Thank Bob

I wish I could see lots of pictures of the two guns - different close ups. Drool over them, dream, drool, dream .....

quote:

Originally posted by Omnivorous_Bob:

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Absolutely gorgeous.

Who was the maker?

Thomas Bland c. 1887. When I went to Zim in 08 my battery was the 4 single, a light 10-bore double, and I borrowed a camp 375. That covered a lot of bases.
Bob

Finally got a photo of my .416 Rigby Mauser and .375 H&H Whitworth. Sorry about the busy background.

Bob, better keep your doors and windows locked....those rifles are Cal bait!

A big bore double and a scoped 375. My combo is a 450 NE and a scoped 375 HH.

I don't know why people mess around with other mediums for their big/med bore combos when the 375 covers off everything any heavy medium could ever do and then some. It's better than any 338 or 35 or 9.3 for that matter (manny reasons including being legal for DG but flat enough for long shots, all with comparable moderate recoil). Especially with modern mono bullets like the GSC 265grn HV and dial capable scopes. The 375 is now more than ever the one gun one planet cartridge.

Not to mention it does double duty for the best North American two gun battery 7mm rem mag and 375 HH. Pretty hard to beat that versatility, Pronghorn to Grizzly Bears

I toldja the list of good options is tremendous, all of which probably work fine, and why not its shot placement and bullet selection that counts.

So, merely personal preference differences, i.e., opinion differences, and a smattering of nostalgia.
You know about nostalgia, everybody has one.
There are no logical, rational arguments to compete with my carefully considered 2-rifle battery.
Assuming one is of sound mind and body, there is no contest.

It is a .375 Wby and a .458 WinMag Longclaw 3.6" that is the ultimate.

1. Practicality (useable ammo availability).

2. Redundancy (backup if one rifle goes TU).

3. Sufficiency (5000 to 6000 ft-lbs KE and meets all legal requirements).

4. Practicality again in the form of muscle memory/familiarity (both rifles may be identical except for chamber and bore,
you can even adjust them for balance and field ready weight to be identical).

The only competition for the above combo might be two .375 Wby rifles.
But there are prohibitions against bringing two rifles of the same chambering into some countries, unless you are Saeed.
Maybe that is what Walter is for?


Rip
.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
So, merely personal preference differences, i.e., opinion differences, and a smattering of nostalgia.
You know about nostalgia, everybody has one.
There are no logical, rational arguments to compete with my carefully considered 2-rifle battery.
Assuming one is of sound mind and body, there is no contest.

It is a .375 Wby and a .458 WinMag Longclaw 3.6" that is the ultimate.

1. Practicality (useable ammo availability).

2. Redundancy (backup if one rifle goes TU).

3. Sufficiency (5000 to 6000 ft-lbs KE and meets all legal requirements).

4. Practicality again in the form of muscle memory/familiarity (both rifles may be identical except for chamber and bore,
you can even adjust them for balance and field ready weight to be identical).

The only competition for the above combo might be two .375 Wby rifles.
But there are prohibitions against bringing two rifles of the same chambering into some countries, unless you are Saeed.
Maybe that is what Walter is for?




Rip
.

Oh Rip, you make a good point and hard to argue. But doubles are safer for DG and slightly improve your odds within 50 yards

300 RUM and 378 Wby

However, the 378 alone would serve you just as well -- exceptional range and hits like a Mack truck. I had a PH on a previous trip describe the shots as "deflating" the animals.

If hunting most of Southern Africa and pursuing DG plus PG a 375 H&H plus a 458 WM or Lott makes a lot of sense. Like others have said you can probably find ammo if yours does not arrive and the 375 can cover the 458 should it have problems. If you are hunting open country which does occur in Masailand for instance a 300 mag of some kind and a 375-458 would probably be better. My personal choice today might be the 375 WBY and my 458 WM about anywhere I was to hunt. Actually unless ele was on the agenda I might just take my 375 WBY with 270 TSX plus some solids and an extra scope and not worry about it.

Mark

Mark,

You are pretty smart.


Rip
.

RIP,

If only I could convince Sadie of that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THX

Mark

Ultimate "Two Caliber" Safari Battery
Mauser M 03 with 375 H&H and 404 Jeffery barrels!

A Blaser R8 with two .375 HH barrels.....

