When is the load good enough for Dangerous Game

[62flint]

I did a bit of load testing for my 375HH M70. I was pleasantly surprised at shooting a 300gr barnes tsx and IMR4064 most all the charge weights printed around 1 inch at 100yards. Seated the bullet at 3.570 which is barnes published spec. Its really a nice safe load that functions well. I loaded up 20 more at 67.0 grains for practice and further testing. My thought is this, Its accurate enough at moa to hit at 300 yards, is seated deep enough to feed well and powder is mid range so I do not have to worry about over pressure on a hot day. If this was a smaller bore rifle I would play with seating depths and maybe other powders and really work in down to maybe 1/2 moa. But do I really need to?
I am tempted to load up some varget and see how that does, but then why waste the components?

 

[WyoBull]

I load RL15 in my model 70 with Barnes 300 gr TSX. If I do my part it will cloverleaf 3 shots at 100 yards.
I have a lot of 4064 but have never tried it in the 375 H&H. When I got such good results with RL15 I did not look beyond it. Might have to try 4064 sometime.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

An inch at 100 yards is WAY more accurate than needed for dangerous game. After all, it’s not dangerous if it’s not close. And even if you want to miss the entire point of dangerous game hunting and shoot a buffalo at 200 yards, thst load is still 3x more accurate than necessary for the task.

For dangerous game, reliability, bullet choice, and appropriate velocity are what matters.

Size them well so they feed perfectly even when dusty, crimp the bullet so there is no funny business from recoil, and have at it.

 

[WoodFire]

I asked a similar question of my PH on a DG hunt and was told that MOA is more than adequate.

 

[Shooter375]

I think your load will be excellent for dangerous game. Have you chronographed your load. I'm curious about your velocity. I've never used IMR4064. I have used RL-15 and Varget with good success.

 

[Green Chile]

An inch at 100 yards is WAY more accurate than needed for dangerous game. After all, it’s not dangerous if it’s not close. And even if you want to miss the entire point of dangerous game hunting and shoot a buffalo at 200 yards, thst load is still 3x more accurate than necessary for the task.

For dangerous game, reliability, bullet choice, and appropriate velocity are what matters.

Size them well so they feed perfectly even when dusty, crimp the bullet so there is no funny business from recoil, and have at it.

Exactly right. Reliability of feeding, bullet choice and velocity (which doesn't mean all you can get!) are the important things for a bolt gun. If loading softs and solids, you will want to know the difference in point of impact. After that, practice, practice, practice away from the bench and from sticks and field positions.

I wouldn't look further than the loads you have. Some love to tinker looking for sub MOA but it can rarely be held in the field and isn't necessary for DG or even most PG hunts.

 

[318AE]

Your load is good enough and you’re well prepared. In the spirit of preparation, the DG PHs I’ve hunted cycle their rounds through the action each time they load and unload, or basically daily.

Some them also put the “new” round at the bottom of the magazine, by unloading the rest, once everything is settled. You’ll see them kinda count the rounds by placing them between their fingers as they unload. This way, there is not a round at the bottom of the magazine constantly exposed to recoil. It’s pretty old school.

Good luck, enjoy the preparation, and have fun.

 

[Philip Glass]

I did a bit of load testing for my 375HH M70. I was pleasantly surprised at shooting a 300gr barnes tsx and IMR4064 most all the charge weights printed around 1 inch at 100yards. Seated the bullet at 3.570 which is barnes published spec. Its really a nice safe load that functions well. I loaded up 20 more at 67.0 grains for practice and further testing. My thought is this, Its accurate enough at moa to hit at 300 yards, is seated deep enough to feed well and powder is mid range so I do not have to worry about over pressure on a hot day. If this was a smaller bore rifle I would play with seating depths and maybe other powders and really work in down to maybe 1/2 moa. But do I really need to?
I am tempted to load up some varget and see how that does, but then why waste the components?

Accuracy is not what you need to worry about, looks like you got that down. Making sure you are not running it too fast or too much pressure and you wind up like so many reports with the gun jammed. Don't over think it.
Keep it safe and simple. You have the best DG bullet!

 

[Rosch]

It's a sort of foreplay....sitting on Your loading bench and test and test and test...
Good side effect: You handle and shot Your gun regular!
I was never a friend of this high-precision-hole-in-hole-accuracy.
My hard spots at loading ammo were first
-bullet performance (if the bullet with this load did what it should),
-avaibility of components (never easy these days) and
-the pressure (never on the peek, always in the middle !)
If those features were served, I was happy with 2" groups of five at 100 yards.

