Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa 375 on Cape

Going in March 2025 for Cape Buffalo. I have a 375 H&H AI pre-64 Model 70 in pristine condition. I have a muzzle brake and I have a suppressor (Banish 45) that I could take. The barrel is ~ 26" and with the suppressor length would be 36". I've read where muzzle brakes are unpopular with PH's.

I have a couple of questions.

1. Though I would not cut the barrel on this rifle, I would consider buying a 375 H&H rifle and cut the barrel to maybe 20" - with the Banish the length would be 30". What say you?

2. Most of the bullets I have are for lesser species, I imagine. I do have a couple boxes of 250 gr TTSX's and a box of 300 grain RN Interlocks. I'm thinking maybe going with a heavier Barnes bullet or maybe a Swift, if I can find them or perhaps a Partition. (I am not really considering the 300 grain Interlocks. But would use them for practice.) What say you?

3. I plan on sighting it in at 50 yards and load testing while it is warm (>90 degrees) here in SD and using a temperature insensitive powder along with Federal 215 primers or Winchester Magnum primers.

4. I have most of the powders recommended by others on the WEB except I don't have the appropriate Norma powders or IMR4831. Powders I have that I think believe would work OK: H4831sc, IMR 4451, H4350, IMR4350, RE15, VVN140, Varget, LEVERevolution, VVN160, and A4350. I want little temperature sensitivity since I don't want too high of pressure. What say you?

I'm not looking for maximum velocity or even minimum group size. Just a good solid load for cape, with little likelihood of too high a pressure with good penetration but not too much penetration.

For now, I'm primarily practicing with 270 grain RN Interlocks.

I'm using Leupold quick release mounts with two fixed power older Leupold's scopes.

I might use the rifle on other species but not a high priority

Thanks for the advice!

Are you headed for the bushveld, or the wide-open spaces? If the latter, then go with what you have. Otherwise, 24" total length of the barrel would be just dandy.

Depending on where you're going, March can be a bit toasty. Choose a temperature-resistant (I don't know of a temperature-insensitive) powder for those 85+ degree F days wandering around with a chambered round, a full magazine, and rounds on your belt. I've used a variety of Hodgdon powders and Ramshot Big Game.

A-Frames are proven performers, so are North Fork semi-spitzers. Whatever you choose, don't cheap out on bullets for buff.

Get in the field for practicing on sticks and off-hand. Use whatever bullet is cheap to load once your hunting load is settled. I use the PPU SP's.

Learn to not admire your first shot. Start the dance with your first round and keep feeding them into the buff for as long as he going to let you.

In 2022 I hunted buffalo in the Okavango of Namibia. I rented a rifle and ammo from the outfitter. All the ammo was soft points as they didn’t want any pass thru’s. The rifle was a carbon barreled Christianson arms and it had a silencer on it. What a hassle. The gun was always rotating on my shoulder with the barrel frighteningly close to sticking itself in the mud. Muzzle heavy it was! Muzxle long it was too! Take the silencer off or cut the barrel back so it is convenient. Remember buffalo aren’t bullet proof but you need to hit them right with the first shot. My first shot was broadside at 104 yards. Two more as he ran thru the short grass. Then he fell over, dead after a run of about 200 yards.

Here is what worked for me: My rifle is a Whitworth 375 H&H that was considerably modified to my wishes by Jim Kobe. The barrel was cut to 22”. There is no brake or can. I used 270 grain Barnes TSX bullets over 75 grains of RL15 for a muzzle velocity of about 2670 fps. No three shot group was larger than 1.5”. Many, if not most, PHs will be happier if you load solids in your magazine for backup shots if needed. Many experienced American hunters don’t agree with this if shooting bullets like TSXs, but it is what it is. At the time I was able to get some 300 grain Woodleigh solids which over 71.5 grains of RL 15 produced about 2575 fps.

PHs definitely do not like muzzle breaks.

My scope, in quick detach rings, was one of the Leupold Big Bores that were available for a while. It is 3X and I chose a heavy duplex reticle. The scoped rifle weighs 9 pounds 5 ounces.

At my PH’s suggestion I sighted the TSX load dead on at 100 yards. The Woodleighs were about two inches off, but that is certainly “minute of buffalo.” My iron sights were adjusted to be dead on at 50 yards.

