.375 Holland & Holland

[Rick Cox]

@Rick Cox
You come to the Bandarban forests in Bangladesh , someday . As my guest , because that is one of the forest ranges where I am appointed as a Problem Animal Control Officer . I cannot guarantee you a Gaur , since they only come here irregularly through the Indian border . But the ones which do , are invariably problem animals because they ( as lone Gaur bulls usually are ) are incredibly aggressive and destructive . The last one which I had shot in 2019 , killed one local villager and badly injured five . Therefore , they may legally be shot ( with permission from the Forest Guards ) . You come during any winter to hunt a couple of barking deer , a couple of wild boar and about two dozen upland birds ( quail , green pigeon and dove ) with me . Free of charge . If you a Gaur comes ventures into the territory , I let you shoot it .

I only have two conditions :
1 ) You bring a rifle of at least .450 bore , preferably around .500 bore . You load this rifle with steel jacketed flat nosed solid ammunition or monolithic brass ( or naval bronze ) ammunition , which weigh a minimum of 500 grains . Velocity should be a minimum of 2100 feet per second . If you do not possess such a rifle , then I will be glad to offer you my .458 Winchester Magnum ( loaded with 500 grain Hornady DGS factory loaded steel jacketed flat nosed solids ) .
2 ) I cannot let you hunt the Gaur on foot . We will have a tree blind setup for you , which overlooks a waterhole that is frequented by said Gaur .

Sound good ?

Wow! That is quite an offer! A dream trip for sure.

 

[WAB]

Wow! That is quite an offer! A dream trip for sure.

A very generous offer from a real gentleman. You need to do this!

 

[Scott CWO]

I now have three .375 H&H Mags. I agree with everyone that the 300 grain Swift A-Frame is a great choice for buffalo and PG. It's also great for brown bear, moose, elk, etc... in NA.

I am currently experimenting with the Barnes 270 grain LRX bullet for PG in two of my rifles. I am headed to Zambia in 2022 for PG but will not be hunting buffalo. In the swamps of Zambia, shots can get long for sitatunga and lechwe. Like you, I don't reload so I use Hendershot Custom Ammo to work up my loads. You might check out their website. Superior Ammo is another company that will make loads to your specs or you can send them your rifle and they will do the work. Good luck with your choices!

 

[mark-hunter]

A real generous offer! I wish, someone accepts this!

 

[DriveByGuy]

A real generous offer! I wish, someone accepts this!

Obviously id love to, but I haven’t even started the process of getting things together for a hunt across the globe! I really hope someone takes up the offer though. It amazes me just how close-knit this community is.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Wow! That is quite an offer! A dream trip for sure.

A very generous offer from a real gentleman. You need to do this!

@Rick Cox I believe that the conversation alone would make such a trip well worth it. In the few PMs I have shared with @Professor Mawla I have stood in awe of his refinement and good nature. The stories in the field and after the hunt would surely be something of legend. And just think, you could talk him into letting you handle a custom .458 that has surely stood the test of time. I'd think it would be a great time to sit in the blind and pass the time with such a seasoned hunter.

 

[Professor Mawla]

@Rick Cox I believe that the conversation alone would make such a trip well worth it. In the few PMs I have shared with @Professor Mawla I have stood in awe of his refinement and good nature. The stories in the field and after the hunt would surely be something of legend. And just think, you could talk him into letting you handle a custom .458 that has surely stood the test of time. I'd think it would be a great time to sit in the blind and pass the time with such a seasoned hunter.

@Forrest Halley
I am truly honored by your kind words . Thank you very much .

 

[Ridgewalker]

Just my experiences.
I used the 300 Barnes TSX on my primarily buffalo hunt. Worked fine and also took duiker, bushpig and bushbuck. Not ideal for the smaller animals, but it worked.
I then went on a primarily crocodile hunt using my flastest shooting, most accurate (1/2” 3 shots) load, 250 Barnes TTSX. Worked perfect at 90 yards on croc, 125 yards on eland, 15-20 yards on sable, 30 yards on caracal, 75 yards on warthog (but it ran quite a ways), and some others.
235 Barnes TSX primary quarry, lion and lioness. It killed, but was not decisive. A soft 300 grain (maybe a good fit for Nosler Partition) would have been better IMO. It took a blesbok at over 300-350 yards, but not as flat shooting as the 250 TTSX. Warthog at 20 yards. Gemsbuck at 175 yards or so. Blue wildebeest at about that. Springbuck at 125-150 yards. Impala at 40 yards.

That said, if a mixed bag hunt, my current opinion would be to pick a single 300 grain quality bullet such as Swift A-frame, TBBC, or maybe Barnes TSX (a bit tough for lesser species IMO). I am an experimenter by nature, thus it is a mental illness I have to try different options.

