It would seem that the .375H&H with the 260 Ballistic Tips would shoot as flat as most .338 Win Mag offerings with the option to go heavier for Alaskan or African game.

Can anyone relate experiences with the penetration of this load?
Can it take an Elk or similar animal lengthwise?
What is the expected max velocity expected in a 24in brl?
I worry about over expansion/under penetration with the Ballistic Tips.

Thank you for your comments.

Nosler says the jackets on the bigger BTs are heavier and suitable for elk but....if I were even thinking about shooting lengthwise thru an elk I would be using no less than the 300gr bullet in the Nosler. Not a shot I would want to take on an unwounded elk as my experience that any shot thru the paunch will hinder penetration.

An elk would be about the last thing I'd consider shooting with a Ballistic Tip of any caliber. Use the 260gr Partition.

I have a friend that used them in his 375 JDJ handgun on a muskox this winter. Impact velocity was ~1900 fps, he had to shoot it 5 times. Most bullets shed their cores. He was very disapointed with the performance, the Hornady 270 gr has worked much better for him on several moose and black bears.

So, for longer range shots, the bullet will perform poorly, and at closer ranges, it isn't as tough as a partition, a-frame, X et, al. I'm sure they'll be accurate on paper, but I certainly wouldn't use one on game.

I've loaded these in my friend's 375 H&H M70 Classic. 5 shot groups ran about 1.9" @ 100 yards, but I feel they still can do better. 3 shot groups come in at 1.25". Penetration through pine logs was decent, with 90% weight retention. This was at an impact velocity of around 2650 fps. I would use these loads on elk, but would try to stay away from extreme angles. I'm sure you can push them to around 2800 fps.

I have not used the .375 cal ballistic tips but I have killed two bull moose and two bull elk with 180gr ballistic tips out of my 300 ultramag.My partner also killed a large bull moose with a 200 gr ballistic tip out of his 338 win mag.All were lung shots and all bullets but one exited.Kills were all clean quick one shot kills.

I think the 260gr BT would work fine all you need to do is get good bullet placement. I would not shot them in to heavy bone

I'd be very surprised if the .375/260 BT's didn't give about 90% of the penetration of their companion partition. That's what I've found with the .338's anyway.

The tale of hopelessly frangible ballistic tips has grown into the category of "urban legend", with people embellishing every story, or blaming their own failures on the bullet. These are damn good bullets which outperform most others on the market in terms of terminal ballistics. More game is lost every year due to under-expansion than to over-expansion.

I want something that will shoot lenthwise through whatever I am hunting, particularly on elk as I may have only one chance during a season and I take them as they come...My favorite load is the 300 Gr. Nosler, Northfork or the 350 gr. Woodleigh or something on that order...

My favorte elk combo has traditionaly been the 338 with 250 gr. Noslers or 300 gr. Woodleigh..shoot a big bull going south throuth the timber with one of these and he is on his nose. they work fine on broadside shots as I recall, but I havn't had a broadside shot in years where I hunt.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I know most of us like to experiment and try the new stuff...but when I go to Idaho this fall, I'll have 300gr Partitions in my 375. I want to know that I have a bullet that will perform under the worst scenario I'd consider pulling the trigger under. There are very few scenarios where the 260BT would be preferred for elk, IMO. If you "need" flatter trajectory than the 300 Partition will offer, use a 300 Mag.

Tim

It should work fine, works on African game

I used 300 gr. flat nose hollow points in my .375 H&H Model 70 Winchester. Shot a 6X6 bull at 300 yards down hill approximately 30 degree angle, held right on him. We (I) found the bullet on the inside portion of the ribs on the far side of the body. I just picked it out with my knife; it was actually between the ribs a little. Alot of people think you have to have a pointed bullet for some reason but the flat noses from Sierra work just fine. I also shot a cow at 315 yards with the same load. And they don't go anywhere if you hit them right. Good luck hunting, Mike

Four Tails,
Your bullet is designed for the 38-55 I suspect. and at 300 yds I am sure it worked well enough. but up closer it would come apart like a handgrande when driven at higher velocity, it is desinged for minus 2000 FPS..

Also the only FN bullet Sierra makes in .375 cal. is a 200 gr. as far as I can tell....I would like to know more about this bullet you speak so highly of.