Depending on where you hunt and whatever circumstances develop, you may be happier with a handy 22 or 24 inch barrel. You could end up in thick cover.

As suggested, practice shooting off sticks because you almost certainly will take a first shot from them. I practiced some with my 375 off sticks so it felt comfortable. And I had hunted plains game three times before (once with this same rifle) so I “knew the drill.” In addition, I practiced a lot with a 22 long rifle bolt action.

A 375 H&H is an excellent choice for buffalo, but do be sure to shoot quality bullets like a Barnes TSX, Swift A-frame, Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, Cutting Edge Raptor or some other premium bullet.

I strongly prefer 300 grain bullets and NO MUZZLE BRAKE. I know many PH’s and they all hate being near muzzle brakes. Besides, a 375 H&H has a pretty mild recoil for a dangerous game cartridge, nobody needs a brake to shoot a 375. Unlike some others, I find the standard 24” barrel length ideal for our 375’s and see no reason to modify that length.

I’ve shot buffalo with 375 H&H, 416 Hoffman, 458 Winchester & 470 NE. Between my son and me, we’ve shot 4 or 5 buffalo with the 375 and neither of us would hesitate to use that cartridge for our next buffalo. We shoot a load of 70.0 grains of RL15, Federal 215 primer and 300 grain bullets in either TSX, TBBC or A-Frame. We use Cutting Edge Safari Solids, though solids are not necessary if you have TSX’s in magazine. A 300 grain TSX with the above load will often get complete penetration on a broadside shot.

“A 300 grain TSX with the above load will often get complete penetration on a broadside shot.“

This is precisely why you don’t want the 300 grain bullets. The 270 LRX or TSX will usually not fully penetrate. Buffalo are normally in groups and you don’t want to wound a second one.

My 375H&H has a 22” barrel. I wouldn’t mind a suppressor but never a brake, never.
Have taken 19 buffalo without incident provided I placed my first shot precisely.

I load CFE223 to around 2750.

Bugger,
Congratulations on your hunt plans.

You sound like me when I was planning my first few buffalo hunts. What a wonderful space to be in!

I want to be helpful and make some suggestions, however these are just my suggestions/ideas and not to be taken to override your process/planning and style of doing things.

You obviously have done a lot of thinking on your preparations. and may be you are over thinking or complicating some things just a little bit.

Hunting Cape buffalo with a PH or two and a tracker or two is a very simple endeavour. You walk quietly behind the PH, and he will take you to a buffalo. With a bit of stealth you will get to within 50 yds and using shooting sticks you shoot the stationary buffalo in the heart/ lungs. It is not a hard shot.


Here is where I get in a few suggestions, and again, I just mean to be helpful and you probably have thought of this stuff already.

1. On my first day in African, I try to chill out or at least not hunt too hard on the first day. I need a day to get over any jet lag.

2. For hunting Cape buffalo I keep it very simple, I wear dull green or camo cloths in the bush and I never take binoculars or any other stuff that is not essential to making my shot. I don't even use a sling that might get tangled up in the sticks.

3a. The bullet is the only thing that kills the buffalo. This can't be over emphasized and killing a cape buffalo is all about the first shot with the best bullet. For me, that is Cutting Edge Raptor bullets, or NorthFork bullets or Peregrine Bushmaster bullets. (Swift A frames are very good too but they are not my first choice anymore for Buffalo. The quality of the bullet makes a huge difference, everything else being equal. It could also save me a lot of time and trouble tracking a wounded buffalo, and may even save my life. "nuff said.

3b. I don't use a 375 anymore for Cape buffalo, but as I remember a 300 grain bullet at 2,500 fps -2,600 fps from your AI case will be about right with any powder in the book.
I just pick a powder that shoot well and relax about my load. I only shoot buffalo if they are close, like 50 yds.


4. PH's don't like wearing hearing protection. I hear this a lot ( pun intended ) and it cracks me up. I just ask them if they want to end up half deaf like me. That's his look out! Next year I will use a muzzle brake on my single shot 577NE as I will be turning 80 and the 577NE recoil is getting to be above my pay scale. It's my choice. If the PH plans to be deaf in his old age, that's his choice. Or he can at least put his hands over his ears when I shoot like the trackers do. ( It's no surprise to the PH when I shoot. It happens shortly after he says "shoot!". Chuckle).

Some people say that a man can live more in 10 minutes on a motorcycle than most men live in a life time. I feel the is true about hunting cape buffalo.

