.375H&H or .458 WM which should I keep

[Dr Ray]

The 375 is a great cartridge and it can used for a variety of game. I think the 458 is a specialist cartridge and is not really designed for animals smaller than buffalo. I know of course that you could use it on smaller game but truly believe it’s a big game cartridge. The Bullets are designed for heavy and big boned animals. It does an excellent job on what it was designed for.
Unless you are planning a safari for such buffalo then I humbly suggest that the 375 is more versatile and more suited to the game I believe you’re hunting. I used the 460 Weatherby on large pigs a number of times driving a 500 grain bullet.
It didn’t kill the relatively small game any better than the 270.
Overall the 375 is more flexible than the 458 which designed for large and heavy boned animals.
So I’d keep the 375.

 

[Dr Ray]

The 416 is a much heavier recoiling cartridge/rifle than the 338 or 375 (I have all three).
It depends what you’re hunting but I suggest that the 338/375 would excellent for hunting animals. The 416 in my opinion is for buffalo and is a specialist cartridge designed for big and probably dangerous game. The recoil is significantly greater than the 338/375 I might add.
Hope this helps.

 

[CBH Australia]

Ohh, now,people are throwing 416 in the mix, maybe be that would be the ideal?
Gotta sneak the .375 home before I start looking for that.

 

[meigsbucks]

I wouldn't know. I'm new to this AH forum. This isn't probably the right "thread" topic, but like I said I'm new. I have shot elk with my Browning A Bolt .338 Win Mag. for many years. A couple of months ago, I bought an Interarms Whitworth Safari in .375 h and h in like new condition and I love it! I've never owned a CRF rifle before, but I have always wanted one. However, it's recoil is like my .338, so now I'm wondering if it would be sufficient for an Africa hunting trip? The elk I've shot with the .338 didn't complain, but the .375 for something larger? I haven't hunted in Africa yet, so I guess I'm just stupid for even opening this up. NOW, I'm thinking a .416 or .458 just based on the limited recoil from the .375? Any responses for my stupid but real observations on recoil?

Welcome to AH. The .375 will do anything you need it to do in Africa. I too find the .338 has similar recoil. I’ve taken elk with both the .338 and .375. Both worked great.

 

[meigsbucks]

As several have suggested, keep both. But if you can only have one, the .375 gives you the versatility to do it all. The .458 is mainly for the biggest and baddest critters.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Welcome to AH. The .375 will do anything you need it to do in Africa. I too find the .338 has similar recoil. I’ve taken elk with both the .338 and .375. Both worked great.

Your right. I guess I was just expecting more recoil (which I equated with more power?) with the .375 vs. the .338. My .375 doesn’t have a scope on it yet, but seems pretty accurate at 100 yds with the express sights on it. I have never shot game with open sights, but I might try it on elk? Thanks! As a side note, my hunting buddy and his son went to Newfoundland and bought Marlin .45-70s to hunt moose, caribou and black bear and took my .338 as a BACK UP gun. Believe it or not, they shot two moose, a caribou and a bear with MY .338! Never shot their guns. My friend “short stroked” my rifle after his first MISSED shot at the caribou. His guide had to slam the bolt forward so he could get the second shot off. He was used to his lever action rifles and although he practiced with my bolt action Browning, he wasn’t proficient with it. Nothing to do with AH, but maybe with CRF vs. push feed? I’ve never had that problem with my Browning, but I shoot and hunt with it frequently. Just FYI.

 

[steve white]

Guns are like money in the bank--doesn't hurt to keep them, you can always sell them down the road.

 

[CBH Australia]

Welcome to AH. The .375 will do anything you need it to do in Africa. I too find the .338 has similar recoil. I’ve taken elk with both the .338 and .375. Both worked great.

I had read the .338 has noticeable recoil. Never fired one. Fired a .375H&H once and that lead to needing a big bore, I agree with the description of the recoil being a slow push. I have read the .338 has sharp recoil. Damn I wanted one in all weather version for a bear gun just in case.
grabbed the .458 on. Runout deal 6 years ago, don’t use it much but I have plenty of light projectiles for practice
I will have a Play with the .375 when I receive it, maybe I hold off on selling the .458, use it for Buff with express sights and just shift the scope to the .375. I dunno, I want it all but time space and money are still it as free as I’d like but working on that.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Guns are like money in the bank--doesn't hurt to keep them, you can always sell them down the road.

