375 H&H or 378 Weatherby

[Wild Bob]

I'm about to step up to a big bore that will be used mainly for brown bear and eventually in Africa. I'm looking at either a 375 H&H Mag or the 378 Weatherby. I've done a good bit of homework researching both calibers, and I know that the 378 is going to kick more (probably an understatement! ) than the 375 but I can't dismiss the better longer range capabilities of the 378. I'm having a tough time deciding...so fire away with any thoughts or experiences as I'm open! Thanks for any feed back...

 

[danr55]

What do you figure the longest shot you'll be taking with this new big bore? If it's under 200 yards (and I hope it would be) then the H&H would be my choice. Maybe even an old 416. The Weatherby is unnecessarily hard on shoulders and other body parts.

 

[Bambistew]

Isn't the whole point about hunting dangerous game getting in close? Why would you want a 'long range' big bore? Makes no sense to me.

I'd be booking the 'hunt' before worring about what big bore I was going to buy.

IMO I see absolutely zero need for anythign bigger than an H&H unless you plan on hunting elephant. Its more than adequate for anything else on the planet. Its pleasant to shoot, and fairly cheap, not to mention you can build/buy it in a rifle that doesn't weigh 10-12 pounds.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

The .375 H&H generally will match a .30-06 180 gr trajectory, so I figure it is good out to about 250 or 300 yards at least - depending upon how large a critter you are shooting at. I think most shots at buffalo and other dangerous game are at less than 100 or 150 yards?

 

[ruger243223]

Just me but I would go with the 375 RUM, recoil is manageable and it is a kick ars round. Go with the XCR and float the barrel and bed the action and you will have a very good shooter. Mine is a sub moa shooter with many types of bullets. It is a deer HAMMER. A little overkill but what the hell I just like to shoot it. HAPPY HUNTING

 

[krshunter]

You can only shoot it long range and accurately if you aren't afraid of the recoil. Go with the H&H and learn you ballistics out to 300 yds if necessary, shoot it out to that range regularly and you'll be fine.

 

[Wild Bob]

Thanks for the input all.

I like to know the rifle I hunt with inside and out before I hunt with it, so that is why I'm worried about my gun long before I book the hunt. I also reload, so I want to have ample time to play with loads and work up the best possible load and get used to shooting it.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

My longest Cape Buffalo shot was 37 yds, my Lion was 80 yds and my Leopard was 50 yds. My buddy borrowed my 416Rigby and took his Brownie at 40 yds. So in my limited experience, range is not a concern.
My Zim PH buddy cracked his stock on his .470WR and was using a .378W he borrowed...broke his finger on the only shot he took when we jumped a wounded Buffalo at 10 yds in high grass.
Also, I know of three experiences where Firearm showed up but baggage with clothes and ammo did not show up timely in Africa. 375 H&H is available but RUM is generally not and neither is Weatherby readily available.
BTW, I also have a .375RUM and like it a lot but use the Rigby on Buffalo and Lion.

 

[buffybr]

I just found and joined this Forum, and having been to Africa several times, began reading the Africa Forum first. Although this .375 topic hasn't been discussed in many months, it caught my interest as I have have some experience there.

Ten or so years ago, when going to Africa was just a dream of mine, I bought a .375 H&H, but being a reloader and gun tinkerer, I had intentions of converting it to .375 Ackley Improved. Several years after my first Plains Game safari to Africa, I was bit hard by the Africa bug, and began planning a Cape Buffalo hunt. As I started looking into the costs etc of converting my .375 H&H to .375 AI, I saw an Outdoor TV show where one of the Remington Exc's used a .375 Rem Ultra Mag on a Cape Buffalo hunt. I finally decided on the .375 RUM, sold my H&H, bought a .375 RUM, and built it into one of my favorite rifles.

As soon as I got my new .375 RUM, I mounted a 2 x 7 Leupold on it, loaded a test batch of 300 gr Barnes X bullets, took it to the range, and got the s__t kicked out me. The factory stock was too short for me, so I ordered a Richards semi-finished laminated stock, and had a KDF muzzle brake installed on the barrel. I pillar and glass bedded the action, installed a Limbsaver recoil pad, and installed a mechanical recoil reducer in the stock. This new rifle is now not uncomfortable to shoot, and I worked up a load with Barnes 300 gr TSX bullets that groups 3 shots into MOA to 300 yds at a muzzle velocity of 2850 fps.

