Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Is 375 where big bore starts?

You can't ignore bore size. If you ignore bore size then my 338 Lapua with a 300 grain bullet at 2800 FPS has 5,000 plus foot pounds of energy so it is now a big bore
It is bore size period

Has to more than just bore size. As mentioned 375H&H and similar wildcats turn up on every bigbore forum on the net, and on very busy bigbore forums they can be high posting topics. 375 winchester on the other hand, nope. Even 45-70 far less airplay.

I agree - it's more common to link bore size and energy to the definition. I wouldn't class 45ACP as big bore.

You guys are adding a power level. Which is not tied to bore size, "it is BIG BORE" power level and bore size ie 2 different things

All about the common usage of a word or phrase. "Calibre" being a perfect example in the world of guns. Just about every time the word Calibre is used what is really meant is Cartridge.

Look here https://weatherby.com/store/markv-accumark/ Scroll down and there is a drop down list headed Calibre.

Actually even "bore size" in common use is bullet diameter. In common usage when "big" is added to "bore" it means power and/or case capacity. If Winchester was to chamber for the 375/06 you can bet it would not be in the same rifles as they chamber for the 375, 416 and 458

And that is the problem. Bore size and life is simpler. The 375 H&H was a suseecfull medium bore used against dangerous game successfully but is is still a medium

It might well be a medium for you and any others but for the vast majority as well as gun makers the 375 is a big bore. If you were to start a guns/hunting site and had forums for Small Bore, Medium Bore and Big Bore then what would be you cut off for Big Bores forum. If you made it 45 and several on this thread have said big bore is 45 and over then without the 375 your Big Bores forum would not be very active.

That case capacity is a factor can be seen by posts on big bore forums. People don't start topics on the 44 Magnum etc. on a Big Bores forum.

As a side note, do you use the word Calibre instead of Cartridge?

.375 is more where the medium bores end as you can load them with medium bore bullet weights and in today's market, that is more likely the majority choice.
Lots of premium bullet weights under 270 grains out there and they co-align with the .338 market more than the big bore segment.

Exactly

From a commercial point of view it is 375 and that is where the market sees things.

Then as was mentioned the 375 is the minimum calibre for dangerous game in Africa.

What John says about the bullets is correct and undoubtedly is a reflection of the widespread use of the various 375s and their velocity.

On the other hand the M70 Express rifle is 375, 416 and 458. The 378 Wby, like their 416 and 460, is not available in the lower price versions of the Mark V but the 338/378 is available. The Vanguard® Dangerous Game Rifle is 375 H&H.

Have a look at a whole lot of custom wood/blue guns and pick out all the rifles that have quarter ribs and they be pretty much all 375 and bigger. The few small caibres with a quarter rib will often be part of a pair and the other part being 375 and up.

When released in 1912, it was considered
a medium bore and I seriously doubt H&H
have altered their orig. view.

Pre-war 375 magnum mausers, Westley Richards
.318 mausers and Rigby 416 mausers of the same
period don't seem to have quarter ribs.
_Holland&Holland still produce new 375 bolt rifles
without quarter ribs.



Laws in Africa don't state 'big bore' as legal minimum.

What John says about the bullets is correct and undoubtedly is a reflection of the widespread use of the various 375s and their velocity.

On the other hand the M70 Express rifle is 375, 416 and 458. The 378 Wby, like their 416 and 460, is not available in the lower price versions of the Mark V but the 338/378 is available. The Vanguard® Dangerous Game Rifle is 375 H&H.

Have a look at a whole lot of custom wood/blue guns and pick out all the rifles that have quarter ribs and they be pretty much all 375 and bigger. The few small caibres with a quarter rib will often be part of a pair and the other part being 375 and up.

You guys are adding a power level. Which is not tied to bore size, "it is BIG BORE" power level and bore size ie 2 different things

Pre-war 375 magnum mausers, Westley Richards
.318 mausers and Rigby 416 mausers of the same
period don't seem to have quarter ribs.
_Holland&Holland still produce new 375 bolt rifles
without quarter ribs.