A new plains game rifle

[Cally]

I am considering buying a new plains game rifle.

I used a hired 375 H & H on my first trip a few years ago. Great PH, his advice was for anything in Africa, just use a 375 H & H with 300 grain bullets and know your rifle well.

I have subsequently been back a couple of times to other locations. On my last trip, 3 years ago, I took my own moderated .375. I had a comment from the outfitter to bring the rifle if I liked it, but it wasn't really needed for what we were hunting (cull eland and wildebeeste). The PH later made a comment that he hadn't seen a client with a 375 at that property before. He had no issue though.

I have just booked another trip for 2026 with a different outfitter, who again has suggested that my 375 is too big and has suggested I use a camp rifle or bring something smaller instead.

Personally, I don't have an issue with it. It has been completely satisfactory and with a sound moderator, is very pleasant to shoot. I have come to the conclusion that I am unlikely to ever be able to afford to hunt dangerous game and am wondering about either homeloading a 250 grain TTSX to a moderate velocity and persevering against the advice of the outfitter, or swapping the 375 for a plains game focused rifle.

If I do swap it, I was thinking of either a 338 win mag downloaded slightly (250gr TTSX at 2,500 fps) or a 9.3x62. My thought is that the 9.3x62 is very similar to what I have now. I spoken to my local firearms licencing department, who will grant a 300 win mag or a 9.3x62 with no issue. I was told there is a presumption against a 338 win mag, as it is too similar to a 338 lapua (I know...) .

Another issue I have is that whatever I buy, it will have to use copper bullets, as lead will be illegal very soon in England. My thought was that the 338 win mag might be better, as it has a higher velocity.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I am considering buying a new plains game rifle.

I used a hired 375 H & H on my first trip a few years ago. Great PH, his advice was for anything in Africa, just use a 375 H & H with 300 grain bullets and know your rifle well.

I have subsequently been back a couple of times to other locations. On my last trip, 3 years ago, I took my own moderated .375. I had a comment from the outfitter to bring the rifle if I liked it, but it wasn't really needed for what we were hunting (cull eland and wildebeeste). The PH later made a comment that he hadn't seen a client with a 375 at that property before. He had no issue though.

I have just booked another trip for 2026 with a different outfitter, who again has suggested that my 375 is too big and has suggested I use a camp rifle or bring something smaller instead.

Personally, I don't have an issue with it. It has been completely satisfactory and with a sound moderator, is very pleasant to shoot. I have come to the conclusion that I am unlikely to ever be able to afford to hunt dangerous game and am wondering about either homeloading a 250 grain TTSX to a moderate velocity and persevering against the advice of the outfitter, or swapping the 375 for a plains game focused rifle.

If I do swap it, I was thinking of either a 338 win mag downloaded slightly (250gr TTSX at 2,500 fps) or a 9.3x62. My thought is that the 9.3x62 is very similar to what I have now. I spoken to my local firearms licencing department, who will grant a 300 win mag or a 9.3x62 with no issue. I was told there is a presumption against a 338 win mag, as it is too similar to a 338 lapua (I know...) .

Another issue I have is that whatever I buy, it will have to use copper bullets, as lead will be illegal very soon in England. My thought was that the 338 win mag might be better, as it has a higher velocity.

What species are you after?

 

[Cally]

Hartmann's Mountain Zebra and Kudu this time.

I am planning to go back as and when I can though.

 

[Shako Badhan]

Firstly welcome to AH. You will have good answers to your questions here. What do you think you will be hunting mostly? The 9.3 is very similar to your 375. If you’re doing mostly PG hunting it’s hard to beat a 300 WM. Also not a bad choice of any large European species.

It’s funny they don’t like the 338, but are ok with a 300. The 300 WM is probably the most widely used military sniper round in the world.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A Ruger No1 in 30-06 would be ideal.

 

[USN]

Where is Bob when we need him? I don’t know the stats like he does, but, without a doubt 35 Whelen.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Given the restrictions of gun ownership in the UK I’d probably go with a 300 WM. I’d spread my calibers out quite a bit for the sake of utility. Covering all my bases.