Gotta show your post to my wife

 

[bassasdaindia]

No contest , the 375 is a more versatile caliber and should be the one to stay .

 

[Dr Ray]

Ohh, now,people are throwing 416 in the mix, maybe be that would be the ideal?
Gotta sneak the .375 home before I start looking for that.

Get the 416 RM after the 375!

 

[Ridgewalker]

I’ve written it before about the 375 H&H, but glad to repeat. I cannot handle the recoil of a 416 Rigby nor 458 Lott. I’ve never tried any of the other of their calibers. I use my 375 H&H for everything so far from duiker to Cape buffalo. I plan to keep using it in the future. I change bullets and scopes depending on what I am hunting. Example: the biggest animal I took last year was a very fine eland. The 250 grain Barnes TTSX performed perfect! It also is the most accurate in my rifle, so I used it to take a nice croc at 90 yards. I have no complaints.
If I ever can afford an elephant, I might get something bigger, but not likely. I’ll probably use a North Fork 350 solid and plan to put it in the right spot.
I love dreaming!

 

[Scrumbag]

Maybe I missed this but what else do you have? I ask this because it might have a bearing on what you keep.

If you have a .30-'06, a 300WM, 338WM or 9.3 there is some overlap there (You can use all successfully for large deer / PG / other soft skinned game which you might load a relatively light bullet in the 375H&H for) so I would say if you have any of those, keep the 458WM as a different class all together. If you don't have something in the .30-'06 etc class, be worth keeping the 375H&H

Whatever you choose, enjoy your shooting!

 

[CoElkHunter]

I had read the .338 has noticeable recoil. Never fired one. Fired a .375H&H once and that lead to needing a big bore, I agree with the description of the recoil being a slow push. I have read the .338 has sharp recoil. Damn I wanted one in all weather version for a bear gun just in case.
grabbed the .458 on. Runout deal 6 years ago, don’t use it much but I have plenty of light projectiles for practice
I will have a Play with the .375 when I receive it, maybe I hold off on selling the .458, use it for Buff with express sights and just shift the scope to the .375. I dunno, I want it all but time space and money are still it as free as I’d like but working on that.

I too have thought about a .458 Win Mag. I was thinking about reloading HARD CAST bullets in 350-400gr. for practice. No leading of barrel with those. But, the .338 is a great cartridge! You CAN get an all weather version in a lightweight rifle. My Browning A Bolt (blued with a walnut stock) with 3-9x44 scope probably weighs 8.5 lbs? I think the stock design helps the recoil. My buddy has a Browning BLR (lever action) .30-06, but told me my .338's recoil isn't much more than his rifle? BUT, I think the Browning X Bolt rifle has a better magazine than the A Bolt. I would keep your .458 if you could. I'm rambling, but I enjoy talking about hunting rifles.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Depends on the circumstances . I have a Winchester Model 70 in .375 H&H Magnum . It's my only rifle and l used it on EVERY four legged critter here in the states , including some pretty impressive Brown bear. This gun was given to me by my Granddad , who took it with him for a Safari in Kenya in '68 . He used it with Kynoch 300 grain round nose solids to take down a Bull elephant with the shoulder shot . His PH was carrying a .458 Winchester Magnum Model 70 ( Push feed , l am guessing , but not sure ) . According to my Granddad , .375 H&H is more than adequate if you're a client Hunter shooting at a standing Elephant . According to him , Professional Hunters who might be needing to stop a charge would definitely benefit from the added insurance of the .458 Win Mag.
From what l have read , the Professional Ivory Hunter , Wally Johnson used to use a .375 H&H Model 70 until one day he was gored by a cape buff which took 7 shots from Wally's .375 and two more shots from a client's .458 Win Mag before succumbing. After that day , Wally swapped his .375 H&H for a .458 Model 70.
I personally plan to take my first Cape Buff next year with my .375 and Noslers .
BTW , .458 CAN be used on smaller game . I have seen it done. Just use the right loads.

 

[CBH Australia]

Hoss,
I purchased the .375H&H. It should be with my dealer and I’m waiting for a permit to come in. All transfers must go through a dealer in Australia.

I think there is plenty of support for the .375H&H and I wanted one!