I promise you an amazing time on your buffalo hunt!

Brian

I've used both 375 H&H and 416 Rigby on past hunts. The 375 will definitely work well. Advice about using "premium" bullets is good advice. I use TBBC as my soft and Hornady solids in both calibers. My loads all shoot to same POI, dead on at 100 yds. I also KISS and only shoot 300 gr in 375 and 400 gr in 416. No resighting on a hunt because I'm changing bullets. I am convinced and have experience that if 300 gr is good on buffalo, it will also work on an impala or a dik dik.
I do not use a suppressor or brake on either rifle. I have never noticed recoil in any hunt situation. I fire very few rounds off the bench and do most of my practice off sticks or in field shooting positions.
I really like Brian9s observation that you do a lot of living while shooting your buffalo, but I will not attempt to do it off a motorcycle.

Bugger,
1. I would not mess with the suppressor, take the rifle as is.
2. I am a Barnes fan. Suggest 270gr TSX or LRX.
3. I use Federal 215 primers with good results.
4. Varget and Big Game have been superb in my 375. You have plenty of suitable powders. Have fun testing.

My one and only buffalo was taken with a 404 Jeffery and 400gr TSX at 38uards. Had I hit the buffalo with my back up 375 shooting 300gr TSX's, the results would have been the same.


If I was going to take a 375 for buffalo, I would load up 270gr Barnes, then practice, practice, practice. Before my last trip, I shot 600 rounds between my 404 and 375.

That is all solid advice.

Don’t over think it. Load up, practice and go.

A suppressor, while kinder to the ears is a hassle in the bush. The extra length hangs up on brush, sticks out an extra 8”-10” (or whatever) making a veritable antenna when slung over your shoulder, hangs out of the gun racks on the vehicle and makes target acquisition slower in a pinch. Charges do happen, though rare, require you to be quick on the draw and accurate.

Don’t fret excessively about pass throughs. Before you pull the trigger on an unmolested buff, look at your background. I’ve had PHs multiple times whisper “wait for him to clear” before hammering him.

Thanks for all the replies.
I have about 600 Hornady 270 grain round nose bullets for practice and partial boxes of other bullets I picked up at gun shows that will also be used for practice.
I hadn’t thought of using sticks. I’ll use them for sure. 600 rounds will require a lot of powder. I’ll get more powder coming. Yeh, I’m working up loads while it’s 90 degrees or higher, but I’ll still use powder that is rated to be not sensitive to temperature. I want to make sure there won’t be any high pressure issues.
Years ago when I paid for safari’s for my three brothers and myself, I bought a Ruger 416 Rigby. That safari fell through due to brothers’ cancer issues. I aged a bit and I found the Rigby caused head aches for me. Then I had a 375 H&H Whitworth and the pre-64 Win 375 H&H AI. The Winchester fit me better and I let the Whitworth go, wish I hadn’t.
Thanks to your advice I’ll not take the suppressor. Maybe a trip to a Texas ranch someday it can be used. Frankly, I was concerned about taking it through customs. My suppressor is titanium and isn’t heavy as the steel suppressors I’ve read about that the PH’s use, but it’s 12” long.
One scope will be a 2 1/2 power and the other will be a 4 power. The rifle has open sights and I’ll practice with those too.
(I was beginning to think seeing a camel toe in leopard pants was as close to a safari as I was going to get.)

Shoot 600 rounds practicing with your 375 and you won’t have enough money to pay for another trophy you want. Shooting that much certainly won’t hurt your style but it certainly sounds like an over exuberance. Ie…a bit much!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I practiced some off sticks with my 375. But I practiced a lot with a 22 bolt action off the sticks. It’s cheaper and easier on the shoulder and ears. Some may disagree, but I think it’s good practice. Of course I wouldn’t recommend doing only that. I also practiced some offhand at 50 yards with the 375.

Lots of good tips here. I learned some things, thanks.

Also, Pancho is right about shooting a buffalo off a motorcycle. LOL! ( There is a guy in Squim, Washington who I saw shoot a perfect round of skeet with a
12. ga pump off a uni-cycle. I forget his name, even though my wife and I took a one week shooting course from him. He was a USA Olympic Champion.)

