338 Win Mag vs 375 H&H
- Thread starter Gatehouse
- Start date
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
I prefer to spread the calibers out a bit , so a 7 mag and a 375 very nice in this area. If just the .375 H&H, 220 GR for deer and black bear. 250-270 for elk, moose, and 285-300 Gr. for the big and the bad. The 338 is also a fine cal. but I would spend money on the 300 win mag over the 338.
Frank
Frank
The 338WinMag is the best do-it-all caliber for B.C. hunting. With the selection of .338 bullets out there it will cover deer, goat, bear, moose, elk, even sheep, better than the 375H&H. Hell, the 338WinMag is even better than that "souped up '06, wannabe 338".
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I think the 375 is superior in many ways over the 338WM, however, If it were me, I'd take the 338WM.
Why? In Canada, you just don't need any more.
Short action = more rifle choices
It burns a lot less powder.
Tons of bullet choices.
and it's a bit more suitable for smaller fair, if not much.
also, you can get it in a lever gun or, if you must, a semi.
Why? In Canada, you just don't need any more.
Short action = more rifle choices
It burns a lot less powder.
Tons of bullet choices.
and it's a bit more suitable for smaller fair, if not much.
also, you can get it in a lever gun
or, if you must, a semi.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
If it was simply a matter of need, few of us would have anything more than a .30-06. The .375 is ballistically superior to the .338 Winchester, however when you begin talking about the .338 Ultra, the .338/.378, or the .338 Lapua the gap begins to narrow. Still, the .375 has the advantage in bullet weight, especially with the excellent 350 and 380 gr bullets available. The .375 has the velocity needed to shoot out to 300 yards, and if you hunt outside of North America the .375 is an obvious choice for a one rifle hunter.
While the .375H&H is the superior round in most ways, I believe that it is too much gun for most people to handle effectively. So in the context of the question, my pick is the .338WM which still may be too much gun for some, though to a lesser degree.
It is a three die set and loading these big ones is a lot different to reloading the 388's or 375's!1899 said:
I am still learning but basically you resize and then expand the neck in a seperate operation!
They do take a lot of work!! But it is fun!!
- Location
- marmora ontario
with Mauser 98 on this one!!
I too am finishing a 9.3x62 on a 1908 DWM action, Hey its also allowed as the "minimum" caliber in Africa besides the 375h/h. Better than the 338 with LESS RECOIL!! When done soon I'll let you know how it does.
I too am finishing a 9.3x62 on a 1908 DWM action, Hey its also allowed as the "minimum" caliber in Africa besides the 375h/h. Better than the 338 with LESS RECOIL!! When done soon I'll let you know how it does.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
.338 and .375
I have had them both and the .338 shoots flatter in the tests that I did at 200 yards. Both are equally accurate and suitable for anything in North America. The 375 is the minimum legal caliber in most African hunting situations that I have read about.
I guess someone should have told Karamojo Bell that he can't shoot elephants with the 275 Rigby..........(7x57 Mauser)
I have had them both and the .338 shoots flatter in the tests that I did at 200 yards. Both are equally accurate and suitable for anything in North America. The 375 is the minimum legal caliber in most African hunting situations that I have read about.
I guess someone should have told Karamojo Bell that he can't shoot elephants with the 275 Rigby..........(7x57 Mauser)
Yes..................sadly most shooters now a days would end up trampled into a gooey mess if they used a 7x57 on elephant. The average hunter can't shoot worth s#*t. Many get so excited that they miss a whole damn moose at 50 yards......never mind the brain of an elephant (about the size of a loaf of bread) and that's if they can actually remember where it is from different angles.
Probably why most PH's still get their clients to pump a couple rounds into the heart/lungs and avoid the often screwed up brain shot. Bell was an exceptional individual with superb shooting skills and steely nerves. Most of the hunters I have met are crapping themselves following up a wounded blackie never mind staring down 7 tons of bull elephant.
