.375 H&H / 260 gr. Nosler Partition Load Suggestions?

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Late last night I purchased a Winchester M70 Safari Express chambered in .375 H&H. I am heading to the Eastern Cape in South Africa in June. I am going to be taking this rifle as well as my .300 Win Mag (there is another thread about that one).

My PH suggests 260 grain bullets for the .375, as we are going to be hunting PG only. Eland, Kudu, and Zebra are on the agenda. I am working up a load using 260 grain Nosler Partitions. My starting load was 76.5 grains of IMR 4831 with a Fed 215 primer and a C.O.L. of 3.495". I fired 2 5-shot groups today. It was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and clear. All shooting was at 100 yards.

Group #1
average of 2390 fps
group size 2.761" or 2.64 MOA

Group #2
average of 2397 fps
group size of 1.534" or 1.48 MOA

Average group was thus 2.15" or 2.06 MOA.

This is a lower velocity than I am aiming for, and I'd like to get the rifle dialed in to sub-MOA if possible. Does anyone have any experience loading 260 grain bullets for the .375 H&H? Are their other powders I should be trying? Any experience with optimal charge weights?

Thanks.

 

[dchamp]

I would look at something a little faster like one of the 4350's, RL17, VVN550, H414/W760 or something even faster than those like RL 15, Ramshot Big Game or Varget. I use VVN550 on 300gr Sierras and am getting mid to high 2500 fps.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I would look at something a little faster like one of the 4350's, RL17, VVN550, H414/W760 or something even faster than those like RL 15, Ramshot Big Game or Varget. I use VVN550 on 300gr Sierras and am getting mid to high 2500 fps.

What kind of accuracy are you getting?

 

[Red Leg]

My .375's all shoot MOA or better with their best loads. All of mine shoot sub-MOA with their favorite 300 gr loads. Which brings me to why the 260? My 300 gr loads are all around 2500 fps. That means, with a 200 yard zero, the difference between a 270 and 300gr load is less than two inches at 300 yards. How far are you planning to shoot the .375? I have shot everything from suni to cape buffalo with 300 gr bullets - from 50 feet to 275 yards. The .375 shines with the 300 gr bullet - with a 260 gr bullet it just seems like a poor imitation of a .338 WM.

 

[mdwest]

Nosler offers a factory cartridge using the 260gr partition that I used on plains game last June... they worked fine... Theyre reasonably accurate out of my rifle.. and dropped everything I shot with it dropped in short order...

That said, I agree with Red Leg...

The next trip I make over, I’ll be loading up 300gr projectiles...

Everything my rifle does with the 260, it does better with 300.. the 300’s provide tighter groups from my gun and widens out my options for animals, etc..

 

[IvW]

Why take both rifles? Either the 300 or 375 will do everything you need from it on plains game. 300WM with 200 gr bullets will be adequate for up to Eland.

If you are not comfortable with the 375 H&H yet just take the 300 WM that you know and shoot well.

In 375 H&H stick to a decent bullet and load in 300gr. This load will shoot flat enough out to 300 meters. If you cannot get closer than that you need a better PH.

 

[dchamp]

The last timeI was in Africa I only used the .375H&H with Federal CapeShok 300gr TSX's. They worked equally well on all game from Impala to Eland. Sorry but I don't have any group shots of them. But here are a couple of groups, 100yds, from my load and Norma factory, the squares are 1".

 

[IvW]

The last timeI was in Africa I only used the .375H&H with Federal CapeShok 300gr TSX's. They worked equally well on all game from Impala to Eland. Sorry but I don't have any group shots of them. But here are a couple of groups, 100yds, from my load and Norma factory, the squares are 1".
View attachment 216265 View attachment 216266

Great groupings!

For thicker bushveld areas sighted @ 100m your good to go, for open terrain sighted 2" high @ 100m your just as good to go! I just don't like the TSX"s(I know some swear by them and other at them).

You need nothing more than what you have here, with a good variable scope you have the best all rounder for Africa.

 

[Red Leg]

Great groupings!

For thicker bushveld areas sighted @ 100m your good to go, for open terrain sighted 2" high @ 100m your just as good to go! I just don't like the TSX"s(I know some swear by them and other at them).

You need nothing more than what you have here, with a good variable scope you have the best all rounder for Africa.

I swear by them! Particularly in .375. Haven't recovered many, but each and every one of those was a perfect mushroom and never a lost petal. On PG, an exit wound is routine regardless of angle. Great advice on sight-in. Hunting buffalo, I sight-in dead on at 100 meters. You can thread a .375 into the narrowest possible opening at DG ranges. If in country where an opposite ridge shot at a kudu is possible, 2" high turns the .375 into a 300 yard rifle.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Thanks for the replies. I am working up the 260 grain load, and I am also simultaneously working up a load with Barnes 300 grain TSX. I recognize that I could get by with one rifle, but I am taking both because I want to. I my home area, any rifle of greater than 30 caliber is an oddity, and the guys at the gun shop look at you funny. I have always had an interest in medium and large bores, so this is my chance to put one into action.

