As I await the arrival of the cz 550 I've ordered, I thought I'd pick up some ammo to be able to test fire it ASAP. I went to Galyans and picked up two boxes of Federal Classic .375 H&H for $25 each. I am mostly interested in obtaining the the brass to reload so I wasn't concerned about bullet quality. However, given the reasonable price, I'd like to know if the forum members have any experience with these 300 gr softpoints. If they are of reasonable effectiveness, I'm inclined to keep some "in stock" for when I'm too lazy to load a premium bullet reload. This would likely be for whitetails or hogs. Anything bigger, elk, etc. would be on a trip planned well in advance so I would have time to load/buy a better bullet. I know .375 is overgunned for deer/hogs, but you hunt what's available and I need to use my new toy!

citori3, the only Federal Classic ammo for 375H&H I have personally used was with their 270 gr HIGH SHOCK bullet. I shot a couple large Caribou with them, both one shot kills. One at around 200 yds, and the other at about 250 yds. The bullets worked great, and I see no reason for the 300 gr bullets to be different.

I normally use nothing but 300 gr bullets in my 375 H&H rifles, and My favorite Factory ammo consists of two brands, with two 300 gr premium bullts in them. The Remington "SAFARI GRADE", with 300 gr Swift A-Frames, and the Federal Premium Safari, with 300 gr Nosler Partitions. Of those two, my choice is, the Federal Premium Safari/Nosler Partition ammo!

The Federal Classic 300 gr. RN bullets shot great out of my gun also. I was able to consistently shoot 1" groups with them, so I decided that I would take them to Africa on a plains game hunt and give them a try. I used them to take one impala, a bushbuck and a waterbuck. I was able to recover bullets from the impala and the waterbuck. Both bullets failed to achieve complete penetration on shots under 50 yards. I only found the bullet jacket in the impala, although there was no exit hole. The shot was high in the shoulder. The waterbuck was shot in the neck because it was the best shot avaliable. the bullet was found under the skin on the off side, the core and jacket had seperated. My PH could not believe that the bullets performed so poorly and even asked that I switch to my 300 H&H for the rest of the hunt. When I got home I contacted Federal and was advised that they made the bullets used in their Classic ammo (I thought they used Hornady bullets, which was why I was comfortable using the ammo to begin with). I then sent an e-mail to them and attached digital photos of the recovered bullets. I never got a reply. I would still use the ammo for zeroing my scope but never again on game. Just my 2 cents worth.

Jon

[ 09-27-2002, 12:45: Message edited by: Jon Sabo ]

MOA almost every time out of my particular rifle. Great ammo

I've had good luck with both the plain jane 270gr softs from Remington and the Federal Premium 300 Noslers in my Dakota.

Citori3,

Since buying my Browning A-Bolt stainless stalker, I've put about 50 rounds each of the Federal Hi Shok soft points in 270 and 300 gr through the gun. After getting the gun zeroed, both loads go into 1 inch or less if I do my part. My Browning has the brake installed and shooting these loads seem to have less bite then a 300 Win. I use to shoot a lot. Have not used these on game. Hopefully later.

Good luck with your CZ. If they made the 550 in a left handed action, I would buy one.

Roger QSL

I would not go to Africa without premium bullets in any caliber, cheap insurance for a good hunt IMO....

Federal makes premium ammo for just a few dollars difference, compare that to a $10,000 or more Safari, that can be ruined or at least damaged by a cheap bullet.....Makes no since to me.

Ray,

Trust me, When my safari time comes I'll be carrying premium ammo. I was thinking of the low end federal loads for game far less challenging for the 375 to put down. (Whitetail/feral hogs)

I'm always amazed that folks will cut corners on ammo to save afew bucks when they spend thousands on a trip. I see this even on upland shotgunning outings.

My experience has been that there is no such thing as bullet failure in a 375 H&H on non-dangerous game, 300 grs. of exploding anything will kill pretty well...the bullet may come apart but thats a lot of bullet coming apart and the results are normally spectacular killing power but much ruined meat...

I have only had one bullet failure with a 375 H&H in my lifetime and that was with an old very early Sierra and it near blew a deer in half..I had a simular experience with an old Nosler in a 338....but that was years ago.....

Do you really need a premium bullet in .375 when shooting impala, bushbuck or even waterbuck? I knew what was on my trophy list and I saw no reason to think that a non-premium roundnose bullet would not work on the animals I had selected. The bullets did in fact work, all three animals shot went straight to the ground. I posted my results because Citori3 asked if anyone had any experience with the bullets. If you ask for results and then criticize people when they give them to you you will find yourself getting a lot fewer responses. And just so you know, I also had Federal Premium .375 H&H ammo with the 300 gr. Nosler Partitions with me. The bullet did a terrific job on a cape buffalo, performing exactly like I expected it to. I did not "cut corners to save a few dollars" I used ammo based on the game I was shooting.

