Is the .375 H&H strong enough

Both these books are English..It is one of the books I perceive as the most value for the price..it is written in an understandable fashion and a joy to read..I currently am reading the Place of Wild song..I really can say it is a great book to have on your shelf...(y)(y)(y)

Perhaps I can get a copy mailed to Jacques @AAA Africa Serapa Safaris?
 
375 404 416 458 ...before you go a year before you go buy a 2nd hand 375 ..they have fired few shots ...very few ...and get familiar with it ....when it becomes comfortable. ..then think about 404 or
416 ....then you are sure which you are comfortable with ......

Sell the 375 or the 416 before your trip and that's your Kudu sorted ....
 
I encourage all those that are interested to read John Pondoro Taylor's African rifles and Cartridges . He hunted extensively with the 375, and was an Ivory poacher by his own words. One bit of wisdom Pondoro gave,was the "shock" factor on big elephants, when using big bore guns. You must shoot a well placed shot, but Pondoro said a big 470/500 rifle would knock a bull down and out, allowing a second barrel to be used on a second elephant. Giving time to reload for finishing shots.
I believe my 375 H&H will kill a T Rex, but my 458 Lott will make him grimace on the way to the ground. Or in other words hit him so hard his momma feels it!
 
I think the topic has been pretty well covered - the .375 H&H is a very capable calibre with a very good track record on a range of game and is probably still the most famous calibre in Africa - it has a proven track record (if used properly).

It does however leave you wanting when that buff of a lifetime is angling and just about to enter a thicket where you are not sure about getting another shot at him or even seeing him again. Even with a bigger calibre, you DO NOT want to take risky shots, but from my exeprience, a little angle can be handled better by bigger calibres than .375 and from my experience, most dangerous game that have been wounded and lost, or wounded and caused distress, have been from not-so-great shooting from a .375... whereas with the .416 you tend to get away with a little nervous shooting.

I would recommend a .416 over a .375 for buffalo, but have nothing bad to say about the .375 provided the person using the gun knows what he is doing. Just my take on it.

Shallom, it is always interesting to pull together various takes on the .375 H&H. I'll leave aside opinions about the stopping power or the momentum involved for the various medium and big bore cartridges intended for use bringing down the big five. I have no experience with four of them, and no experience with the big bores. I suppose I'm a .375 guy. I can shoot it without flinching, and I don't think that would be the result if I experimented with the larger bores.

However, given an appropriate well-constructed bullet (TBBC, A-Frame, etc.) I think sectional density plays a big role in getting my bullet through tough stuff and up (or back) to the "boiler room." For those comfortable with the widely available .375 350 grain bullet, here is an interesting fact (with a few extra comparisons thrown in):

Some basic sectional densities taken from a Chuck Hawks article:

.375" (.375) 300 grain, SD .305
.416" (.416) 400 grain, SD .330
.458" (.45) 500 grain, SD .341
.474" (.470 NE) 500 grain, SD .318
.509" (.500 NE) 570 grain, SD .314 -pasted from Chuck Hawks

But note this: A 350 grain .375 bullet has a sectional density of .356. and can be pushed to 2,380 ft/s velocity within spec. This SD would indicate that the .375 350 grain bullet can provide greater penetration than a similarly-constructed 500 grain .458 bullet at 2,240 ft/s, SD .341, at reasonable ranges.

I realize that SD is not the only issue in the minds of those picking a cape buffalo caliber. It does indicate, though, that the .375 H&H will not fail (compared to a .458) for lack of penetration. A 300 grain .375 brass solid, if needed, also traverses a lot of Buffalo flesh and bone.

I'd love to hear, of course, the counter-balancing arguments about momentum, size of hole, and so forth. I'm here to learn from the experience of others.
 
I don't know about counter-balancing arguments as this always reverts to various statements of one time anecdotal evidence like... "such and such a bullet & critter... dropped DRT" and so on. However, SD of a bullet is only one parameter affecting penetration for practical hunting purposes. Besides SD... shape of nose, hardness of bullet, spin rate, impact velocity, weight (mass) distribution along bullet axis... all affect penetration. Often overlooked is the basic stability of the bullet as it passes through the "target" tissue has a lot to do with penetration. A bullet can have a much larger SD compared to another but if it goes unstable just after impact, penetration will diminish greatly. The other problem when discussing this is understanding the difference between momentum and energy. :)
 
The 375 H&H still is after 105 years the single most useful cartidge choice for hunting in Africa. It is still the King of the medium bores.

All that is needed is a competent hunter using the correct premium grade bullet placing a single shot from the 375 H&H in the right place to kill any animal in Africa.

With the great selection of bullets available, all the way up to 380 grains, there is no finer single rifle caliber than the 375 H&H for Africa.

Hunter competence, correct bullet selection and correct shot placement with the 375 H&H nothing more or nothing less is needed.
 
