.375 H&H for Elephant???

[Velo Dog]

I've done 2 pieces of advice given above: Talley QD mounts on my 375, and I also got a bigger gun 404 Jeff, which also has Talley QD mounts on its scope.

Two perfect African classic calibers.
And now set up with sturdy sighting equipment as well.
Good insurance against Murphy's Law.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I agree DOC-404.
I suggest 404Jeffery.
Witold

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Why suggest 404Jeffery? Since this is a true legend of African hunting.
Witold

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

If you miss the brain with any calibre it is cause for concern only narrow misses will stun'em briefly, but a miss is a miss no matter how big the bullet is

Personally I feel good about a client pitching his 375 as he feels confident with it and obviously, brought and stuck to it for that very reason.

My best always

If the brain is hit you will not have a problem. Its when the brain is missed that you will wish you had the 458.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Jaco Straus and Velo Dog - thank you.
Witold

 

[TOBY458]

An older thread worth revisiting. And the reason for that is, I'm trying to decide on a "one rifle solution" for everything I plan to hunt in Zimbabwe this year. I had planned to take something in 416 or 458, along with a 375 for everything else. But, since I've basically narrowed myself down to only taking one rifle for everything, and foregoing the pain in the ass of carrying two rifles and ammo for both, I'm wondering what that one rifle should be. I'm hunting tuskless Elephant, Buffalo, and dry land Hippo, along with PG if time and opportunity permits. Also maybe Hyena at night.
I'm told to expect a lot of walking for the Elephant and Buffalo, so I'd like to keep my rifle weight to a minimum. And I'd like to also have something with the reach needed for some longer shots on PG and something suitable for the Hyena hunt that could take place at night. I don't prefer to carry around an 11lb 416 or 458 for anything but the Elephant and Hippo, and I'd prefer something much lighter in weight for that purpose as well. I've shot enough buffalo to know that the 375 works just fine. So the main concern is the Hippo and Elephant.
I've never hunted Elephant or Hippo, and there are so many conflicting opinions in regards to the use of a 375 on those animals, the choice is never easy for a one gun safari. Everything is a compromise. I know the 375 will work if shot placement is correct, and a bigger caliber won't work much better if shot placement is off. So, on an animal as large as an Elephant, they'll probably not be impressed with anything less than perfect shot placement from any caliber. And if shot placement is indeed good, then the 375, I'm told will work just fine.

So, a 9lb fully loaded and slung 375 with a scope, that will work acceptably for all game on my list? Or an 11lb fully loaded and slung 416/458 with a scope, that will work well on the big stuff, but would be somewhat unwieldy for all day carry, and will come with added recoil and shorter ranging capabilities for PG.
Maybe if I beat the dead horse enough, it will get up and ride again. Lol!

 

[Andrew62]

My last elephant, bull, was taken with .375H&H, frontal brain shot using Barnes Banded Solid. He dropped at the shot. I previously took 2 cow elephants, both with the same .375H&H using Barnes TSX ammo. No, I definitely would not recommend that, but that is how it went down. I shot the tuskless right above her eyes, knocked her on her butt, then I put three more shots in her chest. The other cow I took I shot once from the side, once running away, she went 200 yards and expired. .375H&H is definitely enough gun, Barnes solids, or any good quality solids is the way to go.

 

[Tanks]

...I don't prefer to carry around an 11lb 416 or 458 for anything but the Elephant and Hippo, and I'd prefer something much lighter in weight for that purpose as well...

So, a 9lb fully loaded and slung 375 with a scope, that will work acceptably for all game on my list? Or an 11lb fully loaded and slung 416/458 with a scope, that will work well on the big stuff, but would be somewhat unwieldy for all day carry, and will come with added recoil and shorter ranging capabilities for PG.
Maybe if I beat the dead horse enough, it will get up and ride again. Lol!

I was 64 last year when I was schlepping a 10 lbs 12oz .500 NE for 119 miles. I plan to do it again this year at 65.

It was not unwieldly for me and should not be unwieldly for someone decades younger.

I'd take the .458 assuming you can shoot it accurately.

 

[TOBY458]

I was 64 last year when I was schlepping a 10 lbs 12oz .500 NE for 119 miles. I plan to do it again this year at 65.

It was not unwieldly for me and should not be unwieldly for someone decades younger.

I'd take the .458 assuming you can shoot it accurately.

I don't have a problem with carrying the weight, it's more about using a big, heavy rifle for everything on the hunt. Would feel strange hunting Hyena at night with a 458, although I know it would work. Trying to keep things simple with a one rifle battery, so like I said, everything is a compromise. My 416 will most likely be the best of both worlds, so I'm leaning in that direction. Although it's still a bit on the heavy side for PG.

 

[Tanks]

Maybe you should have kept the R8 and just took two barrels.
In practicality ONE rifle case will hold two rifles, and ONE ammo container will hold 11 lbs of ammo. At customs you are looking at a tad extra time clearing two rifles, but time is plenty at that point anyway. The extra few minutes is not going to make any difference in regards to your hunt.

You are going to Africa, why compromise on your equipment?

 

[TOBY458]

Maybe you should have kept the R8 and just took two barrels.
In practicality ONE rifle case will hold two rifles, and ONE ammo container will hold 11 lbs of ammo. At customs you are looking at a tad extra time clearing two rifles, but time is plenty at that point anyway. The extra few minutes is not going to make any difference in regards to your hunt.

You are going to Africa, why compromise on your equipment?

