I am considering two push feed 375 caliber rifles. I have three other Mauser & 1917 DG rifles and likely never will hunt griz or buff. I just like big guns. My budget is $800.

1. One friend offers a Mod 70 Super Express with really a great looking stock, post factory extra thick pad, and 3 leaf express sights, rechambered to 375 WBY. I underestand the H&H can be shot as well in the 375 WBY.($775)

OR

2. Another friend, for $75 more, offers an FN Belgium Browning Hi Power SAfari grade 375 H&H , short (Sako) action.

I see long action CF 375 H&H Safaris priced at $2000 or higher. But are the ones with a Sako action worth so much?

Any constructive advice appreciated.

The .375 WBY is by far the better deal as far as I am concerned.

You get the additional power if the WBY if desired and you can run regular 375 H&H ammo all you want.

You might also consider a M 70 classic in 375 H&H. You get controlled round feed and all the M70 feature and no push feed. I found mine a few years back for under $500.00. This would leave you enough for a good start on optics.

For your price range you should consider the Ruger Alaskan and Ruger African in 375 Ruger. They are controlled-round feed, and light-carrying. The Alaskan is stainless and uses a very handy 20" barrel.

I may pick up a 416 Ruger Alsakan at next opportunity.

I have a Model 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. I am seriously thinking about making it a 375WBY. A few hundred fps extra and the ability to shoot H&H ammo if WBY not available.

I would go for the Mod 70 WBY.

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
I have a Model 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. I am seriously thinking about making it a 375WBY. A few hundred fps extra and the ability to shoot H&H ammo if WBY not available.

I would go for the Mod 70 WBY.

DO IT!!!!!!

I have a Rem 798 that I had re-chambered to .375 Wby, 2,800 fps with 300gr bullets is a breeze. I love the .375 Wby and will never go back to the H&H, even sold my .375 H&H dies, so there ya go!

quote:

1. One friend offers a Mod 70 Super Express with really a great looking stock, post factory extra thick pad, and 3 leaf express sights, rechambered to 375 WBY. I underestand the H&H can be shot as well in the 375 WBY.($775)

Ruger Alaskan - Best bang for the buck!!

quote:

Originally posted by Cane Rat:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
I have a Model 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. I am seriously thinking about making it a 375WBY. A few hundred fps extra and the ability to shoot H&H ammo if WBY not available.

I would go for the Mod 70 WBY.

DO IT!!!!!!

QUOTE]

I disagree, keep it stock & original.

quote:

I disagree, keep it stock & original.

Did you keep your truck stock and original? How about your 300WSM? Is it "stock and original"? How about you favorite 4wheeler--is it stock and original?

Not to start a pissin' contest, but maybe you should get a bigbore first.

Generally, I'd say that Stock Sucks.

However, your gun is special...but go ahead, piss on it, fondle it & tell me how it shoots.

Just My Hairy Opine...

My 375 is a late 1990s production and nothing particularly special. Other than the fact that it is mine and you want it.

drewhenrytnt and Bill G.,

Here's the text of an email exchange I had with Craig Boddington when I told him I was thinking of buying and re-chambering a Rem 798 .375 H&H to .375 Wby. Maybe some of this information will help you in your decision.

He gave me his permission to post this, I have removed his email address.


-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Boddington <xxxxxx@xxxxxxx>
To: Andrew Drook <xxxxxx@xxxxx>
Sent: Tue, March 16, 2010 6:29:17 PM
Subject: Re: .375 Weatherby

Great report, great rifle. Only losing 80 or so fps? With no loss in accuracy? That's pretty cooooooooool. That Kahles scope should actually be perfect, good choice. How goes the job search? Thinking about you. Regards, C



-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Drook <xxxxxx@xxxxx>
To: Craig Boddington <xxxxxx@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Mar 16, 2010 3:10 pm
Subject: Re: .375 Weatherby

Craig,


I like this .375 Wby more and more. We think alike on the optics, right now the rifle is scoped with a Kahles 2-7x36 in Warne mounts. I may or may not leave that scope on it but will definitely not go below 2-7x but may go up to 3-10x, not sure yet.

I did as you suggested today and shot some groups with .375 H&H ammo over the chrono. I believe that your estimate of losing about 100 fps through brass expansion is very close. I went back to my notes and pulled average velocities for these same H&H loads but they were fired in a custom M70 that I have with a 24" barrel and the Rem 798 I fired them in today has a 26" bbl so I didn't lose quite 100 fps.

.375 H&H 300gr Barnes TSX 70.0gr RL-15

-fired in .375 H&H avg velocity 2,576 fps (3 shots, 24" bbl)
-fired in .375 Wby avg velocity 2,507 fps (3 shots, 26" bbl)

.375 H&H 270gr Barnes TSX 74.0gr RL-15

-fired in .375 H&H avg velocity 2,703 fps (3 shots, 24" bbl)
-fired in .375 Wby avg velocity 2,652 fps (3 shots, 26" bbl)

The H&H loads fired in the Wby chambered rifle were just as accurate as when fired in the H&H. Neat!! What's even neater is that both of the H&H loads shot to the same POI! I've never had that happen before but as you know that has always been the rumor (myth?).

