Hunting North American game with dangerous game calibers?

[Northern Shooter]

I'd like to hear from others that have taken North American game with one of the typical African dangerous game calibers, specifically talking about 9.3x62/375 and up. What game were you hunting? what kind of distances did you take your shot? What was the impact on the animal?

Did your 375H&H blow the white tail in half like you've been told it would?

Was your .458 WinMag "far too much gun" for your moose or black bear hunt hunt?

I've had other hunters tell me as much but I enjoy hunting with the big stuff and plan to keep on doing so.

Let's hear it.

 

[MiG25]

I used the 9.3x57, the 22-250 puts deer on the ground faster. Never did shoot anything but paper with the 375 H&H.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I used the 9.3x57, the 22-250 puts deer on the ground faster. Never did shoot anything but paper with the 375 H&H.

I plan on bringing both the 375 and 458 hunting this fall. Here's hoping I get to use both.

 

[MiG25]

I regret not buying the Ruger No. 1 458 that Trail Firearms had for $400 back in the day, also regret not buying one of those Zastava 458's for ~$750.

 

[9.3mauser]

Did your 375H&H blow the white tail in half like you've been told it would?

No .375 H&H stories, and I've only shot one deer with my 9.3x62. At the shot, the young-ish buck ran about 50 yards, then stopped and looked around as if wondering wtf all the noise was. I thought I'd missed and was lining him up for another shot when he suddenly tipped over. Results were rather underwhelming, and I think if I'd used my 7x57 or a .270 it would likely have been a bang-flop. Not too much gun, but definitely too much bullet ( Woodleigh 250 gr PP at about 2600 ). The 9.3 is now reserved for moose and bears, and I use lighter, faster bullets for deer.

 

[Northern Shooter]

No .375 H&H stories, and I've only shot one deer with my 9.3x62. At the shot, the young-ish buck ran about 50 yards, then stopped and looked around as if wondering wtf all the noise was. I thought I'd missed and was lining him up for another shot when he suddenly tipped over. Results were rather underwhelming, and I think if I'd used my 7x57 or a .270 it would likely have been a bang-flop. Not too much gun, but definitely too much bullet ( Woodleigh 250 gr PP at about 2600 ). The 9.3 is now reserved for moose and bears, and I use lighter, faster bullets for deer.

I wonder if loading light for caliber bullets with low sectional densities is the key for hunting deer size game with the larger calibers (minimizing passthrough. High SD and deep penetration is important on the largest game but probably not the thin skinned game we have.

A few examples of SD at various weights.

375H&H 300gr - .305
375H&H 270gr - .274
375H&H 235gr - .239

458 WM 500gr - .341
458 WM 400gr - .272
458 WM 300gr - .204

 

[nowarningshot]

For 10-12 years after a Grizzly took a Yukon/Alaska bull my rifle was a.M700 lss in 375 rum. A 260gr nosler partition at 3050ft/sec. So 270 velocity for twice the weight.

Never shot anything in the hams or shoulder. Loss of meat the same as lesser calibers, a few ounces between ribs.

 

[156821]

I owned a ruger magnum in 375 H+H. It was beautiful. I shot a big black bear and flattened him right out. About a 100 yard shot. Honestly have had the same kind of performance with 30-06 and 300 win mag rifles. Only problem was it weighed like 12 or 13 lbs with the scope. I sold it and now carry like 8-9lbs rifles and kill things just as dead.

 

[Northern Shooter]

For 10-12 years after a Grizzly took a Yukon/Alaska bull my rifle was a.M700 lss in 375 rum. A 260gr nosler partition at 3050ft/sec. So 270 velocity for twice the weight.

Never shot anything in the hams or shoulder. Loss of meat the same as lesser calibers, a few ounces between ribs.

I've read that the big guys leave less blood shot meat vs the comparable higher velocity magnums. Bigger hole at slower velocities.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I owned a ruger magnum in 375 H+H. It was beautiful. I shot a big black bear and flattened him right out. About a 100 yard shot. Honestly have had the same kind of performance with 30-06 and 300 win mag rifles. Only problem was it weighed like 12 or 13 lbs with the scope. I sold it and now carry like 8-9lbs rifles and kill things just as dead.

Was that one of those Ruger RSM's? Beautiful rifles.

I think the majority of these dangerous game rifles come with iron /express sights and weren't meant for adding an addition scope, given the hefty base weight.

I have been eyeing up a Ruger in 416 that weighs about 8 lbs naked so it would be around that acceptable 9lb range with a low power scope.

 

[pounder]

Friend shot a ptarmigan with his .375 H&H took it's head clean off.