I shot both my Kudu and my Hartmann’s zebra with a 300 win mag. Worked great. One shot kills at around 250 yds and 80 yds respectively.

 

[shootist~]

Barnes and other momo metal bullets like a relatively fast twist as well as speed. A 300 of some flavor and 180 gr TTSX is proven to work well. IMO the 9.3, while excellent is some respects, is too slow to take full advantage of a mono metal if some distance is involved.

 

[Red Leg]

Keep your .375 and add a .300 Win Mag. It is probably the most versatile rifle for hunting worldwide that any hunter could choose. Commercial ammunition in a wide variety of loadings is easily obtainable to include mono-metal loads. About the only thing for which it would not be suitable is thick skinned dangerous game, though it will easily brain a hippo. Hunt deer, elk and black bear in North America, anything in Europe, and any plains game in Africa to include eland. It would not be the perfect choice for a brown bear or a suni, but is an acceptable choice for both and for nearly anything else. It also has a lot of reach for that Hartman on the opposite ridge or an Ibex far up the mountain. I suspect if someone were to take a survey, fully 75% of the rental rifles in Africa and Europe are the .300.

 

[375Fox]

If you are going to get a new rifle for Africa I’d get a 300 win, but if you shoot your 375 well to 300 yards I’d keep what you have. A 375 really isn’t ideal for PG hunts on farms but if you can shoot it’s fine. It’s ideal for 1 rifle safaris where DG and PG will both be hunted.

Have you shot TSX/TTSX before? They generally need to be pushed fast for accuracy. You don’t have the option to load to moderate velocities, but also if you do you are losing any advantage of the faster lighter bullet. This was the trajectory I had with 250 gr TTSX in my 375 H&H. It’s good for anything inside 300 yards.

50 +1
100 +2.5
200 0
300 -11

 

[Scandihunter]

I will propose taking a look at the 8,5x55 - especially if you have a Blaser R8. Generally replicates the .338 and is becoming increasingly popular on the continent. Big downside is that you will probably not find the ammunition locally if it is lost in transit.

 

[Rumrunner]

I think the .338 is close to the .375. I think I would go with the .300 win mag, 7mm rem mag or a 30-06. All would be good for any plains game.

 

[sgt_zim]

I am considering buying a new plains game rifle.

I used a hired 375 H & H on my first trip a few years ago. Great PH, his advice was for anything in Africa, just use a 375 H & H with 300 grain bullets and know your rifle well.

I have subsequently been back a couple of times to other locations. On my last trip, 3 years ago, I took my own moderated .375. I had a comment from the outfitter to bring the rifle if I liked it, but it wasn't really needed for what we were hunting (cull eland and wildebeeste). The PH later made a comment that he hadn't seen a client with a 375 at that property before. He had no issue though.

I have just booked another trip for 2026 with a different outfitter, who again has suggested that my 375 is too big and has suggested I use a camp rifle or bring something smaller instead.

Personally, I don't have an issue with it. It has been completely satisfactory and with a sound moderator, is very pleasant to shoot. I have come to the conclusion that I am unlikely to ever be able to afford to hunt dangerous game and am wondering about either homeloading a 250 grain TTSX to a moderate velocity and persevering against the advice of the outfitter, or swapping the 375 for a plains game focused rifle.

If I do swap it, I was thinking of either a 338 win mag downloaded slightly (250gr TTSX at 2,500 fps) or a 9.3x62. My thought is that the 9.3x62 is very similar to what I have now. I spoken to my local firearms licencing department, who will grant a 300 win mag or a 9.3x62 with no issue. I was told there is a presumption against a 338 win mag, as it is too similar to a 338 lapua (I know...) .

Another issue I have is that whatever I buy, it will have to use copper bullets, as lead will be illegal very soon in England. My thought was that the 338 win mag might be better, as it has a higher velocity.

High MV is valuable for one thing, IMO: shooting past 300 yards. Inside that, it just doesn't drastically improve a bullet's killing authority.

