375 H&H in North America

This caliber is really creeping into my head. Its original loading included a 235 grain bullet - similar velocity and sectional density to the '06 150 grain (great for deer). The 270 grain is also similar in velocity and SD to the '06 180 grain (great for moose). With the increased frontal diameter it must do a great job, so why not here? I think I am supported in this view considering that a lot of the PG in Africa is 500lbs and under and the 375 is considered great. This caliber should not be considered an Africa only caliber or one that is too much for the game here.

The problem is I do not think there is a factory 235 grain option, so is 270 or 300 grain better for the smaller game? Is it the 270 grain as it would allow for a longer shot? On the other hand, I understand it is the 300 grain that is prefered on the smaller game as it does not create a large exit wound. I would appreciate your thoughts as I suspect my new found love will force my 06 into long term storage!

Barnes if I'm not mistaken makes a 235gr TSX. I would use the 250gr TTSX or North Fork Bonded Core for elk or moose without hesitation. 270 or 300gr for grizzly. Going back to the east coast, while it would be far more than needed, a solid on whitetail would I think do the trick without destroying much meat. Certainly a far better choice than a light for cal frangible bullet out of one of the magnums.

I have used the 375H&H exclusively this hunting season to test the theory.
Thus far, one grouse and four deer have encountered a single 250 grain TTSX.
Exit wounds have not been that large. However, the internal damage has been significant.
Deer shots taken: 80 yard Neck, 150 yard double lung, 40 yard head and 15 yard heart.

The neck meat for five inches around the bullet path was not recoverable.
The shoulder bone damage caused some waste.
The last two left no more meat damage than any other caliber I have ever used. (obviously)

SHOT PLACEMENT is the ONLY thing that is going to save meat with this caliber.

Also, make sure there is nothing of consequence behind your target. The bullet is going through.

A few grains difference in bullet weight will not save the steaks.
(Maybe the solid, but where will it stop?)

BRICKBURN, it stops in the blesbuck In some cases I think the 375H&H just packs too much punch for meduim and small game, over penetration can be a big issue with premuim ammo and a good back stop is a must. I managed to shoot a zebra right on the shoulder with a Swift A frame, breaking both shoulders and dropping the zebra, the bullet however held a straight line of flight and hit a blesbuck just below the neck, it penetrated just about the full lenght of the blesbuck, I cut the bullet out just below the the skin on the hind leg. Now taking into consideration the bullet must have expanded after the zebra and still flew 100+ meter to hit the blesbuck with that type of penetration. I have also seen the opposite durring a cull hunt were I could not shoot through a Kudu's head with the ammo I used. If you are going to use the 375 on small to meduim game, bullet choice is going to be critical.

The .375 will indeed work decisively as a PG rifle. However, it makes the most sense to me when used where DG is also on the shooting list - or in PG areas where dangerous game can be encountered. Secondly, in most African hunting scenarios the client is most concerned about not losing a game animal - remember a drop of blood equals a trophy fee. The .375 offers a bit of extra insurance against a badly placed bullet (a gut shot animal is indeed a gut shot animal regardless of cal, but that almost certain two-inch exit wound greatly increases the likelihood of recovery) Finally, meat utilization is less critical than trophy recovery - not necessarily the same on a local deer hunt. When it comes to rifles and game, I am all about proportion. My favorite deer round is the .270. My favorite for elk and big far mullies a .300 mag (I like the H&H) or the .338.

But what the heck use the .375 if you wish to do so. It will work and it is good practice for that eventual trip across the water. And you will be ready when that enraged whitetail or moose charges

Double Tap also offers a 235 grain load with Barnes TSX bullets. I am going to use these for lion and plains game on safari in South Africa this summer. 3105 fps. Trajectory is equivalent to 150 grain out of 300 Win Mag, just a lot more shock.

What fantastic info! Thanks.

My biggest anxiety is in regards to recovery, particularly when the next field could be private property and/or its late etc. Also, let's not forget my basic laziness and not wanting to look too hard after the shot . My hope is greater blood loss means less tracking. Also, those damn squirrels that give me away when I am in the woods, I am sure they are the early warning system! No such thing as over penetration with them!

