I was wondering if anyone has used their 375 to take any of the deer species in North America. I know its way to much gun, but since I got my ruger no.1 I was thinking of loading some lighter loads to try on some of the deer around here.

Hell, I used my .416 Rem. and 2.5x leupold to stalk and take four whitetails and a wild hog last year. I think it is GREAT practice for both shooting and stalking to use your big-bore on less costly game prior to hunting elsewhere. Meat damage with the .416 was really non-existent compared to some joker who might insist on using some new (or old) fangled ultra high velocity round on NA game. Beware the man with one gun, as they say, he knows how to use it!

Regards,

JohnTheGreek

jdcaley Try the Hornady 220gr. Flat nose, [the one for the 375 Winchester lever action] loaded to around 2300 to 2500fps, or the Speer 235 sp at the same velocity level. I have used them both on deer and they work fine. This is an excellent way to get practice and have fun with your 375 H&H. I used 60gr. of IMR 3031 with the Hornady 220gr., and 64 gr. of 3031 with the Speer 235 gr.

The 375 H&H is a great deer rifle....and elk and moose and goat and....

Consider the Nosler 260 partition and the Sierra 250 GK, both work well with the Nosler getting the nod for penetration.

The Sierra is a natural for antelope if you ever get the chance.

I've had good luck with Reloder 19 and IMR 4350 with both bullets.

Regards,

~Holmes

I can never understand why people fuck about with the 30/06 when there is the 375.

When you shoot lots of animals, then the 223 22/250 or reduced loads in the 375.

If you want to blast the animals, then the 375 takes care of that.

220 grain Hornady Flat Points from the 375 will/should do the job on your deer. If not, then time to get the Toyota Landcruiser out.

Mike

[ 08-29-2002, 09:59: Message edited by: Mike375 ]

I've shot deer and hogs using 300 grain Hornady RN, 270 grain Hornady Spire, 220 grain Hornady FP and 260 grain Nosler BT and haven't notice any more meat damage than some higher velocity rounds.

Over powered for deer? I guess so since I started my brother and children off using a 243 Winchester. I just enjoy shooting the 375 H&H and is the only catridge I've have hunted with in the last two years.

The 220 grain FP at 2,500 fps is an excellent combination.

Give the Speer 235gr sp a try @ 2800fps it is flat shooting recoil isn't bad.

Oh no Mike not the land cruiser

John The Greek, I am thinking of changing my scope on my .416 Rigby to a 2.5xcompact leupold as I want it matching to my .585 which is also going to wear a 2.5x compact. I currently have one on my 45/70 and love it, I find that 2.5x allows me to shoot better for some reason but how do you find it on your .416 I realsie the advantage of them bing the most recoil proof scope, but do you think you would be hindered by the 2.5x magnification say on a 250 yard shot if you were to take one ?? Obvioulsy this is not an issue on a 45/70 or .585 as there 130 yard guns, but the .416 has a bit of a trajectory advantage over those pre mentiioned calibres. At the momnet I have a 2-7x33 VariX11 leupold and exclusively shoot it on two times power. The only time I have used 7x was sighting in. Asthetically they also look much more pleasing to the eye.

PC,

I love my 2.5x Leupold! I wouldn't hesistate a bit to put one on your .416. Why have one on the .585 though? As a close range stopper, that gun just screams for open sights only. Both would, I think be great for Buffalo or Banteng that might be running around your neck of the woods.

I haven't been hindered by the strict 2.5x limit on the .416. I think my heavy German post reticle helps with this. I have no crosshairs to cover the target just a big pointed post sighted in such that the bullet impacts right at the tip of the post. As evidence, I took a nice Reedbuck in Zim last year at about 250 off sticks and it was no problem. I also to a nice Bushbuck at about 100 yards offhand with no problem. I don't claim to be a great shot but the combination really works for me.

Since you and I are paying for these African opportunities and any wounded game, I don't know that I would make a habit of the 250 yard shot with the 2.5x scoped .416 on African game. I had a good rest and lots of time on that Reedbuck. That's why a 30-06 or .300 mag is a great partner for the .416.

I think the my ideal 3 rifle battery is a .300 mag model 70 with a 3.5-10 Leupold, a .416 Rem model 70 with a 2.5x leupold and a Searcy .500 Nitro double.

Good hunting and good luck with your rifles.

JohnTheGreek

[ 08-30-2002, 01:58: Message edited by: JohnTheGreek ]

well I ordered some 375 ballistic tips to try out on the deer around here. I've had great luck with them in my 338-06. Does anyone have the nosler data for the ballistic tips using IMR 4350 or IMR 4064 powders?

http://www.imrpowder.com
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The thing about .375's is that they are kind of heavy to carry. But I do it once in a while. I never had much luck groups wise with the 235 Speer.

