Dangerous Game Hunting and the case for bigger not always being better

[Hunter-Habib]

When I went on my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, the game department regulations stipulated that .400 bore was the minimal legally permissible caliber for elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo and hippopotamus. The only dangerous game which you could legally use a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for (on paper), was lion & leopard (the latter not being subjected to any minimal legal caliber regulations whatsoever). My white hunter, Mr. Cheffings permitted (and even encouraged) me to use the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum against Cape buffalo (under the table). I’m immensely glad that he did. Over the course of the last 50 years of my life going on African safaris, I’ve shot most of my dangerous game (till now) with this caliber. Including four of Africa’s Big Five (barring rhinoceros, which I’ve not yet had the good fortune to hunt).

It’s the Swiss army knife of all rifle calibers and has the perfect combination of penetration, punch, recoil, accuracy, weight and versatility. The only department where it falls short is for body shots on bull elephant. When hunting hippopotamus bulls on land at night in the sugarcane fields, I have frequently subconsciously felt that I might be making a mistake going after these dangerous creatures with “Only” a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. But no. The good old .375 continues to sort them out cleanly and with authority.

But I have noticed over the years that when using solids in the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for hunting hippopotamus bulls on land, the wounded animals sometimes do manage to make it into the water prior to expiring. Recently, I shifted to 300Gr Barnes TSX for hunting these creatures on land. And now, they drop much quicker to the shot.

When solid bullets of .458 caliber (or larger) are used for hunting hippopotamus on land, I‘ve observed that they do tend to expire faster than when hit with solid bullets of .375 caliber.

 

[mark-hunter]

On the bullets side the Swift A Frames is one of the best for shooting buffalo, the A Frame and .375 H&H is the buffalo killing combination.

Just a small question, can a pass through or exit wound be expected with 375 swift a frame 300 grains, on broad side shot?

 

[RR 314]

Just a small question, can a pass through or exit wound be expected with 375 swift a frame 300 grains, on broad side shot?

On a two year old animal you may make it. .

I better edit this and add the short answer is no. Not saying it has not happened, but on a mature buffalo you certainly would not expect full penetration. Heck, many A-frames from a .375 H&H don't fully penetrate some plains game.

 

[mark-hunter]

Is there a 300 grain solid in 375 with similar external ballistic trajectory as 300 grain swift a frame?
Just to have some on the belt, just in case needed.

 

[Fatback]

Woodleigh solids and swift AFrames are pretty much the same POI in my 375 H&H

 

[318AE]

Is there a 300 grain solid in 375 with similar external ballistic trajectory as 300 grain swift a frame?
Just to have some on the belt, just in case needed.

I’d start with swift’s break away solid and see where that goes, literally. It’s worked well for me. I’ve had a Woodleigh solid (not hydro) rivet and wander off course. I like the metplat type solids.

 

[RR 314]

Is there a 300 grain solid in 375 with similar external ballistic trajectory as 300 grain swift a frame?
Just to have some on the belt, just in case needed.

Sure. Many solids of same weight will print close to A-frames with similar loads. The question is why are you concerned about full penetration on a buffalo? A well placed a-frame (or even a couple--if needed) is (generally) a dead buffalo with a short track.

 

[318AE]

When I went on my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, the game department regulations stipulated that .400 bore was the minimal legally permissible caliber for elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo and hippopotamus. The only dangerous game which you could legally use a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for (on paper), was lion & leopard (the latter not being subjected to any minimal legal caliber regulations whatsoever). My white hunter, Mr. Cheffings permitted (and even encouraged) me to use the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum against Cape buffalo (under the table). I’m immensely glad that he did. Over the course of the last 50 years of my life going on African safaris, I’ve shot most of my dangerous game (till now) with this caliber. Including four of Africa’s Big Five (barring rhinoceros, which I’ve not yet had the good fortune to hunt).

It’s the Swiss army knife of all rifle calibers and has the perfect combination of penetration, punch, recoil, accuracy, weight and versatility. The only department where it falls short is for body shots on bull elephant. When hunting hippopotamus bulls on land at night in the sugarcane fields, I have frequently subconsciously felt that I might be making a mistake going after these dangerous creatures with “Only” a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. But no. The good old .375 continues to sort them out cleanly and with authority.

But I have noticed over the years that when using solids in the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for hunting hippopotamus bulls on land, the wounded animals sometimes do manage to make it into the water prior to expiring. Recently, I shifted to 300Gr Barnes TSX for hunting these creatures on land. And now, they drop much quicker to the shot.

When solid bullets of .458 caliber (or larger) are used for hunting hippopotamus on land, I‘ve observed that they do tend to expire faster than when hit with solid bullets of .375 caliber.
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All good points and very insightful, as I find your posts to consistently be.

Ref 458 and 375 solids on hippo on land (presumably for body shots?). Many here feel solids are obsolete given the quality and reliability of premium bullets such as the A-frame. I think the still have a place in the magazine, as the most reliable way to get to the brain or spinal cord, from any angle, when things go awry.