Ray
I have always respected what you had to say but I have to tell you that this time you seemed to contradict yourself. You stated that you would not go to Africa without premium bullets in any caliber, that it makes no sense to you. Then you go on to say in your next post that there is no such thing as bullet failure in the .375 H&H on non-dangerous game, 300 grs. of anything will kill pretty well. Then you state that the results are normally spectacular killing power... Tell me then, if you believe that then why criticize someone who uses a non-premium bullet on medium size, non-dangerous game? I was not hunting kudu, eland or wildebeest, and I certainly would not use the ammo on game of that size. Would you use Hornady bullets (which I though Federal used) either handloaded or in their Heavy Magnum factory ammo? What about the 300 gr. FMJ that Hornady makes, that is not a premium bullet but I hear so many people say how great it is. Lets try not to criticize people who don't do things the way you think they should be done, remember we have all made mistakes and learned from them.

Jon

[ 09-29-2002, 08:15: Message edited by: Jon Sabo ]

John Sabo,

My apologies! Please don't take my comments as an insult.

You gave me the response I was looking for and expected, and I am appreciative. It sounds like you and others believe that the Federal Classics are OK for lighter or non dangerous game but the dangerous heavy game (buffalo) would warrant a premium bullet. My comments about carrying premium bullets in Africa presumed pursuit of dangerous game and were not directed at your use of the Federals on plains game. I wouldn't think of criticizing you, or others with greater experience than me, that take the time to respond to my inquiries.

I would not presume to speak for him, but I suspect Ray was responding in the same manner.

Citori3,

I appreciate your comments, guess I may have come back a bit strong. Actually, after my experience I would not recommend the Federal Classics even for use on non-dangerous game. I used them primarily because I ,erroneously, thought they used Hornady bullets and because they shot well in my gun. After examining the recovered bullets I am thankful that I never used them on game larger then what I did. If you like I will e-mail you the pictures of the recovered bullets. I still believe that you can use quality non-premium bullets in Africa, but only in a limited scope. If you are unsure of what you will be hunting, knowing that you may shoot anything from a steinbuck to an eland , then I fully recommend that you use premium bullets. Next year I will be going to Namibia; hunting kudu, zebra, gemsbok etc., you can be sure I will be using premium ammo then.

Jon Sabo

Joh sabo, I appreciate your having taken the time to let us have some real first-hand knowledge on bullet performance on game, which most of us won't have an opportunity to observe! Guess I'll just stick to Nosler Partition bullets in most calibers, as they seem to work pretty well most of the time!!

I concur with the above, and I'm a big fan of roundnose/blunt/wadcutter type bullets for heavy game. I've fired 4 at DG, 1 produced a 1.5"x2" enterance and 2" exit, 2 made a .375 enterance and had only fragments exit, and one made a tiny enterance wound and failed to exit. Too inconsistant for me (didn't have a choice that trip) I think the bullet style is great, just needs a much thicker jacket. It should be great for thin skinned game though, and plan to try it out asap-Omnivorous Rob

Jon Sabo, I think you are takeing arrows that weren't shot at you! I saw nothing to draw the ire you display, but then I'm not in your skin!

I think Citori3 was very wise to agree with Ray, who, by the way, did not contradict himself. I don't see how stateing a bullet from a 375 H&H that blows up, and kills instantly, and the premiums do a better job, is contradictory. The reasons, He stated: The blowups destroy a lot of meat, the premiums do not, the blowups destroy trophies, the premiums do not! Both kill fine, but what you have left is the difference!

I've bought, and shot, a bunch of Federal 270's, out of a CZ 550 Safari mag 375 H&H.

I suspect the load is hotter then it should be, or, they are using a cheap powder.

I would like to see chrono's on the stuff.

Recoils a bit more then I would like, and, at the speed it's going, out of a 25 inch barrel, it's too fast for the bullet construction.

I suspect it would blow apart, and not penetrate on buffalo, or any, really tough game, and, on light skin game, put a large, straight through hole, or, possibly, blow up on bone.

For the money, it's hard to beat, and, if your life isn't on the line, and you don't mind an extra bit of recoil, works fine.

For long range game, it might be REALLY good.

A 270 grain bullet, going 2700+ out of a 25 inch barrel, might be just fine for 200-300 yard shots at large animals.

Could you make a better round? Yes. But, considering the price, it isn't bad.

s

If you want to use them on paper to get practice or brass I figure that is fine. I fail to see why not use a good premium on most game. Sure they cost a buck a piece. Sometimes 2 or 3. What did you spend on lunch yesterday at micky D's? It probably matters some if you are culling and a running through 50 or so rounds a night. Most of us are shooting 10-30 animals a year. I didn't spent $30 at lunch but I did spend more than that taking wife to dinner. Deer die pretty well using Swift A-Frames. The Hornadays Kill them well too but the meat is torn up more. Find a load that works with a good premium, load up about 50 and you are set to go for a long time of hunting. The trick is finding a hunting load and practice load that shoot the same. Good hunting. "D"