Any .375 Winchester users here?

N

njc110381

New member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey guys. I've just picked up a .375 Winchester '94AE in an auction. They're pretty rare here (I'm in the UK) and finding ammo could be fun, but I've got a few rounds of factory ammo with it and some cases, dies and suitable powder if I need to home load for it.

I guess I'm just wondering what it's like to hunt deer with, and what bullets you'd recommend? I've got casting kit here, although no .375 mould yet. Most of the deer I shoot are between 25-150lb, not big. It'll be a close range rifle for the woods and I'd like to use the iron sights if my eyes are up to it.

I've spoken to a couple of guys who have experience with the cartridge, but would be really keen to hear from others. Thanks.
 
The fun begins... as in the search for utopia ;)
Well, utopia in my case is a rabbit hole searching for 22 hornet components and reloading info.
Whelanlad Down-under shoots one or shot one iirc , but he has gone fly-about to New Zealand and may check in.
Enough of my comments.
You have come to the right place and someone with actual usage of the .375 Win will be offering up some solid advice.
Good Hunting.
Rob
 
FLHTCUI said:
The fun begins... as in the search for utopia ;)
Well, utopia in my case is a rabbit hole searching for 22 hornet components and reloading info.
Whelanlad Down-under shoots one or shot one iirc , but he has gone fly-about to New Zealand and may check in.
Enough of my comments.
You have come to the right place and someone with actual usage of the .375 Win will be offering up some solid advice.
Good Hunting.
Rob
Click to expand...

Regarding the .22 Hornet, what do you need to know? I had one a few years ago and shot it out, I'm no stranger to load data and info on that little cartridge!
 
I love the 375 Win which I shoot in a first year BB94. For small deer you can't go wrong with the 200 Sierra which opens up well, kills quickly, is accurate (2M0A) and can get to 23-2400fps with AA1680. I found a few hundred of the discontinued 220 Hornady FN's. They are not quite as accurate (3MOA) but can get to 21-2200fps with RL 7 and penetrate better. The 255 Barnes Original is also very accurate with RL7 but take up powder capacity and you are best off stopping in the 1900fps range. It's a great moose bullet and hangs onto speed the best. You will get the fastest kills on small deer with the 200 Sierra. It's best to stop with one bullet weight as in my rifle the 200's print a good foot higher than the 255's. Factory 200's are quite inconsistent in my rifle with one lot printing nearly MOA and other lots going 4MOA! It's also slow at about 2050ft/sec. My rifle shoots hard cast bullets like it was built for them but much slower kills IMO. 200 Sierras and AA1680 or RL7 is your Huckleberry.

Videos here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKuUWNMVa1k

(url)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MyCMeaM7LI&t=67s(/url)
 
Last edited:
Thanks Takujualuk.

It's a shame that the hard cast bullets don't kill so quickly, I've just found a place in the UK selling 255gr cast for £80/1000. That's pretty good compared to £35/100 for the 200gr Sierra! I'm a bit limited on powder here but I can get RL7 and I've already got 10x which isn't far off.

Is the video one of yours? I've watched the whole series over the last week or so.
 
I have a Contender barrel in 375 Winchester that I shoot often. Haven’t bee able to shoot a deer with it yet but one day hopefully. I shoot mostly cast out of mine. I have about 65 cases now which has taken about 3 years to get. When I first got it I was using straightened 30-30 cases with lower power cast loads. Which is slightly shorter in length. Being a weaker case I stay away from max loads. I actually have a load made up that is max for 38-55 and just above minimum for 375. Using 250 gr cast with IMR 4198. That load with 30-30 cases I shoot in both 375 and 38-55 without any issues. I do seat the bullet out as far as the 375 barrel let’s me, which is still short for my 38-55’s. I keep thinking of getting a 94 XTR BB in 375 as it would fit in with my 94 30-30 and 307 Winchester big bore.
The 375 is basically an improved 38-55 on a stronger case and action so I can’t see it not working on deer.
 
I purchased one a couple years ago. Was fortunate enough to get brass bullets and dies in the deal. It’s my go to bush gun now and have been lucky enough to take two decent white tails with it. Put a Skinner peep sight on it.
 
I have a 375 in a Marlin and have had a life long passion with that caliber along with the 38-55. I handload both.

I have taken a lot of animals with it (bears and deer) and found it always performs well at my short distances. Anyway cast bullets would be fine in this caliber. I took a bear with my 38-55 with a 255 grn cast (accurate mold) and it dropped in it tracks. I am sure cast with a gas check would be fine on small deer.

Cheers
 
NJC: Yes the video series is mine. I really like the 375..I played with the 307 and found it very accurate but the heavier barrel weight took it out of the regular 94 handiness club. I sold the 307 BB94 and kept a lighter pre-million, Savage 99F in .308. The light weight 375 BB94 is a useful power upgrade (fully moose-worthy) while retaining the 30-30 model 94 lightness and handiness. It didn't exactly take off but it should have! I carry mine for moose here in the Yukon when I am in tight cover. Great rig! Of course I have a friend who takes his moose every year with the regular 30-30 but a true rifle looney guy needs his little upgrades!

Some people like the cast and have had good luck with them on game. I have done extensive testing on wet newsprint and don't like the wound channel widths of even the blunt nosed cast bullets BUT I have never taken any game with them. My gas checked hard cast bullets weight just under 270 grains and they shoot very well at 1800fps. I will likely never try them on game as I like a bit of expansion and don't like to experiment on live animals when I know the jacketed bullets work so well so I have zero experience with hard cast bullets. I do know they penetrate like crazy!
 
