375 H&H Solid/Soft Combo Run Off

[shootist~]

I have been looking on here for the answer to this question, so forgive me if it's been answered 1000 times already and I just didn't find it. But, I plan to take my .375 Weatherby on a Cape Buff hunt. I have loaded up Swift A-Frames, Barnes TSX, and Woodleigh Weldcore 300gr's. I've also gone through five boxes of factory loads with Nosler 300gr Partitions. We did the velocity testing with handloads using Sierra Game King 300's. From reading on here, I see a lot of folks prefer solids.

My question is: How many soft points do you load and then how many solids? I've read where some folks like to have the first one be a soft point, with the rest solids. Some say make the first two soft points and then solids. What is the general consensus?

On another thread, I'd discussed the rifle I built and it's velocity (2889 ft/s with a 300gr). I've not fired any 350's out of it yet, but had it throated for 350's. But, it seems to be a tack driver with 300's. So I was leaning toward only ever shooting 300gr out of it and that's it. Buffalo, plains game, whatever....they all get a 300. It looks like the Cutting Edge Solids seem to be held in high regard on here. That new breakaway from Swift looks interesting. And the tried and true Nosler and Barnes solids look good too.

So what do you all recommend? Maybe an A-Frame 300 for the first one and then solids? Two A-Frames and the rest solids? TSX's and a $100 bill Ha ha! I guess I first need to make sure the Cutting Edge Solids will feed. I would hope to slay him with the first round, then maybe a second to anchor. So maybe the first two A-Frames. If I screw up that badly, then he's surely closer by #3 and then it's solid time?

I've not been to Africa yet or hunted anything that would smash my truck up. So I'm a bit new to solids. I'd like to get a bear or two here locally...but this .375 is overkill for them. I really want to come get a dagga boy! Appreciate any and all advice

Thanks,
Jim

@Jim Golden
I suggest you start a new thread to prevent confusion on which posts are being answered (yours or TOBY458's). The very high velocity of your wildcat 375 is potentially an issue all on its own, making bullet selection even more critical than normal IMO.

 

[Rare Breed]

CEB Solid and Raptor paired. They are excellent. I use them. Brian

Toby I am bringing my 375 H&H strictly for PG and as a back up for my double rifle on the same hunt with you and Philip. I am taking CEB and TSX both in 300 Grain and both hand loaded

 

[Rare Breed]

I second this and would pair them with your Swift A Frames.

Second choice would be the monolithic 300 grain solid with TSX if you can get them to regulate. Prove me wrong but I'm guessing the TSX will be easier to regulate with that solid.

The 350 grain options are intriguing. I suspect you will have no issues with the solid and ut may truly make that 375 perform half way towards a 404 Jeffrey However I'd be concerned about the Woodliegh soft holding together on Buffalo. Probably be just fine at the slower velocity one would expect with that heavier bullet. And if your PG shooting will be mostly shorter ranges, it could work well! Sometimes a slower heavier bullet is the better option and may not expand as aggressively on small PG that may otherwise be blown apart?

If memory is serving me right, I'd ask @tarbe for experience with Woodleigh softs on buffalo.

Interesting. For my buff in Zim this year I will be using Woodleigh 570 grain softs for my 500 NE at 2118 FPS. I am trying to find some Woodleigh 570 grain FMJ but can’t find them anywhere. My 500 cannot use mono solids

 

[Rare Breed]

I spoke with two PHs from Zimbabwe yesterday and neither one said there's any problem with TSX. Also, there's not even a ban on hollow point bullets there. I think you were just being hustled for a tip.

Thanks for answering the TSX hollow point question Toby!!!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I have been looking on here for the answer to this question, so forgive me if it's been answered 1000 times already and I just didn't find it. But, I plan to take my .375 Weatherby on a Cape Buff hunt. I have loaded up Swift A-Frames, Barnes TSX, and Woodleigh Weldcore 300gr's. I've also gone through five boxes of factory loads with Nosler 300gr Partitions. We did the velocity testing with handloads using Sierra Game King 300's. From reading on here, I see a lot of folks prefer solids.