I was hoping someone might have some good data on the 260 grain Nosler. Lacking that, I will keep working on it and post my results when I get it done.

Regarding the 300 grain Barnes load, so far I have tried both 64.0 and 66.0 grains of IMR 4895. The 64 grain loads averaged 2323fps, and the 66 grain loads averaged 2460 fps. Both have yield about 3" groups at 100 yards. Here are my results from yesterday with the 66.0 grain loads:

Group 1, average 2447 fps, group size 3.279" or 3.14 MOA
Group 2, averaged 2473 fps, group size 2.073" or 1.98 MOA

Average group size is 2.676" or 2.56 MOA. The first group was from a clean, cold bore.

I am using a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10x40 scope with the B&C reticle. I am going to zero the rifle at 200 yards, which should make it solid out to 300. The scope has a hold points for 300, 400, 450, and 500, but I won't shoot it that far at game.

I think my next step will be to try a different powder, maybe RL15, and try a variet of charges hooting 3-shot groups.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I just noticed that in the OP I claimed to have acquired the rifle "late last night." That was some kind of autocorrect typo. It should have read "late last year." I bought the rifle in December.

 

[dchamp]

Thanks for the replies. I am working up the 260 grain load, and I am also simultaneously working up a load with Barnes 300 grain TSX. I recognize that I could get by with one rifle, but I am taking both because I want to. I my home area, any rifle of greater than 30 caliber is an oddity, and the guys at the gun shop look at you funny. I have always had an interest in medium and large bores, so this is my chance to put one into action.

I was hoping someone might have some good data on the 260 grain Nosler. Lacking that, I will keep working on it and post my results when I get it done.

Regarding the 300 grain Barnes load, so far I have tried both 64.0 and 66.0 grains of IMR 4895. The 64 grain loads averaged 2323fps, and the 66 grain loads averaged 2460 fps. Both have yield about 3" groups at 100 yards. Here are my results from yesterday with the 66.0 grain loads:

Group 1, average 2447 fps, group size 3.279" or 3.14 MOA
Group 2, averaged 2473 fps, group size 2.073" or 1.98 MOA

Average group size is 2.676" or 2.56 MOA. The first group was from a clean, cold bore.

I am using a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10x40 scope with the B&C reticle. I am going to zero the rifle at 200 yards, which should make it solid out to 300. The scope has a hold points for 300, 400, 450, and 500, but I won't shoot it that far at game.

I think my next step will be to try a different powder, maybe RL15, and try a variet of charges hooting 3-shot groups.

May I offer a suggestion. I see that you are following the Nosler book. Why not run a ladder test. Since Nosler shows their best accuracy at 69.0gr's with RL15, I would start at 68.0 and work my way up in o.5gr increments to the 73.0gr's they show as max. That is 11 rounds. From that you should, hopefully find a couple of groups within 3 consecutive rounds. Then average the charge weights of whatever grouping you get and then use that to shoot for your 3 round group. You may want to also to adjust that by o.3gr's both high and low whatever you have averaged (i.e.68.7,69.0,69.3). So that would be 9 more rounds plus the 11 which means 20 rounds total, hopefully. If you feel or see signs of over pressure, then stop there as that is probably max for your rifle. 2600-2800fps is more than enough for any PG you come across out to 300yds.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@MikeDeltaFoxtrot,

I think your choice of powder may be part of the problem. My M70 with 250gr pills loves H4895 with Varget a close second. IMR4831 I would think a bit too slow for the lighter bullets.

 

[ChrisG]

Late last night I purchased a Winchester M70 Safari Express chambered in .375 H&H. I am heading to the Eastern Cape in South Africa in June. I am going to be taking this rifle as well as my .300 Win Mag (there is another thread about that one).

My PH suggests 260 grain bullets for the .375, as we are going to be hunting PG only. Eland, Kudu, and Zebra are on the agenda. I am working up a load using 260 grain Nosler Partitions. My starting load was 76.5 grains of IMR 4831 with a Fed 215 primer and a C.O.L. of 3.495". I fired 2 5-shot groups today. It was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and clear. All shooting was at 100 yards.

Group #1
average of 2390 fps
group size 2.761" or 2.64 MOA

Group #2
average of 2397 fps
group size of 1.534" or 1.48 MOA

Average group was thus 2.15" or 2.06 MOA.

This is a lower velocity than I am aiming for, and I'd like to get the rifle dialed in to sub-MOA if possible. Does anyone have any experience loading 260 grain bullets for the .375 H&H? Are their other powders I should be trying? Any experience with optimal charge weights?

Thanks.

I have been using RL17 for the .375 H&H for the last 5 years. It has produced some of the best velocity I have found so far and is accurate to boot. Call Alliant or email them and they will provide you with load data for it. I can load a 270 grain TSX to 2,800 fps with it so it should sling a partition right about there. That would be flat shooting enough for 350 yards on a zebra and will likely hit harder at that distance than a .30-06 does at 100. Best of luck!

