Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Is my 375 enough for buffalo

I recently bought a Sako .375 H&H on a great deal. I didn't even consider the barrel length at the time. Measuring from the front of the action, it is just over18 inches. Do you think this barrel length will give me adequate velocity to be reliable for Cape Buffalo?
Thanks,

Kudu40

Start with the bullet selection. Always. Then work backwards to the delivery of the bullet. You're likely to be picking a fight with a buffalo around ~50 yards or so, so yes, your barrel length will do.

yes.

Should be fine. Chrono your loads and make sure you have a reasonable velocity.

The bullets will bounce of Black Death!!

Seriously you will be fine. A good bonded bullet like Swift, a mono metal like Barnes, or CEB’s offering will serve you well. Good shot placement and nyati will die a quick death.

Have told this story before, but one of the most experienced African PHs I've hunted with (and have hunted with a few) often used his .375 H&H as back-up on buffalo hunts, even in the very thick jesse of Zimbabwe--where he grew up, when it was Rhodesia, and killed his first buffalo in his teens. He told me that he was often "seriously out-gunned" by some clients--but still had to follow up many wounded bulls. and finish them with his .375.

I asked him what his favorite .375 bullet was, and he explained that since it was often difficult (or even illegal) to handload in Africa, he often used whatever ammo his clients left with him at the end of the safari, saying: "Today's bullets are all good." Oh, and he retired a few years ago

But am sure that some American hunters who been on buffalo safaris will soon post about how he didn't know what he was talking about....

The guys i hunt with in Namibia had quite a reloading run set up. If we ran out, we loaded more. Went to the gun store in Windheok. They were very well stocked in reloading tools and components. I guess only some parts of Africa have legal issues. Namibia sure doesn't.

I asked my last PH what bullets he liked in his 458. He said, " whatever you leave me!".

Dennis,

Yes, Namibia doesn't have an issues with handloading or availability. One of my good friends there owns a big sporting goods store in Kimberley, which is well-stocked with handloading components.

But other countries do have very different rules. In fact, Finn Aagaard (who grew up in Kenya and also guided in what was then Tanganyika) never handloaded before he moved to the U.S. in 1977, because it was illegal.

Wow. OP first post with that question? So, GFY. And I suspect if you survived the ear-splitting blast from that short-barreled rifle and put the bullet into the proper place you would wind up with a dead buffalo.

What I find interesting is the difference in opinions even between PH's. One well known PH used a 9.3 by 62. Another very respected PH used a 505 Gibbs and nothing but solids, hated expanded bullets on anything. I once was in camp with a PH that basically apologized for having a 375H&H and was saving money to buy a 458 Lott.

I believe the truth of the matter is most if not nearly all wounded game, close calls, and incidents with injuries are the result of poor shooting, not 150FPS or .015 in bullet diameter or 20 grains in bullet weight.

One of the more memorable evenings I've spend in Africa took place during a month-long cull hunt in South Africa. Aside from me, a dozen other hunters took part, usually in pairs, so quite a few PHs were involved--including two that were qualified to guide for dangerous game, since the hunt also involved some Cape buffalo.

On that evening considerable beer was consumed by everyone, and the PHs started "discussing" rifles, cartridges and bullets. It was much like such discussions on the Campfire--though considerably louder yet more civil.

I stole the line my PH used: "if you want drama use a cartridge you're afraid of. Otherwise, the 375 will do."

On that trip he was carrying a lovely old 9.3x62mm with a butter knife bolt handle. I think it was a Brno...

That is why I hunt with a 470 Nitro Double, to keep things exciting!!

I have a CZ in .416 Rigby, but as I get older, I am a bit more sensitive to recoil. I would rather use the .375 H&H and be able to place the shot better than use the bigger, more powerful round.

I would be more concerned about reliable feeding, than the fact that it is a short-barreled .375!

More than a few guys have had issues with scoped Sako DG rifles getting snagged up during a rapid fire.

Be sure to run it hard, if you have a scope mounted, to check for issues.

Gee I wonder how many cape buffalo have been put down by the 375 H&H from early 1900s up to present. You are kidding, right? I’ve never hunted cape buffalo, but from all my viewing I never see shots at 200 yards and many inside 125 yards, a shorter barrel doesn’t mean much at all when operating at plus or minus 125 yards.

Consider a different question. Am I capable of accurately shooting a 375 before considering anything larger?

Which is exactly why so many PHs recommend the .375 H&H--especially those who started guiding AFTER various controlled-expansion bullets appeared.

Have hunted with a number of PHs, and those who suggest (or even "insist") on larger cartridges for buffalo are usually older, when only .375 solids penetrated sufficiently--and even then some did not, including the Winchester 300-grain with a relatively thin, gilding metal jacket, which often came apart. But even "real" solids, such as many of today's monolithics, don't kill buffalo nearly as well as today's many excellent expanding bullets.

These days am astounded when a PH insists on solids only, no matter the cartridge. Many younger ones are fine with whatever GOOD expanding bullet the hunter wants to use--though some prefer "softs" (expanding bullets) that DON'T exit when hunting herds.

My 9.3x62 is looking better and better!

Have yet to be able to tell any difference in killing power between the 9.3x62 loaded to "modern" pressures and the .375 H&H.

The only problem might be local regulations, which often mean the .375 H&H.

But have also found that local regulations in Africa are often variable with a few U.S. Franklins.