.375 h&h for whitetails

[Ray B]

I haven't used it recently but several elk seasons I used the 375 H&H with good results. I used 250 gr Bitterroots and they were superb on any size elk. Back then we could shoot any size elk but now we are restricted to spikes. so unless I draw a branch antler permit the 375 sits. Shot in the ribs, missing the meat, the bullet did less damage to meat than the standard cartridges (270, 30-06). I'd expect the same thing on deer so using a 375 while not actually needed would not be seen as overgunned by anyone in my camp.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I am a huge fan of the 375 H&H. I hunted whitetails , mule deer and black bears with a 375 H&H for many years.

Last year I finally bought a Legendary Arms 7mm08 because 375 is over kill and I am not getting younger. Took one with 375 opening weekend because the 7mm08 wasn’t back from nitriding. Broke it in second weekend though.

I always used 300 grain Sierra boat tails for deer . This is because my rifles liked them and they were inexpensive comparatively speaking. The mule deer was in Montana . It was the longest shot I ever attempted on game. Farther then most would try with a 375. It never took a step.

Meat damage was always minimal. That was one reason I used it. The records that the Missouri Department of Conservation keep show I have taken 24 whitetails with it. I’ve taken many more because their records only go back to 2005.

I liked Nosler Partitions 300 grains on bears. We didn’t have all the premium choices we have today. The Sierra bullets would have worked fine. I have had the Noslers shoot full length though a black bear and exit .


IMR 4350 has always been my go to powder for the 375. I worked up to the max load in an older manual. Grouped good and I ran with it. Pm me if you want the max, it may be lower in a newer edition. I have used Remington and Winchester brass with CCI mag primers. I have a chronograph , but have not run that load across it yet.

I always went for neck or double lung shots to help minimize meat damage with my 375. Sierra claimed there 300 grain boat tails would work for Cape buff. I wouldn’t try it. I plan on using my 416 Rigby on one when I go anyway.

Thanks I will pm you for those loads once I get my rifle home. My manuals are newer and seem quite conservative.

 

[curtism1234]

While I have not shot any deer yet with my new 375, I do plan on using 270gr Core Lokts

 

[Major Khan]

It can and has been done by countless hunters in the past . On cheetal deer ( our Asian equivalent to your American white tail deer , in terms of size ) .... countless of my clients would use .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre rifles with success. Back in those days , a foreign client shikaree could only bring 2 fire arms and 250 cartridges for each fire arm in to India for a shikar trip . For this reason , the vast majority of my clients would bring a .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre rifle and a shot gun ... so that they could go after 4 legged game and winged game at the same time with utter impunity.
ICI Kynoch used to manufacture a magnificent cartridge , loaded with a 235 grain soft point bullet . Something similar to this, would be ideal for your context , Skinnersblade.
Remington also used to manufacture a 270 grain Core Lokt soft point cartridge which was ideal for this sort of work .

A small note ( albeit slightly off topic ) ...
I have also had countless of my clients use .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre rifles successfully on kakar deer ( Indian Muntjac deer ) without causing any excessive meat damage . But they would always use solid metal covered 300 grain cartridges for this work ( invariably Winchester Western ) in order to avoid excessive meat damage.
What you have ... is a rifle that was designed to truly do it all .

 

[Longwalker]

I've used my .375's to kill moose, elk, and black bear. It's not traditional choice in the Canadian bush, but is not out of place either. The longest shot I ever took at a moose was 300 long steps away. I was hunting near home. The simple 300 gr. RN bullet from a Federal factory load did the job very decisively. The big and very old cow had some of the toughest meat I ever ate! Too bad those big bullets don't tenderize them some.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I've used my .375's to kill moose, elk, and black bear. It's not traditional choice in the Canadian bush, but is not out of place either. The longest shot I ever took at a moose was 300 long steps away. I was hunting near home. The simple 300 gr. RN bullet from a Federal factory load did the job very decisively. The big and very old cow had some of the toughest meat I ever ate! Too bad those big bullets don't tenderize them some. View attachment 341299

I feel your pain I shot a lone doe last fall that father swears voted for Chrétien.

 

[CBH Australia]

I woulD have thought it is overkill. Iv read a bit on 7mm-08 being I like it, and understand that is considered quite suitable for White Tail.
Carrying a .375 where there are big bear makes sense,

 

[Badboymelvin]

Like a few people have mentioned I would just use your regular Big or Dangerous game load in your .375 for deer.
It will certainly do the job and it's also a good way to get familiar with your rifle and load.

Also, if you've shot heaps of deer, sometimes people just want to shake it up and change things around a bit.

