Just a note which may seem like old news to many here: as I continue to experiment with my 375 H&H I am yet to find myself not in awe of it; 220 gr Hornady FPs at 2200 fps for deer are a breeze to shoot, 300s at full power feel like a handful to me and 250s in the 2800 range feel like a wand when one presses the trigger.

Realizing I'm new to the dance with this caliber I believe I've arrived at the conclusion many already have reached namely, the 375 bore is a legitimate caliber with a variety of loads. I'm looking forward to continued experimantation.

J

It only took you 99 years... :-) There is a reason it's such a go-to caliber... there is a lot it can do, and very little it can't.

Try it with 270 gr TSXs & 74 to 75 gr RL 15. in 3 rifles that load has been very accurate & resulted in 15 animals taken with one shot each!

I'm a 375 believer but I did use a 416 on Cape buff.

Once I got my 375 and started using it, I sold off a couple of other rifles simply because they could not do anything that the 375 can't do.

The 375 is a great DG gun for women and children!

I have had great results with the 235gr bullet in my 375. Speer and Barnes worked well, although I dont think the speer are available now. I have used them on game from Africa to Alaska and many places in between.

IMO its the best calibre available, hands down!

quote:

Originally posted by jsl3170:
Just a note which may seem like old news to many here: as I continue to experiment with my 375 H&H I am yet to find myself not in awe of it; 220 gr Hornady FPs at 2200 fps for deer are a breeze to shoot, 300s at full power feel like a handful to me and 250s in the 2800 range feel like a wand when one presses the trigger.

Realizing I'm new to the dance with this caliber I believe I've arrived at the conclusion many already have reached namely, the 375 bore is a legitimate caliber with a variety of loads. I'm looking forward to continued experimantation.

J

Since I got a 9,3x62 first, I feel the same way about it.

Having recently acquired my first .375 H&H, I suspect I will like it evry bit as much but can;t imagine it displacing my 9,3.

Now, once I finish up my .416 Ruger......

I'm torn between a .375 and a .416 to choose from if I only had one caliber to hunt with. Try the .375 with the Barnes 235 gr TSX. It shoots around 3000 fps and is capable of 1/2" groups. Kills everything from impala, warthogs up to zebra at 320 yards and elk at 185. DRT all of them. That would be my choice from whitetails to Moose in the NA area and everything up to but not including buffalo, rhino, and elephants. It just kills. I might add that I have gone to a heavier bullet for NA game at least 250 gr to slow it down some, the 235 kills but is hell with hydrostatic shock meat damage.

quote:

The 375 is a great DG gun for women and children!

You probably need to clue Saeed in on that and show him the error of his ways using a 375/404 on a few cape buffalo over the years, I thing they qualify as DG.

Impala (many), kudu (many), blue wildebeest (many), blesbuck, warthog, hippo and buffalo (couple of them).

All with 300 grain bullets, most down in their tracks or nearly so. My .375 is definitely my "go to" gun and it will be the last rifle I sell.

If one can shoot, then the .375 is as good as any big bore out there, it has more than ample penetration and more than most big bores as a matter of fact..I have seen it completely penetrate an elephants body and an elephants head and whistle off towards Dar Es Salaam. Its condemnation by some gets a bit boring.

I mostly use the 40 calibers but not because I think the .375 is not capable, I just like to play with different calibers, but I have used the .375 a good deal as well as the 9.3x62 and I comfortable with them on anything that walks.

If I had to walk from one end of Africa to the other and pack my ammo it would be either a 30-06 or a 375 H&H and a sock full of solids. I wouldn't care which.

BTW Saeeds 375/404 ain't exactly a 375 H&H its on Steriods big time and Saeed ain't your average hunter/shooter, he is one of the best shots I have ever seen, and the Giraffes have to run to keep up with him.