Thanks John TG I will save my penny's for a third 2.5X. The reason I want one on my .585 is that they looked so cool on Rob's & 500gr .585's that my friend and I just had to have them on ours. If I go to Africa one day and take it I would take it off and use the opens for DG.

I also think the 2.5x compacts are great Value to John. And they look really good on big bore rifles.

I have shot local whitetails weighing about 100 lbs or less with my 375, javelina, wild hogs, coyotes, and an assortment of deer and elk sized game in Africa with my rifle. It is my favorite rifle for general purpose hunting as it works great on animals of all sizes and allows me to take any shot presented on all but the really huge stuff.

As for accuracy and range I would rate it in the same catagory with a 30.06, except a much better punch on the receiveing end. Shoot the 300 grain on everything and learn the trajectory of your load. This will simplify your hunting and make bullet selection and load developement much easier. Besides, a 300 grain 375 will make an adequate hole in any deer you shoot regardless of expansion.

Perry

PWN how would the woodleigh 270 gr SP's go for an all round load ?? I think that bullet would be good for everything up to buff. I am going to prurchase a .375 H&H at some stage and am thinking of loading the 270 gr woodeligh bullets as my one and only load. If I shoot big stuff In will move up to my Rigby.

I'm planning on using my 416 w/ 400 gr Hornady RN's for Michigan deer or (if I'm lucky) bear next year. Unless I get my 458 completed...

Todd

JD, why not? I'm waiting for the chance to get 1 with my 416 Rigby. Don't pay any attention to anybody that cries overkill and cannon. My one very good friend hands me that bs on a constant basis. His view is "All you need is a 243." I want a belt on mine or a bullet over 40 cal. I love the larger cals. Current deer rifles are an 8mm Mag and a 45-70 (Hot handloads). Have fun.

0

The best advice you have been given, IMO, is from PWN. The 375 H&H with a 300 gr bullet has almost the same trejectry as a 30-06 with a 180 gr. bullet! Like Perry I've shot almost everything there is to hunt with a 375 H&H/300 gr soft, or solid, and the result is, I know exactly where this chambering will strike at about any reasonable range! The 300 gr premium bullets will hardly open on a deer, yet slap him flat. Additionally, you can eat right up to the bullet hole. The .375/300 gr Nosler partition, or Swift A-frame does little meat damage, infact far less than a 30-06 with a 150 gr spitzer.

When that 48" sable presents it's self at 200 yds with only a 4" hole in the bush to slip the bullet through, you'll be set to make the shot, with your buffalo bullet! The best practice you can buy is hunting everything with the same bullet you'll use on the "BITE BACKS"!

This is something I have all ways done. I pick the most useful bullet, for any chambering, to cover the biggest thing I will hunt with it. As old Elmer said, "Too much gun is far better than the alternative"

Mac, I agree with your suggestions, I guess i'll load up some 300gr. bullets for use as well.

Now here comes another question, round nose or spire points?

I would use either the 220 grain Hornday flat point (since it is soft and will expand on deer) or Hawk soft points because they are also soft and will expand.

I use mine with the Lyman .375449 cast gascheck and 60 grains of H4831. It shoots one-hole groups, at about 2200 FPS, and is a great deer load. Little meat loss!

Well some of us poor folk can't afford to hunt around the world like you guy's that need to shoot these big hunks of lead. And we sure can't afford the ten/ twenty pound kegs of power to feed these cavernus cartridges. That's why we shoot the lowly 06 at deer and such Besides there ain't much use for those Big bores you love here in the States! The 06 has taken everything here, and made them wall hangers with ease.

A comment on the 2.5x scope sub-thread: I find 2.5x hard to use on partly obscured targets past about 150m. For that I want a 4x, but in the open, 2.5 is fine. Of course, the closer and bigger the animals get, the better 2.5x works.

Just my .02, Okie John.

What makes the 2.5x so recoil proof compared to other fixed scopes ??

I'll have to say that I agree with MacD37 on this topic...

That is, up until he said my .375 wasn't a Big Bore!

Rick.

I use all my "Africa" rifles at home as much as possible. The practice helps. After using my .505 Gibbs on whitetails last season, I left for Africa last month all the more confident.
I'd happily use my .375 with the 270 "X" bullet for 90% of my big game hunting.

PC,

Ray Atkinson knows better than I but I think it is related to the design of the adjustments on their fixed power scopes vs. the variables. Ask Ray when he gets back. We all gotta remember to ask him about the monster warthog that he is rumored to have taken!