Solid bullets for buffalo.
The Cutting Edge Bullet #13 Solid really kills buffalo with the first shot. It defies old concepts about solids. Unlike round nose solids, it penetrates deep/straight and leaves a good wound channel. ( Read B&M Cartridges and Rifles research on DG bullets. Also, other manufacturers are now producing DG solids with wide flat meplates because they kill so well. eg. Hammer, Woodleigh, etc.)

Hearing protection and muzzle brakes!
Every shooter in the world knows that you must use hearing protection when you are standing beside the muzzle of a magnum rifle, except African PH's. That is weird when you consider that the new electronic ear muffs are very affordable, comfortable and enable you to hear perfectly. Besides, a muzzle brake may help the nervous first-time client to make a better first shot (not flinch) and not force a long, tough and dangerous tracking job. ( grrrrr. don't get me going. I'm grumpy this morning).

Suppressors.
I know a few guys who use suppressors in Africa. They are awesome! My 13 year old grandson uses one on a 30-06 for plains game in the Waterberg Mountains. ( bushy hill country) Suppressors are quite popular in Africa. There is no problem with the length of the rifle. I think that is another myth. ( apologies ) They are not difficult to manipulate in the bush. You seldom walk IN the bushes in the bush veld. You walk AROUND the bushes. Rifles with suppressors are soooo nice to shoot and they tend not to rile up the animals as much. I have never seen a problem with a suppressed rifle being the least bit hard to manipulate or stick out over the edge of a bakkie. There are no shortage of theories about hunting in Africa! Keep it simple be a minimalist, pack your gear and go have a fun adventure.

Happy hunting,

Brian

😂😂😂😂😂

Kudos for the "overthinking the problem" post. You don't need a suppressor, if you use a muzzle break then you need a smaller caliber, let alone a rifle with a barrel as long as a sewer pipe. Standard 24" 375 with whatever decent bullet your rifle likes, a decent low power variable and you are set. I used a standard Model 70 Safari Express with 300gr Swift Aframes and it worked like a champ. Since then I've switched to the 270gr TSX. You DO NOT/SHOULD NOT use solids on buffalo.

Sorry, nothing to do with a 375 H&H on Buff, just have been watching some videos on Buff/Lion encounters where the Lion doesn't always win! Man, those Buff sure can throw a Lion around!

You have a bunch of practice bullets, you do not need to load max powder powder charges with those. My practice load for my 375 was two grains less than the load I actually took. The whole purpose for the practice is shooting off the sticks and familiarity with the rifle.

I shot 600 between two rifles. Did I over do it? Maybe. But compared to the cost of the Zambia trip, it was nothing. I had fun practicing, and set up steel plates at 50, 100, and 200 yards. I varied between sticks and offhand. Would always start at 50, then 100, and on to 200. Would alternate between double and triple taps at the various ranges. To try and simulate what buffalo might do after the first shot.

My first shot was 38 yards, As the buffalo ran away I asked the PH if he want me to shoot again.
"Might as well" was his response. Second shot was not needed, but...
No time for third.

I had extensively practiced working the bolt without taking the rifle out of shooting position. No way was I going to let my ability to get a second or third shot off cause a rodeo.

I used the 300gr TSX load in my 375 for everything else. My PH wanted a 300gr if I needed to use it on buffalo. Sable, Roan, Impala, Lichenstein Hartebeest, and Zebra all fell to that combo.

Bugger,

Sorry, but posts like yours tend to baffle me--mostly because you'll get responses from Campfire members who've killed relatively few buffalo. (And yes, that includes a good friend who's killed close to 20. But even those hunters usually haven't seen more buffalo killed than what they've personally shot.) Generally, with CF hunters who've taken, say, 10-20, they don't have much experience with any .375 bullet than the ones they've used--which these days tend to be some magic monolithic, of whatever brand.

Have you asked the the PH you've booked with what he thinks? They've generally seen far more than 20 buffalo killed, and some have killed hundreds themselves--often with cartridges and bullets considered inadequate by Campfire hunters.

That said, even African PHs often disagree. I know this due to sitting-in on an evening beer-drinking session with 7 very experienced PHs in 2007, during a month-long cull hunt in South Africa.

Exactly, and that is why I loaded the bullets my PH suggested. He liked A-Frames and Barnes at that time. 400 and 300 grains respectively for the 404 and 375.

Have not talked to him in awhile, maybe his opinion has changed. He also did not think too highly of the 375 and preferred the 40's.