Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 Weatherby vs 375 H&H

I have a 375 H&H AI and a 375 Whelen AI. I had a Whitworth 375 H&H.
The former is a pre-64 model that looks like it hasn’t been hunted - prestine. The Whelen AI is a rifle I built on a Mauser action (made between the wars
The H&H AI is mild to shoot, but I have not spent long time at the bench with it. I guess I’d say the factory stock is perfect for me. The Whitworth was a little harder on me - I blame it on ‘fit’, therefore I traded it.

The Whelen AI is a pussy cat.

I think a Roy would be welcome in my safe. But to tell you the truth I don’t “need” another 375 at my age. Both my knees are now stainless steel and that adds to the lack of need of another 375. I’m afraid if I don’t go to Africa next year...

I’ve never worried about whether a Roy or a AI is better, never will. That’s a six of one a half a dozen of another.

As far as brass goes, I have picked up partial boxes of H&H ammo with one to three fired rounds at gun shows pretty cheap. I have all the brass I can use.

I tend to practice off-hand a lot and this cheap factory ammo works fine. I paid for a safari for four before my brothers died and that 375 H&H AI and a Rigby would have been the two rifles I would have taken along. I ended up giving the Safari away. If ammo was lost I’d gave used standard H&H ammo and not worried about it.

MidwayUSA had 270 grain bullets cheap a few years ago and I use them for practice too.

I see little down side to having a Roy or an AI. But a standard H&H is good too.

Bugger...

Do you ever experience headspace problems with the Whelen?

I prefer wood, but that is a real purty rig you have.

Yes, nice rig beretzs, as to all the standard H&H's, AI's, WBY's and RUM's, my pre-64 standard 375 boots out 300gr partitions at 2680, the 300gr BBW#13 solids run a flat 2700 fps, a M-70 classic AI runs 270gr TSX's up to 3100 fps across the chrono if you want, I've backed them down to an even 3K, haven't developed a solid load for the AI yet.

All loads in my 375's burn RL-17 powder, RP and Winchester brass, and FED-215 igniters.

I used the 375 for a little forked horn at home on Thanksgiving.. Apparently the 250 TTSX's work fine for deer as well. Nothing much to write home about on the entrance and exit wounds but the insides were completely churned up.

Now I can sleep.....you “bloodied” it! Congrats memtb

Its very Itro about Rifles !! and what you can do with them , the action the barrel chambering the throating even the barrels tolerance in the inside diameter, As I have a very long throat CZ 602 375 H&H and I can run with the very big dogs like 375 Weth and 375 Ruger in velocity and have no pressure problems. Its All about how >>>>YOU<<<>> set up your Rifle,. Im running on HIGH end velocity on cheap H&H And luving IT! Enjoy

I did on the first case I formed. But after that, not at all. The Whelen is also an "AI" version. I rented a reamer and bought dies. The AI version was in stock. the non-AI was a long lead time.

From what I understand the 375 Whelen has a much wider shoulder than the '06 - .441 (06) vs. .458 (375 Whelen) - or something like that. The AI has .461. -- these numbers are from what I've read and I have not verified by my measurements.

I had to modify the Mauser action a bit to get it to feed reliably. It now feeds well with the 375 W AI cases and the 35 Whelen cases necked out to 375 with a variety of bullets from the 235 Speer, to heavy blunt bullets and even flat nosed cast bullets.

I'm planning on taking it elk hunting this year.

You would think with the heavier bullet it would carry a lot more energy even with minimal velocity decrease

Just bumping this to the newer 375 BEE post.

I took my 375 H&H AI out to my range today, with a couple of loads using FC Nickel plated 375 brass:

85 grains IMR 4350 and 300 grain Hornady
82 grains RE 15 and Speer 235
Primers were 215's.

Both these loads are a little warmer than halfway between starting and maximum, I believe. My stand-up shooting bench is at 50 meters from the target. I was happy to see that both loads hit nearly the same POI. The 235 grain load shot about 3/4" and the 300 grain load shot about 6/10" groups. Center of the groups were less than 1/2" apart.

Some people complain about recoil on the 375 H&H AI (375Weatherby) and I don't understand that. Since it doesn't kick that bad. I could not handle 400 grain Rigby loads loaded near 416 Weatherby velocity - I am not immune to recoil. Those Rigby loads gave me instant headache! Sure I wouldn't want to shot that 375 all day from the sit down bench, but the recoil is greatly exaggerated, in my opinion.

As far as taking that Whelen AI elk hunting, it didn't happen. I took a 270 with 160 grain partitions instead. It worked fine.

I had back surgery earlier this year, so I am toning down my hunting this year, probably.