Here's the best part. Loading 86.0gr of H4350 Extreme and using fireformed brass and the 300gr Hornaday soft gave a 3 shot average velocity of 2,778 fps with no pressure signs and shot into about 3/4". Getting to 2,800 fps safely should be a breeze if one wanted to and since it was only about 60 degrees F here today that load would probably hit 2,800 on a hot day.

The recoil isn't objectionable to me, I was shooting from the bench in a just a t-shirt, but I shot the .375 Wby AFTER shooting 6 shots from my .470 double so I guess it's all relative. I'm working up loads for the double so I don't have to spend big $$$$$$ for the stuff that Norma peddles.

I can't wait to whack some critters with this fast .375 and see how they react.

Cheers,
Andy



-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Boddington <xxxxxx@xxxxxxx>
To: Andrew Drook <xxxxxx@xxxxx>
Sent: Mon, March 15, 2010 7:05:48 AM
Subject: Re: .375 Weatherby

Andy, I like the sound of it already. I have also gotten very good accuracy out of .375 Wby (no better than H&H, but definitely no worse). Sounds like you have a good barrel, which certainly bears out my limited experience with those Serbian Mausers. Provided you can stand up to the kicking SOB, the capability of the .375 Wby Mag is awesome. Having tried hard to talk you out of it and having been an abject, miserable failure at that, the cartridge is fantastic and its capabilities are fantastic. Actual gain in flattening of trajectory might get you a duiker at 300 yards, but isn't enough to make a difference on any ".375-sized" game at any distance you are likely to shoot. You will, however, actually see the difference in energy--or at least I've been able to convince myself that I can see it. I actually believe that the "fast .375s" (.375 Weatherby, .375 RUM, assume applies in spades to .378 Weatherby, but I've never hunted with that one, over the edge in manageable recoil) hit much more like a .416 Rigby or Remington than a .375 H&H. Will be interested in your impression. I have also never worried about being separated from my ammo; lots of guys are fixated on this, but it has always seemed to me that the guncase itself is the most likely to go astray; if it makes it, chances are the duffel bag with ammo also did. BUT there is some advantage to being able to use .375 H&H in a pinch. So do another experiment: Shoot a few groups with standard H&H ammo and check the chronograph reading. You need the fireformed brass anyway! My experience has been that accuracy doesn't deteriorate at all, but you will lose at least 100 fps in brass expansion. I'd be curious on that as well. .375 H&H good for practice ammo if you run across some cheap loads, and although we love to argue nuances of one cartridge against another, truth is there isn't a buffalo out there that will care if you're missing 10% of your bullet energy...so long as the energy available is applied in the right place. Reckon that .375 H&H ammo in a Weatherby chamber will be about like the .375 Flanged or .376 Steyr, marginal but still enough gun.

What scope did you choose? .375 Wby has the capability to use a bit bigger scope than the standard "dangerous game scope." Consider a step up, like 2-7X, 2.5-8X, even 3-9X so you can get the most from the versatility of the cartridge.


Regards, C



-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Drook <xxxxxx@xxxxx>
To: Craig Boddington <xxxxxx@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, Mar 13, 2010 1:25 pm
Subject: .375 Weatherby

Hi Craig,

I'm up at our place in Indiana and had a chance to have lunch with Mark Penrod and also picked up my Rem 798 that he rechambered to .375 Wby. The trigger is really nice since he worked it over but the action felt very rough and the bedding job Remington did wasn't very good. Sooooo..... I popped it out of the stock and relieved the barrel channel, fixed the bedding, and then put some abrasive bore paste on the bolt and raceways, worked the bolt back and forth a few hundred times and it smoothed right up. Slick and smooth and real fast now. Mark fireformed a case after he finished with it and he said he thinks the Wby case looks so cool he is going to build one for himself.

I fireformed a bunch of cases with Unique and corn meal and then loaded some shells. First three shots at the range with 300 gr Hornadys over 86.0gr IMR-4831 went into less than 3/4" @ 100 yds at a touch less than 2,700 fps.

I think I am going to like this.

Cheers,
Andy

Thanks Andy!

from one Andy to Another.


Andy
aka Drewhenrytnt
aka South Texas Sasquatch

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
Thanks Andy!

from one Andy to Another.


Andy
aka Drewhenrytnt
aka South Texas Sasquatch

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
My 375 is a late 1990s production and nothing particularly special. Other than the fact that it is mine and you want it.

Busted.

Chicks are a slippery slope, I'll be waiting...

I did the Mod 70 mod to 375 Weatherby. Stainless classic.
1) Re chambered to 375 Wea.
2) Added barrel band sling stud
3) Added NECG barrel band front sight
4) Sunny Hill drop box stainless bottom metal
5) McMillan 13.75" Model 70 Safari stock
6) Brockman / Talley bases with rear ghost ring
7) Bedded properly
8) Kahles 1.5 X 6 X 42 scope
9) Talon finish

Shoots factory fodder (300 NP's) at 2800 FPS at 90 F - 100 F; 2750 FPS @ 50 F. Very accurate as well.
Built this gun as a Brown Bear gun, although a bit heavy for hauling up mountains.