Now why would you go and say something sensible like that??? Lol! The R8 that I currently have will only go up to 375. I'd have to buy an additional stock or get mine opened up for the larger 458 Barrel. Which I don't really want to do. I also don't want to pay $3600 for a 458 Barrel. I just can't justify that.
As for taking two rifles, I've done it twice so far, and it's just a pain in the ass to lug around that big long hard case and all the ammo. So, being somewhat of a minimalist, I got it in my head to only take one gun. I plan to use a short take down case that will only hold one rifle. As @Red Leg always says, "very easy to schlep".
We're also going to be taking a charter flight, so they asked that we keep our weight to a minimum. So, with this criteria in mind, I'm between a 416 and a 375 at the moment as a compromise.

 

[Tanks]

You do know that if you break them down a take down case will hold two rifles. I wouldn't worry about the charter weight too much. If weight is too much then they'll book a larger charter plane to suit everyone. Last year we had 3 people, 6 rifles, all the ammo and our luggage (everyone for 21 days) on the charter and everything fit. They dropped me off and headed to the next camp.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Sounds like a really good reason to procure a 404 Jeffery. That said, the conversation is fun, but you know a well placed solid in 375H&H will do the job. Provided you have the discipline to place the shot correctly. That’s really all you need to decide.

 

[mrpoindexter]

Well, I will weigh in with all my expertise. I have hunted one time in my life with a rifle and it was a .375 H&H in Zim going after elephant. I fired once at a cardboard target at 20 yards. They asked if I wanted to fire again and I said nope, all that can do is get me shy of recoil. (I hit the bullseye at 20 yards).

8 days later, I got to put a bead on the ele with open sights and dropped him with a brain shot. The .375 was easily enough power and easy to shoot. I actually own one as well as a .416 Rigby in my rifle collection. Fired 4 bullets from the Rigby and don't think I will ever shoot it again unless we have a zombie bear apocalypse in California.

I have heard people say that you can even shoot small antelope with the .375 just using a solid and apparently that works just fine. I am not a gun guy - I hunt with a bow exclusively aside from that one trip where I was denied my bow permit. That said, if I had to use a gun and only got to take one, I would take my .375 H&H. The only thing I would worry about with it would be a mamba.

 

[WAB]

I took a large Botswana bull with my .375 H&H loaded with 350 gr Woodleigh conventional solids at 2,300 fps. I don’t think the side brain shot even slowed that bullet down. The penetration of that load has to be seen to be believed.

 

[Travis2282]

Now why would you go and say something sensible like that??? Lol! The R8 that I currently have will only go up to 375. I'd have to buy an additional stock or get mine opened up for the larger 458 Barrel. Which I don't really want to do. I also don't want to pay $3600 for a 458 Barrel. I just can't justify that.
As for taking two rifles, I've done it twice so far, and it's just a pain in the ass to lug around that big long hard case and all the ammo. So, being somewhat of a minimalist, I got it in my head to only take one gun. I plan to use a short take down case that will only hold one rifle. As @Red Leg always says, "very easy to schlep".
We're also going to be taking a charter flight, so they asked that we keep our weight to a minimum. So, with this criteria in mind, I'm between a 416 and a 375 at the moment as a compromise.

Ok, granted I don’t know you, but out of all the rifles I have seen you buy and sell and now you say you can’t justify something! Bahaha just kiddin. It’s worth the hassle just take the 375 and 416!

 

[CJW]

I took a large Botswana bull with my .375 H&H loaded with 350 gr Woodleigh conventional solids at 2,300 fps. I don’t think the side brain shot even slowed that bullet down. The penetration of that load has to be seen to be believed.

The 350 gr option is often forgotten. That bullet has to be just as long as the 458 450 gr CEB solid I have in front of me. Must be great BC.

Care to share the load data?

 

[DLSJR]

The .375 H&H has probably accounted for as many or more elephants as any cartridge. Keep in mind that for many years up to around 1985, it was the predominant cartridge used by many game departments for culling, as well as one of the most common cartridges in safari camps. Ironically, many of the game departments that went away from the .375 did so because of over-penetration. It was not because it didn’t kill well enough.

Personally, when I’m hunting heavy DG, I use my .416 Hoffman (9 1/2 lbs.) and find it to be excellent. Ive actually loaded it down to 2,350 with 400 grain bullets and find it very effective as well as pleasant to shoot. I used to load 400’s to 2,510 and while it was very effective, I didn’t care for how sharp the recoil was.

I’ve shot buffalo/elephants with .375 H&H, .416 Hoffman, .458 Winchester and .470 NE. I finally settled on the .416 as best choice for me. When I take 2 rifles, my smaller gun is a well used .338 win mag, and that’s about as good a 2-gun battery as you’ll find, IMO. But, when it came time to get my son a rifle for DG hunting, I got him a Model 70 in .375 H&H, telling him it was the only rifle he’ll ever need for Africa. It’s become his favorite rifle of all.

If you are going to take just 1 rifle, either a .375 H&H or .416 Remington would be hard to beat. Besides, you can find ammo for either in most camps if you ever need ammo.

 

[WAB]

The 350 gr option is often forgotten. That bullet has to be just as long as the 458 450 gr CEB solid I have in front of me. Must be great BC.

Care to share the load data?

No problem. I’ll have to check the charge but I know it was H-414.

 

[steve white]

If the 375 H&H isn't enough for elephant, then folk should stop enshrining it as the one rifle for all game cartridge, which contest it almost always wins. Of course it is "enough." The question is, do you ever NEED "more than enough" as in knock out values. Not likely, if you believe in insurance shots and doubly so if you have a PH backing you..and you will. Enjoy, and SHOOT STRAIGHT!