Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 H&H ackley improved

Just bought a 375 H&H Ackley Improved - Pre-64 Win 70 re-chambered

I suspect case capacity is similar to 375 Weatherby, but don't know about free bore.

I prefer A-Frame and Partition, cause I'm old and don't trust all copper bullets yet - I use what worked for me mostly.

I'm hoping to go to Africa again. Would like to use this rifle for small to large game. Maybe would use cup and core for smaller game. Any suggestions that don't get to personal would be appreciated.

For smaller animals i have good luck with 235 speers over RL 15. Will hammer a whitetail and not hammer your shoulder

Thanks. I got a 200 235 grain bullets coming. I expect to use that for practice loads, will try them on white tail. I think I have only about a pound of Re 15 though.

I have a .375 AI but I can't help much...I shoot 270 gr. Barnes TSXs over RE17 @ 2850 fps from 22".

and, yes, they work.

The thing you give up with the A.I. is the slick as snot feeding and extraction the original has. Not as important as it was in the days of corrosive primers and cordite but.....

Barnes are the bullet for the 375. I can push the 235s to 3000 in my 26" A-Bolt 375 H&H (same trajectory as a 180 06'). Many PHs are giving up solids for Buffs as the 270/300 TSX will penetrate as far while doing a lot more damage along the way.

I was hatched in 1942 and shoot Barnes in everything except my 22 Hornets and 222.

I use a 300 gr Sierra Game King in my .375 H&H. Have not killed anything big with it,yet.

I used 300 gr. Part. when I took mine to Africa, lately, I have been shooting 260 grain Accubonds.. they have been excellent..

Have shot some big animals with .375 H&H - usually load about 300g and never a doubt. Some solid observations about this cartridge were given above by others. Such threads sometimes cause me to wonder about the lengths to which some will go for alleged "improvement".

the improvement is a 10% bump in displacement and allows the use of .375 H&H, .375 WBY and .375 H&H AI.

Can't doubt your figure of 10% bump in displacement - but does that alone necessarily translate to 10% (or any %) improvement in overall performance?

I've had excellent results with Nosler 260gr Partitions in my FN action Sako 375 WBY. I used them from mule deer to elk and from impala to wildebeest with nothing I'd call a failure.

Since then Nosler has marketed the 260 AccuBond, and it is exceedingly accurate in my particular rifle with most powders I've tried. The only animal shot so far is a small mule deer doe, so I can't comment on performance with any authority about the AccuBonds in a 375. I love them in my 30cals and 7X57 AI.

When you say "large game", how large would that be? For Buffalo a 300gr Partition is a good bullet to consider.

where do you think improvement in performance comes from?

I wanted a 375 H&H in a pre 64 Winchester for quite a while. If I had a choice at the time, with all things equal I probably would have gone with the standard cartridge. I may have gotten a better price because it was an AI, I don't know. However, I don't have a big issue with it being an AI.

I've shot high powers since early 60's, never had an AI. This will be my first. I'm going to be loading standard loads the first time and AI's after that. I was friends with a barrel maker bak in the early 70's who did a lot of experimenting with the 375 AI. He felt that the best accuracy was at the standard velocities. Still that is not bad, as if that happens and I choose to shoot at that level, the pressures would be lower and the brass will stretch less and probably would anyhow due to the configuration of the case. Finally, I've always dissed the AI's with friends, now they will know I'm a hypocrit.

Life's fun and why not experiment??

I'm loading pretty similar to toad,the primary differences being, I'm running a24" barrel and probably more powder,as I'm getting 2950fps.My best 300 yrd group to date is just under 2", so they will shoot pretty well with velocities elevated!!! As much as I hate "light" bullets,I'm planning to do load development this summer with 250 TTSX's because of the much better BC's.I've been begging Barnes to produce a TTSX at 290 to 300 grains for several years, but nothing yet!!!! memtb

The expected bump is a 4:1 ratio....meaning it takes a 4% increase in capacity to yield a 1% increase in velocity.....therefore you might expect a 2 1/2 % increase in velocity. If a previous load was 2,500 FPS, the increase might run about 2560 FPS.....this is a fair rule but not a rigid rule....it's a give and take thing....but it's not far off the mark.

Where I have studied, there seems to be evidence that improved performance with a given rifle can be influenced by cogent factors other than a simple small increase in powder capacity. Those who worship at the throne of "more powder, more pressure, more velocity" probably tend to see it otherwise.

