Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa .375 H&H reloading Crimping and Bullet questions

Gentlemen; I am just getting ready to do some reloading for the .375 H&H.

My immediate concern relates to the bullets I have on hand; the 235 grain TSX and 350 grain TSX what are your suggestions are far as crimping?

My thoughts are to use the 235 grain for my local hunting and work up a load for cape buffalo to be used on my next and final trip to Africa which likely be 2020 or 2021.

Is the 250 grain TTSX a better choice for a deer bullet than the 235 grain TSX?

My intermediate concern is selecting a bullet for Cape Buffalo.

I have checked out getting the 380 grain Rhino bullet from South Africa, mainly due to Kevin Robertson's comments in his Perfect Shot 2 book. They are expensive mainly due to shipping to Canada and there is no real cost advantage to doing a bulk buy. Despite the cost the comments from Robertson are intriguing. Any thoughts or comments?

One of the PHs I am investigating suggested against using the 350 grain Barnes TSX as he had a case of the bullet travelling through a buffalo and killing another beyond, obviously creating a problem.

What are your thoughts on the 350 grain Woodleighs, 300 grain TSX, A-Frame, Woodleighs or 270 grain TSX for use as expanding bullets for Cape Buffalo?

For solids what are your thoughts on the Woodleigh Hydrostatically stabilised bullets? I know the Barnes banded solids will work well. If I can get them to a correct point of impact would the 350 grain TSX be suitable as a deep penetrating follow up bullet or would you stick with solids?

My easy access to bullets are limited to the Barnes, Swifts and Woodleighs.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

George

This is also posted in the Big Bore forum.

I will be hunting the Western Savannah buffalo in Burkina Faso early next year and will be using the 270 gr TSX in my 375 H&H. They are a bit smaller than a cape buffalo but I would have zero issues using it on them as well. I really do not see a reason to go heavier than 300 gr (I prefer TSX's) in the 375 nor do I see a reason to carry solids. I hunted cape buffalo in Zimbabwe last year with my 416 Rem using the 350 gr TSX. It worked very well. The top bullet was recovered from the buffalo. The lower from a waterbuck. I crimp my 375's and 416 with the Lee factory crimp die.

Thanks ED!

I’ve had good luck with the 270 gr TSX it’s got plenty of penetration and shoots flatter which is an advantage if you use the .375 on plains game also. I like to load a solid underneath the soft as it’s likely your second shot ( if you get one ) will be at a going away buffalo. I believe the paunch will stop any soft point but maybe not the 350gr TSX. I sight the .270 gr TSX about an inch high at 100 yards which is dead on at 150 l have a load with a 300 gr Northfork solid that is dead on at 100 with the same setting. I also use a Lee die for crimping. I’ve always used RL15 in the past but just recently switched to Varget to get better temperature resistance, taking the .375 to Alaska this year.

I’ve had good luck w Barnes and Northfork. Both are excellent. I’ve used only 300 grain for buffalo and they are superb. I always use a light crimp on all my 375 loads.

thanks!

I am going to Zambia in June for Buffalo. PH said to use a TSX or A-Frame, whichever shoots best.

I am taking a 404 Jeffery and 375 H&H. PH said to use 400gr in the 404 and 300gr in the 375. TSX or A-Frame, whichever one shoots the best.

The 404 load is settled with a 400gr TSX at 2210fps crimped by a Lee factory crimp die.
The 375 load is not settled yet as the 270gr TSX shoots much better than the 300gr TSX. Multiple sub 1" groups around 2800fps mark vs 1.5-2' groups from the 300gr. I use a Lee factory crimp die with the 375 also.

A-Frames produced bigger groups with both rifles.

Since I am planning on using the 404 for buffalo, then switch to the 375 for PG, I am leaning towards taking a 270gr. I think the 270gr would work just fine on buffalo, especially with the velocities I am getting. Just need to clear it with the PH. This 375 does not like 250gr bullets (TTSX and GMX) both shot horrible.

I would take the 270 grain load all day if it shoots that good. I’ve used the 270 grain in Africa before and it is impressive.

Crimping is fine; however, select a powder that will result in seating whatever bullet to a compressed or semi-compressed overall length. Keeps the bullet from being driven into the case in the magazine under repeated recoil. (You do NOT want to experience the result!)
I have a .375 Weatherby and the 380-grain RHINO is too long for anything but W 760 (H414). I will shoot, instead, the 250-grain TTSX over RL-15 in August.
(You really have too many questions for one post.)

