Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa 7mm Mag for Africa PG?

I could not agree more with JJ on this one. I just got back from Namibia, and I fired eight times with my .375 H&H and 270 TSX (eight animals killed). Took everything from wildebeest to kudu to springbok, and there simply was no tracking to be done. That TSX opened up fully even on the springbook at 250 yards -- I was blown away. Very little damage to the meat (relatively speaking), and two nice, neat little holes -- time and time again.

I think the 7mm would be fine, but I'd shoot a heavy (160 or 175 grain controlled-expansion bullet). For what it's worth, I had two fellow hunters shooting .300 Win Mag and the 200 grain A-Frames, and they had a hell of a time. They were constantly tracking game and needing 2-3 shots; the PHs bailed them out a couple of times, though I would attribute much of that to their shooting and not the caliber or bullet.

Bottom line, the 375 is going to give you a margin for error that the smaller cartridges won't, particularly on the quartering shots.

A friend of mine is a PH in Africa. He says he would be quite happy if every hunter showed up with ONLY a .375 H&H and 270 gr Barnes X bullets (as long as they could shoot it well of course, and most guys can learn to handle .375 H&H recoil).

According to him, most of his fellow professional hunters feel the same.

If I go to Africa, I will be taking my McMillan-stocked .375 H&H which is quite light (7 lbs 7 oz including a mounted Leupold 3x scope) -- and 270 gr TSX bullets. I also have a 7mm Rem Mag, but I like the idea of traveling with just ONE rifle -- and the .375 works so well on moose...

John

I certainly came away with a newfound respect for the cartridge. Frankly, I bought it just because I wanted to go to Africa with what I felt was the "quintissential" African cartridge, not because I needed it. Halfway through the hunt, my PH said to me, "Chris, I absolutely love the knockdown power of your 375."

I think what he really loved was that he didn't have to spend half his time tracking my wounded animals. When I go back, I'll take only that rifle and the same handload.

Our hunting party also had a couple guy's that did a lot of tracking. They were using a 300 win mag. Its all in the shot placement. It helps to be using a 300 with a TSX bullet but if you don't hit something vital you will be tracking, 7 mag or 300. I used a 7 mag on the small plains game (springbok, blesbok) which required a long shot, and it worked great.

Interesting that it all boils down to shot "placement"...

Who would have thought that??

Excellent Point!!!!! It ALWAYS does....

It's not that simple, Great shot placement on a herd animal that runs several hundred yards in the closing moments of light, without leaving blood can be chewed and ruined by Hyena and jackal over night.

Something leaving a blood trail is always very good insurance on a 7-10 day hunt in Africa. All you gotta do is lose one animal to break your heart and spoil a trip. Even great shots on herd game like a big tough Blue wildebeest will very often still let them run a very long distance. Herd game is much different then the thought process of a single lone solitary species like Kudu or deer.

It's not all about shot placement. Sure that starts the process in the right direction, but if that was all that mattered then a .223 with surgical precision would be fine for Buffalo too!

I would conceed that a perfectly placed BB on a Buff or WT deer would do no harm....yet if you can`t place a 750 grn .50 cal on him properly, your gonna have problems too. Blood trail or not. And that`s the fly in the ointment...no PH or outfitter here in NA can insure their client can shoot the blunderbuss they bring to the party. THAT is supposed to be the hunters responsibility.

I think it`s understood it all goes hand in hand.

I used a 35 W and a 308 Win on a plains game hunt. The 35 was federal trophy bonded 225 grain bullets, and it wholloped the living snot out of everything. The PH called it "the American 9.3X62."

Yepper, use a good bullet, put in a good place and good things will happen. Pretty much the same on any turf we travel from here to there to the Moon (or so Ingwe told me...grin).

IME people having trouble with their 300's is cause of their ability and not the rounds.

I like Bob have not been across the pond if and when I go I'll be more than glad to tote my .270, and or my 7 Mashburn Super and I'd not worry one bit about the outcome. I've killed a lot of elk and seen a lot of elk killed with both rounds to know that just cause I'm on a different piece of ground with a critter in slightly different dress that the outcome will be the same if I do my part.

Oh and the bullet I've used for most all that moves with my Mashburn is the 150 NBT. It's never given me reason to doubt it here and I seriously doubt that if I do my part it'll ever give me a reason to doubt it..And if for some reason I didn't have the 150 NBT's up the pipe then I'd have some of my old stash of 175 Nozler semi's.

Dober

Side note JJ-what are you seeing over there for 375 Ruger use and availability?

Thx
Dober

I have never seen a Resident with one, nor have a seen a single one on the shelf. There does not seem to be any interest in a cartridge that is a 375HH twin, when every one and their dog has ammo for a 375HH already.

I would say from early returns that that case is a non interest in Africa. It's viewed kinda like a 30/06, 308, 270, 7mm, would be if they changed the case by a fraction and called it a different name. Why? Where do you get ammo now? Why bother when it does nothing that the original case does not already do?

Not my opinion, just the comments shared around the fire by locals. The opinions of most is that it was a stupid idea for people who have more money to spend on guns then they know what to do with.

Don't hold back JJ, what do they really think?

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my question but more so than what the locals are using I was wondering what your paying clients coming in are using. Point being are people going to Africa carrying the Ruger round or no?

And obviously I get it that the H&H round still dominates the pie chart as well it should with such a good head start. I really could care which people use and or which one wins the sales compition. I do wonder if both were brought out at the same time which one would be dominating

If the Ruger round had come out first, would people look at the H&H as a stupido round?

Whether or not its a stupid idea or not was not my question but it's good to hear where you stand on the round. I've not been to Africa but have heard...that the round that is gaining in popularity world wide. Could be a bit of nonsense no doubt, and or it could be true. I've heard from others in the African world that state that the Ruger round is growing in popularity and that they're beginning to be able to find ammo.

Lastly, I've heard rumors to the effect that the Ruger round is doing very well in sales and was wondering where people were using them besides the Red Desert and such...

Thx
Dober

The Ruger 375 IS gaining popularity and lots of it, at least in Zim. Will it replace the H&H? I don't think so, but there is no question it's a more efficient round, at least from what I can see. Same performance (actually better) in a smaller, trimmer action and CRF to boot. Personally and even though I own TWO H&Hs I'd take the Ruger over an 700 in H&H any day. It's a great combo and with the 416 I think Ruger's got two winners. jorge

I took a 375 Ruger African to Namibia 2 weeks ago. 235 TSX handloads worked perfectly on everything. Only recovered 1 bullet from an oryx. There isn't any difference in performance between the 2 375's, and I know the Ruger would be harder to find ammo for in Africa, but I really like the light, handy package it comes in.

Envious here....where are the pics? I blew my hunt fund on a sheep hunt last fall. Was supposed to go to Namibia this summer.

I haven't got the pic posting thing figured out yet! but I haven't really been trying either.....

Jorge I have a couple of the .375 calibers, the H&H & Wby. However, the .416-Rem mag has just about replaced both of them as far as African or bear hunting goes. I use the 300 grain bullets for plains game and they fly like a 190grn out of a 30-06. The larger animals like eland get a taste of those 350 grainers through the shoulders and they drop like a rock. I won't be trading in any of my .375's for the Ruger, that .416 covers all bases very well thank you!