My question is: How many soft points do you load and then how many solids? I've read where some folks like to have the first one be a soft point, with the rest solids. Some say make the first two soft points and then solids. What is the general consensus?

On another thread, I'd discussed the rifle I built and it's velocity (2889 ft/s with a 300gr). I've not fired any 350's out of it yet, but had it throated for 350's. But, it seems to be a tack driver with 300's. So I was leaning toward only ever shooting 300gr out of it and that's it. Buffalo, plains game, whatever....they all get a 300. It looks like the Cutting Edge Solids seem to be held in high regard on here. That new breakaway from Swift looks interesting. And the tried and true Nosler and Barnes solids look good too.

So what do you all recommend? Maybe an A-Frame 300 for the first one and then solids? Two A-Frames and the rest solids? TSX's and a $100 bill Ha ha! I guess I first need to make sure the Cutting Edge Solids will feed. I would hope to slay him with the first round, then maybe a second to anchor. So maybe the first two A-Frames. If I screw up that badly, then he's surely closer by #3 and then it's solid time?

I've not been to Africa yet or hunted anything that would smash my truck up. So I'm a bit new to solids. I'd like to get a bear or two here locally...but this .375 is overkill for them. I really want to come get a dagga boy! Appreciate any and all advice

Thanks,
Jim

Hi, Jim.

The concept of using a soft point bullet (for the initial shot) and then solid bullets (for the followup shots) used to be the standard practice for hunting Cape buffalo until the mid1980s. I started going on African Safaris since 1974, and this combination was what I initially used to hunt Cape buffalo with. My preferred combination (for a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum caliber magazine rifle such as the BRNO ZKK602 ) was one RWS 300Gr TUG soft point, followed by five Remington 300Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids in the magazine.

I also used a Belgium made guid boxlock ejector double rifle in .458 Winchester Magnum for one Cape buffalo. For the first barrel, I used a handloaded Hornady 500Gr soft point. And for the second barrel, I used a handloaded Hornady 500Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solid.

Then, premium grade controlled expansion bullets started showing up on the market. The Swift A Frame debuted in 1984. Then, the Barnes X came out in 1989. Then, Federal started loading Jack Carter’s Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets as part of their ”Premium” line of ammunition in 1993. We began to notice that for body shots, a premium grade controlled expansion bullet was downing Cape buffalo noticeably quicker than a solid bullet of the same caliber. Because the premium grade controlled expansion bullets were punching larger wound cavities into the vital organs of Cape buffalo than the solids. The larger wound cavities accelerated blood loss and were causing the Cape buffalo to hemorrhage quicker, than if they were being hit by solid bullets.

Since 1994, I’ve been almost exclusively been using Federal 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw factory loads in a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for hunting Cape buffalo. The results speak for themselves.

In my opinion, using solids for hunting Cape buffalo has now become a thing of the past. Since your .375 Weatherby Magnum is an extremely high velocity caliber, I’d strongly recommend you load your entire magazine with 300Gr Barnes TSX bullets. They will open up properly, even in the high velocity.

Oh, and by the way… Barnes TSX bullets are NOT banned in Zimbabwe. I hunted a hippo on land this year in Zimbabwe, and I employed 300Gr Barnes TSX bullets which were sourced by my white hunter.

 

[TOBY458]

Toby I am bringing my 375 H&H strictly for PG and as a back up for my double rifle on the same hunt with you and Philip. I am taking CEB and TSX both in 300 Grain and both hand loaded

I used that exact combo this year in Zimbabwe. The 300gr CEBs shot completely through my tuskless elephant's skull and out the neck. So I highly recommend those solids. The TSX has done well for me on both African and Australian buffalo. The CEB and TSX also shoot into the same group at 100 yards in my R8. Deadly combo IMO.

 

[gibbs30c]

In my 375 H&H I have only used 300 gr. Barnes TSX and Banded Solids backed by W760 and moving at 2550+ FPS on 5 African Hunts. With this load you will never look back. That being said the 375 H&H is my "light" Rifle when I'm in Africa. I always have a heavier gun, usually a 458 Lott, but have also used 416's 404 Jeff, and 458 Win Mag.

