A friend has asked me to load some rounds for his 375 H & H for deer. I have the following bullets on hand. Which would you choose for minimum meat damage?

-285 gr Speer GS
-235 gr Speer Hot Cor
-300 Barnes solids
-270 gr Barnes TSX
-300 Nosler Partition
-300 gr Swift A Frames

The 300 solids would make the minimal meat damage but it is a poor choice for deer. It will plow right on through, poking a small hole, and the deer may run a good ways before it goes down. In most, maybe all, states solid bullet are illegal to use for big game hunting because of that. The 235 grain bullets are traditional deer rounds for the 375 H&H but some of the other expanding bullets might cause less extensive damage. Then again, they may not. If the choice were mine, I would choose the 235 grain Hot core.

I know it isn't on the list, but the 260 grain 375 H&H Nosler Partitions worked very well on deer sized antelope in Africa for me this past July. My 30-06 with 180 grain Partitions left some wicked exit holes on 100 yard neck shots on Springbok.

I forgot to mention that you don't have to load to the maximum velocities. That is a big benefit of reloading that most shooters forget. To reduce expansion in a light bullet all you need to do is reduce the load, especially if shots are going to be within 200 yards. For example, loading the 235 grain bullet to 2600 or 2700 fps instead of 2800 fps will reduce expansion and will still shoot very flat.

Load the 235's at lower velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by Brice:
A friend has asked me to load some rounds for his 375 H & H for deer. I have the following bullets on hand. Which would you choose for minimum meat damage?

-285 gr Speer GS
-235 gr Speer Hot Cor
-300 Barnes solids
-270 gr Barnes TSX
-300 Nosler Partition
-300 gr Swift A Frames

There will be minimal meat damage with all of those. Bullets for the 375 H&H Magnum are of fairly heavy construction and will cause less meat damage than bullets out of smaller calibers in many cases.

I've shot a number of animals with my 375s. An impala, blesbok and warthog were DRT with fairly small exit wounds. I've never needed more than one 375 bullet for anything. The animal that went the furthest after being hit went about 200 yards; a blue wildebeest.

About 59 grains of IMR 3031 behind the 270gr.TSX. bullet should give you about 2400 fps. That should keep meat damage down some. Just a little bit over the energy level of the .358 Win. roger

I've shot animals as small as Steenbok and Bushbuck with the 300 grain TSX from inside of 100 yards and even on the Steenbok it opened a golf ball sized exit wound.

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
Load the 235's at lower velocity.

This. You can over drive the light bullets in a 375. OTOH the BC on the lighter bullets is not that great. Of your list I would lean towards the 270TSX although I haven't used it on deer. I have used the 235 Speer and TSX and also some 300gr bullets.

I have taken a few deer and pigs with the 235 Speer over 64gr of IMR 3031.
Very accurate load and kills like the Hammer of Thor.

Brice, I'd personally go with the heavier stuff. Generally speaking, velocity is what gives a lot of "bloodshot" and meat loss. An H&H, unless at "hair scorching" distance shouldn't cause much for meat loss. memtb

anything over 250 gr and under 2400fps ... and just about any barnes copper bullet under 2400 ...

impact vels under 2300, and even better, under 2100, GREATLY reduce "hydraulic shock" (whatever that is), blood shot meat, and bullet expansion...

i wouldn't waste premium $$$$ bullets on deer ... 300gr cast GC bullets at 1800 will SLAY them

quote:

-285 gr Speer GS
-235 gr Speer Hot Cor

These for deer at max of 2500 fps

-300 Barnes solids
-270 gr Barnes TSX
-300 Nosler Partition
-300 gr Swift A Frames

Save these for things that need good bullets.

Personally, I would use the 285 gr Speer GS and start at starting load and try to find one between 2400 & 2500 fps that shoots well.

Or...do the same with the 235 gr Speer Hot Cors to get rid of them as for deer...it won't matter.