The problem with 235-grainers is the powders run out of gas at longer ranges -- 4064, 4320, etc. Only RL-15 keeps things going, but accuracy may suffer past 200 yards.
With 250-grainers I basically have a +3" @ 100 yards to -3" @ 300 yards load and can just hold the same aimpoint on a red hartebeeste regardless of distance.

350-grain Woodleighs give you far more leeway in loading -- IMR 4831 works for me.. The cannelure and overall shape make crimping a cinch, and the "soft" will help keep you from hitting more than one buffalo in herd situations. Why would you not wait to shoot until sure the path beyond your target buffalo is clear?

YMMV

Barry

Thanks for the input.

I would never have any intention to shoot when the path behind the target is anything but clear, I was just passing on comments from a PH. One thing life has taught me is that sometimes no matter how well we plan and make good decisions stuff happens that we did not expect to.

.

Interesting. So far that has been my experience also. My P64 M70 shoots 235's, 300's and 350's into sub MOA groups but I haven't found a load with 250's that is any where near as accurate.

Good man.

Just use any American bonded 300 grain soft point for the first shot, flat point 300 grain solids for follow-ons. I used North Forks. I recovered a perfectly expanded soft point, from a buff, that weighed 292 grains.

I can't see any reason to consider heavier bullets. If you feel you need them, shoot a .458.

My PH preferred 300 grain over 270 so I have no experience with 270.

You do not need to crimp 300 grain bullets in a .375.

I would not bring a separate rifle for plains game. You might see plains game while hunting buffalo and vice versa. It simplified things to carry only one rifle along and only two loads in my ammo belt wallet--300 grain softs and solids.

I like RL15 for my .375 loads.

[quote] I would not bring a separate rifle for plains game. You might see plains game while hunting buffalo and vice versa. It simplified things to carry only one rifle along and only two loads in my ammo belt wallet--300 grain softs and solids.

I like RL15 for my .375 loads.[quote]

I would like to do that and just bring one rifle, need to fill out SAPS forms this week. I have an email in to the PH.

Ramshot Big Game has done very well, since I did not have any Rel 15, and plenty of BG.

Can't you fill out the SAPS forms for two rifles and then later decide to only take one?

Yes, but they now want new, dated and notarized separate forms for each rifle, camera, computer, etc.
RSA has complicated the paperwork part. Still less headache than standing in a line, hoping to make a connecting flight.

I am headed to do exactly that at the Lee Road, back entrance to US Customs at Intercontinental today myself.
Afton House, assisted by Linda Carrol of Falcon Travel, does a VIP meet-and-greet service including temporary permitting.
We will overnight there before taking the domestic flight to P.E. next day. Compared to plane fare, it's a reasonable expense.

Remember to pack ammo in factory original boxes, even if they are made in your own factory. :-)

Barry

May be able to, but I do not want any discrepancies in paperwork. I want every "i" dotted and "t" crossed.

I have not been able to crimp on my .375 H&H loads so far because the ideal length for accuracy puts the case mouth some distance from the crimping groove. It hasn't been an issue, I've just loaded to the length needed for accuracy.

Tom

On my second trip to Africa I took two rifles, a 7mm Rem mag for plains game and a .375 Rem Ultra mag (a .375 H&H on steroids ) for buffalo. To eliminate the problem of first shot soft followed by solids for buffalo I just loaded 300 grain Barnes TSX bullets for everything. My buffalo (in my avatar) fell to a single 300 grain TSX bullet, as did several plains game animals. I didn't crimp any of the Barnes bullets or any of the 160 grain Accubond bullets for the 7 RM.

On my next trip to Africa I avoided the two rifle hassle and only took my .375 RUM, that time shooting 270 grain TSX bullets. That combination worked great on 13 PG animals varying from Steenbok to eland on shots ranging from 30 to 348 yards, with most being one shot kills. Again I didn't crimp any of the Barnes bullets.

Other than the smaller animals like Steenboks and Jackal that I shot with 270 grain TSX bullets, none of the other animals from Bushbucks up to the Eland showed excessive damage from either the 270 or 300 grain TSX bullets.

I have not had any bad results by using a LEE Factory crimp on ANY cartridge. Most every (expert) opinion is almost universally opposed to crimping rifle cartridges. I f there is a pattern, at least in small rifle cases, (.308- Whelen) factory crimping yields an improvement (small) in group size, velocity and extreme spread.
I find the crimp groove is placed correctly for excellent function in repeating rifles.I shoot several single shots and yield, that maybe, my case life is lessened by crimping. However, new brass is often better brass now-a- days so, I do not mind buying new brass for guns I enjoy shooting. Spilled powder in the action and lack of a range rod has spoiled a few outings for friends...not me!