I have 160 rounds of PPU 300gn soft point to sight in, practice and shoot pigs with. I am confident it’s all I’ll ever need as I am still working on a DG hunt. Maybe Water Buffalo in Australia. The Cape Buffalo look cool I’m envious.

I do have a PG cull hunt booked in Africa but that’s. A long 7 months away.

Enjoy your Cape Buff Hunt with Gran’Pa’s rifle. That’s gotta make it even better.

I think there is merit to owning only one rifle but I like to have a few setup for different things. I do plan to use my .375 for hunting so I get used to it. Last year I was after a lightweight stock to make a lightweight carry rifle for regular use. Now I’ve backflipped and thought I can carry a Safari Magnum for the most part of my regular walks where I might be able to despatch a pig.

 

[Red Leg]

THREE SEVEN FIVE

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Hoss,
I purchased the .375H&H. It should be with my dealer and I’m waiting for a permit to come in. All transfers must go through a dealer in Australia.

I think there is plenty of support for the .375H&H and I wanted one!

I have 160 rounds of PPU 300gn soft point to sight in, practice and shoot pigs with. I am confident it’s all I’ll ever need as I am still working on a DG hunt. Maybe Water Buffalo in Australia. The Cape Buffalo look cool I’m envious.

I do have a PG cull hunt booked in Africa but that’s. A long 7 months away.

Enjoy your Cape Buff Hunt with Gran’Pa’s rifle. That’s gotta make it even better.

I think there is merit to owning only one rifle but I like to have a few setup for different things. I do plan to use my .375 for hunting so I get used to it. Last year I was after a lightweight stock to make a lightweight carry rifle for regular use. Now I’ve backflipped and thought I can carry a Safari Magnum for the most part of my regular walks where I might be able to despatch a pig.

Hey man , l completely agree with you . It's my only rifle , only because I'm saving up for a Ryan Breeding .500 Jeffery Bolt action rifle or a Sabi rifle someday ( in .500 Jeffery ). I am absolutely determined that my next gun will be a .500 Jeffery no matter how long it takes. Probably , l should save enough to buy it in 2022 . But for my 2020 Safari , l will take the .375 Winchester M 70 .
I used to own 2 rifles before. My very first hunting rifle was an old Savage Model 99 in .22 High Power which a friend's ( or rather acquaintance's ) dad was selling . It was one of those old kinds with the 5 round rotary mags . It served me well and you could legally take deer with a .22 centre fire in Maine back then ( Maybe you still can , l don't know ). For a while , after l got the .375 H&H Winchester , l still held on to the .22 Savage HP . But the Winchester .375 was performing so good on every animal , that l found myself using the .22 Savage less and less. Eventually , l sold it . But l regret that decision now. Not because the Winchester is inadequate , but because the Savage was a collector's item .
Ah , well. I'll never make the same mistake with grand dad's Winchester . No matter how many other rifles l get .

 

[Red Leg]

Hey man , l completely agree with you . It's my only rifle , only because I'm saving up for a Ryan Breeding .500 Jeffery Bolt action rifle or a Sabi rifle someday ( in .500 Jeffery ). I am absolutely determined that my next gun will be a .500 Jeffery no matter how long it takes. Probably , l should save enough to buy it in 2022 . But for my 2020 Safari , l will take the .375 Winchester M 70 .
I used to own 2 rifles before. My very first hunting rifle was an old Savage Model 99 in .22 High Power which a friend's ( or rather acquaintance's ) dad was selling . It was one of those old kinds with the 5 round rotary mags . It served me well and you could legally take deer with a .22 centre fire in Maine back then ( Maybe you still can , l don't know ). For a while , after l got the .375 H&H Winchester , l still held on to the .22 Savage HP . But the Winchester .375 was performing so good on every animal , that l found myself using the .22 Savage less and less. Eventually , l sold it . But l regret that decision now. Not because the Winchester is inadequate , but because the Savage was a collector's item .
Ah , well. I'll never make the same mistake with grand dad's Winchester . No matter how many other rifles l get .

Never ever again let a Savage 99 in .22 Savage HP go - ever. Particularly the "old kinds".

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Never ever again let a Savage 99 in .22 Savage HP go - ever. Particularly the "old kinds".

Red Leg , l feel like kicking myself everytime someone tells me that. I WAS a bit contemptful towards it at the time because l nearly lost a deer with it . It's a kind of round where you have to pick your shots with zero margin of error