I don't know about counter-balancing arguments as this always reverts to various statements of one time anecdotal evidence like... "such and such a bullet & critter... dropped DRT" and so on. However, SD of a bullet is only one parameter affecting penetration for practical hunting purposes. Besides SD... shape of nose, hardness of bullet, spin rate, impact velocity, weight (mass) distribution along bullet axis... all affect penetration. Often overlooked is the basic stability of the bullet as it passes through the "target" tissue has a lot to do with penetration. A bullet can have a much larger SD compared to another but if it goes unstable just after impact, penetration will diminish greatly. The other problem when discussing this is understanding the difference between momentum and energy. :)

Not to mention that SD immediately goes dynamic, i.e. it changes, upon impact with the animal, presuming it's not a solid. Don't know for sure, but it seems like many treat SD as a static parameter, it isn't.
 
.375 for Blackbuck? I'll be the first to admit that I would be the last to know.. but doesn't that seem like major overkill? I would think like a .270 or 7mm at most for blackbuck, I could be wrong though?
suggest something a little smaller. Biggest issue is that the strongly constructed bullet in the 375 would pass through the animal and the animal would run a mighty long way before falling over. Obviously if the 375 bullet hit bone it would knock the animal down.
I would suggest something like a 30/06, 270, 308.
 
Not to mention that SD immediately goes dynamic, i.e. it changes, upon impact with the animal, presuming it's not a solid. Don't know for sure, but it seems like many treat SD as a static parameter, it isn't.

Certainly SD is dynamic. That's why I hedged, writing However, given an appropriate well-constructed bullet (TBBC, A-Frame, etc.) I think sectional density plays a big role
 
I suggest reading Pondoro Taylor's writing, he was a trident admirer of the 375 H&H, my experience has been similar. I would suggest the 375 is the best "all around African caliber", but for stopping power with DG, I would yield the 400+ calibers are better suited. I would love to hear from those who have "stopped DG" with the 375 H&H.
 
I suggest reading Pondoro Taylor's writing, he was a trident admirer of the 375 H&H, my experience has been similar. I would suggest the 375 is the best "all around African caliber", but for stopping power with DG, I would yield the 400+ calibers are better suited. I would love to hear from those who have "stopped DG" with the 375 H&H.


Edward, take my quibbles here with the knowledge that they are, perhaps, inspired by a decent glass of brandy: I haven't stopped a Cape Buffalo in many years, though I'm a devotee of the .375 H&H mainly as a stopper for big bears, for backing up friends who hunt deer and elk in the wrong regions, as the smell of fresh elk gets into the wind (and I use 350 grain Weldcores for that bit, which I hoard).

I'll paste in this bit of Pondoro's writing about Holland's .375:

"Undoubtedly one of the deadliest weapons in existence. I've had five of these rifles—two doubles and three magazines—and have fired more than 5,000 rounds of .375 Magnum ammunition at game. One of them accounted for more than 100 elephant and some 411 buffalo, besides rhino, lions and lesser game." -from his book African Rifles and Cartridges.

The OP's original question was whether the .375 was enough for Cape Buffalo. The Elephant thing was a mid-thread throw-in, out of curiousity, no? That hinted at his relative inexperience with Elephants, a condition I share. It can be surmised from the OP's question that he is not going to hunt an Elephant any time soon, and that if he does, he'll necessarily be backed up by a PH. and in that hunt a heavy load in a .375 for the OP might be "enough gun," if he can shoot it. The OP hasn't even started shooting medium/big bores yet, I'm assuming. There are 380 grain solids sold that he can use in a pinch....

The OP implies that he'll likely shoot plains game as well. If he hasn't got a suitable rifle for that, and he puts enough practice in with the .375 to make it an honest tool in his hands, then he'll be good enough (with an appropriate scope) to shoot plains game with lighter cartridges.

He asked about a scope. And since I've refilled my glass of Renault, here goes: He shouldn't purchase a .375 H&H without decent express sights. He should replace the rear sight with a ghost ring, a big peep. He might do well with a 1-6 or 1-8 quality scope for everything, mounted on good quick release rings, so he can test his peep on a charging wounded buff .....just as the PH's double roars. He'll see more than "hair" if he always starts the scope at 1x. This is getting expensive lubricating the writing, so I'll stop here, except to add the Taylor believed in the KO Formula (Bullet Weight x Terminal Velocity X Calibre /7000), which leaves out Sectional Density, modern bullet construction, and the given rifle's inherent accuracy. Taylor admitted much poaching and was, for that, driven out of Africa. Back in London he had two challenges. He was gay, but so were many leading (but discreet) cultural, military, and political figures of the day. But worse, his reputation for poaching made it impossible to get a job with H&H, Purdey, Churchill, etc. (Not that all poachers were evil. William Shakespeare was himself driven out of Stratford-on-Avon under indictment by a neighboring Lord for...poaching rabbits. So his indictment lead to my theater and reading pleasure.)
 
