shooting 375 H/H

[steve71]

I am going back to South Africa in 2026. Want to hunt buffalo this time. My PH says the have a 375 I can use. I can practice here with a friends 416 Rem. since I have never shot a DG rifle before my question is how does the recoil compare between these guns?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.416 Remington Magnum has slightly more recoil. So if you practice with that, you're good to go with the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

 

[mark-hunter]

I have zkk 602 in 375 H&H, and Benelli semi in 9.3x62.
recoil is comparable.

It has to be said that zkk 602 is 4.2 kg without scope, significantly more weight then other riffles.
So, true question is about rifle weight. Check with outfitter what rifle he has on offer

If you have properly weighted rifle, 375 will be very manageble.

 

[BeeMaa]

Most people can learn to shoot a 375H&H with weekly range sessions and daily dry fire practice.

I would highly recommend getting your own 375 rifle because it’s about the most versatile caliber used for hunting Africa.

For about $5K (USD) you can have a (used) DG ready rifle with another $1K for scope & QD mounts.

About 6 months of consistent practice will have you putting trophies in the salt.

 

[Green Chile]

Felt recoil is hard to describe but there are mathematical equations that can give you points of reference. I'm attaching 2 simple charts to show recoil for 375 H&H versus 416 Rem mag...both in guns weighing 10 lbs, running typical loads of 300 grains for 375 and 400 grains for 416 at similar speeds (about 2400fps). There is a good bit of difference between the two...about like adding recoil of 300 win mag to the 375 to get 416 level of recoil. Some will disagree about the "felt recoil" but these are the numbers. Recoil velocity for 416 is a good bit faster than 375 and that contributes a lot to what recoil actually feels like. 416 recoil is larger and faster than 375.

A simpler answer is most people can handle a 375 with some training/practice. 416 and up is different and actually not necessary with a PH for backup. Of course, some of us want a little more gun but that's a whole different subject than what you are asking here.

 

[IvW]

416 Rem has a lot more felt recoil......

 

[DieJager]

The 375 will be no problem if you are used to the 416. It is not bad at all.

 

[Joker12]

I have both and find the felt recoil to be comparable. About 15 rounds at one sitting from the bench is all I want from either.

 

[BeeMaa]

I’m 70” and 160 lbs shooting a rifle that weighs 7.75 lbs chambered in 375H&H with 300 grain bullets at 2450 fps. Yes, experience level matters but mastering this cartridge is within reach of most.

 

[BeeMaa]

A scoped 375H&H rifle weighing 9 to 10 lbs is pretty easy to shoot. Having it fit the shooter properly will reduce felt recoil significantly.

I will say that my Benelli SBE3 shooting 3.5” turkey loads is more difficult than my 375 rifle with full house loads.

 

[30.06king]

I am quite happy shooting a 375 H&H. I have done some range sessions shooting from a bench of 50 rounds in succession ( allowing barrel cooling ) before feeling recoil weary enough that my shooting starts to be affected. However, I qualify that by saying rifle suitablility is all important. My favoured rifle builds to recoil weariness more slowly than my less favoured rifle from which I need to take breaks and allow some bodily recovery before continuing shooting. Weight difference between the two rifles is little but on the favoured rifle the stock / recoil pad combo works more effectively.
The only 40 cal rifles I have shot are a 416 Rigby and 404 Jeffery. Not enough to know my limits but recoil wise I felt it much more with the 404 Jeff. Relatively the 416 Rigby was a pussycat and I enjoyed shooting that. However, it was only 6 rounds in succession.
I agree that shooting your own familiar rifle is the best way to go but know that ownership is not always justifiable if you're unlikely to ever use it much. If you decide to use your outfitters rifle I would guess it pretty likely you will quickly adapt to using it effectively as that is possible for most guys to do. And practising first with your friends 416 Rem will really ease the transition to 375 H&H. You could ask your PH what make of 375 H&H they are allowing you to use as possibly you could borrow the same make / model and practise with that ... ? Most DG hunters take quite some care in the choice of DG rifle and I would expect the outfitters rifle is quite a decent rig anyway.
Finally, remember, most times when actually taking your shot at game actual recoil doesn't even register in the mind. Your mind becomes be highly focussed in other ways.

