New to the forum and Big bore rifles.

17 September 2010, 01:09

Hello, I'm new to the forum and big bore rifles. I just this morning ordered a CZ 550 in 375 H&H. I'm not new to firearms and have hunted deer, moose and coyotes in the northeast most of my life. I bought the 375 in hopes of an Alaskan a brown bear hunt before I retire. Now that I have the big gun what else do I need to buy.

17 September 2010, 01:14

adamhunter

quote:
Originally posted by Gojoe:
Hello, I'm new to the forum and big bore rifles. Now that I have the big gun what else do I need to buy.

Buy some ammo and go shoot that thing!

Welcome to AR!

17 September 2010, 01:18

eezridr

Exercise bike, lunges, squats, crunches; Just get in shape! If you live in Maine, you should know how to deal with the elements. A bear is no larger than a moose so you obviously have experience cleaning and cutting up a large animal. You probably are proficient with a rifle if you have hunted most of your life.
Alaska might present physical challenges to are not accustomed to.

17 September 2010, 04:07

Sevens

I'd say shoot the rifle a bunch and enjoy. I've got the same rifle as you and love it.

Be warned, shooting big bore rifles is a known cause of African Safari-itis. It is a horrible, yet wonderful, disease that has no known cure, is not covered by insurance, is very hard on your wallet, and is prone to relapse.

17 September 2010, 04:45

jeffeosso

its kicks less than a 12ga -- watch out if you scope it, as persons generally get scope cuts when they "relax"

have a ball with it

opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Words aren't Murder - Political assassination is MURDER
Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com

17 September 2010, 07:44

mauser93

Glad there's someone other than me that considers a .375 to be a "big bore." That caliber is the absolute, outside limit of my recoil tolerance.

You're gonna' LOVE that rifle, BTW.

Good hunting.

17 September 2010, 09:11

Michael Robinson

Okay, Joe. You seem to be in a bit of a spendy mood, so I'm going to suggest that you send your CZ to AHR for a once over.

AHR - American Hunting Rifles - know how to improve a CZ, and know how to do it right.

AHR

19 September 2010, 08:59

Idaho Sharpshooter

welcome to the club.
A good 375H&H will do everything you want it to.

Practice, you know Africa is closer, and might be less $$$.

Can you say "Cape Buffalo?"

Rich

19 September 2010, 09:37

cmfic1

Gojoe, welcome to the forum. You will find all you need to know about anything you care to know about here on AR...IMO its the best board there is.

But know this, guys will likely go easy on you 'cause your new, but in the future, I'd go easy on calling a 375 "the big gun"

Also, I will let you know that several yrs ago, I joined this board with the sole reason of gleaning info on my 1st "big bore build". Thinking I will get one "big gun" for everything.
That was then, and a 416 Rem Mag made its way into the locker. Since then (and I blame the folks here on this board), I now have 2 different 375's, a different 416 RM, a 450-400, a 458 Lott, am currently having a 416 Taylor built, got the action for a 404J, am looking for a Double & considering a 500 of some sort, and I occasionally have crazy thoughts of a 600OK.....this place is hard on the pocket book!

20 September 2010, 01:47

Oldsarge

quote:
Originally posted by cmfic1:
Gojoe, welcome to the forum. You will find all you need to know about anything you care to know about here on AR...IMO its the best board there is.

But know this, guys will likely go easy on you 'cause your new, but in the future, I'd go easy on calling a 375 "the big gun"

Also, I will let you know that several yrs ago, I joined this board with the sole reason of gleaning info on my 1st "big bore build". Thinking I will get one "big gun" for everything.
That was then, and a 416 Rem Mag made its way into the locker. Since then (and I blame the folks here on this board), I now have 2 different 375's, a different 416 RM, a 450-400, a 458 Lott, am currently having a 416 Taylor built, got the action for a 404J, am looking for a Double & considering a 500 of some sort, and I occasionally have crazy thoughts of a 600OK.....this place is hard on the pocket book!

What? No .450 Rigby? For shame!

Joe, whenever I decide to hunt anything larger than deer I first get out the .375 and then wonder if I need something else. On occasion, I have! But if I hadn't gotten myself in trouble in the first place, I wouldn't have. That's the trouble with hunting dangerous game. The most unreliable part is the nut behind the rifle.

20 September 2010, 02:34

BNagel

quote:
Originally posted by Gojoe:
Hello, I'm new to the forum and big bore rifles. I just this morning ordered a CZ 550 in 375 H&H. I'm not new to firearms and have hunted deer, moose and coyotes in the northeast most of my life. I bought the 375 in hopes of an Alaskan a brown bear hunt before I retire. Now that I have the big gun what else do I need to buy.

PAST pad, ammo, double ear protection, shooting gloves and chapstick. The chapstick for lip protection (grinning) and the gloves for GRABBING / holding on. You don't need $$ for advice (but you do need discernment).

27 September 2010, 17:46

Gojoe

quote:
Originally posted by BNagel:
quote:
Originally posted by Gojoe:
Hello, I'm new to the forum and big bore rifles. I just this morning ordered a CZ 550 in 375 H&H. I'm not new to firearms and have hunted deer, moose and coyotes in the northeast most of my life. I bought the 375 in hopes of an Alaskan a brown bear hunt before I retire. Now that I have the big gun what else do I need to buy.

PAST pad, ammo, double ear protection, shooting gloves and chapstick. The chapstick for lip protection (grinning) and the gloves for GRABBING / holding on. You don't need $$ for advice (but you do need discernment).

Thanks for the Help-- Now to find 375 brass that will last forever and cost almost nothing, LOL

30 September 2010, 06:39

Paul H

You'll probably find that the 375 doesn't recoil nearly as much as your imagine has lead you to believe. That will likely lead you to bigger guns, and at some point you'll get to the point that you realize you've reached your recoil limit.

