.375 H&H for Elephant???

[CJW]

This discussion always reminds me of the video where a guy shoots a cow elephant with a 600 ne. Cow goes down on the first shot, then gets back up. He missed the brain.

 

[Sourdough]

I can't help but smile. I remember my first close encounter, maybe 20 feet, from a huge in body size bull elephant with three or four buddies behind him and there I am holding a loaner POS 416 with loaner hand loaded POS ammo, and I mean hand loaded-as with your fingers. I'm looking up at this giant thinking there ain't nothing I could have in my hands at this moment that would make me feel confident except maybe a RPG. Wow what an awesome experience. Fortunately it wasn't my turn to shoot so all I did was watch the other guy shoot. And all went well. You are going to have an awesome time.

 

[grand veneur]

The problem discussed here is well known to me.

In Africa I mainly hunted buffalo and elephants and therefore also mainly used only a rifle caliber 460 WBY-Magnum or 500 Jeffery, both with scopes. When it came to shot plain game as well, I did that with the big bore rifle, which is certainly not always easy, especially when you have to shoot at longer range, but it works too. I also used a few times a rented rifle smaller calibers, but when hunting elephants I would never do that without a rifle caliber 45 or 50, which for me is the minimum for such a large game species.

 

[WAB]

The 350 gr option is often forgotten. That bullet has to be just as long as the 458 450 gr CEB solid I have in front of me. Must be great BC.

Care to share the load data?

350 gr Woodleigh FMJ
69.0 gr H-414
WLRM primer
Norma brass
2,300 fps

As always, start low and work up.

As a side note, this load and an identical load with the 350 gr Coreweld, are the most accurate .375 loads I have ever worked up. They consistently shoot 1/2 moa or better in my rifle.

 

[TOBY458]

350 gr Woodleigh FMJ
69.0 gr H-414
WLRM primer
Norma brass
2,300 fps

As always, start low and work up.

As a side note, this load and an identical load with the 350 gr Coreweld, are the most accurate .375 loads I have ever worked up. They consistently shoot 1/2 moa or better in my rifle.

It's amazing how close you can get to 416 territory with this 350gr load. Just missing the caliber size up front. I loaded up some 416 Rem Mag yesterday with CEB 400gr Solids. I'm getting 2380 fps from my 21.5" rifle. The Barnes Vortex 400gr TSX factory ammo matches this load perfectly in both velocity and POI in my gun. I think I've decided to take this combo on my Elephant/Buffalo hunt this year. I shot a big pine tree with these solids yesterday that was around 30" thick, and they blasted through it like nothing. I don't think an elephant skull stands a chance.

 

[CJW]

@WAB Thanks. Now to find 350 grain solids.

 

[TOBY458]

350 gr Woodleigh FMJ
69.0 gr H-414
WLRM primer
Norma brass
2,300 fps

As always, start low and work up.

As a side note, this load and an identical load with the 350 gr Coreweld, are the most accurate .375 loads I have ever worked up. They consistently shoot 1/2 moa or better in my rifle.

It's amazing how close you can get to 416 territory with this 350gr load. Just missing the caliber size up front. I loaded up some 416 Rem Mag yesterday with CEB 400gr Solids. I'm getting 2380 fps from my 21.5" rifle. The Barnes Vortex 400gr TSX factory ammo matches this load perfectly in both velocity and POI in my gun. I think I've decided to take this combo on my Elephant/Buffalo hunt this year. I shot a big pine tree with these solids yesterday that was around 30" thick, and these blasted through it like nothing. I don't think an elephant skull stands a chan

@WAB Thanks. Now to find 350 grain solids.

I know a guy.

 

[WAB]

It's amazing how close you can get to 416 territory with this 350gr load. Just missing the caliber size up front. I loaded up some 416 Rem Mag yesterday with CEB 400gr Solids. I'm getting 2380 fps from my 21.5" rifle. The Barnes Vortex 400gr TSX factory ammo matches this load perfectly in both velocity and POI in my gun. I think I've decided to take this combo on my Elephant/Buffalo hunt this year. I shot a big pine tree with these solids yesterday that was around 30" thick, and they blasted through it like nothing. I don't think an elephant skull stands a chance.

If this is your first elephant, be prepared, it is going to change you.

 

[TOBY458]

If this is your first elephant, be prepared, it is going to change you.

It is, and I hope so!

 

[Tanks]

It is, and I hope so!

Elephant hunting is addictive, before you know it, you will be at double digits. I'd rather shoot an elephant or three than go on a multi species PG hunt.

 

[TOBY458]

Elephant hunting is addictive, before you know it, you will be at double digits. I'd rather shoot an elephant or three than go on a multi species PG hunt.