I have had great success on deer and pigs with the 235gr Speer and Barnes X over 65gr of IMR 4895.

Nice shooting load, minimal meat damage, dumps critters well.

I am betting the 260gr Partition at about 2,400 would make a sweet woods load, too. Good killer without making a mess.

I've only taken one elk with the 375 (300gr Partition), but it did well there too!

The reason I must make at least two trips to Africa hunting is that I am taking my 300 H&H on the first trip. I cannot die without hunting Africa with a 375.

Pheroze said:

The problem is I do not think there is a factory 235 grain option, so is 270 or 300 grain better for the smaller game? Is it the 270 grain as it would allow for a longer shot? On the other hand, I understand it is the 300 grain that is prefered on the smaller game as it does not create a large exit wound.

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To use the 375 H&H with best results in NA, you really need to load your own, IMO.

Once you start the handloading game, you will realize the full spectrum of utility afforded by this great old cartridge!

BRICKBURN said:

I have used the 375H&H exclusively this hunting season to test the theory.
Thus far, one grouse and four deer have encountered a single 250 grain TTSX.
Exit wounds have not been that large. However, the internal damage has been significant.
Deer shots taken: 80 yard Neck, 150 yard double lung, 40 yard head and 15 yard heart.

The neck meat for five inches around the bullet path was not recoverable.
The shoulder bone damage caused some waste.
The last two left no more meat damage than any other caliber I have ever used. (obviously)

SHOT PLACEMENT is the ONLY thing that is going to save meat with this caliber.

Also, make sure there is nothing of consequence behind your target. The bullet is going through.

A few grains difference in bullet weight will not save the steaks.
(Maybe the solid, but where will it stop?)

Click to expand...

Ok stupid question du hour - the Hornady manual has a reduced load. Could you load down to make the power more appropriate for the quarry? Or is the practical implication that your trajectory suffers too greatly?

Pheroze said:

Ok stupid question du hour - the Hornady manual has a reduced load. Could you load down to make the power more appropriate for the quarry? Or is the practical implication that your trajectory suffers too greatly?

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I am not smart enough to screw around with recipes. Nor brave enough.

After contacting Barnes I extrapolated the proper load from the manual they provided and found the most ACCURATE load and that is what I use. Phil may be able to advise you better on the recipe change up theory.

There is a reason I stock 20 different powders.

With a combination of knowledge and creativity, I can create loads with widely varying power levels that exhibit acceptable consistency.

Gallery loads in the basement with the 7mm Mag, squirrel hunting with a 458 Win Mag, deer hunting with the 375 & 458, etc.

Yes, you cannot deny the laws of nature. Physics and chemistry can be unforgiving. But so long as you work with those limitations in mind, there is a good bit of leeway, particularly to the downside (you will never hear me talk about turning my 22 Hornet into an elk rifle!).

Oh, and I highly recommend the use of a chronograph when developing any load, but especially when traveling off the thoroughly beaten path.

tarbe said:

Oh, and I highly recommend the use of a chronograph when developing any load, but especially when traveling off the thoroughly beaten path.

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That tool is indispensable.

The only reason I have ever worked up reduced loads was when I was "breaking in" my youngest boy to shooting. I had him shooting a .308 at 10 years old and wanted to ensure I didn't cause him to develop a flinch.

When I develop a load for hunting, accuracy comes first. If the most accurate load is somewhat slower than expected, so be it. If the most accurate load is exceeding the expect velocities, well that's great. If the most accurate load is slower than expected by 75fps or more, then I'm looking to change powder and/or bullet.

So good accuracy with velocity within the ballpark of expected and I'm good to go.

Pheroze, I think you may be driving yourself a little nuts with this by over analyzing it. Pick a good bullet for the size of your game and/or the distances you'll be shooting and work up a load. Don't shoot into the meat you want to eat. Go hunting and be happy!

BRICKBURN said:

That tool is indispensable.

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+1. The chrono will reveal things you'd otherwise not see.

Just bought a Ruger No1 in .375 HH. Production numbers put manufacture around 1977-78, finish is at least 98%, fixed 2.5 power scope. Shooting 250gr Remington SP, xring accuracy at 50yds on .22 rimfire targets. Ringing gong at 200 yards with no adjustment. Awesome rifle, awesome round. Have wanted one for years, cant wait to head back to Namibia with it.