FWIW I have been using the 235's from both Speer and Barnes in NA for several years. While you can get 3000fps+ from these, the meat damage can be significant and the BC aint anything to write home about. If you care to check ballistic tables or programs, you will find that the 270's (and I assume Barnes' new 250) are flatter shooting than the 235's and of course retain substantially more energy down range. I am switching to the medium weight bullets as I don't see any reason to keep using the 235's unless recoil bothers you.

My favorite gun in the safe is my 375 H&H. Shooting the 260 grain Partition at 2750 fps and the 300 grain TSX at 2500 fps.

While she ain't going to win a beauty contest (or a diet contest), I really love my 375 H&H. She's served me well so far and I expect she'll still serve someone well long after I'm dead. Still a few more tweeks I want to make though.

Like it says below . . .

quote:

BTW Saeeds 375/404 ain't exactly a 375 H&H its on Steriods big time

Saeed loads his .375/404 to about 2700 fps with 300 grain TSX or Walterhog bullets. I can load my .375 H&H between 2550 and 2600 fps with 300 grain TSX and around 2640 fps with 300 grain A-frames. I do not believe there is that much difference in effect on large game between the two loads. A little more range is all you get with extra velocity and Saeed has stated the exact same thing before on this forum. His outstanding shot placement is what makes the difference. I plan to take my .375 H&H for buffalo next year but will bring my new Krieghoff .470 just because I think I should. I plan to use the .375 for the hunt though. I think it's the greatest caliber going for all hunting unless you have to stop a close range charge. Even then I may not feel comfortable with the .470 or anything else that can be carried by hand. Try loading up some 270 grain TSX with 75 grains of R15 for about 2800 fps. I plan to use 300 grain A-frames for buffalo but that 270 grain TSX @ 2800 is truly unbelievable and I would use it on anything except elephant. Incredible penetration! I agree with you 100% that this 100 year old cartridge is truly a great one.

Happy hunting.

jfm

Just piling on here for my favorite all-around cartridge. In that ugly future the Democrat party wishes upon us...when I'm only allowed to own a single rifle...it will be my .375 H&H Mauser. If you're currently enjoying the variety offered by bullet manufacturers...wait until you start CASTING YOU OWN...!!! Another whole world of options is waiting for you...!!
ENJOY.

Everyone can pick all the little nits they want too, fact of life remains, the 30-06 and 375 since their birth have killed at least one of every species of animal that inhabits dry land on this planet.

I agree with Don Edwards, if I was forced to pick just one gun for the rest of my life it will be my 375.

375 H&H is one of the all time classics. Generally very accurate, recoil very manageble for most people and effective on any size game. The same can be said for the 9.3x62. Both have been around for nearly a century and there is a reason both are still going strong.

I've got one of each and if I had to chooses between them, I really don't know which way I would go. But if I could only have one rifle for the rest of my life, it would be one of those 2 and all the rest the rifles in the safe would be gone.

Thank God I don't have to make that choice. Enjoy the 375. It literally will do everything you ask it to. If it fails to work on game, the fault will be your's and not the 375's.

If you can only own one rifle and want to hunt the world the 375 is the only choice. Of course not too many people do that. So to me it occupies a neither fish nor foul spot. Lighter than I want for the big stuff and heavier than I want to tote for the small stuff. Still, I'd hate to be without mine.

The 375 H&H is indeed a fine round, and like previous posters noted, there is a reason it is still kicking around since 1912. On that note, I like the RUM case because it can do what the H&H can but at much lower pressures. After all, they are both pushing a .375 cal bullet and I seriously doubt any animal could tell the difference between the two calibers.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jam:

Saeed loads his .375/404 to about 2700 fps with 300 grain TSX or Walterhog bullets. I can load my .375 H&H between 2550 and 2600 fps with 300 grain TSX and around 2640 fps with 300 grain A-frames. I do not believe there is that much difference in effect on large game between the two loads.

John"pondoro" Taylor, fired about 5000rounds of .375h&h in Africa over 30yrs,and had nothing but good to say about it.

A little more range is all you get with extra velocity and Saeed has stated the exact same thing before on this forum.