30 September 2010, 07:15

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by mauser93:
a .375 to be a "big bore." That caliber is the absolute, outside limit of my recoil tolerance.

You're gonna' LOVE that rifle, BTW.

Good hunting.

why do you post in bigbores, like, EVER, then?

30 September 2010, 07:30

Biebs

quote:
why do you post in bigbores, like, EVER, then?

Jeff, maybe cuz there's no forum category for "Girlie-Men" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Just kiddin', M93)

30 September 2010, 07:45

Huvius

quote:
You'll probably find that the 375 doesn't recoil nearly as much as your imagine has lead you to believe. That will likely lead you to bigger guns...

That's right.
The .375 is entirely manageable but that depends on the rifle. No need to be psyched out about it - it is really not that bad.
I have never owned a CZ, but the only .375H&H I ever owned was a Ruger No.1. Pretty high in the recoil dept. Not at all an enjoyable gun to shoot a lot.
In moderation, I have found most "big" guns are tolerable and enjoyable.

30 September 2010, 11:40

Precision Man

quote:
Originally posted by Huvius:
quote:
You'll probably find that the 375 doesn't recoil nearly as much as your imagine has lead you to believe. That will likely lead you to bigger guns...

That's right.
The .375 is entirely manageable but that depends on the rifle. No need to be psyched out about it - it is really not that bad.
I have never owned a CZ, but the only .375H&H I ever owned was a Ruger No.1. Pretty high in the recoil dept. Not at all an enjoyable gun to shoot a lot.
In moderation, I have found most "big" guns are tolerable and enjoyable.

The CZ 550 American Safari is more enjoyable than the "classic humpback/euro style stock" for my tastes. .375H&H doesn't have a really high recoil velocity so if the rifle is built properly it's not particular hard to shoot. I've a Rem in 300H&H and a .308 Mag that weigh about the same scoped and loaded and I find them both harder on my shoulder. Everybody has different recoil tolerances, but .375 is really mellow for a great all-arounder IMHO.

30 September 2010, 22:14

<Mike McGuire>

quote:
Originally posted by Gojoe:

Thanks for the Help-- Now to find 375 brass that will last forever and cost almost nothing, LOL

If you load the 375 to around its original ballistics and using 4350...about 2400 plus with 300 grainers and 2600 plus with the 270 grainers, neck size only then brass life will be very long.

On the other hand if you want to trade a bit of brass life for less recoil then duplicate the original ballistics with powders like 3031 or Varget.

01 October 2010, 16:51

jro45

I use IMR4350 Powder in my 375 H&H. I'll admit
some shells there isn't alot of room for the bullet.

01 October 2010, 17:29

<Mike McGuire>

quote:
Originally posted by jro45:
I use IMR4350 Powder in my 375 H&H. I'll admit
some shells there isn't alot of room for the bullet.

That's why the 375 Wby gets a bigger velocity increase than extra case capacity would first suggest. 4350 is a bit slow for the 375 H&H and the 4064/Varget burn rate is a bit fast for the 300 grainers.

01 October 2010, 22:29

Max Trauma

You are in trouble now. First you will shoot a couple of animals and see how effective a bigger caliber is. Then you will buy a bigger caliber and shoot more things. this cycle will repeat until you end up with a 600OK and are now very deppressed that there are no really big animals to kill and you will have to settle on those tiny elephants

05 October 2010, 23:30

Atkinson

Never hesitate to use your .375 on deer size game..It does not create as much bloodshot meat as a 270 or 243, try to keep bullets off the heavy bones and you can eat right up to the hole. It's a great all around rifle for the experienced shooter but it does have some recoil that some cannot tolerate, mostly because they have not trained themselves to tolerate recoil..

Many that shoot these big guns and profess no recoil problems actually flinch like a coyote in a steel trap. Test yourself from time to time by having someone load your gun or handing it too you empty before you shoot, never let a flinch develope as they are damn hard to get rid of once you develope one.

06 October 2010, 04:43

ScottS

Ray,

quote:
Many that shoot these big guns and profess no recoil problems actually flinch like a coyote in a steel trap.

Is that why so many of the big bore shooters here are such poor shots?

07 October 2010, 01:39

Atkinson

Actually I only have on the ground knowledge of a few AR guys shooting ability, the rest is heresay!

but the ones I know shoot well, well with a couple of exceptions!

08 October 2010, 03:39

Marty

Welcome to the club. You will love shooting that thing.

08 October 2010, 16:19

tetonka

+1 on sending the gun to AHR for a makeover after you have put lots of rounds thru it and know it well. Make sure it feeds rounds like smooth butter. You may want to consider the
CZ synthetic stock (only available from CZ) due
to Alaska weather conditions.
They always seem to be bad during a bear hunt.
Choose a scope with a long eye relief and a large field of view, like the Leupold 1.5x5 VXIII or the Trijicon 1X4 in 30mm or the 1.25x4 in a 1 inch tube. You will need a low power in the alders after bear.
Good Quick Detach rings (good ones) should be considered even though the gun may come with rings
Good rifle, good luck and good shooting.

Tetonka
DRSS

08 October 2010, 17:36

jro45

A 375 H&H is a great rifle. I own one. They say
it can kill a cape buffalo but I wouldn't use it
for that.

09 October 2010, 02:13

tetonka

It's all about shot placement.

Learn to shoot it well, respect its limitations
have fun hunting and it will kill anything you want. Practice, practice and more practice.
.375 is still economical if you shop carefully.

If you want a "stopping rifle" go .500 or bigger

Good shooting

Tetonka
DRSS