Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Reduced loads in 375 H&H

Just got my first 375 H&H and am looking for some very mild loads for practice, and perhaps Penn deer hunting. I've 235 and 220 gn bullets. Powders I have include BlueDot, AA7, 296, 1680, Lil'Gun, R-7, and H322. Any suggestions? Perhaps SeaFire can recommend some BD loads.

I use 235 Speer bullets. Check with Hodgdon for reduced loads with H4895 and get loading instructions for Trail Boss.

Yep, or just use starting loads from the manuals.

Trailboss is easy - in all cases load from between 70% of the available space behind the bullet up to 100%, irrespective of projectile weight.

Don't compress and don't go below 70%.

It's basically an overgrown 30-06. With 235's and starting loads it will be a pussycat. Pretty soon you'll be loading up and heading for Africa.

Reduced loads in a 375H&H are fun. As noted above, lighter bullets and starting loads will get you going. Some older reloading manuals like Speer #13 specifically list reduced loads for many cartridge bullet combinations.

While discontinued, SR-4759 is an excellent powder for reduced loads. Keep your eyes pealed. It occasionally shows up, frequently at really decent prices. Jump on it when you can.

+1 for sure!

I really like to practice with lighter loads in my .375 H&H but I always end the day with full power loads in rapid fire to make things a bit more relevant to hunting.

I bought the last four cans of SR.4759 in the entire country of Sweden a few years ago. Still have most of it, but I'm looking forward to burning it up when I retire!

John

The Lyman manual has several cast bullet loads that will work. I start with any of the powders that work for both cast and jacketed bullets and split the difference. The 235s will expand down to about 2,000 fps possibly lower but haven't tried. At about 2,500 fps the 235 Speer really put the hurt on hogs.

planned on reduced lots for my 375 but never got around too it, the old green and yellow corelokt 270gr softpoints are just plain pussy cats in my whitworth. my grandkids and wife even shoot it at stuff off the sticks and say its less than a 20 gauge.

might give them a try?

My .375 H&H is a Ruger #1. My "light" load is a 270 gr. cast bullet at 2100 FPS using IMR4350. Recoil is slightly more than the 30-06 in my rifle.
Paul B.

Good advice on getting some TrailBoss.
Charlie

Someone once mentioned to me loading a 000 buckshot pellet in the 375 for varmints.

Anyone have information for this load?

Would make an interesting squirrel gun.

Thank you for all the ideas.

I'm still not sure how to go. I'm trying for something where I can start at 1900-2000 and work up to 2400-2500 with the 235gn. Velocities in line with what DBoston suggested. However Lyman 47th edition, Lyman cast bullet edition, Speer 13, and Trail Boss loads all max out at speeds well below 2000. Starting loads in all the manuals I have (e.g. 4064 starts at 2600 with the 235gn) are well above where I'd like to max.

I'm interested in the 60% of H4895's max approach. However, Hodgdon is only listing H4895 loads for the 200gn and they are very fast. My 1992 Hodgdon 26th Edition shows a H4895 load for the 235. Would I be okay using that data?

You might look into cast bullet loads/loading. Have fun.

I used cast bullets in my .375-338 Wildcat. Pussycat loads at ~1,200 fps that shot pretty good at 50 yds.

I loaded some 375s for a friend. I believe the bullets were 225 grains and I used 60 to 61 grains of IMR 3031. They were accurate and were stepping out @ 2400 ft/sec. Recoil was acceptable to this 140 pound man. I thought it was similar to a 30-06 220 grainer.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/reduced_big_bore_loads.htm

I've used these in 375 Ruger but also lists the H&H.

John Barsness/Mule Deer has published some reduced loads with the old 220 grain Hornady FNSP and IMR 4227 that are very similar to 38-55 ballistics.

I've shot them and enjoyed.

Also - what the other folks have said about just using the starting loads and 235 or even 260 grain bullets... Not a bad call. I was pleasantly surprised by the fairly mellow recoil of a 375 H&H Ruger Number One some years ago. Have only taken a few black bear with mine, used the 260 gr Nosler Accubond at about 2650 fps. A starting load in Nosler's manual. Worked great.

Regards, Guy

The only reduced load I've used in the .375 H&H was suggested to me by Ingwe, who used IMR4227 with the 220-grain Hornady flat-nose--which was designed for the .38-55 but is now discontinued, or at least production has been suspended.

Anyway, the load was around 35 grains (can look it up if somebody's interested). It got around "high velocity" .38-55 ballistics, 2000 fps or so.

I wanted to use the load because I was planning an all iron-sight safari, and one of the rifles I planned to take was a Ruger No. 1 .375 with a NECG aperture rear sight. I would use full-power 300-grain ammo on the safari, but wanted a practice load that would shoot to the same place. I tweaked the powder charge until that happened, then shot a bunch of prairie dogs out to around 150 yards with the 220s--and they splattered PDs about like a .22-250. (I am sure they would have worked fine on deer, too, just like the .38-55--but never tried 'em.)

Anyway, am sure a similar powder charge would work fine with 235 Speers. The only problem would be finding some IMR4227!

You’re going to learn a thing or three if you pursue this with diligence. Cast bullets will be your friend, probably not light ones at that. Welcome to Loony Land!