We do talk about big bore, don't we?

 

[Green Chile]

Accuracy is not what you need to worry about, looks like you got that down. Making sure you are not running it too fast or too much pressure and you wind up like so many reports with the gun jammed. Don't over think it.
Keep it safe and simple. You have the best DG bullet!

As Philip said, 300 TSX is THE bullet. I used that bullet last year and took buff, croc, sable, and honey badger. Perfect results that smoked every animal. I asked my PH (and we all know PHs are picky about bullets) and he said TSX or A-frame is the magic.

 

[375er]

I did a bit of load testing for my 375HH M70. I was pleasantly surprised at shooting a 300gr barnes tsx and IMR4064 most all the charge weights printed around 1 inch at 100yards. Seated the bullet at 3.570 which is barnes published spec. Its really a nice safe load that functions well. I loaded up 20 more at 67.0 grains for practice and further testing. My thought is this, Its accurate enough at moa to hit at 300 yards, is seated deep enough to feed well and powder is mid range so I do not have to worry about over pressure on a hot day. If this was a smaller bore rifle I would play with seating depths and maybe other powders and really work in down to maybe 1/2 moa. But do I really need to?
I am tempted to load up some varget and see how that does, but then why waste the components?

Funny! I was just testing with 4064 the other day and got to 67.0 grains. I decided to stop there and test further with more range time. Must be a sweet spot at 67 grains.

 

[Green Chile]

I just checked my notes and with the 300 TSX, I was using 65.0 grains of H4895. Great accuracy and not stressing the brass. I quit tinkering right there.

 

[Jetjockey]

1 MOA is WAY more than enough. Remember, at 300 yards theoretically that’s a 3” group, but only 1.5” from point of aim. 1 MOA is more than enough out to 500 yards on regular game, let alone dangerous game, which you’d never shoot much further than 100-125 yards.

 

[62flint]

Funny! I was just testing with 4064 the other day and got to 67.0 grains. I decided to stop there and test further with more range time. Must be a sweet spot at 67 grains.

I hit another node at 69-69.5. But being close to published limits. ( no pressure signs) I decided to drop back to 67 grains.
I loaded 20 rounds at 67 grains for further testing and practice.
I expect 67 grains of 4064 should be about 2450fps.

 

[375er]

I hit another node at 69-69.5. But being close to published limits. ( no pressure signs) I decided to drop back to 67 grains.
I loaded 20 rounds at 67 grains for further testing and practice.
I expect 67 grains of 4064 should be about 2450fps.

What length barrel are you shooting?

 

[62flint]

25 inches I believe.
Pre64 m70.

 

[Doug3006]

I agree that one MOA is more accuracy than is needed for DG. I’m more interested in a bullet that’s tough enough to kill from any reasonable angle…and my ability to place those bullets consistently in a 3” circle off the sticks from boot tips to 100 yards. The beauty of DG is the hunting….rather than the shooting. So practice realistically and be ready to hunt.

 

[Green Chile]

The beauty of DG is the hunting….rather than the shooting.

Well said!

 

[WAB]

A couple of thoughts:
- anything sub 2 moa is fine for buffalo.
- don’t push velocity or pressure
- .375 H&H is known for case head separation if you push the brass too far. Make sure you know the shot count on your brass. I will not use more than once fired for DG.
- cycle every loaded round for the hunt through your rifle.
- shake down the rifle in detail. Pay particular attention to bedding and mounting screws, and the magazine follower spring on that M70!
- practice from field positions and cycle the rifle quickly under stress.
When I am prepping for Safari, I do a 5 mile hump over the hill behind our farm with my rifle and kit every day. The hike finishes at the range for a few shots before I can fully recover from the hike (it’s a tough hike with a 10 pound rifle).

Everything must work perfectly. You, your rifle, and your ammo.

 

[WyoBull]

I would agree with comments above that you don’t have have to push the 375 H&H to the top end when reloading with the 300 gr TSX.
I load mine with 67 gr of RL15 and it is chronographing at 2475fps at my altitude of 6000 feet with temps between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the Barnes load data, that is on the low end of what they publish.
Yet, on my Buffalo this past August the bullet performed exactly as it should with all four petals rolled back.
Accuracy is outstanding as well with this load configuration.