Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 H & H..If you have one or a 375 Ruger, what do you use it for in the U.S.

If you own a .375 H & H, what do you use it for in the U. S.? In the middle 90's I made a couple trips for plains game.. During that time I barreled up a 700 in .375 H & H.. Shot one waterbuck with it and a couple pronghorns.. Always, think I will take it for elk, and I have, but never shot one with it.. I plan to use it for deer, but again, never shot one.. When I see the number of questions about the old 375 or the newer ones for that matter, I wondered what do you guys use your .375 for here in the U.S.?? I can see a use in Alaska for big bear, but here it would just be because we like the caliber.. ??? What do you use this old caliber for??

I'd be interested in the responses to this also, since I'm contemplating getting a 375 of some flavor even though I'll never see africa. Just cause I like a little bigger pills than most in this part of the world. I could use it for bear here in Pa. 700 lber was shot this year here.

If my math is right, I've owned 4 of them ... very early pre 64 model 70, Ruger #1s in blue and stainless, and a 700 XCR. I don't remember shooting anything but digger squirrels with them .. they'll shoot clear through a squirrel even on quartering shots. No lie.

Tom

I have a 375 Ruger Guide Gun on the way. Sold the Marlin 45-70 to fund it. I wanted a rifle that some day be able to use in Africa and Alaska or whatever I wanted to go hunting. I plan on using it for elk or bear in the mean time. I was trying to decide getting the Ruger Guide gun or the Hawkeye African model. Decide on the Guide gun because the African model looked to nice to carry in the brush.

Mine's a No.1 and I've hunted elk with it on occasion - 1 cow to date. It's more of a novelty than anything else - I do some cast bullet shooting with reduced loads as well. Might use those loads on a deer hunt one of these days...

I have carried mine (375 H&H) whitetail doe hunting. Unsuccessfully though.

I'd use mine for anything here in the states. I really enjoy shooting mine (375 H&H).

I used mine for deer & antelope. I used my brother's for deer & 1 calf elk.

I have both a 375 H&H and a 375 Ruger and like the shorter barrel on the 375 Ruger for carrying in the brush. Both are carried for bear and moose. Both are stainless and have 1.5x6 scopes on them.

A 375 kills prairie dogs with gusto.

I've shot the head off a ground squirrel with my 9.3x62mm before. I would have used my 375, but I thought that would be way overkill

A 9.3x62 may be just right, as the 375 way overpenetrates!

This with the 260 gr Partition at a cruising 2650 fps. My since sold Remington KS Mountain rifle. Took another a couple of years later with the same load, pushed by 73 grs of RE-15.

My buddy uses his(Ruger #1)religiously for hogs.

I have a H&H. got it when I lived in AK, took it for moose and bear but didn't kill anything with t. Moved to Georgia and heard it whinning to go out, Have shot a couple deer and pigs,
The round is so big and fast that it goes through witout expanding, I think about the time it thinks about expanding it's already a foot past the animal.

Used mine on deer and elk here in the U.S.

Ohh, and one rattlesnake

WCH,
As I've posted before, I use my 375H&H for everything from coyotes to elk. I'd post pics but this site is a pain to post film prints in, no scanner. As mentioned before I have hunted with the same rifle/load combination since 1996. 260 grain Nosler Partition in front of 69.0 grains RL15 with a Fed 210 igniter during warm weather and switch to Fed 215 when I hunt in cold temps. She's flying at 2650fps out of my barrel and it's a pleasure to shoot. Recoil is around a full case load 06 180gr. In my rifle this load will print clover leaf groups. I have three scopes for her in Talley QD Rings, one a VXII 1-4 & the other a VXII 4-12AO LRD & 2.5-8. The rifle looks better with the 1-4 so it is on there most days unless I want to play with long range shooting then I switch to the 4-12. That is the only time I jump the loading up also just to reach out a little farther and pretty much have the same trajectory of a 06 with a 180 grain bullet. Recoil is still easy to manage but it is heavier, 72.5gr RL15 same bullet. Thought about going to the 260 AccuBonds for distance but I haven't yet.

I look at the 375's as a large 30-06 and use it as such. It's still a medium bore and have found it to be a real pleasure to hunt. When hunting deer & elk it's just plain and simple a killer. Some say it's to much? Dead is dead and I don't see any difference in killing power when shot through the lungs than a 300 WM. The soft front of the Nosler Partition seems to open up by looking at the wound channel but honestly no animal has caught one yet. But I'm not a shoulder shooter so the ribs, heart, & lungs just don't stop this bullet. Now on coyotes I don't believe it expands nice hole in and out, but they crumble where they stand, most times. With no massive hide damage if you keep the hides.

If you are trying to justify using the big medium bore, I don't think you can, but if you decide to hunt her I think you will like it. Do you need a 375 to hunt in North America, Nope I don't think so! She does nothing that a good 30/06 or 300 magnum won't do.

Ya see it's been easy for me to use the 375H&H since it is the only rifle I have had from about 2001. With the exception of a 7mmRM which I bought to prove a point in LR Shooting with a friend of mine. I had that rifle for about 6 months then sold it. I guess it's really time for you to figure this out for your self now. You just need to load her up and hunt her. Trust me, she will do ANYTHING that you ask of her with the right bullets from mice to elephants!

Do what I did last month, take a trip to Texas and use your .375 on Nilgai.
I hunted with a guide, who said my Nilgai kill was one of only two Nilgai in his experience that were dropped dead in their tracks.
May have been 'overkill', but it sure was fun!

Thanks for all the replies.. Most sound like me with my .375.. Wild Bill thanks for your info.. I have too many rifles to use just one, but I will get the .375 out more..

Bighorn, that nilgai hunt sounds like a good one.. Never got down far enough in Texas to kill one.. Better too much gun than too little..

I have shot 4 deer with mine using a 200 grain Sierra FN at 2200 fps. It is a hammer.
I want to use it on black bear.
Most average bear is 200 pounds, but the big ones can push 3 times that if they can find a good dump.
They work on prairie dogs and raccoon as well.
whelennut