And thats the same view Taylor had of the 350 Rigby, i.e.; everything the 375H&H was out to 150yds
The 35 Whelen is currently loaded faster and with better bullets, than Taylors 350rigby.


His outstanding shot placement is what makes the difference.

Just like it did with WdM Bell and his trusty 7x57, even when he was being charged down by a group of bull elephants.

I plan to take my .375 H&H for buffalo next year but will bring my new Krieghoff .470 just because I think I should. I plan to use the .375 for the hunt though. I think it's the greatest caliber going for all hunting unless you have to stop a close range charge.

“The .375 Holland and Holland Magnum [is] undoubtedly one of the deadliest weapons in existence … I’ve had five of these rifles … one of them accounted for more than 100 elephant and some 411 buffalo, besides rhino, lions and lesser game … I find it difficult right here to remember a single animal that required a second shot from this rifle.” John Taylor,African Rifles and Cartridges,

“The .375 … remains the one outstanding choice for the hunter who wants a rifle that works well on everything from little gazelles to five-ton elephants. My .375 has done exactly that, in addition to having given quite satisfactory results on the 48 buffalo taken with it . . .” Finn Aagaard's Africa,

Based on one safari with it, it goes through both shoulders of a bull elephant, does a bang-flop on a Cape buffalo, and seems to kill things as big as impala quicker than 30 calibers.

The perceived recoil was no greater than a 30-06.

I was impressed.

After having use a 375 H&H to shoot a bull moose this fall, I'm a believer. Bang flop at 200 yrds. I don't think my '06 would have done as well. And for the record I love an '06. But the 375 will be going out with me for anything over 100 lbs.

The .375 H&H will be 100 years old next year. Everyone knows that means the cartridge will then be obsolete and all rifles shooting .375 H&H will need to be destroyed and replaced with rifles chambered for the .375 Ruger or similar cartridges.



NOT!

I love the .375 and the 9.3x62 and have used both extensively in Africa and the the NA continent, but in all honesty, I find great comfort in a 404 or 416 in elephant country or on a block that the Lions have been piss'en off the buffalo every night...

It's comfort food I suppose. I have not used the .375 on DG in a number of years now, and I don't regret that, but it never failed me.

That said, I have seen the 375 fail twice and the 9.3x62 once, all on frontal shots with soft point bullets that slide under the shoulder and ran along the outside of the rib cage. The use of solids on buffalo in these lighter calibers is good advise IMO and they work very well on frontal shots. I'm satisfied with solids with them on buffalo and elphant, especially flat nose solids..I liked Bridger FN solids best but they are no longer available so No. Forks and GS Customs are just as good.

I have shot a butt load of game in Africa with the 375 H&H. Everything from the smallest of the duikers to ele. It's a go to gun for me in Africa.

Quote from Rat Atkinson.
"That said, I have seen the 375 fail twice and the 9.3x62 once, all on frontal shots with soft point bullets that slide under the shoulder and ran along the outside of the rib cage".

Ray, can you tell us what type of soft point bullets fail on these frontal shots on buffalo that slide down the rib cage? I've actually heard of, not seen, .416 caliber projectiles doing the same thing on buffalo. My cousin had this happen to him with his .416 Rigby on Australian buffalo using what I believe were Woodleigh 400 grain softpoints. It may be handy to know about the bullet type as to avoid that brand in the future. That is to say if they were similar to what my cousin was using. By the way, have you ever known of any other caliber size failing on buffalo with soft points while taking the frontal shot?

Thanks,

jfm

JFM,
The .375 and 9.3x62 are the only ones I have ever heard of doing this..In a conversation with Harold Wolfe at SCI, Harold told me that it was pretty common with the lighter calibers and soft point bullets..The softs that I used were back yonder and they were Rem and Win in the .375 and those European bullets of some make in the 9.3..Today I would use a solid or a North fork cup point and have used both a good deal and no problems..

The best cure is a 40 caliber IMO..

