Question to those of you who've used it on game, how does it do at varying velocities and on varying sized game?

Just booked a plains game trip and will be using my .375 on everything from the smaller antelope to kudu and perhaps eland... Is this bullet too tough for the smaller deer sized game? Or is it able to expand on the smaller stuff as well as big?

Thanks!

I'm taking 40 rounds of 270gr FailSafes for my 375 to Africa on Wenesday. I'll let you know how they did when I get back.

Thanks! Please do, I'll be eagerly awaiting your reports on it.

What game are you going to be hunting on the trip?

Good luck and have a great and safe time!

A friend that I was hunting with 3 years ago used this bullet for plains game with complete satisfaction. He took warthog, impala, zebra, and eland. All were pass throughs except one (don't remember if that was zebra or eland).

I don't know how much expansion there was on the warthog and impala, but they certainly did not go far when hit. In reality, not much (if any) expansion is actually required on deer size game with a 375 in the heart/lung area. I will probably get toasted for saying that, but we are talking about a .375 diameter bullet (even with no expansion) at a muzzle velocity of 2700 +/- fps. This is more than adequate for the smaller plains game, and causes less damage to the cape on the off side than something like a 235 Speer.

Another factor is that you can also take any reasonable angle of shot that is presented with this bullet, and be insured of adequate penetration.

Jim

Jim,

Did you know that Ernest killed his Buffalo with 270gr FailSafes?? Just figured I'd throw that in.

DB

Thanks and I agree, the tougher bullet will hold together and allow you the luxury of not-so-ideal angles due to it's penetration capabilities. The Fail Safe in .375 is way overbuilt for deer-sized game but for tail-pipe shots when necessary, they can do the job for you with ease. And as you said, on smaller game it won't destroy too much hide or meat since expansion is minimal or none.

I want a One Load combo for this rifle, so obviously have to load to accomodate for the higher end game. The Fail Safe seems like one of the toughest expanding bullets out there with it's unique design.

I would second Mbogo on the fact that with 375 it doesn't really matter what bullet you use on the smaller animals. I never tried the Failsafe (it is next on my list to try out) but I shot a whole load of smaller antelope -Springbok, Blesbock etc with the 270grs Barnes-X - and they all fell with one shot. Very little meat damage. Could probably have used Cast bullets and it wouldn't have mattered.

I have seen it used on Buffalo and plainsgame, but never used it myself, but in each case it faired exceptionally well....Same for the Barnes X in big bore calibers, but I have seen some dismal failures with the Barnes X with the lesser calibers on ocassion..

I agree that a lot of expansion is not required with a 375 caliber bullet in most cases...I have shot a world of game with the 375 and solids for the camp menu, and the game scout hdq...They will make some tracks if you miss the bone but they always leave a good enough blood trail..and with a Flat nose solid they just go down it seems...

Have used the 375 Failsafe on about 20 critters in Africa from duiker to eland and watched hunting partners use it on about an equal number of critters. Found it to be an excellent bullet, producing more one-shot-drop-in-tracks kills than the Nosler Partition on about an equal number of critters.

On the smaller critters it really doesn't matter whether you use a 243 or a 375. In fact, as Elmer Keith always pointed out, heavier bullets tend to destroy less meat than lighter, fragile bullets. But meat destruction is not really a consideration. Penetration and a clean kill is.