Pheroze,

RE: The .375 H&H for N. America,

Here in Alaska, the .375 H&H is hugely popular with many hunters and big game guides as well (some fishing guides too for that matter, due to our fish loving grizzly population.)
Even old fashioned JSP type bullets usually hold together well in this caliber when impacting heavy shoulder bone of bears, moose, bison.

I suspect this is because most .375 diameter bullets were designed for factory spec H&H velocity or in some brands, even more velocity (Barnes TSX / TTSX, Swift A-Frame and a couple others), such as what the Weatherby, Ultra Mag and Spazzeroni cartridges produce (for those hunters who do not for believe for some strange reason that H&H dead is really quite dead enough).
Yours truly tends to load more for accuracy than for speed these days.

Therefore, when loaded half way down the page or lower in any reloading manual, even the old fashioned bullets like I prefer (the dreaded "cup & core" type), tend to hold together extremely well.
Yet at .37 caliber to begin with, they often drop even large animals like moose and eland swiftly (presuming a proper vital hit of course).

Generally speaking I prefer the 300 gr Hornady RNSP at 2400 fps but also I have had excellent results with the good old Nosler Partition 300 gr at the same speed.

Likewise, I have hunted deer and caribou with both 235 gr Speer semi-spitzer, as well as the old Winchester 270 gr "Power Point" bullets, the "Power Points" were in factory loaded/factory velocity version.

All of those have kept my stew pot boiling very well but that round nose 300 gr load is the best I've tried on non-dangerous animals large and small (but I bet it'd be a fine grizzly / lion getter).
The blunt shape I believe has much to do with its effectiveness but, I have no statistics, graphs or computer printouts to prove this.
In my case, it is just the impression I have from hunting with that bullet/load compared to others I have also hunted with.

Furthermore, even though it is super effective on the N. Am. as well as African animals I have shot with it, still it does not produce huge amounts of bloodshot meat.
No doubt this factor is a result of the rather tame velocity which I load it to.

Last but not least, the lighter more pointy bullets of course fly a bit flatter and loaded to higher velocity, as you mentioned earlier, can shoot about exactly the same flat trajectory as the .30-06 (plenty flat for open country in other words).
The 300 gr round nose at 2400 fps is easy to get the hits with out to about 300 yds but mean old Mr Gravity begins to take over more and more about then.

Cheerio,
Velo Dog.

PHOENIX PHIL said:

The only reason I have ever worked up reduced loads was when I was "breaking in" my youngest boy to shooting. I had him shooting a .308 at 10 years old and wanted to ensure I didn't cause him to develop a flinch.

When I develop a load for hunting, accuracy comes first. If the most accurate load is somewhat slower than expected, so be it. If the most accurate load is exceeding the expect velocities, well that's great. If the most accurate load is slower than expected by 75fps or more, then I'm looking to change powder and/or bullet.

So good accuracy with velocity within the ballpark of expected and I'm good to go.

Pheroze, I think you may be driving yourself a little nuts with this by over analyzing it. Pick a good bullet for the size of your game and/or the distances you'll be shooting and work up a load. Don't shoot into the meat you want to eat. Go hunting and be happy!

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I laughed out load because I have a terrible habit of analyzing issue to the point of distraction!

Again, I am very indebited to you all and the fact you folks take the time to share your experience.

I got into law because I am crap at science, so I think the idea of fooling with chemistry and physics is a receipie for a rather spectaular failure! And, if the 300 gr round nose is good to 300 yeards that is plenty for me.

btw BRICKBURN, I was reading your post again and I got to wonder....exactly how big is your freezer? Or, did you make room by giving the grouse to a relative to freeze?

The unsung hero of .375 bullets is the Speer 235gr. Driven too fast it comes apart on anything bigger then deer. Keep it in the 2600-2700fps range and you've got a reliable killer for bigger N.American game, too. Great penetration AND expansion. I used it on quite a few elk and black bear during my younger years and it never failed to perform. Bought online they're $20 per 50 and that's a bargain considering what large caliber slugs usually go for.