Bitten by the Big Bore Bug

I have been wanting something in .375h&h for some time, but never really found anything in my price range, or that was even a fair deal. So I took a look at Anthony's website and bought a 9.3x62 m98. Other than the bruno 602, allot of actions are just kind of adapted for it... not really meant to handle it. Even the 602 and cz550 need stock re-enforcing to handle full power loads(or so I read)

Pluss your looking to download the .375 anyway, I think you would be happy with a 9.3, and I hope I am.
 
After reading up some more I think the 9.3's and the .45-70 are the remaining candidates. The .375H&H is to powerful for my current needs and I would preclude me buying any other "medium-large" bore rifles for a while. I will own a .375 maybe just not soon.
 
Big bore

How about .375 Ruger. Generally in the sporting gun world, .338-.35's is considered medium-bore's and .375 the minimum for big-bore's. You would do well with a .338 Win Mag or how about a .375 Ruger? >375H+H in a Ruger single shot would be a good one also.
Geoff
 
I like the 35 whelen-but where do you find a 35 whelen for the same prices you can get a very fine 9,3x57 for[$250 to $350]?The materials and workmanship in the swedes is excellent.The only downside is its pretty much a reloading proposition[but that didn;t prove too daunting either].It may not be the most long range or powerful cartridge-but neither is the recoil-and I certainly don;t feel undergunned tossing a 286 gr privipartizan at anything
 
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ben hunchak said:
If you want a big bore, get a big bore, the .375 is a med. bore, and at normal ranges the 45/70 loaded with heavy loads has more stomp then the .375 Mag....So my choice is the 45/70 if you want a lever gun, the .458 or .458 Lott if you want a bolt gun or Ruger #1...don't get me wrong, I like the .375 and the .348 Win, and both are probably better for long shots...but neither are big bores!
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Yes Ben, thats sort of what I admitted to in post # 17, "Fudging a little perhaps in classifying the 348 as a big bore". But with the cast 230gr GC I get from one of my local cast bullet suppliers, my .348W 'shoots like a big bore'.
 
That .450 Marlin is a nice cartridge. Recoil from the 18.5" Marlin 1895M seems to feel a little lighter than the .375 Ruger with full house loads. Recoil is subjective anyhow.
I think that everyone needs a medium bore. The .375 Ruger is kicka$$. More energy @ 300m than my .30-06 @ the muzzle. Woo-Hoo.
 
Norma 9.3x57 ammo is available from FN Sports. I had some ordered in both 232 and 285. Took about a week for the store to get it in. Trade Ex has Norma brass also,along with a wide range of bullets,and some dies too.
 
Anything on this continent that deserves and needs a big bore should never be shot at over a couple hundred yards anyway. With that in mind there are lots of choices but within 200 I still like the .45-70. Even with the much reduced velocity attainable with a big bullet the 500 grain Barnes in the chamber backed up with 350 gr RN or FN hammers @ 2000+ fps there isn't much of anything that can still be standing. A simple analogy: let's say your driveway is fairly steep from the street to your garage door and you park a tank truck beside your Porsche 40 feet from the door. Stick them both in neutral and let gravity do the rest. Which one will do the most damage? The Porsche might get there first, but I guarantee the truck will keep on destroying the building long after the car stopped. Now think a 500 gr bullet at 1450 fps versus anything else under 300 grains. Back that up with 350 grainers at maybe 300-500 fps less than a .458 Win Mag and you have the .45-70. Same thing as the tank truck. I'd bet my life on the .45-70 saving my butt against almost anything on this earth if it came down to that, including the African big 5 with a heavy bullet expanding or not, especially in a lever gun that holds 5 or 6.
 
I have owned a 450 Marlin for a couple years and love it. I don't reload as this calibre comes full charged in factory ammo 325grain-2225fps ,3600ftpds muzzle energy lots enough for anything I'll hunt. Range is limited but hell I never shoot much over 150 yards or so. And yes they make big holes
 
I was bitten by the big bore bug as well. I just picked up a Marlin Guide gun in 45/70 :D . Installed Williams peep and fire sights. Going to the range this weekend to sight in. It looks purdy nice sitting in between my 375 Ruger Alaskan and my 700 300 win mag Boone&Crocket. Now I just need time to shoot them.
 
I have to put my two cents in. I think anything above 30 caliber is great as everyone has one (30cal). I hunt almost exclusivly with my marlin guide gun in 45/70. Its taken (1)grouse, (1)racoon, lots of deer, bear and moose has all fallen to my 45/70 handload: 350gr Hornady fn @ 2100fps. The last critter I shot was this Oct which was a nice 4x5 blacktail @ 50 yrds!! I think mid bores are cool as they are the underdogs of the cartridge world and a 35 or 375 caliber are just great to hunt anything you want. Best of luck with the choice.

Cheers

Seabass
 
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have a 444 marlin, accurate and hits with a fair bit of steam. like it a lot. however, as an all around caliber, i think the 350 remington is pretty tough to beat. similar to the old 350 rigby, which i understand was quite a hit as an all around rifle in africa. hits like a train , decent range and recoil is actually quite light for the energy output. strange as it may sound, im personally looking at a 44 mag levergun. range is short, but if you're in the bush, who cares

cheers
 
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