pet loads for .375-any suggestions?

14 January 2002, 03:26

<ronl>

I am interested in handloading for my new .375 H&H in preparation for an upcoming buffalo hunt this summer. I will need a soft and a solid. I was thinking about trying A-frames or Barnes-X for the softs and have no opinion about the solids as I have never shot solids.

What suggestions might you guys have for me to start with?

Thank you again for all the great advice that I find on this forum.

14 January 2002, 20:00

Shumba

I had the same question almost a year ago in preparing for my first buffalo/plainsgame hunt.

I got great accuracy with W760. However I ended up going with Reloader 15 and got the same level of accuracy with a bit more velocity.

My rifle would shoot the 300 grain Swift A-Frames and 300 grain Barnes Solids to the same point of impact at 100 yards. I literally have 100 yard targets with 6 shots into one big ragged hole (3 solids & 3 softs). This was with new Winchester brass, CCI Large Rifle Magnum Primers, and Reloader 15. The softs took 70 grains and the solids took 71 grains exactly in order to shoot to the same POI. With this load, both bullets are traveling 2,520 +/- FPS (chronographed).

I shot everything on my African safari with this rifle and the above loads.

As always, check your own reloading manuals and start lower than work your way up. Good Luck.

Tim

17 January 2002, 00:19

rlda07052

quote:
Originally posted by ronl:
I am interested in handloading for my new .375 H&H in preparation for an upcoming buffalo hunt this summer. I will need a soft and a solid. I was thinking about trying A-frames or Barnes-X for the softs and have no opinion about the solids as I have never shot solids.
What suggestions might you guys have for me to start with?
Thank you again for all the great advice that I find on this forum.

ronl,
i've been over 11 times and have found that you cannot beat the 300 gr. swift aframe.they seem to perform consistantly on everything.i would not hesitate on using them on buffalo along with hornady fmj's.my load uses cci250 mag primers along with ww760 powder.go for it and enjoy.
rlda

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rlda07052

17 January 2002, 06:52

DB Bill

I've found that RL15 normally gives the highest velocity and really great accuracy BUT in my experience RL15 can have quite a bit of variation between the different lots (and the same can be said for RL22)...Varget will give you almost as much velocity and accuracy and seems to be more consistent day-to-day. I haven't tried any of the new RL15 since they started making it for the ARMY...maybe they have gotten more consistent.

19 January 2002, 07:24

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Tim Helgeson:
However I ended up going with Reloader 15 and got the same level of accuracy with a bit more velocity.
My rifle would shoot the 300 grain Swift A-Frames and 300 grain Barnes Solids to the same point of impact at 100 yards. I literally have 100 yard targets with 6 shots into one big ragged hole (3 solids & 3 softs). This was with new Winchester brass, CCI Large Rifle Magnum Primers, and Reloader 15. The softs took 70 grains and the solids took 71 grains exactly in order to shoot to the same POI. With this load, both bullets are traveling 2,520 +/- FPS (chronographed).
As always, check your own reloading manuals and start lower than work your way up. Good Luck.
Tim

Ronl, Tim's loads above are identical to mine, EXCEPT, my soft point is a 300 gr Nosler Partition, instead of the A-Frame, but one is as good as the other.

The X-Bullets do not shoot in any of my rifles, and I have heard many people complain about their lack of accuracy. They may, in fact, shoot fine in your rifle, and if so, it too, is a choice. Be very carefull shooting Bufflao broadside in a herd with the Super Solid, or you may be paying for a second bull, or worse a half grown "COW".

I load a soft oon top, followed closely behind by the super solids. Usually up the bum.

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

20 January 2002, 09:01

Shumba

Mac,

Good advice on the solids in the magazine with a soft in the chamber. I shot a great 41" buffalo that was in a good sized herd.

My first shot was with the 300 grain Swift A-Frame. The first shot was definitely lethal and I probably did not need to shoot it again. However, I didn't go all the way to Africa to only shoot one shot at a buffalo.

After the first shot, I waited for my buffalo to fall behind the herd, and when there were no more buffalo behind him, I shot him through the lungs with a solid (2nd shot), then the shoulder (3rd shot) and then the shoulder again (4th shot). All of the solids went right through.

By the way, the Zimbabwe Government Game Scout followed the herd for a bit to check if I had hit any other buffalo. My PH said that this scout does it every time a hunter shoots a buffalo in a herd. So you really do have to be careful.

My PH does not like Nosler Partitions, and he really prefers the Swift A-Frames. In addition to the one shot on the buffalo, I also used my 375H&H with 300 grain A-frames as my "do everything" rifle (my 458 Win Mag stayed in the truck). With the 375H&H, I took a buffalo, kudu, waterbuck, 2 impala, warthog, 2 baboons, a grysbuk, and a klipspringer. I almost had a chance at a leopard but twice he left the bait before first light. Not bad for my first Africa hunt, and it was only for 7 days (which included quite a few fishing breaks on the Zambezi). I could have shot quite a few more animals (croc, hippo, sable, etc.), but I decided to pass. My PH thought that I was nuts to not go after a hippo and a croc. I told him that I needed to save something for my 2nd safari.

Anyway, kind of a long-winded way of saying that the 375H&H with 300 grain Swift A-frames and 300 grain Barnes solids was really a great all around gun for my first safari.

Tim