Last edited:
My most useful upgrade on my BB94 375 is a sourdough front sight. I find the wide post is very visible and easy to index on targets. It closed my group sizes by about 30% and made more of an accuracy difference than replacing the open back sight with a Williams receiver sight. I like the receiver sight though as it allows for quicker re-sighting between loads. I have the clicks written down to re-sight between 200, 220, 255, and 270 grain bullets which impact to wildly different spots at 100 yards.
 
njc110381 said:
Hey guys. I've just picked up a .375 Winchester '94AE in an auction. They're pretty rare here (I'm in the UK) and finding ammo could be fun, but I've got a few rounds of factory ammo with it and some cases, dies and suitable powder if I need to home load for it.

I guess I'm just wondering what it's like to hunt deer with, and what bullets you'd recommend? I've got casting kit here, although no .375 mould yet. Most of the deer I shoot are between 25-150lb, not big. It'll be a close range rifle for the woods and I'd like to use the iron sights if my eyes are up to it.

I've spoken to a couple of guys who have experience with the cartridge, but would be really keen to hear from others. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I owned a 1st gen .375 Win BB94 for some yrs & it was a sweetheart to carry and shoot on deer using hardcast 265 gr boolits at 1500 fps. No problems with well aimed shoulder shots. The projectiles passed through both shoulders of 'em and anchored the buggers for finishing. Same results on a 250 'ish lb black bear at 40 yds. with the same load. Great for game close in from a hide or stand.
 
I've got a 99 in 375 Win, they work great on deer. Just using the 200 gr loads from my LGS and I get tight groups.

COUO7dvh.jpg
 
MadDog said:
I've got a 99 in 375 Win, they work great on deer. Just using the 200 gr loads from my LGS and I get tight groups.

COUO7dvh.jpg
Click to expand...

I bought the same model as your one back in '80 and fit 'er with a Bushnell 1.5-4.5 Scope Chief. Got my 1st off-Island deer with it using 200gr Win Powerpoint. Accurate & fast handling bugger for the job. I would've kept the rifle for more than the 2 seasons I used 'er but I've always preferred hammer guns like the Win 94 and Marlins over the Savage units.

The 99's in .375 Win were going past $1000.oo around 12 yrs back. I reckon they would be stupid-high priced today.
 
Love the 375 Win! I have had my Marlin 375S since 1996 and have mostly used the factory 200 gr Power Point ammunition. With a 2.5 power Leupold with a heavy duplex, it consistently produces 1" groups @ 100 yards. I have taken a number of moose and black bears with it over the years, as well as my first caribou. It also shoot handloaded hdy 220 gr FP's into 1" groups with IMR4198. One of my "never sell" rifles!
I did not care for the rainbow trajectories of the factory 250 gr bullets or the handloaded Barnes 255 gr Originals, so did not hunt with them and did not pursue these any further.
Ammo was getting hard to find, and then Winchester finally made a nother run of ammo a few years back. Goes for about $90/box when you can find it.

I have also had a number of Winchester 94 Big Bores over the years, and still have one that has very pretty wood.
Plans are to shoot the HSM ammo loaded with the Sierra Pro Hunter 200gr FP, and load the same bullet with which ever powder performs best (Re-7, IMR4198 and/or H-322).

Luckily, I have also been able to acquire a good supply of Winchester 200 gr ammo, and components (Winchester brass and Hdy and Sierra bullets) for handloading so I will be good for a while. I have not tried cast bullets in my rifles, and am happy with the jacketed bullets, so may never try.
 
Takujualuk said:
My most useful upgrade on my BB94 375 is a sourdough front sight. I find the wide post is very visible and easy to index on targets. It closed my group sizes by about 30% and made more of an accuracy difference than replacing the open back sight with a Williams receiver sight. I like the receiver sight though as it allows for quicker re-sighting between loads. I have the clicks written down to re-sight between 200, 220, 255, and 270 grain bullets which impact to wildly different spots at 100 yards.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look at those sights, thanks. I do struggle with iron sights, my eyes aren't what they were!

When it comes to cast bullets, I think maybe they work more like an arrow? There's enough hole there for the animal to bleed out, but maybe you don't get the same impact reactions until they're checked and driven faster, at which point they probably start to shock things more? I don't know, I've never hunted with them, so that's just my theory!

I think I'll probably struggle to find factory ammo. I got some with the rifle but not much, about 50 rounds I think. I also have 100 cases. I just need to figure out whether to shoot jacketed or cast. One of the ranges I use doesn't like jacketed, and the gun will be used there a lot. For the sake of messing about changing between jacketed and cast I think I'll probably just try cast for now.

Thanks for all your replies and sorry I've been a bit slow coming back to you all. It's a great help to hear what works for you
 
Years ago I had a 21 inch Factory Thompson center contender barrel in 375 Winchester

I discovered that I could get it rechambered to 375 JDJ uses 444 Marlin brass so I sent the barrel down to SSK industries and JDJ himself rechambered my barrel for me

I now have a 14 inch Thompson center contender barrel inn 375 JdJ gives me the exact same velocity’s as a 21 inch 375 Winchester barrel gives

My favorite bullets for the 375 Winchester and the short barreled 375jdj are Hornady 220 grjacketed flat points

I consider this a 200 yard combination for deer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom