Is 2300 fps too slow for 375 H&H 300 gr solid?

[Skshyk]

With the penetration of 375 solid, you should be just fine. If you want to go faster try Nosler solids. I have used the 270 grains and all shots full pass throughs including buffalo.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Have you tried a long tube funnel, they are good at getting more powder to fit.

 

[WAB]

Have you read Kevin Robertson’s thoughts on the .375? He thinks it’s too fast and would endorse your loads wholeheartedly.

 

[KTMpilot]

Have you read Kevin Robertson’s thoughts on the .375? He thinks it’s too fast and would endorse your loads wholeheartedly.

Yes thanks that is a good point, I haven’t read any of his writings but I have listened to him on the Big Game Hunting Podcast and I recall that opinion of his there thanks

 

[Frederik]

@KTMpilot I see you are a member of BASA have you been to one of our shoots lately?
I load the 270gr Impala solid in my 375 H&H Musgrave with S355 and cannot use the 300gr bullet due to bullet legnth and not fitting in the magazine as it is not a magnum action.

But when my S355 is done I'm moving over to N540 which should also be good in your 375 H&H and you might get a bit more powder in your case without going over 100%
I then might be able to move over to the 300gr bullets then.
My son using the 375 at the shoots currently.

As Backup the speed of 2300fps is perfect you might just wnat to chrony it and make sure of the speed if you need more load info youre welcome to ask.

 

[KTMpilot]

@KTMpilot I see you are a member of BASA have you been to one of our shoots lately?
I load the 270gr Impala solid in my 375 H&H Musgrave with S355 and cannot use the 300gr bullet due to bullet legnth and not fitting in the magazine as it is not a magnum action.

But when my S355 is done I'm moving over to N540 which should also be good in your 375 H&H and you might get a bit more powder in your case without going over 100%
I then might be able to move over to the 300gr bullets then.
My son using the 375 at the shoots currently.

As Backup the speed of 2300fps is perfect you might just wnat to chrony it and make sure of the speed if you need more load info youre welcome to ask.

Dankie Frederik, it is indeed because I can no longer get S355 that I am busy with this new load with IMR4350, of which I still have quite a few bottles stored up. I will see what I get when I chrony the load, and I might go up to a 103% compressed load if I really decide I need more speed, but so far all the inputs I am getting is that for a back-up working rifle with solids I might be okay with this IMR4350 load at this speed.

Yes I am indeed a BASA member but I work out the country mostly so haven’t gotten to a shoot so far this year, but I may be able to get to the corporate shoot coming up. The last shoot I did manage to get to was the March DGS with my 458 Lott.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I hate to sound discouraging but I would highly recommend more velocity out of the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Say 2500-2530 FPS. With a velocity of 2300 FPS, you will be good to go for a side brain shot on an African bull elephant (esp. if your bullet passes ABOVE the zygomatic arch). But not for a frontal brain shot. The honeycombed structure of an elephant skull (filled with little pockets of fluid) is extremely difficult to penetrate (even at times with calibers as large as the .577 Nitro Express).

I have shared this story before, but I was nearly killed by a charging elephant bull on safari in 2006 because my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Prvi Partizan gilding metal jacketed FMJ solids were not penetrating into the brain properly during multiple frontal brain shots at the inbound pachyderm.

In 50 years (and counting) of hunting African dangerous game since 1974 (mostly with a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum)... that was the ONLY time so far when my white hunter actually needed to step in to save my life.

2300 FPS is absolutely fine for a 500Gr dangerous game bullet. But not a 300Gr bullet.

What brand cases are you using ? Certain brands hold slightly better capacity than others. Back in the old days (1976), I observed that the Winchester Super Speed brand cases held slightly more powder than those of Remington Klean Bore brand for the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .458 Winchester Magnum.

 

[KTMpilot]

I hate to sound discouraging but I would highly recommend more velocity out of the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Say 2500-2530 FPS. With a velocity of 2300 FPS, you will be good to go for a side brain shot on an African bull elephant (esp. if your bullet passes ABOVE the zygomatic arch). But not for a frontal brain shot. The honeycombed structure of an elephant skull (filled with little pockets of fluid) is extremely difficult to penetrate (even at times with calibers as large as the .577 Nitro Express).

I have shared this story before, but I was nearly killed by a charging elephant bull on safari in 2006 because my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Prvi Partizan gilding metal jacketed FMJ solids were not penetrating into the brain properly during multiple frontal brain shots at the inbound pachyderm.

In 50 years (and counting) of hunting African dangerous game since 1974 (mostly with a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum)... that was the ONLY time so far when my white hunter actually needed to step in to save my life.

2300 FPS is absolutely fine for a 500Gr dangerous game bullet. But not a 300Gr bullet.

What brand cases are you using ? Certain brands hold slightly better capacity than others. Back in the old days (1976), I observed that the Winchester Super Speed brand cases held slightly more powder than those of Remington Klean Bore brand for the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .458 Winchester Magnum.

Thanks very much for your inputs, but I am not sure if we are comparing apples with apples here: would the performance of the copper-jacketed lead core (i.e. FMJ?) bullet in your bad elephant experience that you referred to, not maybe be a lot different from the performance at the same speed of a non-expanding monolithic solid bullet, such as the Impala 300 gr bullets that I am looking to load here?

I am using Norma cases.

 

[KTMpilot]

With the penetration of 375 solid, you should be just fine. If you want to go faster try Nosler solids. I have used the 270 grains and all shots full pass throughs including buffalo.

Thanks, that is a good point that you and @Frederik have both made, I haven't even thought of 270 gr bullets, that might be an option to get the speed up.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Thanks very much for your inputs, but I am not sure if we are comparing apples with apples here: would the performance of the copper-jacketed lead core (i.e. FMJ?) bullet in your bad elephant experience that you referred to, not maybe be a lot different from the performance at the same speed of a non-expanding monolithic solid bullet, such as the Impala 300 gr bullets that I am looking to load here?

I am using Norma cases.

Yes, you’re correct. But I would still prefer the velocity to be just a little but higher.