 

[Dr Ray]

Thanks for the replies. I am working up the 260 grain load, and I am also simultaneously working up a load with Barnes 300 grain TSX. I recognize that I could get by with one rifle, but I am taking both because I want to. I my home area, any rifle of greater than 30 caliber is an oddity, and the guys at the gun shop look at you funny. I have always had an interest in medium and large bores, so this is my chance to put one into action.

I was hoping someone might have some good data on the 260 grain Nosler. Lacking that, I will keep working on it and post my results when I get it done.

Regarding the 300 grain Barnes load, so far I have tried both 64.0 and 66.0 grains of IMR 4895. The 64 grain loads averaged 2323fps, and the 66 grain loads averaged 2460 fps. Both have yield about 3" groups at 100 yards. Here are my results from yesterday with the 66.0 grain loads:

Group 1, average 2447 fps, group size 3.279" or 3.14 MOA
Group 2, averaged 2473 fps, group size 2.073" or 1.98 MOA

Average group size is 2.676" or 2.56 MOA. The first group was from a clean, cold bore.

I am using a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10x40 scope with the B&C reticle. I am going to zero the rifle at 200 yards, which should make it solid out to 300. The scope has a hold points for 300, 400, 450, and 500, but I won't shoot it that far at game.

I think my next step will be to try a different powder, maybe RL15, and try a variet of charges hooting 3-shot groups.

Try H4831. What primers are you using? I assume you are using magnum primers for a better spark etc etc.

 

[Dr Ray]

Thanks for the replies. I am working up the 260 grain load, and I am also simultaneously working up a load with Barnes 300 grain TSX. I recognize that I could get by with one rifle, but I am taking both because I want to. I my home area, any rifle of greater than 30 caliber is an oddity, and the guys at the gun shop look at you funny. I have always had an interest in medium and large bores, so this is my chance to put one into action.

I was hoping someone might have some good data on the 260 grain Nosler. Lacking that, I will keep working on it and post my results when I get it done.

Regarding the 300 grain Barnes load, so far I have tried both 64.0 and 66.0 grains of IMR 4895. The 64 grain loads averaged 2323fps, and the 66 grain loads averaged 2460 fps. Both have yield about 3" groups at 100 yards. Here are my results from yesterday with the 66.0 grain loads:

Group 1, average 2447 fps, group size 3.279" or 3.14 MOA
Group 2, averaged 2473 fps, group size 2.073" or 1.98 MOA

Average group size is 2.676" or 2.56 MOA. The first group was from a clean, cold bore.

I am using a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10x40 scope with the B&C reticle. I am going to zero the rifle at 200 yards, which should make it solid out to 300. The scope has a hold points for 300, 400, 450, and 500, but I won't shoot it that far at game.

I think my next step will be to try a different powder, maybe RL15, and try a variet of charges hooting 3-shot groups.

Try H4831. What primers are you using? I assume you are using magnum primers for a better spark etc etc.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Try H4831. What primers are you using? I assume you are using magnum primers for a better spark etc etc.

As indicated in the OP, I have tried IMR 4831 in my 260 grain load. I'm using Fed 215 primers for all of these. I was doing some reading last night in the Sierra manual, and they suggest a medium, as opposed to a slow powder, for .375 H&H. After reviewing the burn rate table in the Hornady manual, I think I am going to try IMR 4895. It is slightly faster than RL15, and I already use IMR 4895 for my .308 loads.

 

[Shootist43]

(MDF) I too have a 375 H&H but I haven't reloaded for it yet. There is a web-site that I go to for just about all of my reloading questions. For this caliber it would be https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.375+Holland++Holland+Magnum.html. I use H4350 with good results in calibers above and below the 375 H&H so I was wondering what my go to "expert" had to say. If nothing else, this post will leave you with a link to a web-site that I think all reloaders can benefit from.

 

[Rick Cox]

I'm very interested in what you find is a good load with this bullet...

 

[Big Country]

Nosler loads some excellent factory ammo using this exact bullet. I brought two boxes of Nosler "Trophy Grade" with 260 grain partitions on my safari. I used it to great effect on everything from Duiker to Kudu. My 1983 push feed Winchester Model 70 loved it and shot wonderfully with it. No mis-feeds, no jambs, no stuck cases...Just ethical shots resulting in quick kills...I can understand the drive that rifle re-loaders feel to make the best better, I have the same issues with other things, sometimes its part of the fun. Re-invent the wheel if you must, but Nosler has this load down pat already...

I practiced with 8 boxes of Federal premium 300 grain before I left, shooting off the sticks from every conceivable position. Jumping down to the 260's a week before departure, I felt the perceived recoil go down ALOT. Tricks of the mind? probably, but it made the 260's feel "light" as far as recoil from the standing position.