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I enjoy this topic immensely, and appreciate you insights. I love the topics of big bores, and stopping powers. As a trident reloader, self taught ballistician, I enjoy the science, especially put into action. I have used a 375 H&H enough to appreciate it's potential, 300gr Barnes have devastated moose, and caribou. As I intend to do my first buffalo hunt in 2018/19 I treated myself to the 458 Lott. A historical look back to the days of Pondoro, Bell, Selous reveals what was done then, and is impossible to reproduce today. To think of the Ivory trade as a business, was also an amazing ballistic training ground. The resilience of the elephant remains, the poacher is gone, but the insight into those that were the richest; poor men in history. To look into terminal ballistics, and the volume of calibers, against the toughest creatures in the history of man, is unique as the largest ballistic laboratory experiment ever conducted. Over lifetimes men proved, and disproved bullet construction, penetration, stopping power, and effective range. No where in history has so many calibers been tested, so intensely.
What I have read from these days, enshrines the 375 H&H as the true middleweight African stopper. The bigger bores allow more discretion in shot choice, and may tolerate poor choice better. The 375 is plenty of gun in my humble opinion, but I also appreciate 500gr at 2300fps.
I guess the next evolving question is: Which 400 bore is the "next " best caliber, above the 375?? 400? 416?
 
If you are bringing one rifle and hunting buf and plainsgame it would be an excellent choice. I would suggest a premium 300 grain bullet.

As some other posts stated it is all about shot placement and penetration.

Have a good conversation with your PH about backup shots and what you each expect. Make a good first shot and keep shooting (if possible) and there will be no need for a backup shot.

But a 470 Krieghoff is so cool just not as practical.:cool:
You get 300 grs A-Frame Heavy Barrel bullets, this opens at lover velocity, down to 1600 f/sec.
 
client hunter in Africa for most things up to and including Cape Buffalo. I will say here and now, the only "ONE SHOT KILLS" I have ever had on cape buffalo have been with the 375 H&H, paired with a 300 gr Nosler Partition bullet, when the brain, or spine was not hit. All others have taken at least three shots regardless of caliber or bullet type, again when the brain was not hit!

Is the 375 H&H my first choice for Buffalo hunting? Absolutely not, would I hesitate to shoot buffalo with the 375 H&H, again absolutely not.


My PH shot 500 heads on elephant control,the other 250 with .375
They said, best penetration for brain shots ever.
I dont want to talk about my few buffs (with .375)
Sure, there a a lot of better calibers,but Zimbabwe is .375 country.
Foxi
 
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I ponder what the reputation of the 450/400 holds with those who use it?
 
I ponder what the reputation of the 450/400 holds with those who use it?

The 450/400 has an impeccable track record on African game. It fires a heavier bullet with more momentum value than the 375 H&H and is a better option as a DG cartridge.

Only drawback is that it is not nearly as versatile as the 375 H&H and only being available in double rifles limits its application.

For those who have mastered the art of using a double rifle there is no better cartridge for the visiting client for DG. In the right hands it is a devastating cartridge.
 
Pretty sure Pondoro Taylor said he would be happy to finish his career only using a pair of double 450/400's.

The 450/400 was the all-round calibre in Africa before the arrival of the .375 H&H according to Taylor.
 
Great thread with a ton of good information!
 
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This bullet, in front of for instance 80 grains of Norma 160 will kill any elephant on earth..

It may not be the ideal choice, but it gets the job done...and penetrates extremely good..
 
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This bullet, in front of for instance 80 grains of Norma 160 will kill any elephant on earth..

It may not be the ideal choice, but it gets the job done...and penetrates extremely good..

IMG_0850.jpg


Here is the same thing. There is no better solid for DG work.

286 gr in 9.3, 340 gr in .375 or my baby 570 gr in .500 all shoot through everything. Provides the greatest straight line penetration of any bullets I have ever used.

Rhino Solids
  • Specifically designed for big dangerous game. Often used by professional hunting guides in their backup guns to eliminate threats from poorly placed shot by their clients.

  • Made up of 95% brass and 5% lead. The lead acts as a lubricant and pressure rings are added to the bullet to lower the pressure in the barrel.

  • Made for extreme penetration through the toughest skinned animals on the planet

  • This bullet will not even mushroom or deform
And then the best expanding bullet to go with it.

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The Solid Shank
  • Specifically designed for hunting.
  • Made up of a copper jacket with lead core. The lead is bonded to the copper jacket and the bottom half of the bullet is solid copper.
  • Strategically designed to form four mushroom petals that produce a large but controlled wound channel.
  • This bullet deeply penetrations game whilst leaving a good wound channel behind therefore maximising kill efficiency.
Just spoke with Kobus and they have just changed the chemical composition of the copper used which will make them even more tough.

Great bullets in all DG calibers.

350 and 380 gr in 375 H&H gets the 375 very close to .400 performance.

Great bullets and proudly South African!!
 

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