Even though I am here for more than a decade, after reading the answers, I do not have a feeling a significant mind changes has occurred. Probably less of the real big bores (45 and up)… What do you think?

Rusty, that gun is too pretty and unblemished. Let me break that thing in for you I won't even charge my usual safe queen rehab fee. Bubba special! This week only

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
.300 & .375 Weatherby.....

I like your style!

I just bought 2 M70 Classics, unfired in 300 Wby. One is getting the 375 treatment, both are getting stocks from the old New Haven custom shop.

quote:

Originally posted by MileHighShooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
.300 & .375 Weatherby.....

I like your style!

I just bought 2 M70 Classics, unfired in 300 Wby. One is getting the 375 treatment, both are getting stocks from the old New Haven custom shop.

Thanks for the complement.

I've been kicking around the idea of rechambering my m70 Safari Express to .375 Wby for sometime. Problem is the darn thing is so accurate as a .375 H&H I'm afraid to touch it.

Turning a .375 H&H M70 into a .375 Wby does not hurt the accuracy, in my experience.

Point of order:

A switch-barrel combo does not qualify for a TWO-RIFLE safari battery.
Just like one double-rifle does not qualify.

I still am not persuaded of anything better than a .375 Wby and a .458 WinMag.
Both with either 3.6" magazine box length (Winchester M70)
or both with 3.8" box (CZ 550 Magnum),
or whatever two identical actions have you,
to fit both cartridges.

Rip
.

OK, I'll loosen up a bit and say either a matched pair of .375 WbyMag and .458 Lott in 3.8" actions,
or a matched pair of .375 Wby and .458 WinMag in 3.6" actions would do.
It would be a tie for tops,
as long as the .458 Lott has had its throat lengthened with a .458 WinMag reamer.
I am serious.

Now that the matter is settled, next question:

What is the best single rifle for time-traveling dinosaur hunting?
An Apache helicopter with a 30mm chaingun?

Rip
.

Classic Africa had about 139 different species of huntable animals. That sadly has declined considerably mainly due to restricted access.

If one take those 139 species and categorize them to weight and size one would find a very skewed graph with the majority falling into a weight / size class that comfortably taken with a simple 30-06 class of cartridge. Actually other than Buffalo, hippo, rhino and elephant there is nothing out there that needs anything more than a 30-06 ! ( it is therefore not surprising to find that the 30-06 ranks as the most popular cartridge in terms of sale of all time)

So the question really goes to what is on the menu and if outliers both big or dangerous are on the one end or the tiny ten on the other are included there will be and can be one gun only and that is the 375H&H.

The 375 H&H has the capability is reaching deep into both ends of the spectrum. A low and slow loaded 375 H&H with a RN solid (NOT A FN Solid) is a excellent choice for the small guys and for the other side I have no hesitation whatsoever to use a 375 H&H in fact I would venture to state that I would put more faith into a one gun shooter who is 375 capable than others armed with really big cannons

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
Classic Africa had about 139 different species of huntable animals. That sadly has declined considerably mainly due to restricted access.

If one take those 139 species and categorize them to weight and size one would find a very skewed graph with the majority falling into a weight / size class that comfortably taken with a simple 30-06 class of cartridge. Actually other than Buffalo, hippo, rhino and elephant there is nothing out there that needs anything more than a 30-06 ! ( it is therefore not surprising to find that the 30-06 ranks as the most popular cartridge in terms of sale of all time)

So the question really goes to what is on the menu and if outliers both big or dangerous are on the one end or the tiny ten on the other are included there will be and can be one gun only and that is the 375H&H.

The 375 H&H has the capability is reaching deep into both ends of the spectrum. A low and slow loaded 375 H&H with a RN solid (NOT A FN Solid) is a excellent choice for the small guys and for the other side I have no hesitation whatsoever to use a 375 H&H in fact I would venture to state that I would put more faith into a one gun shooter who is 375 capable than others armed with really big cannons

I appreciate the statistics, and we can agree to disagree on some specifics.

Today, the 375 Ruger can take the place of an H&H, and while the 30-06 works great, I would be happier to see a 338WinMag or 375 for the light rifle. They do a better job anchoring and if and when marginal shot placement occurs. As for cannons and buffalo-class game, it goes without saying that a hunter must shoot the rifle until it is "just a rifle." (Yes, many a client may not fit that obvious qualification, but it remains true.) When a hunter grabs a rifle, it must be accurate and the biggest rifle that they shoot calmly and accurately. For most hunters with experience and training, that ideal rifle will probably be over 40-caliber.

