decide if you want changes later AFTER shooting it for awhile.

What factory gun claims 1" at 100 yards?

I've run thru a few 375. I love polished blue but matte blue is better, would rule out SS metal. Love pretty wood too but composite is fine. CRF is the way to go as there's no reason whatsoever to choose anything else. Shorter barrel, yes.

A basic custom is the way to go. I don't know of a factory rifle that has these basic options in a squared away piece. I've never found out if CZs have crappy cast and/or stamped parts or not but if it doesn't that's real close. Shorten the barrel, polish the action and you're gone. I love the M70, but it's awful how many dogshit parts are in them.

The Kimber Caprivi looks goods so far and if it has no shitty parts then that's a good package at a fair price ($3K) and what I'd consider to be an entry level DG bolt gun. I think a 458 Lott is coming and I did give them shit at DSC over being noncommital on a 416.

AHR-American Hunting Rifles- are terrific. This is a step up in price ($4500) but also a step up in features, versatitlity, beauty, overall quality of the piece and maybe reliability too. You don't have to look any farther than AHR and you certainly don't have to pay more.

bengaltiger , I assume you are asking for opinions on this chambering, and the rifle wrapped around it! If so, IMO for any rifle that will likely be used, sooner, or later, to take dangerous game, the the action should start off as a control feed action. They cost no more than a push feed so it makes no sense to go push feed at all! There are many factory rifles that are good starting points, for your 375H&H rifle, but all must be finished by a compitant gun smith who understands DGRs, and how to make the feed like quicksilver through a sieve from a full magazine till the last round is dumped in the sand!

The choice of synthetic , or wood is a personal one where Africa is concerned, but if you think you might use the rifle more in Alaska, or Canada than in Africa, then my suggestion is Synthetic, and blackened stainless steel. I have three bolt rifle chambered for 375 H&H and one in in a synthetic stock, but is blued carbon steel, and the other two are in wood. They are two Whitworth African express rifles, and the other is an origenal FN Mauser. IMO no rifle should go into the field with any "bite back" aniimals without quality irons sights, and if a scope is mounted, it should be mounted in quality quick detach rings and bases, that return to zero every time. The scope is best in a long eye-relief and in a power, and lens large enough to gather a lot of light, for when light is fadeing. It doesn't hurt to have at least part of the reticle illuminated, like the tip of a post, or dot in the apex of the cross-hair.

All just my personal likes, and not binding on anyone! However most of the Mauser type rifles are good , but all need to be checked out for feeding by a good smith before going into the weeds!

Waht ever you deside, good hunting! ................

The reason CRF is desireable is not in chambering the round, it is in the POSITIVE EXTRACTION of the cartridge after firing.

Almost all the properly built CRF actions that are Mauser clones will have positive extraction. The only Mauser clone that I have read about having extraction issues at times, is the Ruger.

I am reading the excellent book by Kevin Robertson, Africa's Most Dangerous and he spent some years administering the Zimbabwean PH tests.

He has seen failures with the Rugers. Sometimes during rapid fire drills, the extractor will pass over the cartridge rim and leave it in the chamber.

For a basic starter rifle to buy off the shelf, he suggests the CZ-550 and then get the standard improvements done, and there's about 1,000 threads on this that you can reference.

Full-blown custom rifles depend on your wallet. Spend as much as you want.

It was a lot easier for me to decide. Winchester was the only factory made left handed 375 H&H under $2,000.

You can find the answer to all of these questions right here on AR using the search feature. I think purpose should drive your decisions.

I want to build a rifle for hunting buffalo with open sights and do not have an unlimited budget. My answer; buy a quality Mauser action and have a custom 9.3x62 built round it. I am talking with Mike McCabe about building my first custom rifle now.

I tend to follow one step after another. I had always wanted a Sako. I had always wanted a Browning. I couldn't afford either growing up so I settled on a series of Remingtons and was very pleased with them. All were .308 Win or smaller. I always wanted a 300 Win Mag. I ended up getting a 300WSM Browning. I liked it so much I wanted a 375 H&H Browning when I decided to go after DG, but couldn't find one. I then found a place in Utah that had a Sako 75 Deluxe in 375H&H. Mission accomplished.

The minor details didn't mean a thing to me. If you want a Corvette, you just want it. If you want a Harley Davidson, same thing. Just do it!

How do I tell You what steak to like or which flavor of ice cream is best, or what brand of ice cream or what breed of cattle produces the best steak. A 375 selection is the same decision process. It all boils down to personal decisions of personal preferences no matter what anyone on here says, they are only that persons personal preferences. I currently own a Mdl 70 Stainless in 375, a Ruger No1 in 375 (blue),A Brno 602ZKK in 375 and a full custom Mauser single square bridge that started life as a Westley Richards 318 Accellerated (The barrel was done by David Miller with an integral rib) and just sold a Heym 88B in 375. The Mdl 70,Heym,and Brno have all been used in Africa and on Dangerous game. Which is better? Who knows as I certainly don't. All performed as I expected them to and I enjoyed them immensely. They are all equally as accurate with the handloads I use. The game I have killed with them is all the same degree of dead. I have never had a 375 of ANY kind that did not shoot well and all of mine would and will shoot in an inch consistantly. I have owned a Remington 700 custom shop 375 a Sako Safari 375 and a prewar Mdl 70 375. I LIKE 375's. Everyone of my 375's have perfomed adequately out of the box. The Remington and the Sako were push feed and I would have had no qualms using them on dangerous game. Again those are my PERSONAL opinions. Have any mods been done to my 375's, certainly. I am a gunsmith and all have been tweaked but that was strictly because I could and wanted to and not really because they HAD to be to function. YOU make the decision because It's you who have to be satisfied and above all it's YOUR money. Again I personally don't think you can go wrong with any 375 on the market today.