Big 375 chamberings

[WildRose]

I definitely see your point and for the dangerous game hunts that would need a rifle a could handle quickly im looking at a 378 weatherby in a short light weightish rifle with a muzzle break

I cannot encourage anyone thinking of making such a purchase or of doing such a build to find someone who will let you shoot theirs first.

Go to a range and put 20 rounds through it and then see how you feel over the next 3 days.

More than 3 shots at a time in the field is rare but if you're on a multi species hunt or having to sight in and do load workups you can put a lot of rounds downrange pretty quickly.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The 375 Ruger came along and surpassed it by about 150-200FPS, roughly equalling the 375 Wby.

Wow, I have shot every single 375 out there, including the CheyTac, and not once in any rifle configuration have I seen a Ruger do more than about 80-100fps more than a H&H with a 300g bullet.
Same goes with the RUM, it was only about 30fps-50fps faster than my Weatherby.
I get impressive velocities due to my throat being .500", not the traditional .376".
Anyway, your rifle must be faster than most if you're getting Weatherby velocities.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

@MagnumManiac what is the recoil of the 375WBY compared to the 375H&H? Is it still a push, or does the added speed make it more of a sudden kick? I have two M70 CRF and wonder if its worth converting the Classic Stainless.
Thanks

I wouldn't hesitate to convert the Classic Stainless. This is not a cartridge you sit down at the range with and shoot all day long. I don't find the recoil excessive.
If I ever get to the point when recoil becomes bothersome to me, I rip the recoil pad off and put a Decelerator on the rifle.
I use a lot of HS Precision stocked on my builds, they do not come with Decelerator pads, but some other Pachmeyer pad that is quite firmer, just like those on Remington factory rifles. I had one of those on a 375 RUM I bought, it was BRUTAL without a scope fitted, too light at 7 1/4lbs.
The best thing is, YOU decide how fast you want to push the bullets, it's that versatile.

Cheers.

 

[asd9055]

I wouldn't hesitate to convert the Classic Stainless. This is not a cartridge you sit down at the range with and shoot all day long. I don't find the recoil excessive.
If I ever get to the point when recoil becomes bothersome to me, I rip the recoil pad off and put a Decelerator on the rifle.
I use a lot of HS Precision stocked on my builds, they do not come with Decelerator pads, but some other Pachmeyer pad that is quite firmer, just like those on Remington factory rifles. I had one of those on a 375 RUM I bought, it was BRUTAL without a scope fitted, too light at 7 1/4lbs.
The best thing is, YOU decide how fast you want to push the bullets, it's that versatile.

Cheers.

Thanks for always providing such a thoughtful and detailed input

 

[SheepShapeAK]

Has anyone heard from Swamp Lord lately? Would like to hear how the 375 Mercenary project has gone since going public.

 

[WildRose]

Wow, I have shot every single 375 out there, including the CheyTac, and not once in any rifle configuration have I seen a Ruger do more than about 80-100fps more than a H&H with a 300g bullet.
Same goes with the RUM, it was only about 30fps-50fps faster than my Weatherby.
I get impressive velocities due to my throat being .500", not the traditional .376".
Anyway, your rifle must be faster than most if you're getting Weatherby velocities.

Cheers.

Perhaps, but then I didn't specify a 300gr bullet.

It seems I may well be off by 50fps, if so I can live with the error.

the beltless Ruger made all sorts of sense. Housed in the affordable Ruger Hawkeye African and Alaskan rifles, the .375 Ruger bettered the velocities of the .375 H&H by 50 to 150 fps, depending on brand.

Before settling on the Ruger over the H&H though I did look at others results that consistently showed between 100-200fps depending on the bullet and powder chosen.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Head to Head: .375 Ruger vs. .375 H&H Magnum

Is it worthwhile for the hunter looking for a .375 to choose the Ruger over the older, timeless .375 H&H Magnum? Contributor Philip Massaro examines the pros and cons of each cartridge.

www.americanhunter.org

 

[WildRose]

@MagnumManiac what is the recoil of the 375WBY compared to the 375H&H? Is it still a push, or does the added speed make it more of a sudden kick? I have two M70 CRF and wonder if its worth converting the Classic Stainless.
Thanks

The New Haven made Classic Stainless action is my favorite action 2nd only to the Sharpshooters almost all of which had a blued action.

 

[TheFishBox]

How did we go from someone asking about a 375 Cheytac (130ish grains) to people suggesting an H&H (80ish grains)??????

 

[WildRose]

How did we go from someone asking about a 375 Cheytac (130ish grains) to people suggesting an H&H (80ish grains)??????

People trying to help him avoid making a mistake. If he chooses that route for a build he's free to do so.

Not many people however are going to want to carry a rifle that heavy in the field and still fewer will hold up to the recoil and blast for very long.

If you're talking about a rifle to hunt Africa and the rough Backcountry Mountains of the US you're in a completely different world from shooting off of a stand, or table and you still have to carry it to where you're going to shoot.

I've lugged some ridiculously heavy weapons in the service and they are no fun at all.

I've shot some of the biggest boomers were have in modern cartridges and observed others get beaten quickly into the ground trying.

That kind of punishment isn't for everyone.

 

[TheFishBox]

I get that but the thread says big 375 chamberings and what is being talked about is small 375 offerings.

 

[WildRose]

I get that but the thread says big 375 chamberings and what is being talked about is small 375 offerings.

The op asked for advice on a 375 to hunt Africa and Rough Country/Back Country in N. America.

He was initially interested in rounds requiring a weapon he's probably not going to want to carry on such hunts that would unnecessarily beat the heck out of him if he was to shoot it.

If he's not happy with the responses in this thread I'm sure he'll let us know.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I get that but the thread says big 375 chamberings and what is being talked about is small 375 offerings.

Wouldn't call the 375 Bee small.
Have had a 375 CheyTac, the rifle was just too large to carry anywhere but out the truck and onto the bench at the range.
I built mine on a Granite Mountain Arms action. It weighed 20lbs when finished with scope, bi-pod etc.
I also had a CZ550 Safari Magnum in 505 Gibbs from the CZ USA custom shop, it used 148g of Retumbo behind a 600g pill @ 2350fps. Had it loaded up to 2500fps, but that was brutal and even I didn't want to shoot it twice.
It was pleasant to shoot if you stayed under 2200fps. The rifle weighed 9lbs even with a 1lb Mercury recoil reducer in the buttstock.
The Gibbs is huge, now my own wildcats are derived from the Rigby case or Lapua.
Am looking at the Norma Mag to see what can be done with it too later in the year, getting barrels is difficult at the moment.

Cheers.

 

[biff's reloading]

375 rum is what the op wants. Packable rifle you can shoot without injury, and 1 mile capability with the bigger bullets. 270g speers for anything smaller than buffalo. 350g barnes for scary stuff.
Mines long throated and runs 350smk just over 2900 from a 25" tube with retumbo and h1000.

 

[WildRose]

375 rum is what the op wants. Packable rifle you can shoot without injury, and 1 mile capability with the bigger bullets. 270g speers for anything smaller than buffalo. 350g barnes for scary stuff.
Mines long throated and runs 350smk just over 2900 from a 25" tube with retumbo and h1000.

I don't know of anyone in Africa that is going to let you take long range shots like that at any of the Big 5 or Dangerous game.

You might find a few willing to let you try such shots on cull hunts for plains game but I doubt it.