300 H&H my new favorite

[rigbymauser]

I have only shot 1 deer in Scotland with my .300HH. I have had the rifle since 2004. Maybe its time to let it fire up in Africa. Love these threads here.

 

[Velo Dog]

Ladies & Gents,

The .300 H&H aka: “.30 Super” was I believe, first drawn up primarily as an African cartridge and specifically for open geography, grasslands, scattered / sparse foliage hunting conditions.

When hunting in such open conditions, it is my favorite “long shooter” for the multiple species of hooved game that I have been fortunate enough to hunt, over my lifetime.
I have had perfect success with it using 180 grain flat based spitzers, at just a little over 2800+ feet per second, at home here in Alaska and likewise in Africa.
This load has proven itself quite accurate and likewise quite effective on game for me personally.
I know some .30-06 rifles will tolerate 180 grainers at that speed, without showing dangerous pressure (and some will not).
However, I have previously owned more than one or two rifles in the H&H caliber and due to its generous powder capacity, this proved to be only a “middle” load for the vintage classic .30 Super cartridge.

Personally, I believe the main reason newer .30 Magnum cartridges have experienced popularity is due to successful advertising.
In terms of hunting conditions and species typically hunted with .30 caliber rifles, the newer .300 Magnums do not really show any serious advantage over the original .300 H&H Magnum.
Again, keeping in mind the soft skinned critters usually hunted with it, the .300 H&H abides in that “sweet spot” of flat shooting with an adequately high ballistic coefficient and sectional density, aka: “heavy enough” bullet but yet, very tolerable recoil.

Also worth mentioning, is that for whatever reason, rifles in this caliber are usually quite accurate (usually).
Other members here have already mentioned the slick feeding and easy extraction of this excellent cartridge.
I will add to that, “even when the barrel is too hot to touch”, mostly due to the cartridge’s remarkably streamline shape.

In parting, I’d like to say that I do not generally participate in shooting animals over extremely long range.
This is due partly because no matter how good of a rifle shot any person might be, between the time the sear lets slip, the primer pops, the powder burns, etc., etc. and the bullet arrives somewhere out there, at extreme long range, the animal can take a step this way or that, resulting in our bullet piercing a non-vital spot.

Having said that, on a very few rare occasions, old Velo Dog here admits to indeed having shot approximately a half dozen or less animals, out around 400 yards / meters.
That is the threshold of my long shot capability …. from shooting sticks anyway.
As eluded to already, in fairness to the animals, I much prefer to get closer when at all possible.
However, for those times when I find myself too weak to resist temptation of firing upon a distant target, the .300 H&H with 180 grain spitzer would be my #1 preference.

Stay calm and shoot straight,
Velo Dog.

 

[gesch]

Great comments Mr Velo Dog. Please resolve to honor us with a post a day! We will all be blessed and also be noticeably smarter! Your friend , Brian

 

[Velo Dog]

Great comments Mr Velo Dog. Please resolve to honor us with a post a day! We will all be blessed and also be noticeably smarter! Your friend , Brian

Hello Mr. gesch,

I talk too much.
In some cultures that is regarded as an indicator of low intellect.
I have no argument against such a concept.

Your friend,
Paul.

 

[gesch]

Good morning Mr Velo, I am a pretty good judge of character! Keep writing. We need it. Your friend, Brian

 

[HWL]

Yesterday, I did it....

Won an auction,... a pre 64 Winchester 70 in . 300 Holland & Holland.

810 €, sipping included.

The rifle comes with a Zeiss 8x56 Diatal on pivot mount.

The rear sight seems to be missing.

This scope/mount combination looks like a "very German one", probably used in the 80th for hunting pigs in the dawn.

I want to restore the rifle, possibly adding a flat mounted plains game scope, to give the rifle a bit more classic lines.


HWL

 

[Sika98k]

Yesterday, I did it....

Won an auction,... a pre 64 Winchester 70 in . 300 Holland & Holland.

810 €, sipping included.


View attachment 473366View attachment 473367
The rifle comes with a Zeiss 8x56 Diatal on pivot mount.

The rear sight seems to be missing.

This scope/mount combination looks like a "very German one", probably used in the 80th for hunting pigs in the dawn.

I want to restore the rifle, possibly adding a flat mounted plains game scope, to give the rifle a bit more classic lines.


HWL

Now if I could just find one of those in left hand drive…..

 

[Daggaboy375]

Yesterday, I did it....

Won an auction,... a pre 64 Winchester 70 in . 300 Holland & Holland.

810 €, sipping included.


View attachment 473366View attachment 473367
The rifle comes with a Zeiss 8x56 Diatal on pivot mount.

The rear sight seems to be missing.

This scope/mount combination looks like a "very German one", probably used in the 80th for hunting pigs in the dawn.

I want to restore the rifle, possibly adding a flat mounted plains game scope, to give the rifle a bit more classic lines.


HWL

Pricing the scope at about $400, you paid $410 for the rifle!

Outstanding robbery.

DB

 

[IvW]

I would also be "sipping included".....

 

[HWL]

It's not a Brno, sorry for that.



HWL

 

[Nitro375]

Old thread I know, but my old Model 70, .300 H&H is my favorite hunting rifle. In 2019, my new "Fancy" rifle misfired when checking zero outside camp the day before opening day of deer season in Western Washington. It worked fine in town at the range, but in the cold of the mountains it failed to fire, no bueno. Thankfully I had old reliable along. Jim Cloward bedded and free floated it for me years ago, along with a trigger job, and the gentleman I purchased it from back in the 90's had stripped the stock and applied an oil finish. It loves 70 grains of R-22 or Norma MRP and a 180 grain Hornady Interlock S.P. [flat base] and 180 Nosler Partitions. Opening day that year she did not fail me, nor I her when I took the biggest Columbia Blacktail I have ever seen, it was a great day with great people, a great rifle, and a great big buck!

 

[RayAtkinson]

A long time favorite of mine, shot about everything with it..Knowing how to load it voids the brass stretching some claim..

 

[MontanaGrant]

Love mine. Picked up a 1948 in amazing shape. I think someone was trying to fake a super grade as while it is in amazing shape with nice wood and a super Grade floor plate it doesn’t seem “that” nice.

But for $800 including the G&H sidemount I’m not complaining! Thing shoots shockingly well. Better than me. Wears a standard weaver K4 at the moment. Need to get a picture at some point.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The .300 Holland & Holland Magnum pre '64 Winchester Model 70 is an absolute jewel of a rifle to own. I have hunted American moose & grizzly bear with one, employing 200Gr Nosler Partition hand loads.

They definitely don't make them like this, anymore.