.375 h & h

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albertacowboy

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I've always had a yen for one of these and I got to wondering about the recoil. I broke my right collarbone (shooting side) coming off of a horse some years ago; it healed fine, but I've always been leery of hard-recoiling calibers re the possible weakness of the fused bone. Could those of you who have fired a .375 H & H in a 300-grain bullet, or a .338 WM in a 225 or 250, give me an idea of the full-power recoil in an 8-lb. rifle as compared to a 200-grain .300 Win Mag. I shoot such a load (Remington Safari) in my .300 WM Remington 700 BDL with no trouble.

Many thanks!
 
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albertacowboy said:
I've always had a yen for one of these and I got to wondering about the recoil. I broke my right collarbone (shooting side) coming off of a horse some years ago; it healed fine, but I've always been leery of hard-recoiling calibers re the possible weakness of the fused bone. Could those of you who have fired a .375 H & H in a 300-grain bullet, or a .338 WM in a 225 or 250, give me an idea of the full-power recoil in an 8-lb. rifle as compared to a 200-grain .300 Win Mag. I shoot such a load (Remington Safari) in my .300 WM Remington 700 BDL with no trouble.

Many thanks!
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I only fired a 300 WM a few times and found its recoil very similar to a 30-06. The H & H is something else entirely. It kicks like a devil.

My 375 is a BRNO 550 Safari. I would estimate its weight with scope at around 11 pounds. It really thumps at both ends. I have only ever fired 300 grain bullets from it.

My friend, who weighs around 150lbs fired it twice and then refused to do it again. I like the cartidge, myself, because it feels like I am dealing out death and destruction. However, I can only shoot about ten rounds and I am done for the day.

A
 
you can get tubes filled with mercury designed to reduce recoil in shot guns .

no idea what they are called right now , but i expoxied 2 of them into my 45-120 and it made a huge difference in how it felt .

also putting a butpad with the largest surface area on it possible , then tapering the edges down to the stock ( to make it look half way pretty ) will also help in how the recoil feels .
 
Doesn't kick too bad in the Encore Pro Hunter. Not as bad as a shorty 12 gauge with slugs. It did scope a buddy in the safety glasses though.
 
Felt recoil is very sunjective. I have a BRNO .375 H&H and the recoil is fine. More of a push than a sharp jab like a .300 magnum. Mine is not a lot of fun off of the bench.
 
In my limited experience, my .375 H+H does kick harder than my .300 WM. Some folks like to say that the .300 is a "sharper faster" recoil where the .375 is more of a "gentle push".

"gentle push" or not, the .375 will leave you feeling more recoil than your .300, no matter what weight of bullets you are pushing.

If you can shoot a .300 WM without developing a flinch then I'm sure you can do the same with a .375 H+H. Using a sling, recoil pad or muzzle break are all things to consider if you try it out and find it's a little more than you wanted to deal with.
 
The .375 is a pussycat to shoot. If you can shoot an 8 pound .300 you won't have any problem with a .375 which will probably end up around 10.
It's been said many times, but the description of the .375s recoil as a push instead of a jab is still as good a way to describe it as any. It'll move you around but doesn't hurt.
If you lived around here I'd prove it to you.:)
 
I shoot a 602 and a Ruger RSM in .375 H&H, the Ruger's coming to Africa with me after Cape Buffalo this month. Frankly, the recoil is absolutely nothing to worry about, and not that bad. 270gr factory loads are downright moderate, and no big deal, though you do know you're shooting something real (I find .300 WM in most standard guns rather mild to be fair). 300gr, when they're moving, are on top of 80+grs of H4350 in my Ruger, and those can sting a touch. It's a bit sharp and brisk, with 300gr loads at 2,600fps+. Elk, everything else will get the 270gr TSX over a moderate load of H4895.

Forgive me, I'm rambling... To summarize, yes, the recoil's substantial, but no, it's nothing scary. I'm certain you'll handle it just fine, but I wouldn't be so sure about a steady diet of 300gr fast loads if you're concerned, I don't enjoy shooting many of those in a row. Aim for a rifle heavier than 8lbs for sure if you're concerned, that's light for a .375 and will make it "snap" a good deal more, shoot for a ten pounder.
 