Well most hunters know shot placement and bullet construction is the key to success but just for conversations sake,so why would where you hunt DG have anything to do with what caliber you choose? The word "stopper" is often used and abused IMO, a "stopper" is a rubber thingie that holds water in a tub. If your in the thick stuff your supposed to have a 600 N.E. and can shoot'em anywhere, I think not and belive a shot between the eyes is the best "stopper" in such a case,

Now, at long range its professed that we should use a smaller rifle on buffalo and elephant, well maybe on an internet conversation..Distance keep us safe?, so why is that since the bad boys always run into the thick stuff to die or ambush one, so how is that safe..

The best answer is a longer range big bore that one can shoot well in any situation..To me a 338 with solids or a 375 with same for the light rifle, or at least something that's good for PG but will do in pinch on an elephant, pure cowboy logic, and it always works? well, as well as can be expected, nothing works 110% is such contrived situations.

#1 - .375 Weatherby : range, practicality, can use .375 H&H in a pinch and can back up my .500 if something happened to it

#2 - .500 A-Square : great stopper with power to spare, rifle is light for caliber and not hard to carry, it's just alot more fun than my .458 Lott!

quote:

Originally posted by srshooter:
#1 - .375 Weatherby : range, practicality, can use .375 H&H in a pinch and can back up my .500 if something happened to it

#2 - .500 A-Square : great stopper with power to spare, rifle is light for caliber and not hard to carry, it's just alot more fun than my .458 Lott!

Wow.
Pretty close to how Ma and Pa Tanzan plan to head out into the bush:
Hers is a 375 Ruger (pretty much covers the 375 weatherby),
His is a 500 AccRel Nyati (pretty much covers the 500A2 unless the A2 is loaded well over 7000 ft#).

Wow.
Pretty close to how Ma and Pa Tanzan plan to head out into the bush:
Hers is a 375 Ruger (pretty much covers the 375 weatherby),
His is a 500 AccRel Nyati (pretty much covers the 500A2 unless the A2 is loaded well over 7000 ft#).[/QUOTE]

Yep, pretty close! I really like the .375 & .416 Ruger calibers. I may have to purchase one or both of them. Ruger had their heads on straight when they developed these 2.

Whitworth Mauser 98 416 Rem will handle plains game and dangerous game, while still being a very shootable rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Ultimate "Two Caliber" Safari Battery
Mauser M 03 with 375 H&H and 404 Jeffery barrels!

Rusty,

Now that's a great setup. Congrats on that combo. Beautiful!

My go-to battery:

Plains game/RSA
.375 H&H
.338 Federal

DG - buff & ele
.470 NE Heym double
.404 Jeffery

I also have a .458 Lott that I like, too.

Two barreled guns are cute, and that's about it! inasmuch as you never have the right barrel for the circumstance at hand...If in DG country always have the big bore in your hands so that voids the little gun..

I suspect RIP hit the nail on the head a 458 and a 375 makes a lot of since, but it would be boring and cause all manor of flaming on the internet! as would any choice, duh! so I'll stand sturdy and go with my .338 and 404 or 416 Rem. A 338 with a solid will out penetrate a 375 btw!!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Two barreled guns are cute, and that's about it! inasmuch as you never have the right barrel for the circumstance at hand...If in DG country always have the big bore in your hands so that voids the little gun..

I suspect RIP hit the nail on the head a 458 and a 375 makes a lot of since, but it would be boring and cause all manor of flaming on the internet! as would any choice, duh! so I'll stand sturdy and go with my .338 and 404 or 416 Rem. A 338 with a solid will out penetrate a 375 btw!!

Words of wisdom.

Rip
.

A Hagn action .375 H&H or Wby single shot

And either

.30-06 or .300 Win for most plains game

Or

.458 Win for buffalo and elephant. (Or a .450 NE or .450/.400 NE double)

Never having been I can only pontificate about what I'd take.

First choice

35 and 400 Whelen or

Classic

300 and 375 H&H or
275 Rigby and 404 Jeffery or

Winchester

264 and 458 Mags or

Doubles

9.3x74 and 500 NE

My finale choice:

I would take the 350 Rigby posted by Boom Stick and surefire 7 and stand before a herd of 20,000 elephants, if they would give me the gun..

