Just returned from a range session with my M70 .375 H&H. I was testing some Swift A-frames, Old stlye Barnes RN solids and some of the Nosler FN solids. Winchester brass, win magnum primers and IMR 4064. All loads shot into about the same group at 50 yards (iron sights off the bench) The Solids all grouped together with the Swift A-frames about 3/4 to 1 inch higher centered in the group. Has anyone experience with these Nosler solids on buffalo, hippo, giraffe and possible elephant? I do like the look of these and they seem to be a bit more compatable than the Barnes banded solids with the Swift bullets in getting them to group into the same poi. They also fed like greased weasels in my rifle. Would like to hear from some that have used them in the field.

A couple questions/comments.

Did the solids feed like greased lightning when you were working the bolt as fast as greased lightning? I don't think I've ever seen anyone at the range feeding their rifle like greased lightning. Might be a good idea to do that at home to see if they feed.

In my experiences of others experiences one should be careful shooting solids in a .375 H&H, for anything other than elephant. The typical .375 solid has high penetration which can get one in trouble when shooting at game, as they will usually whiz right through even buffalo and wind up wounding anything in the background.

I have chastised many PH's about this and their retort is shooting buff that are running away wounded require solids. Even in the unlikely event that the client or PH can hit a buff running away a good soft like the Swift will do as much damage.

If the clients would shoot buff in the right place the manufacturers wouldn't need to make solids for clients that can't shoot and hence feel better if they have solids in their rifles. Why one could shoot solids better than softs escapes me.

This ranting is not directed at you but I would not worry about an inch of group separation considering the globally sized dimension of the task at hand.

Good luck.

Rant on Willie boy, and although I certainly respect your experience in hunting Africa, I still like solids in a .375 but I don't herd hunt buffalo as a rule, I hunt mostly old dagga boys. On frontal shots on buffalo, even the super premium 375s have been known to slide to the side and go between the shoulder and rib cage, not good at all..I have experienced this on 3 seperate ocassions of late. The other option is the wonderful 350 gr. Woodleighs.

But to solve all disagreements and old world arguements and put your rant at ease I suggest that anyone using the .375 on DG use Northfork cup points, they work on everything from plains game to buffalo, and penetrate like a solid and kill like a soft...I have not used them on elephant.

All that said, I think since the poster has a solid and a soft that shoot to the same POI, thus he has answered his own question..It will work. I have never seen any solid fail on buffalo and few, if any, today fail on elephant

Contrary to old wisdom most 375s will not shoot a solid and a soft together or shoot all loads to the same POI and has been reported on more than a few ocassions..Jack O was wrong on that one me thinks.

Well, mine does but I don't dare think that it is somehow typical.

Thank's for the feedback. Retested some loads with Reloader 15 and the results were quite good, but in my rifle, the edge while slight is still with IMR4064 (which also works very good in my M70 .416 Rem) On the last Zim hunt, I used the Barnes 270gr TSX and their 300gr banded solid. Bullets worked very well but I was not happy with the grouping, the banded solids poi was several inches left and a bit low at 100 yards. Had to remember to shade right with the soilds. Bit complicated in the field with a nice giraffe over the sights. Saw the new Nosler solid and thought I'd run it along side the Swift A-frame. Well, they do group together and I have not heard too many dump on the performance of the Swift. While the Nosler has a smaller metplat than the Barnes it is still a good diameter: Barnes=.250, Trophy Bonded=.230 and Nosler=.225 The Nosler has a slightly sharper radius than the Trophy Bonded. I hope to get some responces from some hunters that have had field experience with these bullets. I'll do some load development and check them with the chrono and get both bullets going at 2500fps and probably call the .375 good to go. Will, at the end of the last session I ran 2 groups of softs and solids offhand, rapid fire at 25 meters and the Nosler's chambered without a bobble right after the Swift A-frames.

quote:

has been reported on more than a few ocassions..Jack O was wrong on that one me thinks.

Be careful Ray, he'll be turning over in his grave with that kinda talk.

Kiwi,old chap,
He might very well be rolling over in his grave as he was a "my way or the highway" kind of guy by nature, and for that I give him 5 stars, in fact he gets 5 stars in my book on most things, but not on that one..

375eg,
IMR-4064 has been the standard by which all 375 powders are judged by, so your in good hands. It has been my accuracy load in almost every .375 that I have owned over the years..I still use it a lot, but I also really like RL-15. The .375 isn't a picky round, it seems to shoot well with about anything you can stuff in the case from dead cats to angel hair.