375 winchester over bait

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mike Crawford

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I was looking into a rifle for short range over bait .. So we are talking 50-60 yards tops.. I have a 30-30 but was wondering if the 220 -250 grain bullet and a bigger hole from the 375 would make a great difference ..
 
I presume this is bears you are talking about, so an Ontario bear will be just as dead, whether it is hit in the same place, with a 30-30 or a W 375. Either calibre would be 100 % for shooting bears at the range you mention.
 
I like the .375 Win or .38-55 for that matter on bears... out to 100 yards if the shooter is up to the task... but there is no reason to be 100 yards away on a bait stand... 20 - 30 yards is our standard set-up for rifle stands and 15-20 yards for bowhunters.
 
Once shot a moose quartering away with a 375 Winnie. Hit on the last rib, angled forward ending up under the hide on the neck, expanded to 53 cal. Bang/flop. It is definitely a step up from the 30-30. Wonderful gun/cartridge combo.
 
mike Crawford said:
I was looking into a rifle for short range over bait .. So we are talking 50-60 yards tops.. I have a 30-30 but was wondering if the 220 -250 grain bullet and a bigger hole from the 375 would make a great difference ..
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I think that the .375 Winchester is a great cartridge. It deserved a better fate than being ignored by so many brush hunters.

I had a Marlin in .375 Winch back in the 80s. Great gun. 1/2 magazine and factory sling version of the 336.

Short answer. Yes, it would make a difference.
 
ohh mate if I was in your country I'd let you borrow my 94 BB375 an knock the snot out of a bear with it!! 255gr coated cast at 1800fps...

I know the jacketed 220gr hornadys do a bit of pin holing on deers, the 255s the same, but two holes works well and is a good anchor..

BUT the 30-30 should do the trick a treat... them 170s go pretty hard for a while.

WL
 
I like big heavy bullets. The 375 win I great choice if you skip the 45/70 lol. It has more frontal diameter than the 30/30 and with bears sometimes it's best to let more light into them and more blood out of them especially late season bears with a lot of fat. That fat can seal holes and the hide soaks in blood. Combine that with A soft footed fast animal tracking can be difficult.

The 30/30 will work just fine but if you're trying to sell a new gun purchase to the wife you need a bigger gun.

Mine said I can't go because a bear climbed my tree and got punched before shot. She said it's to dangerous. I got her to Ok a 338 lapua because I said I didn't have to get so close to the bait. For safety. She didn't even bat an eye at the $4125 price tag lol
 
Well my 30-30 is a Savage 219 .. so a single shot .. 26 inch barrel and it is accurate... I really have no fear of a bear coming too get me after I shoot it ..Most times baits are set up closer that 50 yards for sure .. But I have a high ridge too use as cover and the bait site and nice clearing at the bottom is about fifty yards.. Have been baiting there for a couple of years and there is bears there for sure .. I have shot a lot of bear but with dogs and it is a lot different treed .. You can pick your shot .. and most often it is a head shot ... I am getting older and not able too chase dogs so much ,, So I am going try the stand thing instead of running off the bait with dogs . Alot of dog hunters use 12 gauge with slugs .. I know SOME slugs guns are accurate but have seen some I would not want too use at 50 -60 yards on a bear and wound it
 
mike Crawford said:
Well my 30-30 is a Savage 219 .. so a single shot .. 26 inch barrel and it is accurate... I really have no fear of a bear coming too get me after I shoot it ..Most times baits are set up closer that 50 yards for sure .. But I have a high ridge too use as cover and the bait site and nice clearing at the bottom is about fifty yards.. Have been baiting there for a couple of years and there is bears there for sure .. I have shot a lot of bear but with dogs and it is a lot different treed .. You can pick your shot .. and most often it is a head shot ... I am getting older and not able too chase dogs so much ,, So I am going try the stand thing instead of running off the bait with dogs . Alot of dog hunters use 12 gauge with slugs .. I know SOME slugs guns are accurate but have seen some I would not want too use at 50 -60 yards on a bear and wound it
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Your .30-30 will do just fine at the normal yardage for bear hunting from a stand over bait. If you shoot it well, use it! No need for a .375. PS: there is no need for a head shot on a bear .... jmo there would be a higher chance of wounding by aiming for the head than the vitals.
 
Head shots are made from treed bear so if by chance the dogs do get ahold of the bear after it falls there is no chance of a hurt dog .. Most dogs are tied back so the bear does not fall on them and kill them .. I seen a bear shot in the head with a 444 marlin from about 40 yards .. It fell from the tree and it;s head was like a bag or marbles .. I never ever shot a 444 .. but the guy said it KICKED like a 338 win mag . I do shoot the 30-30 well .. It is the most accurate 30-30 I have shot .. It has a 26 inch barrel being a single shot , has harvested a dozen deer .. one shot each . within 30-30 limits of course . But a bear has way more fat too close the hole .. and a lot more will too live too
 
If a bear may make book, you don't care or unless it's self preservation you may not wish to head shoot it and destroy the skull.........Harold
 
I own 2 - 38-55 rifles. They are deadly on Black bear within 150 yards. I shoot the 255 grain .377" diameter
Barnes original with a healthy dose of H322. At 1750 fps, that bullet is devastating on any animal I have shot
with it. Since the 375 Winchester is so similar, I would expect it to perform similarly. Dave.
 
When talking about shooting treed bear you very seldom will see a book bear treed .. they are big and will not tree in most cases ... they will fight the dogs first .. and be shot on the ground, A treed bear is shot in the head because of the value of the dogs .. nothing too do with saving the head .. when a bear is treed you have a time too pick your head shot .. you can walk around too the other side of the tree if you so wish too get that shot.. you want that bear dead when it hits the ground.. no hurt dogs .. Now I would GUESS that if you did happen too tree a monster .. and it does happen ; the bear will most likely be about ten feet up and hanging off the side of the tree just high enough the dogs can;t reach him.. or sitting on a low limb if the tree is big enough too hold his weight ,, Then all bets are off .. and the chances for hurt dogs just went up a LOT. If you do not make a real good shot that will kill that bear real quick.. you are going too have ten dogs on top of a wounded bear .. there is seldom a chance for a follow up shot because the bear is covered in dogs .. and the bear will be biting and scratching dogs for sure .. I have seen guys run up and shove the gun down between the dogs and kill the bear with the barrel right on the bear so not too shoot the dogs .. Saving the scull at that point is the last thing you are thinking about . But in those cases most bears are killed by heart shots behind the front leg .. For some reason a lot of bear dogs want too grab the bear by the head
 
Some 220gr FP Interlocks, a pound of AA1680 and a bit of brass and never look back.

One of my biggest firearm regrets was selling my Marlin M375. She was a 1" rifle with her favourite load. What a fool I am...
 
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