That said and it will not happen, so I will take my old 404 Jefferys and my .338 Win. and call it the best of choices and of that I have no doubt!!

quote:

That said and it will not happen, so I will take my old 404 Jefferys and my .338 Win. and call it the best of choices and of that I have no doubt!!

That is basically equivalent to a 338WM and a 416Ruger
(for when I downsize my 500 or 416Rigby). I can see this in our future.
416 is good for impala, lot's of blood spore.
This is a 416 entry:


And we hope that next year opens up for my wife to use her 375 Ruger locally.
I think she will be a one-gun African girl, unless in the future we would have a lot of opportunity for small stuff (oribi, reedbuck, impala, geese) and a 243 might work its way over. For hartebeest and larger she is well off with the Ruger, 1/2-3/4 MOA with 250gnTTSX.

The above are my personal choices, but not necessarily the most logical.
On strictly logic for all-around coverage I might recommend a
375 Ruger (H&H could be substituted but usually comes in a heavier rifle) and a
458 Win.
The rifle should be easy carrying, for walking in the forest:


Both 375 and 458 are buffalo legal should a malfunction occur. The 458 with solids can take absolutely anything out to 200 yards. With 400 grain GSC it becomes a plains gun out to 300 yards.
The 375Ruger can be hand loaded with 200grain GSC's for flat-shooting small stuff and 250TTSX for plains game out to 400 yards. And the Nosler 260 solid is a great complement to the 250TTSX or 270LRX.

quote:

Originally posted by JabaliHunter:
A Hagn action .375 H&H or Wby single shot

And either

.30-06 or .300 Win for most plains game

Or

.458 Win for buffalo and elephant. (Or a .450 NE or .450/.400 NE double)

Close enough, my choice is

1) .300Win
2) .458Win

A .470 NE and .375H&H served me well on my first safari.






I'll probably go to a .30-ish cal bolt gun and the .375 for subsequent hunts. I loved taking buffalo with the double, but there's just no doubt that I shoot a (smaller) bolt gun better. Probably going to go chase plains game on the next one, so no "big bore" required, necessarily.

Depending on the terrain hunted.

300 H&H
458 WM

300 H&H
500 Nitro

300 H&H
577 Nitro

Always thought the 375 coupled with a 450 would be the ultimate combo...until I actually took that setup on a safari to TZ. For what I hunted and where I hunted the 375 proved far less than my ideal plains game rig. For that country my 300mag served far better as the light rifle. In country with thicker cover and closer shots the 375 would be fine but my #1 safari rig will always be a 300mag plus a 416 or 450. Loaded with tough bullets like a Barnes TSX or the old WW Fail Safe I’d never fear getting caught out in the bush with the “wrong” rifle. That combo has put more than one buffalo down quite handily.

Since I need my heavy rifle to be versatile I would go with my 416 Taylor 400 gr TSX and a Luepold 1.5-5 with back up irons.

For my second rifle either my 275 Rigby AI, my Dauer 200 in 30/06 or my Sauer in 8x68S.

My reasoning is that I will shoot a lot more plains game on any more safaris I ever take than I will ever be able to afford DG.

The 416 can always take something smaller in a pinch and I will just have to live with the fact that I won’t have overlapping versatility like some of the rest of you.

Also my choices were from what I own and not what I want to own some day.



For a pure DG hunt it would be my 416 Taylor and my Kreighoff 470 double.



For a pure plains trip which would be my 3rd my likely choices would be a 264 WM and 120’s at about Warp 7 and a 9.3x62.

quote:

Originally posted by John S:
Always thought the 375 coupled with a 450 would be the ultimate combo...until I actually took that setup on a safari to TZ. For what I hunted and where I hunted the 375 proved far less than my ideal plains game rig. For that country my 300mag served far better as the light rifle. In country with thicker cover and closer shots the 375 would be fine but my #1 safari rig will always be a 300mag plus a 416 or 450. Loaded with tough bullets like a Barnes TSX or the old WW Fail Safe I’d never fear getting caught out in the bush with the “wrong” rifle. That combo has put more than one buffalo down quite handily.

Next time, hand-load the 375 with 250gnTTSX bullets at 2800-2850fps and you're good to 400 yards.
(PS: this recommendation is from someone who would prefer a .338" 225TTSX at 2825fps.)