So I agree with Meigsbucks, always bring two guns when possible.

The heavier guns were/are used for the big stuff with the exception of the 375 taking one Buffalo. The 375 is always a good back-up and provides excellent "overlap" for the heavier gun should it be needed.

I think the 375 H&H is one of the best plains game choices one can make, with the solids great for the real small stuff. Most PH's smile when they see a 375 as part of the battery.

On Buffalo I'm a believer in a 375 loaded with a first round soft, backed by solids in the rest of the mag. with that combo you will seldom go wrong.

 

[Jim Golden]

Hi, Jim.

The concept of using a soft point bullet (for the initial shot) and then solid bullets (for the followup shots) used to be the standard practice for hunting Cape buffalo until the mid1980s. I started going on African Safaris since 1974, and this combination was what I initially used to hunt Cape buffalo with. My preferred combination (for a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum caliber magazine rifle such as the BRNO ZKK602 ) was one RWS 300Gr TUG soft point, followed by five Remington 300Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids in the magazine.
View attachment 507339View attachment 507338
I also used a Belgium made guid boxlock ejector double rifle in .458 Winchester Magnum for one Cape buffalo. For the first barrel, I used a handloaded Hornady 500Gr soft point. And for the second barrel, I used a handloaded Hornady 500Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solid.
View attachment 507345
Then, premium grade controlled expansion bullets started showing up on the market. The Swift A Frame debuted in 1984. Then, the Barnes X came out in 1989. Then, Federal started loading Jack Carter’s Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets as part of their ”Premium” line of ammunition in 1993. We began to notice that for body shots, a premium grade controlled expansion bullet was downing Cape buffalo noticeably quicker than a solid bullet of the same caliber. Because the premium grade controlled expansion bullets were punching larger wound cavities into the vital organs of Cape buffalo than the solids. The larger wound cavities accelerated blood loss and were causing the Cape buffalo to hemorrhage quicker, than if they were being hit by solid bullets.

Since 1994, I’ve been almost exclusively been using Federal 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw factory loads in a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for hunting Cape buffalo. The results speak for themselves.
View attachment 507354View attachment 507355View attachment 507356View attachment 507357

In my opinion, using solids for hunting Cape buffalo has now become a thing of the past. Since your .375 Weatherby Magnum is an extremely high velocity caliber, I’d strongly recommend you load your entire magazine with 300Gr Barnes TSX bullets. They will open up properly, even in the high velocity.

Oh, and by the way… Barnes TSX bullets are NOT banned in Zimbabwe. I hunted a hippo on land this year in Zimbabwe, and I employed 300Gr Barnes TSX bullets which were sourced by my white hunter.

Habib, thank you for the excellent reply. I have the Barnes TSX 300's already, as well as Swift A-Frame, Sierra Game King, Woodleigh Weldcore, all 300's. I just ordered a box of Cutting Edge Bullets Safari Solids in 300gr and their 275gr Safari Raptors. At least for my .375, I've got a pretty good assortment. Your photos tell the story! I am jealous in a good way and hope to copy you

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib, thank you for the excellent reply. I have the Barnes TSX 300's already, as well as Swift A-Frame, Sierra Game King, Woodleigh Weldcore, all 300's. I just ordered a box of Cutting Edge Bullets Safari Solids in 300gr and their 275gr Safari Raptors. At least for my .375, I've got a pretty good assortment. Your photos tell the story! I am jealous in a good way and hope to copy you

Stay away from Sierra Game Kings for Cape buffalo ! As a matter of fact, don’t use them for hunting anything which can potentially hunt you back… except leopard. They do really well for leopard. I know that you’ll surpass me very soon. All the best.

 

[Jim Golden]

Toby, I'm sorry if I sort of hijacked your thread. I didn't mean to. I'll make a new one with my question about solids and soft points. It just seemed like you guys were kind of talking about it on here. But I didn't mean to distract... Habib, Thank you again for the reply.

 

[IvW]

You should try the 350gr out your rifle. Close to 2900fps is just too much velocity.
If you can shoot the 350gr at 2300 to 2500 fps you will have a winner for buffalo