Regards,

JohnTheGreek

I've had good luck with the 250gr Swift-A-Frame out of the 375 for Mule Deer. It gets the job done.

JMeier

Johnthe greek, I did not even know Ray had gone, but I had noticed he had not been posting. I love those 2.5x leupolds.

Jd Caley,
Tell me about your No. 1. I've been fantacising about one in 375 for a while.

my no.1 is a very accurate shooting rifle, and the trigger is excellent. Some people complain about them but I got lucky, guess someone at the factory really knew what they were doing. Recoil is very manageable, if you shoot a shotgun you'll be used to 375.So far i've handloaded some 250gr. sierras and 260gr ballistic tips. Haven't made it out to the range to test the noslers yet but will give a report when I do.

you use the 375 to hunt impala in africa, what would be wrong with it for deer?

I used mine with 270 hornady spire points at the same load level as the loads i took to africa. i killed 2 deer last year with it. a small 125 lb and a 185 lb(large for ga) the 125 lb shot through the crown of shoulders at 100 yrds dropped big hole in off side very little dmage to meat. the 185 lb shoot rear quartering away in brush bullet lodged in skin at base of head, distance 80 yrds. dropped. people though i was crazy to use an elephant gun for deer. a friend uses 235 grain sighted in at 200 yrds. and likes it very much. havent tried the lighter bullet.

plan on hunting this year with my 375 rum, 376 steyr, and 416 taylor. if people can use a 45-70 for deer why not??

HAPPY HUNTING!!!!

I'm back and I did shoot a monster wart hog...He was 16.5"'s and the tusks are absolutely massive in weight....

The 2.5 Leupold compact, according to my converstations with Leupold have the adjustements directly under the adjustment knobs and that is what makes it the toughest scope in history and my experience with it indicates it to be indestructable on any big bore rifle...It is the scope for the 458 Lott and upward...

The 416's and down are scope friendly and any quality scope will hold up under their recoil, as a rule. I say that to give myself a little lee way in case someone has a problem with them ...

As to the 375 and 416 for deer, I have used both and on lots of African plainsgame in the same size catagory...They work exceptionally well and do not bruise as much meat as a 300, 270 or 243 for that matter....

My favorite load today is the GS Solid and you can eat the hole if you want to, no bloodshot meat to speak of but you get good blood trails and mostly instant kills...I recently got an instant kill on a Zebra with the 416 GS FN and it blew the top half of the heart to jelly. He was dead when he hit the ground, same with a Blue Wildebeest and Impala, amazing for a solid...but the damage is like no solid that I have seen before...Its the flat wide mephlet I'm sure. They do as much damage as a soft its just that the cavatation is elongated and damages all the way through as opposed to the large frontal cavatation of a soft point that tapers off after the initial contact or so it appears to me. I have a hunch that North Forks cup point when refined and finished will be another excellent DG or Impala round....

I have found that most 300 gr. bullets expand hardly at all on deer size game, but the bore size alone is enough to kill the animal..He may run ways but will certainly leave a blood trail that a blind man can follow...The Swifts work well but do not kill real fast..The Noslers and monolithics work well...I load them down a bit to take the velocity edge off...

The country boy concept that the big bores blow small animals up is only an assumed concept based on ignorance and the suggestion that cartridge size equates to meat damage by folks who have no practical experience with such rounds and a lack of knowledge of firearms....

quote:

I've had good luck with the 250gr Swift-A-Frame out of the 375 for Mule Deer. It gets the job done.

JMeier

JMeier, at what ranges have you used the 250gr Swift for deer? I have been giving this the same consideration in my CZ550, 375 H&H. All though, I've been leaning towards the 270gr as its higher BC will yield a higher terminal velocity at ... say, 300 yards(longer ranges here in Oregon). I've also been looking real hard at Northfork bullets.

Granted, where I hunt range estimation is not an issue. 150 yards is the longest shot possible on my lease.

That said, the 300 gr. Hornady cheap RN works like gangbusters. Bang, flop, little meat damage.

Funny looks from other hunters though.

While I don't make many cast bullets these days it was a passion with me. I have loads for most of the rifles and shot in competition with lead bullets as well.

The 375 HH is a natural for cast bullets and I have a mold for a hollow point version. I shot one deer with that bullet and it just fell over. It was one of those shots where, I think, the deer was taken by surprise. It was hit just over the heart at about 100 yds and the bullet made a small exit hole.

Over 2000 fps is easy and accurate with cast bullets in that cartridge. The guns are heavy to carry thats all.