szihn, I haven’t taken nearly the amount of game that you have, so comparatively speaking, I’m a novice! The .375 has been my only hunting caliber since 1982. Though, it didn’t draw blood until my moving to Wyoming. Hunting, without belonging to a hunting club, was very difficult where I lived previously!
Prior to moving to Wyoming I developed a load using the Sierra 300 SPBT. It was used during my first fall of hunting and the following spring for bear. Three shoots taken, three dismal failures. Yes, two animals were recovered. But, with broadside shots and no major bone hit.... I got no exit! Which, is what I consider a “bullet failure”.....when a 300 grain bullet fails to exit relatively small big game animals.
When talking to Bob Milek, he highly recommended the Hornady 270 grain SP. I tested the Hornady side by side with the Sierra 300, into a “test medium” @ approx 100 yards. The Sierra’s completely “disintegrated”, while the Hornady’s gave the results shown in magazine advertisements! Not only did I get superb groups with the Hornady, but I was very satisfied with the way it performed on game. Though, admittedly, my kills were limited in the H&H, as I started hunting with my AI, in spring of ‘90. My first elk, a spike bull taken in fall of ‘90, was shot at approximately 80 yards, broadside, behind the shoulder, hitting “only” a rib......failed to exit. The bullet was recovered beneath the offside hide! Again, the recovered bullet was “picture perfect”! But, in my opinion, it opened too quickly and shed too much weight to give reliable exit wounds! I assumed the additional velocity was a bit much for the Hornady.
The gunsmith that built my rifle, did some bullet tests/evaluations with Randy Brooks (Barnes Bullets) using a 6MM Rem. and the then “fairly new” X Bullet. When Jay ( my gunsmith) told me of their results, I tried the X Bullet. My next elk kill, was an end to end shot, breaking heavy bone, giving three hide penetrations.....the bullet was recovered beneath the hide, failing (thankfully) to make the 4th hide penetration. The recovered bullet, had one petal broken off. I had found “my” Holy Grail of hunting bullets. Since then, I’ve taken animals from Fox/coyote, Pronghorn, Elk, and Moose, and have no complaints. In fact, as Barnes technology advanced, my results are also improved.....especially accuracy and velocities!
The “only” reason I suggested that the Hornady 270 grain SP wasn’t a good long range bullet, was “solely” based upon it’s BC....thinking of shots exceeding 500 yards! memtb
