What single caliber would you reccomend from each of the following cartridge families to a new shooter?

[Northern Shooter]

I don't mean a first time new shooter but someone who hasn't already been exposed to the following.

1. 375s?

2. Lower 40s (416/423)?

3. 458s?

4. 50s and above?

For someone who doesn't own or have had experience with any of the above, which would you reccomend from each category to that shooter? Whether or not cost, availability, recoil, nostalgia etc. play into that decision.

 

[CastShooter]

What's the intended game? Big bore for big bore sake is one thing, effective DG rifles are something different.

 

[Northern Shooter]

For this purpose just for the sake of ownership and pure enjoyment.

Basically if someone asked you to reccomend them a 375, 458 etc which would you go with and why?

 

[318AE]

I’m not sure I completely understand the question, but am pretty sure my answer is 375 H&H.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I’m not sure I completely understand the question, but am pretty sure my answer is 375 H&H.

For example:

Which of the 375s would you reccomend a new shooter that's never owned or shot 375 before, ie H&H vs Ruger etc.

Same thing for the other 3 categories.

 

[PerH]

.375 HH , easier for brass,dies, components,ammo

.400 Jeffery , can use .41 Rm bullets, .405 Win bullets, 10.3 Swiss bullets and regular 400 grain

.458 Win Mag ,if one have a .338 Win mag as below .375 its brass to reform for .458 if needed.

 

[Shako Badhan]

I think 375 H&H is the easy winner. Off the self ammo is easy to get. The recoil is not terribly hard. Best part is that if you wanted to it could easily be used for hunting in Africa or Canada or Alaska.

You still get the big bore feel with the 375 H&H. If someone were to like that it would be easy to go up a caliber, if the 375 felt like too much then lesson learned.

 

[Joker12]

I would say keep it simple, 375H&H, 416RM, 458WM, and 500NE. Those would be my choices if for no other reason than ammo and component availability.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I would say keep it simple, 375H&H, 416RM, 458WM, and 500NE. Those would be my choices if for no other reason than ammo and component availability.

Do you think that 500NE would be the easiest of the 50s to find factory ammo or reload for?

 

[RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION]

Do you think that 500NE would be the easiest of the 50s to find factory ammo or reload for?

I won’t claim to have the years under my belt to speak for the past, but 500 NE ammo is available right now. We have a healthy (relative) amount of brass and dies. Some of the other NE calibers have been much harder for us to get / keep in stock when we have it FWIW. The other calibers Joker mentioned have been easier to get as well relative to some of the others.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I won’t claim to have the years under my belt to speak for the past, but 500 NE ammo is available right now. We have a healthy (relative) amount of brass and dies. Some of the other NE calibers have been much harder for us to get / keep in stock when we have it FWIW. The other calibers Joker mentioned have been easier to get as well relative to some of the others.

Good to know! I've been searching for ammo here domestically (Canada) and there are a couple places with Factory 500 NE (more with 470NE) but zero Factory 505Gibbs, 500J, 577NE etc.

Also a box of 500NE here goes for $270, not sure how that compares globally.

 

[Newboomer]

Good to know! I've been searching for ammo here domestically (Canada) and there are a couple places with Factory 500 NE (more with 470NE) but zero Factory 505Gibbs, 500J, 577NE etc.

Also a box of 500NE here goes for $270, not sure how that compares globally.

375H&H. Perfect all round caliber, accurate, good range, low recoil, ammo and components available in wide variety worldwide. Good selection of rifles.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.375 Holland & Holland Magnum
.450 Rigby
.505 Gibbs
.600 Nitro Express

 

[IvW]

None of the above....

9.3x74R for larger game....7x65R for smaller pg....in a Kipplauf break action...

 

[meigsbucks]

.375 H&H: ubiquitous
.416 Remington: I prefer the Ruger, but is probably the most readily available. Rigby for nostalgia.
.458 Lott: Can always shoot Win mag ammo in it.
.500 NE: A double in this chambering is the go to for many
Choose only one: For DG, the .416

 

[Joker12]

Do you think that 500NE would be the easiest of the 50s to find factory ammo or reload for?

That's a good question but I can't imagine that anything in that family of cartridges is easy to find so it's just my best guess. I have never had that problem because nothing in that category fits my budget.

 

[Northern Shooter]

That's a good question but I can't imagine that anything in that family of cartridges is easy to find so it's just my best guess. I have never had that problem because nothing in that category fits my budget.

I feel like there is quite a steep drop off in ammo availability for anything above and beyond the .458 cal options. Ammo price also seems to jump 50-100% once you get into the 50s.

 

[358 Norma]

Maybe I'm a little off my rocker but I've owned three 375 H&H mags and three 416 Remington mags and I swear I do believe the 416 Remington mag kicks less than the 375's! A few years back I had a matching set of Winchester model 70 Safari express one in 375 H&H and one in 416 Remington mag! The 416 Remington mag was a pleasure to shoot while the 375 H&H seem to jar me more, it was a lot less comfortable to shoot off the bench! So I say get a 416 Remington mag!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Maybe I'm a little off my rocker but I've owned three 375 H&H mags and three 416 Remington mags and I swear I do believe the 416 Remington mag kicks less than the 375's! A few years back I had a matching set of Winchester model 70 Safari express one in 375 H&H and one in 416 Remington mag! The 416 Remington mag was a pleasure to shoot while the 375 H&H seem to jar me more, it was a lot less comfortable to shoot off the bench! So I say get a 416 Remington mag!

I'd say the differential in rifle weight would be what's influencing your perceived recoil but you mention they were fired out of the same Model 70 so that's a mystery.

 

[358 Norma]

I'd say the differential in rifle weight would be what's influencing your perceived recoil but you mention they were fired out of the same Model 70 so that's a mystery.

I do believe that people perceive recoil differently and to me it just seemed like the 375 had a sharper faster recoil whereas the 416 Remington was hard but it was a slower recoil! My current rifles are a Winchester model 70 stainless classic 375 H&H mag, a Winchester model 70 super Express classic in 416 Remington mag and a Ruger No1 416 Remington mag. I much prefer to shoot the two 416 Remington mags over the 375.