IMO the possible exception is croc where you need the most accurate flattest shooting load possible. Almost without exception (maybe hippo brain shot) anything else if you shoot 2” groups at 100 yards, it will work.

Best of luck! I’ll bet you’re ”chomping at the bit” to get a 375 H&H?

 

[mdwest]

I only load/shoot 300gr Barnes TSX through my .375 H&H...

In the past I used 270gr Nosler Partitions on a PG hunt.. it worked magnificently in the rifle..

But for ease and simplicity these days its TSX only..

 

[mdwest]

I just re-read the OP and realized youre not a hand loader...

Some factory options for the 300 gr Barnes TSX and Swift A-Frame:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001947862

Natchez

www.natchezss.com

Both currently in stock, and at a reasonable price. (not always the case with these loads)....

 

[DriveByGuy]

I just re-read the OP and realized youre not a hand loader...

Some factory options for the 300 gr Barnes TSX and Swift A-Frame:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001947862

Natchez

www.natchezss.com

Both currently in stock, and at a reasonable price. (not always the case with these loads)....

I’ve been able to scour the internet and find some different .375 loads. However, while currently not a reloader, I plan on buying some equipment eventually. For my first couple hunts here in the US I plan on just using some factory loads, but by the time I get across the ocean, I’ll be using hand loads.

Anyway, your links are helpful, and as always l appreciate it. I’ll probably buy what you linked now since ammo seems to just be getting more expensive.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Ammoseek.com is a sight I use to find ammo.

 

[fourfive8]

As the dwarf Gimli’s father, Gloin, said, “Oin has read the portents and the portents say.... If going with 375 HH, stick with one 300 gr DG common denominator bullet. IMO- A Frame , TSX or TBBC.”

Side note... not all bonded so called premium bullets are created equal. Do the homework on basic construction. A thin jacketed bonded bullet may not be the best for penetrating heavy DG like buffalo.

Elephant is the only one that would require a different bullet choice where max, straight line penetration Is called for. My choice would be a banded shank, monolithic copper flat point solid. Unfortunately, some of the best ones have recently transmutated into unobtainium, the rarest of all bullets.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

A good 300g bullet will do it all just fine. The 270 TTSX is possibly also a contender for all-round bullet and would have better long-range performance if that matters to you but I haven't any knowledge of its performance on dangerous game.

Zero the rifle for the 300 grain and be done with it. Yes, a 235 or 250 will have less recoil and work admirably on plains game but to what benefit? If the marginal recoil reduction for the few shots you'll be taking over the course of several days is actually important to you, I'd reconsider the wisdom of hunting dangerous game with the 300g until you are comfortable with it. (not directed at OP, just as a general rule). And when you change the zero from 235 to 300 you will have to check it anyway by shooting a 300g bullet.

Maybe one of the lighter weight bullets will happen to be the most accurate in your gun, but I'd be surprised if you can't find a dangerous-game suitable load that is adequately accurate in your rifle.

One expanding load and a handful of solids if you need them and be done with it is my advice.

 

[fourfive8]

A good 300g bullet will do it all just fine. The 270 TTSX is possibly also a contender for all-round bullet and would have better long-range performance if that matters to you but I haven't any knowledge of its performance on dangerous game.

Zero the rifle for the 300 grain and be done with it. Yes, a 235 or 250 will have less recoil and work admirably on plains game but to what benefit? If the marginal recoil reduction for the few shots you'll be taking over the course of several days is actually important to you, I'd reconsider the wisdom of hunting dangerous game with the 300g until you are comfortable with it. (not directed at OP, just as a general rule). And when you change the zero from 235 to 300 you will have to check it anyway by shooting a 300g bullet.

Maybe one of the lighter weight bullets will happen to be the most accurate in your gun, but I'd be surprised if you can't find a dangerous-game suitable load that is adequately accurate in your rifle.

One expanding load and a handful of solids if you need them and be done with it is my advice.

Agreed! If it were me, I too would put together a few 300 gr flat point monolithic solids. I would try to load them to shoot fairly close to the expanding bullets. I would take them in case... because you never know. For example it is not out of the realm of possibility, if not fairly common, to have to shoot under less than ideal conditions if tracking a wounded buff. Or if either offered or confronted with an opportunity to shoot an elephant or some other DG. Unexpected things happen or can appear during a trip. On two occasions I've had totally unexpected circumstances come up that called for change of set up.

 

[BobT]

.375 H&H 300 grain Aframe on an OribiView attachment 301560

It has excellent power and penetration for the big stuff, and the bullet is tough enough so that it doesn't over-expand and ruin meat on smaller antelope.

That depends on shot placement, this was about 130 yard shoulder shot. I was loaded for buffalo when the Oribi showed up. I would still use the Aframe for anything other that Elephant though. Unless something changes drastically though I have no plans to hunt Elephant.