Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa 375 on Cape

I had my .375 H&H muzzle cut at the hole for the rear screw on the front sight ramp. The barrel is just shy of 21" now. I've zero regret in having done so and the muzzle blast is not noticeably different from the bench or in the field.

Actually, my personal buffalo-killing experience is almost equally split between the .375 H&H and .416 Rigby. Though it also involves observing quite a few buffalo taken by hunting companions who used a 9.3/.375 wildcat, .375 H&H, .416 Remington Magnum, .458 Winchester and .458 Lott.

In general I have used the standard shoulder/behind the shoulder shot that most PHs recommend.

One of my peculiarities as a “gun writer” is that since it turned out to be my major writing income around 30 years ago (have also written considerably on very different subjects) is I don’t consider my personal “kills” the only valid experience. I’ve also observed quite a few other hunters take game, both my friends and hunting companions—and also people I’ve guided.

Guided quite a bit in Montana, which started with the first “guided” hunt I went on in 1987, an elk bowhunt on a central Montana ranch. One of my mentors arranged the hunt, who knew the young rancher/outfitter. After the morning hunt on opening day, it was obvious I knew more about bowhunting elk than the outfitter, so he let me loose—and I killed a 5-point that evening, Whereupon he asked me to guide for him. (Guided considerably after that for a decade for various animals, until due to writing didn’t have time anymore.)

Anyway, one thing I decided very early that along with my personal kills, I should also observe other hunters in action as much as possible. The guiding helped, but like many “gun writers” I was also invited on a bunch of hunts by various companies. One was a deer hunt in Colorado in 1991, which was a “field test” of a then-new bullet. Most of my dozen writer companions left after they got their deer, partly because they had other such hunts to attend. I didn’t, so accompanied the remaining hunters to personally observe what happened.

This habit has included more than one buffalo hunt. One took place in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve (which has since been renamed something less British-centric) in 2011. There were six hunters in our party, and I was lucky enough to get a good bull early on. I then accompanied others, to observe the action—and the necropsies.

As a result of all this I observed several things about bullet performance. But perhaps one example that’s contrary to your theory about .416 superiority (and perhaps today’s bullet theory as well) was the bull I took on that hunt.

It was one of a group of four dagga boys we tracked from dawn to midday. Eventually they “nooned” along a dry streambed (donga in Swahili), under shady cover, and we got within 30 yards. The PH (the late Paddy Curtis) glassed them, and whispered, “The one on the right.” The bull stood broadside, but a relatively heavy branch was in front of the shoulder. So I held just behind the shoulder.

At the shot the bulls ran off—but the huge blood trail started right behind where my bull had stood. It included chunks of lung as big as my fist, so we figured it wouldn’t go far. But it did make it just about 80 yards, where it stood wavering, about to fall, when I dropped it with another shot.

One I observed being taken was standing with another bull in even thicker cover. We’d been tracking a pair of bulls for around 45 minutes, and both bulls eventually stood and stared at us from around 40 yards, only their heads and necks visible. My partner shot the bigger one just under the chin with his .458 Lott, and it dropped right there—though blood was still spurting from the hole as we eased up a long minute later. But have also seen the same under-the-chin spinal shot work with the .375.

Might also mention that both my .416 buffalo and my partner’s .458 Lott bull were taken with bullets often considered inadequate by some of today’s hunters, since they weren’t monolithics….

Good to see JJHACK posting! Only five buff for me so far….I’ll stay with the 375 H&H.

Rick,

I have hunted with several PHs who are very knowledgeable about bullet construction--though all are handloaders. One is Kevin Thomas, but another is my friend Rob Klemp, who along with being an experienced PH in both RSA and Zim also owns a big sporting goods store in Kimberley, which his father started.

