Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors How uncommon are the .375s?

There was a time you couldn't give away a 99 in 375. When I had my shop I got a flyer from one of my suppliers with 99's in 375 for under $200 and I bought one of them. I hated the fat forend and the wrist was too thick so now it fits me, who ever thought they would be collectable. But then I have a Rem 600 in 223 (never catalogued) that got turned into a nice looking rifle. Before internet was a bad time for collectors.

I will say the 99-375 is incredibly accurate, and I really miss the 250gr factory load, I only have a few left but most of them have accounted for a deer. It is a fast handling very accurate rifle that has been my still hunting rifle for a long time.

I had one of the CBs in 45/70 for a few years in my early 20s. It was a sharp looking rifle, but between the straight grip stock and hard buttplate the recoil was flat out nasty in that cartridge. I imagine the 38-55 would be a lot more pleasant shooter.

That 45-70 and a compact 308 Norma Mag I had around the same period instilled a flinch in me I still fight to this day. The stupidity of youth... ow, that hurt... let's shoot it again. 😂

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I got both also


Ouch!

The Marlin guide gun (18 1/2" barrel) in 45-70 kicks pretty hard too

Yeah, my hunting partner has one of those from the last few JM years, stainless. It's definitely no barrel of monkeys to shoot either. I cooked up a milder load than the factory stuff he had been shooting through it, but it still packs a fair wallop on both ends of the rifle. 300gr Sierra hollow points over a trapdoor level charge of 4198.

I have one of the SS guide guns in 45-70. I only really bought it because I got it for a song, but I was concerned about it's kick. I find it comfortable to shoot and that's with the buffalo bore bear loads ( it came with a couple hundred rounds ). I also can shoot a 308 all afternoon and not be bothered. However, I plan on never shooting a 30-06 again in my life. Last time I shot one or those it felt like someone hit my on the shoulder with a large hammer.

It's strange how different calibers effect people differently.

Same experience for me with 30-06. It's a great cartridge, but it's not for me. I've owned a couple, and they've both whooped me a lot more than a cartridge that size had any right to.

I've really come to appreciate milder cartridges as I've gotten older. I'm a shooter a lot more than hunter, and not doing long range stuff anyway. I call it reverse magnumitis 🙃

for the range a lead sled with 25 pounds of bird shot on the tray tames almost anything I shoot so that the recoil is tolerable. That includes the 300 Weatherby Accumark with 82.5 grains of slow burning powder(IMR 72xx something or the other?) and 180 grain Nosler partition.

One problem with the lead sleds and Savage 99's is that you're making the buttstock handle much of the recoil. Rather than transferring much of the force back into your <soft> shoulder, the buttstock is up against a <hard> wall on the sled that doesn't give much. That makes me worry about tang cracks on them more.

For other rifles than 99's.. love 'em!

my newest lead sled has a removable recoil pad.

I just ended up culling off all my bigger, hard kicking cartridges, except for a slug gun, and hopefully I won't ever need that again now.

There's no game animals larger than whitetail here, and I don't travel to hunt other than the odd hop across the state line into Indiana (which I live right on). Sentimental value is the only reason I still have my 308 Win, because it is not a fun rifle to shoot. It's light, and the stock fits me terribly.

There ya go, that would help.

I really like the 375 Winchester cartridge. It is very easy to load, is effective within reasonable ranges and just plain fun to shoot. Brass comes available from time to time and 30-30 brass re-formed to the 375 configuration is usually available. The Marlin 375 comes at a premium but, every rifle I see these days in 375 Win. is priced high. I scooped up three 375 Marlins a few years ago and I am going to hang onto them. They are handy in the field and all of mine are very accurate. I also have a Ruger #3 in 375 Win. and a Winchester Bigbore in that chambering. The Winchester is beautiful with deep blue and nicely figured checkered walnut.

Two or three years ago, I found a Savage 99 Brush Gun in very nice condition chambered in 375 Win. I am pretty sure I paid around $1500 - $2000 for it,

I think the best chance of finding a good hunting rifle in 375 will be the 375 Marlin. I see them come up for sale occasionally on the Marlin Owners site.

T.S.