375 Bullet Velocity

[High Desert Hunter]

Just curious what velocity everyone prefers for their 375? I have been shooting a 375 Ruger for about 8 years now, and I generally load 260gr Partitions to 2800fps, 270gr Hornady bullets to 2700fps, and bullets of the 300gr variety to 2600/2650 fps. I shoot a lot of cast bullets for fun trigger time, 280gr at 2200 fps.

Dave

 

[YancyW]

235's just under 3000
270's around 2750
300's it really depends on the bullet.

 

[fourfive8]

300s @ ~ 2500

 

[Tanks]

People shoot their .375s?

 

[Sabattiboy]

I created a 375 cartridge from a 300 Win Mag in 1989 to use in an 03A3 Springfield action. At the time there were no standard action 375 caliber rounds on the market. I used the Speer manual of the day as a guide for 375 H&H velocity then developed my round to match. Hornady bullets worked perfectly to hold a 3.340 oal. The case capacity was nearly as much as the H&H because there was little case taper. The NRA put out a paperback book on reloading that had the formulas for load and pressure development. Now one can buy software to do all that.
The gist of this being that manufactured ammo used to give the velocity on the box and various books published that info as well. Around 1983 I purchased an Oehler chronograph and collected data off factory ammo in my guns only to find it didn't match the published fps. Some companies used 30 inch barrels on their pressure guns etc. I fit my barrel at 26 inches when most factory rifles would likely have been 24 inches. Some loading manuals of those days gave extrapolated charge weights that had no chance of fitting in the case.
All this to say published data for the 375 H&H that I've seen today is usually 100 or more fps lower then what used to be said. I wonder if it ever was that high. My cartridge performs very much like the Ruger 375 so am certain the data claimed is possible.
Do I think a 300 grain 375 is less deadly at 2400 fps then 2600? I don't. If I or anyone else develop their skills with any cartridge at any distance that will provide proper killing energy for the animal they are hunting they will hit what they shoot at where they want to hit it.
I let some guys that hunted with the 375 H&H shoot my wildcat rifle and they said it kicked more then an H&H. That makes me wonder if the old published 375 H&H velocity was inflated.
In the late 1990's I fired a 378 Weatherby and it was brutal with said to be 95 ft lbs recoil.
It cost as much to buy the parts and tooling as would have bought a new 375 H&H rifle but never would have learned as much as I did or had as much fun with the process.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

I believe in bullet placement over velocity, took me a few years to really understand this and why maximum velocity isn't always best. Back in the 90s, my Uncle had a Browning A Bolt chambered in 375 H&H, 300gr bullets chronographed at 2450 from the 24" barrel, they sure did a number on elk, Federal factory ammunition if I remember correctly. I have learned to chase accuracy, and to not obsess over speed.

 

[Frederik]

Anything between 2400-2500fps is going to kill with a 300gr any bullet going over 2500fps puts unneeded stress on the bullet and thats where bullet failure shows its head on non mono type bullets.
Unless you have a full magnum action and the magazine box also allows its very difficult to push as 300gr TSX even beyond 2500fps due to bullet lengths and case cacapcity unless you wnat to red line and go over max on your reloads.

My favorite hunting load at the moment is 300gr Woodleigh HD bullets they are the black coloured bullets thicker jacket and they run at 2475fps works great.

Pleas note all above if the H&H not the Ruger.

 

[bruce moulds]

muzzle velocity in only important as the baseline for what you really need, which is striking velocity.
my own experience is that the higher the striking velocity, the better the killing power, subject to the bullet used being suited to that velocity.
bullets slow down, so the further you shoot, the faster you need to start them in order to get meaningful speed at striking range.
then you need enough speed to make the bullet work properly on top of the above.
my own 375 was loaded with 300 gn bullets at over 2550 for a balance of easy pressures and reasonable trajectory.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The 375 Flanged Magnum at 2400fps for a 300 grain bullet has done incredibly well for over 100 years, so why push any harder? Adequate is a lovely word.

 

[BeeMaa]

muzzle velocity in only important as the baseline for what you really need, which is striking velocity.
my own experience is that the higher the striking velocity, the better the killing power, subject to the bullet used being suited to that velocity.
bullets slow down, so the further you shoot, the faster you need to start them in order to get meaningful speed at striking range.
then you need enough speed to make the bullet work properly on top of the above.
my own 375 was loaded with 300 gn bullets at over 2550 for a balance of easy pressures and reasonable trajectory.

There you go making sense again. Well said.