Rob was the most experienced of the several PHs on the 2007 cull-hunt I've mentioned before, where two dozen hunters took 184 animals. At that time the Barnes TSX and Nosler AccuBond were the new "hot" bullets, and several of the hunters (being rifle loonies) used them. This resulted in a lot of discussion in the evenings, both among the hunters and 7 PHs.

However, I also brought along a box of .300 Winchester Magnum ammo loads with the just-announced 180-grain Nosler E-Tip. (Whenever a bullet company introduces a new big game bullet it's usually a 180 .30, for obvious reasons.)

I didn't take a .300 Winchester on the trip, but my hunting partner did. The new bullet worked fine on animals from 600 pounds out to 250 yards to springbok at 400+. But Rob was bugged because we never recovered one.

So one day he decided we needed to, and suggested we look for a blue wildebeest, using his own .300. They often stand quartering toward the hunter long enough to put a bullet in the big shoulder joint--which also often results in finding the bullet under the hide around the rear of the ribcage. We did--and I put one in the shoulder joint. We found it in the usual place, retaining all of its weight except the plastic tip. Anyway, Rob isn't the only PH I know who's obsessed with bullet design and performance.

Might also mention that I killed my biggest kudu with Rob, in stretch of hills along the Vaal River. It was also the biggest bull any of his clients had ever taken--and I gave the head to him to mount and put in his store. It's still there.

The muzzle blast would be ridiculous as would the muzzle flash and you’d deal with tremendous muzzle flip. I’ve switched barrels on several rifles or had short and longer bbl versions.
80gr of H4831 or equivalent will likely not burn in an 18” barrel giving you a big flash every time you set it off. Muzzle flip will make target acquisition after the first shot an adventure.

Learned that early on with an Enfield N0. 5 Jungle Carbine. Compared to a full length Mk 4, recoil, flip, flash and general experience was miserable.

If you don’t want the ports, rebarrel. ER Shaw or Pac Nor can do it reasonably

Mule Deer, That is very interesting. You have done a lot of hunting. Thanks for filling me in, I appreciate the story and the information! Brian

“But he also used a 4x scope on his .375--as did the first PH I hunted with in 1993. Both very rarely removed the scope and shot with irons, because they wanted to be able to SEE what they were aiming at--and 4x provided more detail (especially in deep shadows) that the typical 2-1/2X scope. ”

Rethinking my scope choices. Instead of a 2 1/2x and a 4x scope, I’ll be taking two 4x scopes, thanks MD. (I very much dislike variable scopes for game rifles.) I’ve shot open sights quite a bit and am confident in placing shots with them in perfect conditions. Perfect conditions means no brush for me. My 375 has open sights, I’ll practice with them but don’t plan on using them.

The 270 grain RN Hornady bullets I have, I got cheap! Won’t cost much to shoot them. I also have a couple 375 molds and could shoot a lot of wheel weights pretty cheaply. I am practicing with the rifle I’m taking. Though I do have a pre-64 300 H&H that has nearly identical form factor that I could use for practice.

I have a FX2 6x with a German post reticle, but that might be too much of a good thing.

Bugger,
I am excited for you. I really enjoyed all the prep and anticipation, and hope you do as well.

The main thing is to put that first bullet where it belongs. I have no doubt you will do that. You are not some newbie, but have lots of hunting/shooting experience.

Buffalo obviously raises the bar quite a bit. But proper shot placement certainly sorts out a lot of problems before they get started.

You're welcome! But some other writers have done far more hunting than I have, especially in Africa--in particular Craig Boddington, who's personally taken over 100 buffalo. I've known Craig in the early 1980s, and he's done considerable "experimenting" with buffalo bullets--including shooting more than one with the 300-grain Sierra GameKing. He put them behind the shoulder, and the bulls went the typical distance and fell over. (One of my favorite quotes comes from his first Safari Rifles book, and goes something like this: "Many claim the .375 is marginal for buffalo, and it is. But it's on the right side of the margin.")

