How big is too big in terms of caliber for hunting big game in Canada.

[Dogleg]

If recoil didn't exist, discussions of what is too big or what constitutes overkill would quickly cease.

That would leave just terminal effect, wind drift and trajectory concerns. As it is, caliber is selected by a compromise of recoil versus velocity versus rifle weight versus tradeing recoil for noise not so convinceing disguised concern for what is too big for game. The limiting factor is the shooter.

 

[vviking]

nothing wrong with the .375 or the 35 whelen or the 45-70 ,if your hunting moose or bear in close quarters, depends on the distance you plan on doin an ethical kill, i wouldn't recomend it in eastern canada,where there is cuttings and bogs 1000 or 2000 yds long, not sure it would do the job. personnaly i don't think those heavy calibers are very efficient pass 200 yds or so just my five cents!!! have a good one!

See your five cents and raise ya a nickle!.

Gotta disagree about the .375H&H though. With the right handloads, and some field practice, that old girl is more than capable of an anchoring shot far past the distance that most of us would consider pulling the trigger. Think 30/06, 180gr. trajectories, or better.
Never personally pulled trigger on hair with it, but if you want to see steel rock at 1/4 mile plus?. Lace it with a .375 270 gr. at 2800+ MV.

 

[RemingtonMarlin]

Thank you very much, sobo4303.
I like the push-up idea.
The real hunting situation are indeed different than bench-shooting. I almost
shot my dog last time out hunting while missed the target by about 3 metres.

Y'know, glad to hear that you and your new rifle are working out. Now at the range, try this. Learn to shoot from a standing, kneeling and prone position. The bench is important to know where the rifle is shooting, in terms of it being sighted in.

The next thing is that you now have to learn how to shoot it, similar to hunting. Buy some of those life size and lifelike targets of deer or elk. Set your gun down, do about 10 or 15 pushups. Pick up the gun, load it, take aim...just like in the bush. Your heart rate will be up, your breathing a bit heavy....and shoot the target...it will feel very similar to shooting at a real animal for the first time. I never forgot this lesson when it was told taught to me by my father, whom had a retired sniper teach him.

From that point, you will now have to learn to control your breathing, how to properly stand or kneel and squeezing versus pulling trigger.

 

[track]

50 Cal. Browning Machine Gun..............and that's my final answer.

 

[bcsteve]

See your five cents and raise ya a nickle!.

Gotta disagree about the .375H&H though. With the right handloads, and some field practice, that old girl is more than capable of an anchoring shot far past the distance that most of us would consider pulling the trigger. Think 30/06, 180gr. trajectories, or better.
Never personally pulled trigger on hair with it, but if you want to see steel rock at 1/4 mile plus?. Lace it with a .375 270 gr. at 2800+ MV.

x2. Add the the .35 Whelen to that as well.

 

[goulou67]

300 ultra-mag in remington senderro heavy-barrel, left hand, 1:12 twist, topped up with a zeiss 4x12 by 50mm, no second guessing this baby when the stars are lined up and that's my final answer!!!!

 

[renier]

I have my Dad's old 375 h&h, it has a life story and I wish it could talk. Mmmmm could be a good new forum and I would like to tell the story when I get my friend to show me to post photo's.
With this rifle and mostly 300 grains it has shot everything from medium warthogs to elephant in Africa. Here in BC deer to a few big moose. In one trip we got two moose, one with a 30 06 and the other with the 375. The meat damage was less with the 375,I presume maybe to inferior bullets in the 30 06. This observation was also made on previous hunts. The 375 almost always fully penetrated and in only a few instances was the bullet found when it encountered a big bone
I believe the most important thing about a heavy caliber is the ability to make a less than ideal raking shot to the vitals of an animal and still reach it!. Also in the case of a wounded running away animal a shot with a heavy caliber are more likely to bring an end to the chase much sooner. I am not suggesting to take a shot at animals if you're not sure of hitting the vitals and never shoot at unwounded amimals if your first shot is not ideal. The other advantage of big caliber guns is that even in poorer quality bullets the jackets of the bullets is still much thicker than in smaller calibers and thus likely to perform better and not fail when encountering bone.
The big one's also in general are not as fast as the smaller, thus meat damage is often less.