 

[9.3mauser]

I wonder if loading light for caliber bullets with low sectional densities is the key for hunting deer size game with the larger calibers (minimizing passthrough. High SD and deep penetration is important on the largest game but probably not the thin skinned game we have.

That's probably the way I will go in the future. I've had the 232 gr Norma Oryx out on a few occasions, but never had the opportunity to touch one off. I also have some RWS H-Mantles tucked away, and I think they might have been better performers. Nosler Accubonds might have opened up a little better than the Woodleigh's too.

After reading about Kevin Roberton's results shooting impala with a 9.3 and RWS cone points, I was expecting more dramatic results, but I think I could have shot that buck with an arrow and gotten the same reaction.

 

[Pudelpointer]

I took a smallish bull elk with my 375 H&H Ruger #1 Tropical. Using 260 Accubonds at 2850, I have to say, it was a most spectacular death. The only work to describe it is "pancaked".

No more damage than anything else I have used, and considerably less than most.

 

[4fifty8]

.416's for Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Elk & Moose close to long range works great shoots flat hits hard, .458 WM works fine on Moose & .375 H&H worked not too bad on best Bull Moose to date. Best Bull Elk to date taken with .45-70 Ruger.

Recently got .416 Wby 8.7 lbs scoped gonna give it a try effective muzzle brake kicks like my .308's.

Heavier calibers preferred.

 

[Raton57]

Used a 375 HH since 1982 and never seen a animal blow up yet. Even an antelope. Now a 303 with IVI Sabre Tip bullets thats another story blew up a couple deer and a sheep with that believe me you don't eat anywhere close to the bullet hole.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I took a smallish bull elk with my 375 H&H Ruger #1 Tropical. Using 260 Accubonds at 2850, I have to say, it was a most spectacular death. The only work to describe it is "pancaked".

No more damage than anything else I have used, and considerably less than most.

Do you know what that Ruger No.1 weighed? I've heard they can be quite light on some of the dangerous game calibers.

 

[Northern Shooter]

.416's for Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Elk & Moose close to long range works great shoots flat hits hard, .458 WM works fine on Moose & .375 H&H worked not too bad on best Bull Moose to date. Best Bull Elk to date taken with .45-70 Ruger.

Recently got .416 Wby 8.7 lbs scoped gonna give it a try effective muzzle brake kicks like my .308's.

Heavier calibers preferred. ��

How far out would you be comfortable reaching with both your 416 and 458?

I know the 458 is known as having a rainbow trajectory and typically used for real close up work in Africa. Would you be able to take a 200-300m shot with 500 or 400gr loads or is that pushing it?

 

[4fifty8]

.416's prefer 350gr TTSX 0.444 bc or 340gr CEB 0.78 bc longest kill shot to date ~450m.

.458's lower bc bullets not as well suited for long range work compared to higher bc higher retained energy .416 bullets.

Ballistic reticle scope takes the guess work out of long range work.

 

[medvedqc]

That's probably the way I will go in the future. I've had the 232 gr Norma Oryx out on a few occasions, but never had the opportunity to touch one off. I also have some RWS H-Mantles tucked away, and I think they might have been better performers. Nosler Accubonds might have opened up a little better than the Woodleigh's too.

After reading about Kevin Roberton's results shooting impala with a 9.3 and RWS cone points, I was expecting more dramatic results, but I think I could have shot that buck with an arrow and gotten the same reaction.

the ks rws can be really bad i stopped to used them in roe deer and 9,3x62 many decades ago.

 

[BlackRam]

Have taken a young bull moose at 180 yards with thee 250 gr AccuBond out of the 9.3x62.To limit travel into the muskeg, I shot it in the high shoulder on the quartering to shot presentation. Dropped in its tracks. Broke the spine and ranged back along the spine and out the other side. Good penetration, lots of broken bone with minimal meat loss of the backstraps.

Shot a 5x5 bull elk at 150 yards and a bull bison at 100 yards with a 260 gr AccuBond out of the 376 Steyr (2632 fps out of a 21" barrel).
Elk was rutted up and called in. 3 in the boiler room as he didn't know he was dead yet. Only recovered one from under the hide on the far side that broke the offside shoulder. He travelled a few steps in a circle from the impacts before going down there.
Bison was broadside and no bullet recovered from double lung shot.
Normal amount of bloodshot meat on both animals.

Unfortunately, I have yet to take any game with my 416 Taylor (350gr TSX @ 2415 fps).
Fellow who bought my first 416 Taylor (sold as it was RH, so I could build my LH), took an elk on the run through the aspens (sorry do not recall distance at the moment). The bullet fully penetrated a 10" diameter aspen, and then the elk, with the elk nosediving into the forest floor upon being hit.