Ah- ha! Good one and True. "It's on the right side of marginal. Brian

You're not totally wrong--but one of the most common misconceptions in handloading is that "muzzle flash" is caused by unburned powder. This was disproven many years ago by Homer Powley. (You have heard of him?)

In reality, in a typical rifle case full of smokeless powder, ALL the powder that's going to burn does so within about 2" of the case mouth. Some may not--but the kernels are NOT still burning when they exit the muzzle--and won't, because the pressure is too low.

Instead what happens is the hot gas from the BURNED powder re-ignites when it exits, upon getting another dose of oxygen from the atmosphere. Thus it doesn't affect muzzle velocity.

Mule Deer keeps schooling us on the fine points of gun gack. Hopefully we can remember most of it.

I have a friend in Dubai (a few others on here also know him) who would tell you that a 300 grain .375 mono-metal bullet is perfect for buffalo, and since he’s personally shot nearly 400 Cape Buffalo with it, his 3 opinion is worth considering. His 375 is a wildcat of his own design, based off the 404 Jeffrey case, thus he calls it the 375/404. He machines his own mono-metal bullets from 3/8” copper rod and they’re pretty similar to a TSX.

Between him and one of his PH’s, they’ve shot close to 1,000 buffalo with .375 rifles. That PH (Roy Vincent) used to be a meat hunter for the Wankie coal mines back in the late 1960’s and 70’s and shot hundreds of buffalo with a 375 and bullets which were inferior to the great options we enjoy today. Based on their vast combined experience, if you had a chance to talk with them you’d confidently hunt buffalo with a 375.

I have had no issues with 21" 375 H&H's nor 20" 375 Rugers, as to satisfactory velocities. As the shooter, muzzle blast does not seem an issue. I prefer 375's, 416's, and 458's with 22" or less barrel length. The 20" 375 & 416Ruger Alaskans are favorites.

I have used it extensively. It is my preferred "buffalo" and everything else caliber with a quality 300 gr bullet.

I subscribe to the use a bigger hammer theory. Use Norma African PH ammo which is loaded with Woodleigh 350g bullets or load them yourself. I've had great results on plains game with Norma Oryx in 300g.

Your PH will hate you if you show up with a break.

CA elk hunter.,
His 375 fires a 300 grain 375 bullet about 300fps faster than a 375.HH He's bullets are excellent and he is an excellent shot under pressure.

I have never taken a brake on a buffalo hunt although I always wear electronic ear muffs myself. ( My ears have gotten so bad from shooting without protection that I don't want to hurt them any more. Also it enables me to hear the bush sounds and the PH's whispering instructions.

For next year I have milled out a brake that I will install on my 577NE single shot. I have increase my loads a bit and the recoil is wearing on my mind. ( My feeble excuse is that I will be turning 80 yrs old.)

In anticipation of pissing off the PH, I will take an extra set if electronic ear muff for him as a peace offering. I will mention to everyone that ear protection is the international safety standard for someone standing beside a big bore rifle when it is being fired.

His load drives a 300 grain Walterhog bullet at a bit over 2,700 fps, so you’re pretty close on the velo difference. And yes, he’s an exceptional shot. He also hunts only with that one rifle, which is based on a Dakota 76 action, 26” Lilja barrel and fiberglass stock, topped with a 2-8x Leupold scope. I’ve never asked him how many animals he’s shot with that rifle but I’m guessing it’s around 600 or more. So, he’s not only an excellent shot but also tremendously experienced with that rifle and load.

But, the point is that they’re all shot with a 300 grain .375 mono metal bullet, which goes to answering the OP’s question about a .375 for buffalo.

In my experience with several .375 H&H rifles it's easy to get around 2550 fps using Hodgdon's published maximum charge of 76.0 grain H4350 and 300-grain bullets. Their data lists this at 2548 fps with the 300-grain Swift A-Frame from a 24" barrel.

Yes, 2700 fps is faster than that, but NOT 300 fps....