Thanks - good stuff.

A 10% increase in capacity at the same pressure yields 2-1/2% increase in velocity.

or, as in my case, the same velocity with 3" less barrel.

if I need more speed, I grab one of my .375 RUMs. funny how more displacement and more powder actually does produce more speed.

Your such a bitch

W

Friends had a couple of 375AI's. Plus it was Bill Steigers favorite elk rifle and I spoke with him frequently about it. I shot and chronographed a friends rifle, compared notes.

At the same time i was working with the 8 Rem Mag necked to 35 caliber,and with 250 gr bullets was pretty much the same kind of cartridge.IIRC my load was 90 gr Rl19 for a bit over 3000 fps.

The 375AI took a heavy does of slow burning powder(I forget details) to get about 2900 fps with a 275 Bitterroot and similar weight bullets. In the 8.5 pound rifle recoil was noticeable.

The standard 375 H&H took 76-77 gr 4064 with the 250 gr Bitterroot for the same velocity. The faster powders and lighter charges in the 375H&H produced less recoil...it was manageable.

I knew I was leaving 25 gr of bullet on the table but the H&H round was easier to manage in the same weight rifle(Back then we all "built" the same;pre 64 actions, Krieger barrels and Brown Precision stocks).

There was no doubt that the AI was the faster cartridge(so was the big 35) but I stuck with the standard 375H&H and the 250 BBC. There are no flies on a 250 hr-375 bullet at 2900 fps.

don't know why, but I have been halfheartedly looking for a .350 STA lately...

I think mine was manufactured in 1956. It looks like about a 26" barrel. Could that be? (It is in the mail and I've not handled it yet.)

I too like heavy bullets for the caliber. The 235's are mainly for practice. I'll be practicing shooting standing up and I don't mind practicing with lighter bullets, maybe not full throttle either.

Bugger if it's a pre 64 375 barrel ,it is 25".

How about a 35 on the Ruger case? I've been looking into taking a 7mm RM barrel off a 77 and installing such a caliber. But the question briefly passing by is do I NEED IT??

Your 35 on the Ruger case would be the old 35 Newton....about 100+ years old maybe?

Need it? No. Not with the 375.

Want would be a different story.

THANKS

I have a .350 WSM on a SS M70 Classic, so I'm in the same "DO I NEED IT?" boat, but I had all of the 'needs' covered a while ago.

Of course a guy ALWAYS needs a back up gun, don't they?

Bugger of course!

The 35 Newton is a good one. I like mine.



Doesn't do anything a good 375 doesn't though.

Definetly a better price because it's an AI....

IMR4350 for 300 grain bullets
IMR4320 for 250 and 270 grain bullets

Yes, they do, I use RL-17 and the 270 TSX for an easy 3K fps with a 24" barrel.

toad,

I'm guessing you meant the .358 Shooting Times Alaskan when you typed .350 STA"? If so, I had one for a while, and discovered that it was essentially the .375 H&H with a larger selection of lighter weight bullets, and a smaller selection of heavier weights.

you are correct.

I suppose that the .338 RUM would make more sense...

Probably. Elmer Keith switched from the .35's to .33's around 75 years ago, because the .33's performed better at longer ranges. (That doesn't mean I don't own some .35's!)

John,

If one is a handloader/shooter/plinker as many of us are, the .35's also offer the ability to shoot handgun bullets(1000-1500 fps). Cheaper to purchase,and if shot at reasonable velocities gives the shooter the ability to have cheap fun with very little recoil during the off-season with his/her magnum big game rifle. Of course, cast bullets in any caliber offer the same benefits. Just a thought! memtb

got 35's and 33's. But this will be my first 375. Yes, I'll be shooting some heavy cast in it too

must....resist.....





LINK

It's destiny,buy it.

A very nice rifle.

I posted the link hoping somebody else would...

but it's just ratty enough to suit me and tax refund is inbound...

I am BobinNH's buddy that built several 375 AI's. I also owned a 375 Weatherby. One had a 21 inch barrel the other had a 23 inch. Loaded with 300 grain bullets they kicked about like a 416 Remington. I'm with Bob, get a standard 375 H&H.

Today I prefer the 35 Whelen or 9.3-62 for less recoil and less weight.

It would make an excellent elk thumper.

FIXT.

THOR !