Just my own experience FWIW, I've never fired a .300 Win., but I do have a .375 H&H and a .300 Weatherby both in Ruger # 1. I use 270 grainers in my .375 and ether 180 / 200 in my .300. I find the .375 to be less brutal than the .300, the .375 is somewwhat of a sudden push vs. a good smart kick from the .300. I can only conclude that the .300 having more imparted velocity (faster) results in a sharper felt recoil, albeit less ft.lbs. of recoil. I expected a real beating from the .375 - not the case, having said that about 10 shots from either is enough for one day. --- John303.
 
My fused bones are stronger than my not yet broken ones...Hard tissue heals better than soft tissue on me.

I also want one...Or a Ruger 375. But lets not open that can 'o worms!
 
My 375 H&H is more bearable to me than a 300 in a lighter gun. I also have a 378 Weatherby that is maganaported. That is something you can consider, putting a muzzle break on your gun. A 270 and a 375 are my favourites, easy to load, both are accurate,and can take on all game.
 
The 375 isn't bad, but I'd want no part of it in an 8 lb rifle. Good to carry but nto for a bunch of shooting.

It's not a cartridge that I'd want to shoot off the bench a lot, but from field positions it's not that bad. My brother has hunted whitetails in SK for the last few years with the H&H and 270 grain bullets. Not a bad combination so long as you don't have to flop prone for a long poke.

I have heard though, and it stands to reason, that some rifles (yes, A-Bolt, I'm looking at you) kick like the dickens in 375 H&H while others, like the Ruger RSM, are sweeties. Stock design and your physical makeup will determine how the recoil feels. Big guys that try to soak up every foot-lb get beat up worse than smaller shooters that "roll with the punches".
 
The 300 Win mag. is a sharp kick,the 375 is a roll.My compairison is kind of difficult because my .300 is in a Browning BAR.But I do shoot a wildcat called a Jarrod which is an 8mm Rem. Mag necked down to 30 Cal. That packs a wallop. But in all honesty I don't think you will have trouble with the .375 recoil. I have never had a problem with mine.

Grijim
 
I think on reflection BUM's post has the best summary to give you an idea, no pride involved (his RSM's a .416 Rigby, so we know he's "shooting straight").

As for taking off, yessir, bags are packed and already off work... funny when it gets down to it, I have nothing better to do in the meantime that burn time on CGN... Hmm.
 
My .375 Ruger comes in around 8lbs with scope and loaded. I dont' find it unpleasant to shoot form bench or field positions, but usually stop shooting after 40 rounds or so, that's usually enough for one day...
 
Africa and .375's

Ardent said:
I think on reflection BUM's post has the best summary to give you an idea, no pride involved (his RSM's a .416 Rigby, so we know he's "shooting straight").

As for taking off, yessir, bags are packed and already off work... funny when it gets down to it, I have nothing better to do in the meantime that burn time on CGN... Hmm.
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Look forward to hearing about your adventure with pics. I must get to Africa while still possible. Hell I'm fifty so only have another 40+ years of hunting in me.
Cheers and shoot some big ones for us.
Geoff in Victoria
 
Congratulations to both of you guys heading off to Africa...I finally made THE TRIP last year after only 40 years of planning! As to the original question, I owned and extensively shot 2 Sakos, a Remington 700 Safari, a CZ550, and a Ruger #1 over the years, all in .375 H&H and the difference from one rifle to the next was remarkable. The Ruger #1, as beautiful as it may be, has to be the worst-designed rifle on the planet in terms of felt recoil. Mine was a vicious kicker, but so accurate that I was planning to take it until the extractor broke just a few weeks before my trip. With time flying by, I bit the bullet and got a .375 barrel for my Blaser R93, and that rifle was a pussycat to shoot. It's probably the lightest .375 I've ever shot, and yet the most comfortable by a wide margin. This is probably dependent to at least some extent on your shooting style and build, but for me it was an easy choice. It would be great if you could try a few different rifles to get a handle on what fits and what doesn't.
 
Mine only comes out for serious business. 300 gr TSX with 80 grains of IMR 4350. Just shy of 2750 fps. I am fortunate to have a long chamber and long barrel.:) Very pleasant to shoot.
 
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