Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions 375 Marlin for elk

Hammer makes a 200 Shock Hammer for the 375, as well. I got some a while back but haven't loaded any yet. Those test loads will end up being one of my winter day projects.

They're not cheap, though, about $90 per 50.

I still have the ammo I showed a pic of last year. My question is, has anyone shot an elk with their 375 yet? This thread was started a while ago, but I didn't see if anyone had actually shot an elk with their 375 rifles. I really do wish I would have packed my 375 on the last day of elk season last year. I would have popped one at 65 yards. The lowly Tikka 7mm08 filled the duty though. My grandpa bought this rifle specifically for elk hunting:


It was one of his favorites, even though he had a nice collection of pre 64 model 94's.

I can’t see how it couldn’t work. The 38/55 killed and was touted as big medicine for stuff back in the day. The 375 is the same thing. I’d bet with some of those Beartooth cast bullets they’d put an elk on the turf.

Many elk have been slain with 30-30 carbines. Your 375 will deliver the goods when shooting into the chest organs. But elk do not typically react much to the first shot. Remember to lever a fresh round and keep shooting until the animal is downed. - Sherwood

Well I carried it first season, saw a spike, some cows, and unidentified, but no legal bull. It was in the 60's every day, so nothing was moving . Saw some nice bulls on private lands. Don't know when I can get back.

I killed two elk with a .375Winchester Big Bore, l killed maybe two with a Winchester 94 in 44 mag, one with Winchester 94 in 30-30 ,and two with a 45-70 1886 using Remington's 405 gr bullet. The all died about the same.

No, but I plan to. I plan on low fps, cast bullets and close up hunting for black bear.

Just asking but wouldn't cast 375 cal bullets be the best option since this is an load your own proposition?

I've never felt comfortable to be able to get close enough with the 375 Win for elk. In my opinion, if you're certain about that maximum range then the 375 will do it very well. I think the closest elk I shot with my rifle was less than but close to 100 yards - 338 250 grain partitions. A buddy grabbed my old 280 Remington and shot a cow at maybe 50 yards with my 280 hand-load -160 mag-tip SPEER & H4831. The furthest was 350 yards - 270 partition - I could not get closer - a valley was between us and it was dusk.

If i was certain on the 100-yard limit, I'd be happy with the 375 Win. If 350 yards was possible then nope!

If i took out my 375 for elk, I'd load it with Barnes 255 Gr - Here's a load my 375 liked:

375 Win, Winchester 94 XTR, 255 grain Barnes, 34 grains RE 7, 1.250" group at 50 meters - iron -sights.

No experience first hand with the 375, but do have a friend who's taken a few mule deer and 2 elk with his 375.

.375 is a nice caliper so is 444

Love the caliber. Don’t own one, but bucket list includes building a double rifle in 375 Win….

Now I’m thinking taking for white tail. With my luck and lottery draws I’m thinking white tail might be all I’ll get tags for. But my brother thinks we have a good chance in WY.

The 400 Legend ( AR cartridge) reminds me of a 375 Win sorta

375 Win is a very capable big game cartridge, especially with the Barnes originals. A Yukoner on here, his son took a nice 50+ inch antlered bull moose with the 375 win.

The guy who bought my 375 Win, anchored a brown bear at less than 20 ft. He knocked the front end outta the bear.

My son lobbed a 255 grainer out to 170 yds or so, at a nice fat bull caribou. It was like a lightswitch went off. I honestly haven't seen much difference in field performance over my old marlin in 444 marlin.

The Valmet 412 U/O double rifle was available in 375 Win.

It’s a caliber that in its day was favoured by hound hunters locally. The target quarry are Sambar deer that are tough to put down and large stags can go to 300-350kg. In general shots on fleeing deer are often less than 100yards and iron sights are preferred by a number of hound hunters. I knew of one hunter that had 9 kills with his little 375. He used the now discontinued 220gr Hornady pills.

With the right bullets it’s a very capable cartridge. Years ago Woodleigh introduced a 235gr Hydrostatic bullet for the cartridge. It turned the small cartridge into a buffalo cartridge with incredible straight line penetration. When they trialled the bullet one bull was shot through the head. The bullet entered the boss, exited out of the back of its head, then re-entered the body via the backbone and the bullet was ultimately recovered from a rear hind leg.

I have a rebored JM Marlin 336 in 38-55. It has a .375 bore like the .375 Win., so I can crank them up a bit and have good bullet choices over the larger bore rifles. I'm glad to see all the responses to this thread because I always wondered about the capabilities of a .375 bore straight walled cartridge.

I got exactly ZERO draws from the good old South Dakota Game Fish & Parks! I'm not sure why I bother, Damn the SDGF&P!

I did draw an elk tag in Wyoming though.

South Dakota Game Fish & Parks have screwed up everything they touch! [bleep] them!