Looking for .375 for Dangerous Game... Do They Exist?

[Nomadx2]

My thread title is tongue & cheek, but the search for a appropriate .375 is like looking for a unicorn!

I have been been looking for 2 months for a large bore for a Cape Buffalo hunt. What I have learned here so far is ...

• Good cartridge choices would be .375 H&H and .375 Ruger.
• Barrel length between 23"-25" seems to be recommended for additional compression & velocity.
• Action with CRF much more reliable.

Have been looking for Ruger Hawkeye African, Winchester Model 70 Safari, & CZ Safari express. Have also just started looking at the Kimber Kimber Caprivi .375 H&H Mag. They just don't seem to exist. Some questions....

• What other gun manufacturers should I consider in the under $5k range?
• Have looked at a number of .375 rifles with 20" barrel. Can this be considered for DG such as Cape Buffalo?
• What else should I be looking for in design, caliber, etc?

Open to suggestions on what options there are for finding a quality DG level rifle. Thanks in advance.

 

[RTG]

They certainly exist but won’t be found in-stock at local dealers. Try gunbroker for CZ’s. Rugers and Winchesters can usually be ordered in by your favorite shop.

 

[CoElkHunter]

My thread title is tongue & cheek, but the search for a appropriate .375 is like looking for a unicorn!

I have been been looking for 2 months for a large bore for a Cape Buffalo hunt. What I have learned here so far is ...

• Good cartridge choices would be .375 H&H and .375 Ruger.
• Barrel length between 23"-25" seems to be recommended for additional compression & velocity.
• Action with CRF much more reliable.

Have been looking for Ruger Hawkeye African, Winchester Model 70 Safari, & CZ Safari express. Have also just started looking at the Kimber Kimber Caprivi .375 H&H Mag. They just don't seem to exist. Some questions....

• What other gun manufacturers should I consider in the under $5k range?
• Have looked at a number of .375 rifles with 20" barrel. Can this be considered for DG such as Cape Buffalo?
• What else should I be looking for in design, caliber, etc?

Open to suggestions on what options there are for finding a quality DG level rifle. Thanks in advance.

Well, your on the right forum. The many experienced Cape Buffalo hunters here will soon chime in with their expert opinions.

 

[Philip Glass]

On Gunbroker I see 3 Rugers, 1 Gunwerks, and one Montana in .375 Ruger. I’m not sure where you are looking but .375 Ruger is very popular. If I was you I’d jump on the Montana.
PG

 

[ay2626]

Blaser R8 in 375 H&H with professional synthetic stock and standard barrel can be had for less than $4500. Not CRF but otherwise fits your criteria. Quite a few posts on the forum about people using this set up for DG.

 

[Joker12]

There is a Winchester super express 375 listed on gun broker right now. Take a look, nice rifle.

 

[TOBY458]

Far to much emphasis is put on CRF. Sure, it's great, but there are many reliable rifles made that are not CRF. So I wouldn't let that sway you too much. I personally don't like the Remington 700 extractor, as it's very miniscule.(Although it seems to work for the most part.) But the Sako and M16 style extractors are perfectly fine. The R8 is also not CRF, and I never hear of any issues with it. Sure, the push feed is more prone to double feeding if you short stroke the bolt, but I doubt it happens often enough to really be a concern.

 

[Shootist43]

Nomadx2, keep looking on AH. There are 375 H&H (s) for sale just about all the time. There is no need to despair.

 

[revturbo9967]

I found a like new Winchester safari express in 375 at a Cabela’s. It was never listed online, so maybe start calling some stores.

 

[IvW]

.375 is not a big bore but rather a medium bore.
Skip the Ruger.
Get a 375 H&H
The rest is history...right bullet right shot placement they all go down ....
My choice would be look for a 375 H&H on a BRNO ZKK602 Action.......

 

[Delloro]

My thread title is tongue & cheek, but the search for a appropriate .375 is like looking for a unicorn!

I have been been looking for 2 months for a large bore for a Cape Buffalo hunt. What I have learned here so far is ...

• Good cartridge choices would be .375 H&H and .375 Ruger.
• Barrel length between 23"-25" seems to be recommended for additional compression & velocity.
• Action with CRF much more reliable.

Have been looking for Ruger Hawkeye African, Winchester Model 70 Safari, & CZ Safari express. Have also just started looking at the Kimber Kimber Caprivi .375 H&H Mag. They just don't seem to exist. Some questions....

• What other gun manufacturers should I consider in the under $5k range?
• Have looked at a number of .375 rifles with 20" barrel. Can this be considered for DG such as Cape Buffalo?
• What else should I be looking for in design, caliber, etc?

Open to suggestions on what options there are for finding a quality DG level rifle. Thanks in advance.

Give me $5000 and I will find you a quality 375 H&H in short order. They are out there, but you just have to pay more right now.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/918912368

Sell that dinosaur scope for an easy $200.

 

[Tanks]

You can also get a custom rifle built with CRF in .404J for under $5K. A better choice in caliber for buffalo. A barreled action will cost a bit over $2,900 with NECG sights and the rest on stock from laminate for about a $1,000 to sky is the limit depending on wood all made to your measurements.

 

[Nomadx2]

What is everyone's thoughts on a 20" barrel vs 23"+ for DG?

 

[IvW]

Too short

 

[Tanks]

What is everyone's thoughts on a 20" barrel vs 23"+ for DG?

Depends on the cartridge. My .458 B&M (pic below) has an 18" barrel and is perfect for handling, and more than sufficient for any DG. This was the design idea of @michael458 when he created the B&M family of cartridges, a handy rifle in calibers for whatever one wished to hunt in Africa.

For other cartridges, as long as ALL of the powder burns in the barrel, velocity difference from a few inches is not going to make a difference if the caliber itself is sufficient. I personally would not do it for a .375, a marginal cartridge for DG.

 

[USMA84DAB]

Kevin Robertson supports shorter barrel length. My limited experience has me firmly in the 20" barrel camp.

It seems the traditionalists must have 24" and .375 H&H to imitate the manner in which rifles were built in 1920. There is nothing wrong with this - your money, your rifle, so build/buy it as you want.

You carry the rifle 99% of the time and fire it 1%, so shorter/handier/lighter is my choice. I prefer the .375 Ruger, but will eventually get an H&H as well.

 

[chashardy]

Try Champlinarms.com. George usually has a couple of nice pre-owned 375 H&H rifles listed in the gun vault on that website.

 

[IvW]

Balance, ballistics etc. Come to mind especially on a magnum length action....I may be an old fart but I could not imagine my 2x 375H&H and 500 Jeff all 3 on Brno ZKK602 actions with 20" barrels.....no balance massive increase in muzzle blast and jump....no thanks....1920 design for me all the way

 

[Delloro]

What is everyone's thoughts on a 20" barrel vs 23"+ for DG?

You will lose velocity, which means less power. Expect to lose about 30 fps per inch. That means 120 fps, not the end of the world. But let's not forget the time and money spent chasing fps by manufacturers and reloaders alike. It does matter.

That being said, I have a 338WM with a 20" bbl and I am sure it will do fine, just at somewhat shorter ranges compared to a 24" bbl. I won't shoot it past 300 yds, so it's fine by me.

But the H&H for DG, I would not give up those FPS so easily, given that it is considered to be the minimum to begin with.

That's my take on it.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Gee, I have a couple of nice custom .375's that I need to list on AH for sale. They include a P17 with all the dangerous game options, and a Sako L61R out of P.O. Ackley's shop in .357 Ackley Improved. I will get around to shooting photos of these soon...