Probably why most PH's still get their clients to pump a couple rounds into the heart/lungs and avoid the often screwed up brain shot. Bell was an exceptional individual with superb shooting skills and steely nerves. Most of the hunters I have met are crapping themselves following up a wounded blackie never mind staring down 7 tons of bull elephant.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I saw an intersting post by a PH on Nitro Express a while back. The PH said that he would hold on the elephant's shoulder and that at the client's shot if the elephant was still in his sight picture he would fire. If the brain were hit by the client the elephant would immediately drop out of his sight picture. Of coarse many elephant are killed with body shots from suitable canons.
If you already have a .338 and need something bigger it should probably be bigger than .375. If you already have a .375 and need somthing smaller, it should probably be smaller than a .338. But if you want one rifle to hunt anywhere in the world you could do much worse than the .375.
If you already have a .338 and need something bigger it should probably be bigger than .375. If you already have a .375 and need somthing smaller, it should probably be smaller than a .338. But if you want one rifle to hunt anywhere in the world you could do much worse than the .375.
I'm not generalizing. Really good shots are few and far between. Think about.
Maybe 1 in 100 hunters handloads and only about 1 in 100 practice regularly.....and I think I am being generous with those numbers.
Maybe in your circle of friends it is different but not in the big overall picture it isn't. Also, just because a guy can punch paper all day at the bench doesn't make him a good shot in the field or prepare him to deal with the excitement of the hunt or worst case, buck fever.
I have been guiding hunters for 30 years and I see good shots blow things horribly all the time.
When I think about all the rural neighbours of mine............................when it comes to big game rifles, most check their rifle just before deer season and that is their 'practice' for the year. It is no different in urban areas, perhaps worse due to the difficulty of getting to a range. Just before hunting season there is a lot of activity..the rest of the year it is the regular shooters that handload and shoot competitively.
Howard I didn't say that no one on CGN could shoot....so no one should take my comments personally. Each of you knows where you sit in the great scheme of shooting....... on the otherhand, just cause someone posts on the CGN forum doesn't mean they are good shots or shoot at all for that matter. It just means they are interested in firearms. Interest in firearms doesn't equal a good shot.
Maybe 1 in 100 hunters handloads and only about 1 in 100 practice regularly.....and I think I am being generous with those numbers.
Maybe in your circle of friends it is different but not in the big overall picture it isn't. Also, just because a guy can punch paper all day at the bench doesn't make him a good shot in the field or prepare him to deal with the excitement of the hunt or worst case, buck fever.
I have been guiding hunters for 30 years and I see good shots blow things horribly all the time.
When I think about all the rural neighbours of mine............................when it comes to big game rifles, most check their rifle just before deer season and that is their 'practice' for the year. It is no different in urban areas, perhaps worse due to the difficulty of getting to a range. Just before hunting season there is a lot of activity..the rest of the year it is the regular shooters that handload and shoot competitively.
Howard I didn't say that no one on CGN could shoot....so no one should take my comments personally. Each of you knows where you sit in the great scheme of shooting....... on the otherhand, just cause someone posts on the CGN forum doesn't mean they are good shots or shoot at all for that matter. It just means they are interested in firearms. Interest in firearms doesn't equal a good shot.
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1899..I saw a German hunter take an elephant in the Zambesi River Valley with a 9.3 x 74R. One shot through the top of the heart, where the big tubes connect. That bull ran about a 100 yards blowing blood everywhere out of the end of his trunk and then collapsed.
It wasn't the pretty classic drop on it's knees brain shot, but it was effective.
It wasn't the pretty classic drop on it's knees brain shot, but it was effective.
I agree with Sasquatch on the shooting thing. One of the first things my dad taught me about shooting game is that some people are really good at target shooting, but are poor shots on game. There are also those that are the exact opposite - good shots on game, but not so good on targets. He said practice, mental preparation and time spent outdoors among the animals you hunt are all important. Good advice...but I still miss a shot every once in awhile!