One thing though, don't always count on caliber entrance and exit holes on deer sized game when using big rifles. I've fallen for this logic in the past and it didn't turn out that way! Big hole!

Cheers,

Russ

 

[bruce moulds]

do not overlook the 235 gn speer for whitetail.
bruce.

 

[Tra3]

One big benefit of deer hunting with the .375 is getting used to the gun before you take it to Africa. So my vote is an absolute yes!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Like a few people have mentioned I would just use your regular Big or Dangerous game load in your .375 for deer.
It will certainly do the job and it's also a good way to get familiar with your rifle and load.

Also, if you've shot heaps of deer, sometimes people just want to shake it up and change things around a bit.

One thing though, don't always count on caliber entrance and exit holes on deer sized game when using big rifles. I've fallen for this logic in the past and it didn't turn out that way! Big hole!

Cheers,

Russ

Except for a couple of occasions when I intentionally fired directly through both shoulders I tend to shoot everything in the head or neck. So larger holes arnt really an issue. Father was a butcher so I've shot literally hundreds of head of cattle and sheep in the head at various distances.

 

[Badboymelvin]

Except for a couple of occasions when I intentionally fired directly through both shoulders I tend to shoot everything in the head or neck. So larger holes arnt really an issue. Father was a butcher so I've shot literally hundreds of head of cattle and sheep in the head at various distances.

Good strategy.
The shot I was talking about was straight through both shoulders on a smallish Fallow deer with a .458WM shooting the 480gn Woodleigh RNSP. I was using this rifle to get familiar with it and with the mindset that it would give caliber sized entry/ exit holes.
The old "you can eat up to the bullet hole!" saying sprang to mind.

Close... but not quite...

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Good strategy.
The shot I was talking about was straight through both shoulders on a smallish Fallow deer with a .458WM shooting the 480gn Woodleigh RNSP. I was using this rifle to get familiar with it and with the mindset that it would give caliber sized entry/ exit holes.
The old "you can eat up to the bullet hole!" saying sprang to mind.

Close... but not quite...

As a rule if I shoot into the shoulders the meat is the least of my concerns. I bet that fallow deer didn't travel far...

 

[Dr Ray]

I used my .375 Ruger this year on the doe I took. 250gr. Barnes TTSX over RL15 (72.4 grains) - 20" barrel - 2640 FPS/3868 Ft-Lbs/57,000 pressure

View attachment 341249 View attachment 341250

Certainly destructive.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Where does one find Sierra 300's for less than a buck a piece? I like them, but I don't feel like they're worth that much and I dislike how much nose abuse they receive in the magazine.
I'm going with the 285 Speers as shooters for whitetails.
I'm also interested in the PPU 300 gr soft points. They are cheaper than woodleigh and Hornady and might have less meat damage because they may not expand as much as the grand slams.

 

[BeeMaa]

An older gentleman at work has been using a 375H&H for years hunting deer.
He says the reason is that he's too damn old to be tracking anything very far.
Claims nothing has gone further than 20 yards from point of impact.

I personally haven't used a 375 for whitetail.
I'd have to drive an hour each way to get to a legal rifle hunting area.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Could someone please explain your zones? As I understand it some areas are shotgun only and some allow rifles? What constitutes the difference in zoning?
The only variations we have are a primitive weopons season which is for archery/black powder and then general which allows the use of fire arms.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Zones are places where weapons to hunt with are specified. Shotgun with buck shot, or slug only, archery only, some have handgun zones where straight walled cases are specified to prevent the pocket rifles(encores, strikers, XP100's, AR pistols). It's all a racket determined by ignorance. I have seen flat rifle zones and hilly buckshot zones. Makes no sense to me. The only thing it is is a puzzle that justifies buying more stuff and tweaking it to perfection. That process makes me happy.

 

[curtism1234]

Could someone please explain your zones? As I understand it some areas are shotgun only and some allow rifles? What constitutes the difference in zoning?
The only variations we have are a primitive weopons season which is for archery/black powder and then general which allows the use of fire arms.

It's complicated - each state sets their own policy and for different reasons. Some shotgun/muzzleloader/straight wall cartridges are for safety and some are for limiting the rifle slaughter. Bow season typically starts early and ends late because success rate and interest is low. Muzzleloader is typically after the rut because states want to time rifle season for the rut to ensure interest, tag sales, and success.

Imo, it's mainly a continuation of policies set 50 years ago. Old traditions take a long time to change - I think Virginia still has no hunting on Sunday

 

[Forrest Halley]

I think Virginia still has no hunting on Sunday

Incorrect. There is no hunting with dogs on Sunday. Hunting is very much allowed.