.375 Holland and Holland, the most versatile big game hunting cartridge?
- Thread starter Northern Shooter
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
If you plan to hunt "the world" is likely up to someone else to confirm what you read. However, for North America - I think Phil Sharpe disagreed - was the point of his 7x61 - to be the best hunting round for North America, I think - 7 mm, 160 grain bullets, circa 3,100 fps with IMR 4350 powder. Did not last long - I think the 7 mm Rem Mag advertised to be 100 fps better - when most no one actually owned a chronograph to verify any factory claims - so 7 mm Rem Mag "won" because it was faster - therefore had to be better??
Read up a bit about 9.3x62 Mauser - pre-dated the 375 H&H - successfully used on same game - usually has two more rounds on board - often significant to some people.
I’ve used the 375 a fair bit on game from steinbuck, which are about like a house cat with horns, to giraffe which are a out the same size as two buffalo. Nine buffalo with that cartridge before deciding that the 458s just work better. Seems like a long time ago now; and a lot of buffalo ago as well. it works though; not much use pretending it doesn’t. I used to use 270 and 300 grain TSXs before switching to A-Frames and finding out what a real bullet was.
One of my 375s weighs a bit less than my 270 Feather-weight; that opens up a whole new world for NA hunting. With 235 grainers it will give a 300 Win a run for its money trajectory-wise out to 500.
One of my 375s weighs a bit less than my 270 Feather-weight; that opens up a whole new world for NA hunting. With 235 grainers it will give a 300 Win a run for its money trajectory-wise out to 500.
It’s basically a factory M70 Alaskan. The factory specs don’t seem to mean anything, they listed those wrong. Might actually sell more if they fixed that. It has a slender contour barrel, and hollowed out stock,but thats just the way they were made. I did bed it and set the trigger, but few here would consider those mods. Tuning maybe.
The forend is hogged out under the barrel channel leaving a shell. You cant see it until the barrelled action is removed. I don’t know if the utt stock is drilled or cored out, ever took the pad off to find out. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was, but don’t know.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I started using a .375 H&H several years ago in preparation for African hunting safaris. I have enjoyed using it at home for moose, bear, and elk. That home country experience gave me confidence while carrying a .375 in Africa where it is admittedly more appropriate as a general purpose cartridge. Last May I finally got to carry a .375 for what it wes designed to be use for - a general purpose cartridge in Africa. Used it to take a cape buffalo and an eland. Was perfectly happy with the results. We bumped into elephant several times during the 10 day hunt. It was "nice" to carry a rifle that was capable, if just minimally capable to kill an elephant if an unplanned elephant emergency required a shooting solution. Africa is the only place I've ever felt a need to carry a rifle loaded with solids. That was only because of the elephants. Full metal jacket, non-expanding bullets are just not needed for any hunting in North America, with the possible exception of the biggest marine mammals, whales or walrus perhaps. And FMJ are generally not legal for hunting North American game.
I have had a 375 ruger for a while.
I’ve shot game with 235g tsx, 270g hornday, 300g Sierras.
All have preformed well on black bear and mule deer.
All pushed hard. Less meat damage then faster 30cals IME.
I have a lite load of 235g hot core going about 2350fps.
Haven’t put it into meat yet.
I think a 375 is great for everything. No complaints at all.
I’ve shot game with 235g tsx, 270g hornday, 300g Sierras.
All have preformed well on black bear and mule deer.
All pushed hard. Less meat damage then faster 30cals IME.
I have a lite load of 235g hot core going about 2350fps.
Haven’t put it into meat yet.
I think a 375 is great for everything. No complaints at all.
There isnt s lot of steel left in the slender barrel with a big hole in it, it is longer though. 26” versas 22”. There is a huge differnence between different blanks of wood. One of my 270s has s relatively highly figured handle and the other is a cabelas supergrade (1of 300) that isn’t light. My Alaskan has a plank sawn straight grained stock.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
You'd probably like a woman in black-leather beating the arse off you with a riding crop too!
such a romantic vision related to 375hh ...
As others have noted already, it really depends on where you hunt and what you hunt. A bison or great bear might require a 375magnum, but pretty much nothing else in Canada does.
The rifles are heavy, dish out more recoil and are much more expensive to shoot even if shooting handloads. Can you even buy brass and bullets for a 375 these days?
After a while, lots of 375 owners tire of these negatives and go back to their old 30-06. The EE always has used 375s listed that are barely used. BTDT with several 375s. Sold my barely used 375s as well. A 30-06 or 300magnum will do every thing I need for larger game.
Buy the 375 and have fun with it. That what gun loonies do.
As others have noted already, it really depends on where you hunt and what you hunt. A bison or great bear might require a 375magnum, but pretty much nothing else in Canada does.
The rifles are heavy, dish out more recoil and are much more expensive to shoot even if shooting handloads. Can you even buy brass and bullets for a 375 these days?
After a while, lots of 375 owners tire of these negatives and go back to their old 30-06. The EE always has used 375s listed that are barely used. BTDT with several 375s. Sold my barely used 375s as well. A 30-06 or 300magnum will do every thing I need for larger game.
Buy the 375 and have fun with it. That what gun loonies do.
I admit that it's definitely on the excessive end for Canadian game but that's a part of the appeal to me. I already own and hunt with the venerable 30-06 and.308. Lately I've been wanting to try something different with my moose hunts so I've been branching out to 45-70, 6.5x55 and now .375H&H.
While commercial ammo is nowhere near as available than the traditional .30 cal alternatives, it's still in stock at retailers across the country. So far I've picked up some PPU 300 gr as it was the only sub $100 boxes in stock. I see there are retailers carrying some of the more premium cartridges from Hornady/Barnes in the $100-$150 price range.
Now that Grizzly’s are everywhere’s on the eastern slopes of the Rockies in Alberta, I usually carry my .375 if I am hunting in the black timber. I have shot over 1000 rds of jacketed bullets thru it and almost 2000 cast bullets thru it. The biggest animal I have shot with it is wood bison, it kills them much faster than a 30-06.
I lent it to a friend who took it to Africa, he shot a hippo and a Cape buffalo with it and a few different antelope's with it. It was a one gun hunt, he shot 300 grain Nozler Partions for everything, I believe.
I lent it to a friend who took it to Africa, he shot a hippo and a Cape buffalo with it and a few different antelope's with it. It was a one gun hunt, he shot 300 grain Nozler Partions for everything, I believe.