 

[375Fox]

Most people can learn to shoot a 375H&H with weekly range sessions and daily dry fire practice.

I would highly recommend getting your own 375 rifle because it’s about the most versatile caliber used for hunting Africa.

For about $5K (USD) you can have a (used) DG ready rifle with another $1K for scope & QD mounts.

About 6 months of consistent practice will have you putting trophies in the salt.

I fully agree with the advice you gave but for $1800 he could have a nice Winchester model 70 and other $400 he could get a nice used Leupold VX3. $2400 for a fully functional buffalo rifle vs $6000 for a Blaser.

 

[375Fox]

I find 375 H&H very easy to learn to shoot. 416 is a different class of recoil to me and isn’t for everyone especially if the incorrect stock design for the individual. I’d buy your own 375 and learn to shoot it well. Then there are no questions in your mind before your hunt. What rental rifle does your PH have available?

 

[BeeMaa]

I fully agree with the advice you gave but for $1800 he could have a nice Winchester model 70 and other $400 he could get a nice used Leupold VX3. $2400 for a fully functional buffalo rifle vs $6000 for a Blaser.

I’m saying a semi-custom used rifle like a MRC, AHR CZ or Dakota for $4K would be reasonable. One that was already slicked up with all the bells and whistles that a proper CRF DG rifle would require. Maybe even get one with a scope for that kind of money.

When they are ready to step into the light and realize that a Blaser R8 offers more than a CRF…we can talk.

 

[Rem280]

I am going back to South Africa in 2026. Want to hunt buffalo this time. My PH says the have a 375 I can use. I can practice here with a friends 416 Rem. since I have never shot a DG rifle before my question is how does the recoil compare between these guns?

My advice is a thick recoil pad. Helps a lot. I can shoot my 375 H&H and 375 Ruger with no issues. Seems no worse than 12 gauge with 3.5 inch 00 buckshot.

 

[Puddle]

Since you are using a borrowed rifle to practice with there's no need to be shooting it from the bench. It's already been zero'd right? Shooting from a bench is where one gets beat up because the ergo's are all wrong.
Duplicate the hunting environment for your practice sessions. Get some standing sticks - make 'em, borrow 'em, or buy 'em and start using 'em.

 

[Green Chile]

One thing that helps is you probably will not feel recoil in the field but it's still a real factor for controlling a gun and getting ready for a 2nd shot.

 

[cajunchefray]

My advice is to buy a .375 H&H, lay in some ammo, or reload, and shoot often (monthly or twice monthly). and Don't Look Back.

Learn to shoot this type of rifle. It's not hard. 20 rounds a session is plenty, once you get used to it. A nice fitting rifle helps. I would look at Winchester M70 Alaskan, or Safari Express. An Interarms Whitworth is a nice rifle with a slim stock that fits me well. They are a value. They come up for sales a few times a year. The .375 H&H recoil is about like a 12 gauge 3" buckshot.

The recoil, to my shoulder sensor, is about 25% to 45% more in the .416 family:
(Remington, Rigby, Ruger et al.)

Always true: A LOT depends on fit, weight and balance. A nice fitting .375 H&H will become your favorite rifle.

 

[Markinnz]

Id find out what rifle they have,(get a pic off of them)if its a Brno,CZ you need to know which stock it has...they recoil differently, or if its a Blaser r93,r8 . Its the stock that controls recoil. I had a Sako Safari that looked like a Holland and Holland, it used to buzz my teeth, but i also had a Blaser r93 in 375 that i could shoot all day, i put upwards of 40 rounds through it one day and it didnt bother me only because the stock fitted(i did have a monster rash though). funny thing was a few weeks back i took out my Mauser 66 375 and it to was good, but a mate used it and thought it kicked like a bitc....

 

[cwpayton]

One thing that helps is you probably will not feel recoil in the field but it's still a real factor for controlling a gun and getting ready for a 2nd shot.

agreed ,first time in my life, I shot my PH's 375 when I took my water buck, didnt even notice the recoil at all.