In 2005 I took this rifle on a hunt to Zimbabwe and two provinces of South Africa to take my Cape Buffalo and 4 other PG animals.

In 2007 I also took my .375 RUM on a PG hunt to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. For this hunt I loaded 270 gr Barnes TSX bullets that also shoot MOA to 300 yds at a muzzle velocity of 3043 fps. On this hunt I shot 14 animals varying in size from Jackal and Steinbok to Cape Eland at ranges from 30 to 348 yds. Several animals were shot from a prone position, and most animals were one shot kills.

The .375 H&H has been around for a long time and has proved itself on all of Africa's animals and other large animals such as Alaska's Moose and Brown Bears. To me, the .375 RUM is like a .375 H&H on steroids, kind of like the difference between the .30-06 and a .300 Win Mag.

As for me using my .375 RUM in North America, unless I ever hunt Alaska's coastal Brown Bears, I don't know of any other animal that would need the power of the .375 RUM.

 

[rosco]

unless you are a seasoned (or even if you are) to very heavy recoil, YOU WILL NOT LIKE THE 378. go for the H&H. I would rather shoot my 458 win or Lott with 500's than the 378. its no joke, they are vicious.

 

[rosco]

also want to add, the H&H has plenty of range. I doubt any of the future DG you will hunt will be beyond 100 yds (more like 50). but if your worried about it doubling as an elk gun, dont sell it short. it will take out big game at any sane hunting range.

 

[csutton7]

the only real concern here to me is ammo--like stated previously if your ammo gets lost, you will be hard pressed to come up with 378 Wby, so the H&H wins here--also the concerning costs whether reloading or not the H&H wins

recoil issues you can put a brake on the wby

long range capabilities--the wby wins, but by how much?? i haven't looked at 378wby's to know

basically if you want the wby buy it and make it work for you---also you can send extra ammo before hand over to Africa, that way you know it's there before you get there---chris

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

buffybr, same experience here with the .375RUM !! Mine now has a mecuric recoil device in the forearm and in the stock! Also lengthed the stock and tossed the Rem recoil pad for a good one! It is now more of a push than knock you down and stomp you twice! It now kicks less than my .416Rigby..

My longest shots on DG have now increased after this years trip to Zambia. Cape Buffalo busted us at 50 yds so I took the shot and could get no closer than around 80 yds on a Hippo. Both shot with the Rigby. The Croc shot was around 90 yds with my 7mmMag and 160gr Barnes Triple Shock.

 

[Bambistew]

You can't ship ammo to Africa...

I killed a pretty nice kudu at about 300 yards with my 375H&H shooting 300gr Partitions. Didn't feel under gunned.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

I bought my 375RUM for what was to be my one trip of a lifetime to Africa 10 trips ago. I liked the ballistics really well. My big bore at the time was a 7mmMag, Eland and Zebra were on the menu (Giraffe ended up on it too) and I felt a little under gunned. Funny thing is, the RUM was my small gun on my 3rd trip to Zimbabwe and I killed six bait Impala out to 275 yds, a kudu, baboon and Leopard with it. My PH also put a shot in my Lion with it. I have since killed an East African Eland and a Zebra with the 7Mag, both dropping almost immediately---the Eland was 205 yds and the Zebra was 325 yds. Only had the 7Mag with me in Tanzania because Eland was not planned and we were hunting Impala for bait in Zim when the Zebra said I am more bait.

 

[csutton7]

Bambistew--I'm pretty sure I read somewhere where some guys were, but maybe I misread---anyway you are probably right as you've been there and I haven't----chris

 

[rosco]

FYI, 375 H&H can be fired thru the 378. and accuracy is acceptable in most cases, I hear.

 

[1_pointer]

FYI, 375 H&H can be fired thru the 378. and accuracy is acceptable in most cases, I hear.

I'm not so sure on that. The H&H can be fired in a 375 Weatherby. IIRC, the 378 Weatherby like is quite a bit larger in diameter thann the H&H.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Yep - the .378 rim/diameter is larger than the .375 of either name.

 

[rosco]

Doh, thanx for the correction, what a boner that was!