The proper impact velocity RANGE for a given bullet is what has driven the premium bullet market for years. The 375 caliber is normally used to take game anywhere from 10 yards (solids for Elephant) out to 250 yards. As hunters, we need to be responsible enough to be using the proper bullets for the given distance on the game being hunted.

The most often mentioned premium bullets for the 375 are the Swift A-Frame, Barnes TSX/TTSX, Norma Oryx, TBBC and solids like the Woodleigh Hydro. All of these offer a wide range of impact velocity for their given weights and incredible terminal performance.

 

[Tanks]

The 375 Flanged Magnum at 2400fps for a 300 grain bullet has done incredibly well for over 100 years, so why push any harder? Adequate is a lovely word.

Well a synonym for "adequate" is "mediocre". Some will never settle for that.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

In my 375 Ruger with a 23 inch barrel:

300 gr Swift A-Frames 2550 fps
250 gr Hornady GMX 2800 fps

 

[sphillips]

300 A-Frames @ ~ 2650 FPS. Cape Buffalo @80 +/- yards. I’ll admit I may not have the bullets in correct order but my 1st shot was center chest. 2nd one in shoulder which put him down. 3rd shot was insurance.

 

[bruce moulds]

2400 is probably all you need in an iron sighted double.
but a scope sighted bolt action can take advantage of 2550 to 2600 where longer shots, 250 to 300 yds, might be required.
out past 200 yds, a noticeable dropoff in killing power happens compared to closer ranges. and add to this the bigger groups that come with longer ranges.
the elephant in the room here is that at those levels, recoil increases, which can affect shooting.
contrary to what some argue, there is a noticeable improvement in trajectory from 2400 to 2550 with the same bullet.
bruce.

 

[Rule 303]

To back up BM. I have shot a 270 and 35 Whelen at velocities that had 200fps difference between them. I forget what bullet weight was in the Whelen but in the 270 it was 130 grain projectiles. The 270 velocities were 2750 fps and 3000 fps. The difference in point of impact was about 70mm from memory at 200mts. The Whelen was a bit more. This from memory from the early 90's.

The fly in the ointment is that a different powder charge can change the point of impact any how so the lack of velocity does not automatically equate to the amount of the drop. If I had of reduced the load bit by bit and then the data would be 100% reliable. I have not done this with a 375.

Yes at 200 mts the average size of the group would be close to 50mm or bigger so the drop may still place the bullet in the expected impact area.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

A lot depends on the game being pursued, in NA for elk, a bull hit well at 300 yards with a 300gr bullet starting at 2450 tends to give up the ghost quickly. If you can well tolerate the recoil to put in the necessary practice for the longer shots, I personally hold nothing against it. I once shot 8 shots of 300gr Sierra bullets from my 375 Ruger that 10ft from the muzzle were moving at an average of 2665 fps, that grouped into 3.75 inches at 525 laser ranged yards, I did dial the yardage on my scope, but it shot better than the 200gr Nosler Accubonds from my 300 Win mag that day.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I only load one bullet weight: 300 grain and use only one powder IMR 4064. The variables are bullet type, and style: these variables control the weight of grains of powder to get all my reloads to within a 1 1/2 to 2 inch group at 100 yards, 2 1/4 to 3 inch group at 250 yards. Preferably anything over 250 yards.....how about let's get closer.

 

[bruce moulds]

A lot depends on the game being pursued, in NA for elk, a bull hit well at 300 yards with a 300gr bullet starting at 2450 tends to give up the ghost quickly. If you can well tolerate the recoil to put in the necessary practice for the longer shots, I personally hold nothing against it. I once shot 8 shots of 300gr Sierra bullets from my 375 Ruger that 10ft from the muzzle were moving at an average of 2665 fps, that grouped into 3.75 inches at 525 laser ranged yards, I did dial the yardage on my scope, but it shot better than the 200gr Nosler Accubonds from my 300 Win mag that day.

those 300 sierras are accurate bullets.
they are also incredibly useful where they suit.
bruce.

 

[Ridge Runner]

those 300 sierras are accurate bullets.
they are also incredibly useful where they suit.
bruce.

......this is so true.....my PH and I added the yellowtail Mongoose to the dangerous 7, ah 8 list.......a 300 grain, 375 bullet, woodleigh pp sp, is a bit of an overkill on such a small animal, (I'll have to update this later showing the exit wound photo on my other camera).

 

[Luvthunt]

with too much vel and the better bullets it is easy to get pass thru on a side shot animal , which can be a problem.