One thing to think about in your selection - a 375 H&H firing 300 gr bullets will have about the same ballistic arc as a 30-06 firing 200 gr, or a 338 WM firing 250 gr, provided there's relative parity in the BC of each.

Going lighter in any of those doesn't improve ballistic arc by much, either, because you're giving up appreciable aerodynamic efficiency to go lighter. Stepping down to a lighter bullet, say 15 - 25 gr lighter, in my experience means the lighter bullet needs to be ~200 fps faster at the muzzle, or you're just not gaining any practical performance improvement.

All that to say - nothing wrong with keeping on keeping on with what you've got, but if you want better down-range performance, then a fast 30 or a fast 7mm, firing 180/200 gr or 175 gr respectively.

 

[Cally]

Firstly welcome to AH. You will have good answers to your questions here. What do you think you will be hunting mostly? The 9.3 is very similar to your 375. If you’re doing mostly PG hunting it’s hard to beat a 300 WM. Also not a bad choice of any large European species.

It’s funny they don’t like the 338, but are ok with a 300. The 300 WM is probably the most widely used military sniper round in the world.

I think that most of my hunting in the future (or I hope) will be larger antelope at ranges of less than 250m. Typically 100m - 150m.

I think our firearms departments just don't like a 338 of any description.

 

[SRvet]

As a fellow Brit I feel your pain!! If it is any consolation I am heading to South Africa before long and am taking my .375 H&H as a plains game rifle with the 250g TTSX that you mention, my loads give a velocity of 2860fps which should be fairly flat shooting and effective. If you are going to only be shooting plains game I would have thought the .300 Win Mag would be more useful as it could be used for stalking in the UK as well. The .338 is a good round but it’s quite similar to the .375 and 9.3.
Personally, my thought is if you have a .375 you already have one of the most versatile rifles that you can literally use the hunt everything with from Duiker to bull Elephant. What are you hoping to gain?

 

[dchamp]

The .375H&H with 250gr bullets would be fine but personaly I prefer 300gr bullets for that caliber.
The .300wm or 30-06 are probably the most practacle. The 9.3x62 is a great all rounder, especially with 250gr TTSX’s going 2500+fps, and it’s more synonymous with Africa.
Tough decision

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Another vote for the .300 Winchester Magnum.

With 180Gr Barnes TSX, you’re all set for Zebra & Kudu.

 

[mark-hunter]

Hartmann's Mountain Zebra and Kudu this time.

338 will do just fine for plains game. But then you limit yourself for plains games game

The problem will begin when you start considering dangerous game, then 375 H&H will again look attractive.
In DG department 338 cannot do what 375 can do. And in PG department 375 HH can do everything a 338 can do.

Thinking in that way, my reasoning was to have lighter (and faster bullets, like 250-270 grain) in 375 for PG, and heavier bullet 300 grain for DG. So, I bought 375.

 

[Cally]

I will propose taking a look at the 8,5x55 - especially if you have a Blaser R8. Generally replicates the .338 and is becoming increasingly popular on the continent. Big downside is that you will probably not find the ammunition locally if it is lost in transit.

I think the 8.5x55 would be ideal for what I want. It is ammunition availability that concerns me. I spoke to someone who used one as a hire rifle in both Spain and South Africa last year, so might be getting more popular. From what I can see it looks very similar to a 338-06.

My idea with the 338 Win Mag was that I could load it to match an 8x55 or 338-06 (or any of the older medium bores) but with the flexibility that if my ammunition goes missing, I am more likely to be able to find an alternative in Africa.

 

[Cally]

338 will do just fine for plains game. But then you limit yourself for plains games game

The problem will begin when you start considering dangerous game, then 375 H&H will again look attractive.
In DG department 338 cannot do what 375 can do. And in PG department 375 HH can do everything a 338 can do.

Thinking in that way, my reasoning was to have lighter (and faster bullets, like 250-270 grain) in 375 for PG, and heavier bullet 300 grain for DG. So, I bought 375.

That was my thought when I got the 375. I just can't see myself actually doing any dangerous game hunting for a long time though, if at all.