Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 375 H&H for elk thoughts....

A tidbit of wisdom from the far North “It’s the boolit, not the headstamp”.

DF

Part right,don't forget shot placement.

Yep.

Goes without saying....

DF

Except for one 4x4 bull that I took with a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk in Colorado years ago, I have never used anything larger than .375 H&H for elk. However, I am thinking that I might take my .404 Jeffery next fall, just for the hell of it.

Instead of sorting through all of the 350-grain softs, I am thinking that the 400-grain TSX might work pretty well.

A .404 Jeffery for elk! Heaven forbid!

Have you shot that pretty one you just bought?

Good jackwabbit round, guess it could kill an elk...

DF

If I knew ranges would be 300 or less, I would be very happy carrying a 375.

Yes,I have shot it.

50 yards with iron sights,74.0 grains of Var-Get,CCI 250 Mag and 400 grain Woodleigh RN.


Shot the above load at 100 yards and it is shooting 4" to the left at 100 yards,so,tomorrow I will be shooting it to get it closer to the center.

Wow. Shoots as good as it looks.

DF

Yup.

I once thought the .416 Taylor/350gr in a 20" barreled Mod 700 would be "perfect" for elk and African PG. Only problem was it needed the brake it had and it was so loud it was painful! I quickly sold that "bad idea", ha. However, I will say that, for me, once I killed some heavy game with heavy rifles, I was hooked! By that, I mean the Medium Bores ( but do include the 300 mags) for elk. I know I can and would if I had a need to, use a smaller caliber rifle on them, but I like to "thump them". It might be only "in my mind" they are "thumping", but that's all part of it...to me! I have used several calibers through the years and smallest I used on a heavy animal was an 85xbt from a 6x47mm, but I had to, I was recovering from a neck surgery and I had the opportunity. Everything was right ( about 90% shot) so I "finessed" an Oryx at 184yds. He was cow elk size. I had it loaded just like a loaded down .243. I would have "preferred" a bigger rifle, but hey. The only problem I ever had using a "big gun" was taking grief from other hunters! ha

Well-said!!

Well stated. Jim! memtb

If most guys took the time to do a little research, they would see what the .375 H&H was designed for...and it wasn't "Elephant/Rhino"! I'm sure some feel the 375 is OK for Buffalo, but I've seen one up close! Those babies are BIG, ha. I liked reading about Hal Waugh's (sp?) reasoning for reaming his .375 H&H out to the .375 Weatherby ( Ackley same same) and using the 270gr bullet. The 270 was also my favorite, though I did use the old 235X, 270TSX, first run Nosler 260PT ( my friend said they came apart on Blue Wildebeast and Eland) and that 300 Sierra. The 270 Failsafe was a good one too. I would think, if one could handle it ( of course) even the 375 RUM would be a good elk round too. The 250 TSX or similar comes to mind for any 375 nowadays. I would have try that one...:)

My Dad (1922-2004) hunted elk nearly every year within the Bear Lodge Mountains of Wyoming. His rifle was a 300 Savage lever gun which has moderate recoil. Dad always shot an elk twice; he could lever a fresh cartridge very quickly. Compare the energy of two 180 grain 300 Savage bullets to just one 375 MAG bullet. No wonder Dad was always so successful!

300 Savage is a keeper!

Sherwood

Impressive!

That rifle/cartridge was sure popular here in Utah for a long time! Culture and traditions are strong in many areas. For example, I didn't use a scope until I was 22 because I grew up in a family of Mod 94 30-30 and 12ga/buckshot users. I heard all my young life by the "Oldtimers" "you can't use a scope in the woods, you can't get on him fast enough"!! This was in the Big Thicket of East Tx...we ran deer with hounds until I was 16 ( Law changed then) Even a bolt action rifle was considered "poor boy" via surplus rifles/sporters ( $25 for a 1917 Enfield at GI Surplus!

If big bears are not a problem a 30-06 with 165 Nosler AB's will work just as good if not better. If you don't already have a load worked up you might have a good case of the "flinch" before you find a load. Daniel

I have found the best way to make the 375 seem tame and manageable is to shoot 470 NE, 458 Lott, 450 Dakota.

A thousand rounds of the big guys and just like that, the 375 feels like an '06 used to.

But to your point, most guys won't do the work needed.

My go to load for my.37&H was a Sierra 250 gr BTSP over an appropriate dose of RL-15. I had it set for 3 inches high at 100 yards.