BTW; Also have a Kimber 89 in 375 H&H. Nice good and good shooter.

Bill, there's nothing the Weatherby will do in the African hunting fields that the H&H won't do just as well, for all practical purposes. If you want appreciably more power than the H&H offers, then my advice would be to move up to a .416.

But back to your question about the Sako action. It is a very smooth, straight, square and well made action. I have a Sako AV in .375, and it's amazingly smooth and quite accurate.

Not sure about the pricing on the FN made Brownings.

But those Finns know what they're doing.

quote:

Originally posted by CamoManJ:

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
My 375 is a late 1990s production and nothing particularly special. Other than the fact that it is mine and you want it.

Busted.

Chicks are a slippery slope, I'll be waiting...

458lott, camoman? heh

Think a little outside the box and get a Ruger 375 H&H RSM. I've been tracking one which thier asking $999 right now. Yes, its heavy but you can always go big with it like I did (500 Jeffery).

Just a Thought

I think you guys are all a little nuts. 375 H n H, no worries. That said, I love all rifle loonies.
Happy new year.
Brcie

If you can deal with a push feed, I believe Howa is offering a rifle in 375 Ruger. Similar action setup as the Weatherby Vangaurd. I think that they offer barreled actions as well.

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:
If you can deal with a push feed, I believe Howa is offering a rifle in 375 Ruger. Similar action setup as the Weatherby Vangaurd. I think that they offer barreled actions as well.

identical as the vanguard, other than name on action

Thanks to all for your opining. I solved the issue by getting both.

Bill

Fantastic! I thought your budget was only $800.00? If you decide you need to ditch one of them contact me!

Andy

Bill,

I live in Portland, OR and have been looking for a Browning Safari .375. If you happen to decide to part with either the Browning or the M 70, I would definitely be interested in either.

Todd

I'd suggest the 375 H&H Ackley Improved over the 375 Weatherby. You can shoot 375 H&H and 375 Weatherby in the same gun, and the Ackley Improved is actually has slightly more case capacity ~2 grs. of H20. Very accurate with great performance - my favorites at present are 2900 fps with 300 gr Failsafe bullets and 3150 with 250 gr. TTSX, both using a 26" barrel. Regards, AIU

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
For your price range you should consider the Ruger Alaskan and Ruger African in 375 Ruger. They are controlled-round feed, and light-carrying. The Alaskan is stainless and uses a very handy 20" barrel.

I may pick up a 416 Ruger Alsakan at next opportunity.

+1. A much better option. I have a few Ruger Alaskans and they are very accurate. All of them under 1" right out of the box. And perfect function as well... I have never been a Ruger fan before in my life, but after trying the Hawkeye in 375 Ruger I think it is more than impressive.. They just plain work

How about a Howa 1500 in 375 Ruger? NIB, these are under $500. You could use the extra $300+ towards a new stock, trigger, glass, etc.

Handloaders have the choice of new Norma made Weatherby brass with proper headstamp readily available now. This brass is about 20 grains lighter, and has about 3 grains greater water capacity than my brass formed from Hornady basic. Using the Norma brass will lower pressures and velocities versus these loads in Hornady brass, so 0.5 to 1.0 grains more powder, depending on type powder, might be used in Norma brass. A comparison of brass is shown below, also including the Winchester WW-Super .375 H&H brass that has been fire formed to .375 Weatherby (beware the shorterWW brass):

Norma/ Hornady/ WW-Super

2.860/ 2.850/ 2.832 (case length in inches)

228.3/ 248.4/ 248.7 (case weight in grains)

111.5/ 108.2/ 108.4 (gross water capacity in grains)

Bill G. in Oregon,

My experience and happiness with the .375 Weatherby is much like Cane Rat's, except I did not correspond with Craig Boddington about it. However, I did meet him at a seminar he gave on leopard hunting in Dallas once upon a time.

I should have stopped experimenting after I got my first .375 Weatherby about 25 years ago.

Of course it makes for great fun to collect every .375 caliber rifle you can find.
You are off to a good start with both a .375 H&H and .375 WBY.
Now get that .375 Ruger too, it falls right between your other two in ballistics.

Dreamer: You can have either for $900 out my door. no scope. The M70 is a "Super Express."

Others: Thank you all for sharing your ideas.

Bill

quote:

My experience and happiness with the .375 Weatherby is much like Cane Rat's, except I did not correspond with Craig Boddington about it. However, I did meet him at a seminar he gave on leopard hunting in Dallas once upon a time. Wink

He tried to talk me out of it, glad I didn't listen to him.


Bill, the .375 Weatherby is the proverbial cat's ass in medium bores, you need to keep it, none of this $900 and out the door stuff for that one.