 

[Reaper007]

I brought my Savage 110ba in 338LM with a Burris Eliminator on my bear hunt last year. Almost no recoil but wow the shock wave was impressive! We didn't get to see any due to the weather going from above zero to minus 1. I have a short video of sighting it in before we went out. I apologize for the bit of foul language at the very end. My buddy and cousin were taken off guard by the shock wave lol. I'll try to upload it from my phone

 

[westcoaster]

See your five cents and raise ya a nickle!.

Gotta disagree about the .375H&H though. With the right handloads, and some field practice, that old girl is more than capable of an anchoring shot far past the distance that most of us would consider pulling the trigger. Think 30/06, 180gr. trajectories, or better.
Never personally pulled trigger on hair with it, but if you want to see steel rock at 1/4 mile plus?. Lace it with a .375 270 gr. at 2800+ MV.

X3 and add the 416 Rigby to the list.

 

[grizzly416]

If recoil didn't exist, discussions of what is too big or what constitutes overkill would quickly cease.

That would leave just terminal effect, wind drift and trajectory concerns. As it is, caliber is selected by a compromise of recoil versus velocity versus rifle weight versus tradeing recoil for noise not so convinceing disguised concern for what is too big for game. The limiting factor is the shooter.

and that is where this dicussion should end

 

[Curt]

Thank you very much, sobo4303.
I like the push-up idea.
The real hunting situation are indeed different than bench-shooting. I almost
shot my dog last time out hunting while missed the target by about 3 metres.

Please practice and get some pointers from an experienced hunter/shooter at your local range.
I do love your honesty.

 

[dahs]

I have a theory, you don't want a gun that'll do the job when the conditions are perfect. You want a gun that'll do the job when absolutely everything goes wrong.

 

[renier]

Could not agree more, see post# 67

 

[CanadaBoy]

In my opinion the rifle is only too powerful when you can't shoot it well anymore. You don't need any more than a 30-06 or similar in Canada, but if you can shoot a rifle well there is no such thing as too powerful in practical terms. I use a 6.5x55 and a .375 H&H I would use either to hunt anything in Canada. And I do hunt deer with the .375 H&H because the recoil doesn't bother me and the rifle fits me well.

 

[gwes2003]

I disagree that the 375 is "the most favorable all-around hunting round". For big game its a great round, but deer size and smaller I'd say not! There's no do it all caliber in my opinion. If you want it buy it. But realize you will be buying another caliber for other purposes which is why I love guns...I always find a reason to buy another

 

[Kevan]

I disagree that the 375 is "the most favorable all-around hunting round". For big game its a great round, but deer size and smaller I'd say not! There's no do it all caliber in my opinion. If you want it buy it. But realize you will be buying another caliber for other purposes which is why I love guns...I always find a reason to buy another

I guess it depends on many variables, bullet weight, size of animal, etc., etc.
I've taken Whitetail and Mulie with mine and also a nice Pronghorn back in the '70s.
The Antelope in question actually had far less meat damage than my buddies animal taken with a 270 at similar distance.

When it comes to buying another gun I believe... Some are good, more are better, and too many are just enough..

 

[skip1600]

If it doesnt take 2 hands to pick the cartridge up your good

 

[BigUglyMan]

The 375 is marginal for elephant. It's great for just about everything else. Perhaps too heavy for sheep and boats and too obstinate for prone shooting pronghorn, but it'll kill deer and moose without breaking a sweat. If I didn't already have a 416 Rigby (that I'm very attached to) I would have bought the Holland & Holland 375 that I saw at the Easter gunshow in Calgary in 2008. In fairness, if I'd had the cash on hand (meaning if I'd gone to the show with any intent rather than to kill a few hours before my flight to Puerto Plata) I'd have bought the dammed thing anyway!

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Maybe it should be titled how fast is too fast??

Your damage isn't coming from big bullets it is coming from fast bullets.IMO

Can't really see an animal getting blown to bits by large caliber projectiles.A GAU-8 . okay that would be too big but then it isn't a requirement for even the toughest of Saskatchewan coyotes!

 

[geologist]

I have to admit that my BRNO 602, even with it's barrel reduced to 20", scoped with a Leupold 1.5x5 scope is a little heavier than I like it to be if I'm walking in the mountains. I am getting old and if I'm walking a fair bit and the shots are 200m or less, I just bring my scoped Guide Gun. If there are larger clearcuts then my scoped BRNO 600 30-06.

A .375 H&H rifle is a very versatile rifle and if you are OK with the recoil, weight and length of the gun, then go for it.

BTW the recoil in an 8.5 lb+ rifle is surprising mild, more of a push than a sharp jolt.