That's the way I feel about Buffalo. And I'm sure Elephant will be the same. PG is fun, but to me DG is the reason I go to Africa.

 

[Andrew62]

That's the way I feel about Buffalo. And I'm sure Elephant will be the same. PG is fun, but to me DG is the reason I go to Africa.

Somehow my last 3 hunts were 'cull animal' hunts. Yes, it is good fun to take 15-20-25 animals in 7 days, but I realized I was missing what originally drew me to Africa. So I now have buffalo hunts 7, 8, 9 booked, and am trying to book my 4th elephant hunt for next spring. To make things more exciting I bought my first double, Sabatti, 9.3x74R, sure, on the light side, but that's all the recoil I want to deal with after several shoulder surgeries. For the elephant I would take my .375H&H.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I have taken two African bull elephant with a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. First rifle was a BRNO ZKK602. Ammunition was 300Gr Remington round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids. Second rifle was a pre ‘64 Winchester Model 70 Heavy Barrel. Ammunition was Norma 300Gr monolithic solids. First time, I needed 6 body shots in the heart lung region. Second time, I needed a single side brain shot.

For body shots on elephant, I’ll always recommend a .505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action (by the legendary Joe Smithson) and 600Gr Northfork flat point monolithic solids. I don’t believe that the .375 H&H Magnum is a good choice for body shots on elephant. For brain shots, it’s perfectly adequate from any angle as long as you’re using 300Gr-340Gr monometal brass solids with a big meplat (flat point).

 

[VertigoBE]

I took a large Botswana bull with my .375 H&H loaded with 350 gr Woodleigh conventional solids at 2,300 fps. I don’t think the side brain shot even slowed that bullet down. The penetration of that load has to be seen to be believed.

Very good to read this @WAB I might be trying to replicate this exact combination in the nearby future

 

[Lungshot202]

The 375 is the legal minimum for Elephant, to your question yes it will work. Would it be my choice hunting Elephant however, no.

 

[Vinootz]

Have any of you every used a .375 H&H (with Solids) for a frontal brain shot on an elephant (successfully, I might add)?

I'm already planning my 2015 hunt (which includes elephant) and I'm curious as I already have a .375 Dakota 76. It'll be my first elephant hunt and I've always read that though legal, the 375 H&H is truly the "minimum" caliber.

Alternatively, what other bolt-action calibers have you successfully used? I'm contemplating using either a 416 Rigby or a 458 Win or Lott.

I have about a year and a half to torture myself with this decision so please bring it on!

Best

Ever heard of Karamojo Bell? Believe half of what you see, less of what you hear, and even less of what you’ve read. Torturing yourself is up to you

 

[SRvet]

Interesting thread… I bought 100 Norma factory cartridges in 375 H&H loaded with the 350 grain Woodleigh solid from an auction house at a good price. Am I right in thinking these are predominantly going to be designed for Elephant and Hippo rather than buff? I’m thinking of the risk of a shoot through with buff? Please excuse the newbie question!!

 

[TOBY458]

Interesting thread… I bought 100 Norma factory cartridges in 375 H&H loaded with the 350 grain Woodleigh solid from an auction house at a good price. Am I right in thinking these are predominantly going to be designed for Elephant and Hippo rather than buff? I’m thinking of the risk of a shoot through with buff? Please excuse the newbie question!!

You are correct. Get some TSX or Swift AF for your buff.

 

[WAB]

Interesting thread… I bought 100 Norma factory cartridges in 375 H&H loaded with the 350 grain Woodleigh solid from an auction house at a good price. Am I right in thinking these are predominantly going to be designed for Elephant and Hippo rather than buff? I’m thinking of the risk of a shoot through with buff? Please excuse the newbie question!!

Based on my experience with that bullet, you may get pass through on a second buffalo!

 

[TOBY458]

I never followed up on this thread last year. I did indeed bring both my 375 and 416. Ended up using my 375 for everything. The elephant went down with a single brain shot. The 300gr CEB solid went through her head and out her neck. She melted to the ground and never moved another muscle. The cape buffalo was also shot through the brain, due to that being the only shot I had in thick cover. That was done with a 300gr TSX. So yes, the 375 will do it all. Not that very many people doubt that by now....

I have another trip to Zimbabwe planned for 2023. Tuskless Elephant and Cape Buffalo are back on the menu. This time I'll be bringing my R8 with both 458 and 375 barrels. I'll use the 458 on the elephant and buffalo. But, that's more because I want to, rather than feeling I need to. Just want to shoot something big with a 458. But if I'm caught with the 375 barrel bolted on, and opportunity comes along, I'll still be covered very nicely.