I am a fan of the .375 and 9.23x62 and have both and have used both, but I prefer the 416 and 404 hands down for DG..I believe one should use as large a caliber as one can be "perfectly" comfortable with and with me that is the 416 Rem or 404 Jeffereys. Like I said they are comfort food in the bush.

Of note is that I understand that most charges with buffalo have come from the use of the .375 H&H or so I have read, and that only makes since to me, but I also know of exceptions to the rule.

Don't get me wrong, I believe the .375 and 9.3x62 are capable of killing DG, but so is the 30-06..A proper bullet in the right spot can change that picture in a hurry, but sometimes things don't go just right. Therefore the choice is an individual thing.

Ray, I'm guessing these were some non premium brand from back in the past that failed on the buffalo. I've not heard of any failures on large DG from the crop of wonder bullets made currently but that doesn't mean they do not exist. I don't agree that caliber has anything to do with a failure such as the type you speak of when using super-premiums but I do agree that bigger is better on thick skinned game. Another question is whether these bullets used were round nose, flat point or a power-point type. Sorry to keep grilling you on this issue but I am planning a cape buffalo hunt next year and plan to use my .375 H&H with 300 grain Swift A-frame's at 2600 fps. I do plan to take a .470 N.E. double but I cannot possibly say I'm efficient with that rifle yet. The last thing I want to do is hunt DG with a gun I'm not completely familiar with. Your thoughts.

Thanks,

jfm

By the way, I've always heard that most buffalo charges, or charges from any other dangerous game, come from bad first shot placement and not from the usage of any specific cartridge or caliber. Could it be that the most charges by buffalo have occurred or were initiated by the use of the .375 H&H magnum because more people attempt to use the .375 H&H on DG than other calibers/cartridges? I've done quite a bit of research on this matter and I do not come up with the same conclusion as you have so I'm curious as to where you've collected your data. (I'm truly curious and not trying to be condescending.)

Thanks,

jfm

JFM, based on my limited experience witnessing the 375 loaded with 300 gr. A frames on 3 buff, you have made an excellent choice!

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
JFM, based on my limited experience witnessing the 375 loaded with 300 gr. A frames on 3 buff, you have made an excellent choice!

Absolutely!

The .375 H&H is not underpowered, but it may be underloaded. If you want, you can reload a 300gr. Barnes banded solid in the .375 H&H with 80 grs. of Vv540 and achieve 2803 fps at the muzzle with a 24" barrel (see Barnes Reloading Manual #4) - that is more than enough POWER for Cape buffalo, elephant, or whatever (5233 ft# energy). This is a SERIOUS KICK ASS LOAD - the penetration and hydrostatic shock will be devastating!!

Ackley,
I appreciate your input as always but I think that Barnes reloading manual data may be about 100 fps faster than reality. I can't imagine getting 2800 fps with any 300 grain bullet no matter what powder/primer is used. The only way I could achieve that speed is with 270 grain bullets. Have you ever attained that kind of speed?

Thanks,

jfm

jfm, The Barnes folks are not "chopped liver" nor are they new to the business, and publishing loads that are dangerous is not in their best legal liability interests. I believe we can assume they know this.

Also, note that the Barnes folks publish a 2965 fps load for the 270 gr. banded solid (83.5 grs of VvN540). This is essentially equivalent ft# of energy to their 300 gr. load.

Also, I know of published loads for the standard 375 H&H getting 2775 fps with with 300 gr Hornady soft points using 88 grs. of IMR-4831 and a 24" barrel.

I'm getting 2950 fps with 300 gr. Accubonds from my .375 AI using 93 grs. of Ramshot Hunter (26" barrel), which has a burn rate roughly that of IMR-4831. I've had those 300 Accubonds over 3000 fps, with reuseable cases, but I backed off.

These BIG BORE magnums tend to be underloaded, not overloaded - likely limiting factor being recoil and "shooter fatique." The 416 Rigby is especially underloaded.

Regards, AIU