Have you found success with a solid being the first body shot on a hippo on land?

 

[mark-hunter]

The question is why are you concerned about full penetration on a buffalo?

I am just covering all angles in theoretical approach, before going on a first buffalo hunt.
I stacked up swift a frames, just now considering to have back up solids, just in case.

 

[EfRed]

When I went on my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, the game department regulations stipulated that .400 bore was the minimal legally permissible caliber for elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo and hippopotamus. The only dangerous game which you could legally use a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for (on paper), was lion & leopard (the latter not being subjected to any minimal legal caliber regulations whatsoever). My white hunter, Mr. Cheffings permitted (and even encouraged) me to use the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum against Cape buffalo (under the table). I’m immensely glad that he did. Over the course of the last 50 years of my life going on African safaris, I’ve shot most of my dangerous game (till now) with this caliber. Including four of Africa’s Big Five (barring rhinoceros, which I’ve not yet had the good fortune to hunt).

It’s the Swiss army knife of all rifle calibers and has the perfect combination of penetration, punch, recoil, accuracy, weight and versatility. The only department where it falls short is for body shots on bull elephant. When hunting hippopotamus bulls on land at night in the sugarcane fields, I have frequently subconsciously felt that I might be making a mistake going after these dangerous creatures with “Only” a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. But no. The good old .375 continues to sort them out cleanly and with authority.

But I have noticed over the years that when using solids in the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for hunting hippopotamus bulls on land, the wounded animals sometimes do manage to make it into the water prior to expiring. Recently, I shifted to 300Gr Barnes TSX for hunting these creatures on land. And now, they drop much quicker to the shot.

When solid bullets of .458 caliber (or larger) are used for hunting hippopotamus on land, I‘ve observed that they do tend to expire faster than when hit with solid bullets of .375 caliber.
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Hunter Habib - great photos, seem to capture the flavor of Africa !

 

[Hunter-Habib]

All good points and very insightful, as I find your posts to consistently be.

Ref 458 and 375 solids on hippo on land (presumably for body shots?). Many here feel solids are obsolete given the quality and reliability of premium bullets such as the A-frame. I think the still have a place in the magazine, as the most reliable way to get to the brain or spinal cord, from any angle, when things go awry.

Have you found success with a solid being the first body shot on a hippo on land?

@318AE
I've shot hippopotamus bulls on land with solids from the four following calibers over the years (so far):
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum
.404 Jeffery
.458 Winchester Magnum
.600 Nitro Express

I've found body shots with 900Gr solids (at 1985fps) fired from the .600 Nitro Express to floor the hippopotamus bulls on land in the fastest manner.

Until 2022, I exclusively used solid bullets in the entire magazine (or in both barrels) for hunting hippopotamus on land. Only in 2022, did I finally realize that a Barnes TSX monolithic copper hollow point will reliably penetrate into a hippopotamus bull from all angles. And generate far larger wound cavities on body shots than a solid bullet (which enables the animal to hemorrhage quicker from accelerated blood loss). It's still far too early to tell if I'm going to exclusively begin preferring the Barnes TSX for hippopotamus on land. I've only used them on two hippopotamus bulls so far. And on both occasions, I had loaded solids (300Gr Hendershots Custom loaded Cutting Edge Bullets monolithic brass flat nosed Safari Solids) into the magazine for the last two reserve shots. But I ended up not needing them at all, since the first shot (the 300Gr Barnes TSX factory load) did the number exquisitely.

So far, I like what I'm seeing.

 

[TOBY458]

Is there a 300 grain solid in 375 with similar external ballistic trajectory as 300 grain swift a frame?
Just to have some on the belt, just in case needed.

I was able to get Barnes TSX, Swift AF and CEB solids to group together. I could use them interchangeably without issue if needed. I shot an Elephant with the CEB solids and penetration was incredible. Complete pass through on a side brain shot.

 

[DERIAN KOEKEMOER SAFARIS]

Good evening sir, I have never seen it pass straight trough but we had it a couple times before that we found the bullet on the other side just underneath the skin, so yeah it’s possible. For me that is perfect penetration breaking both or at least one shoulder.

Just a small question, can a pass through or exit wound be expected with 375 swift a frame 300 grains, on broad side shot?

 

[TOBY458]

Just a small question, can a pass through or exit wound be expected with 375 swift a frame 300 grains, on broad side shot?

All of the broadside buffalo I've shot with TSX or AF have penetrated to the opposite side and found just under the skin.

 

[Nyati]

Buff on my avatar was shot with a .375HH, 300gr. TBBC. One shot.

You don´t need more caliber.

 

[Safari Dave]

My PH told be that he had never seen an expanding bullet that completely penetrated a buffalo on a broadside shot and he had never seen a solid that didn't fail to penetrate.


He was quite fond of Hornady DG ammo. I have also found it to be accurate, deadly, and it seems to be consistent with DGX and DGS in the same grouping, at least in my rifles.

For one rifle, I'd go with your .375 H&H.

If two, I would take a .416 and a .300 Magnum.


I've taken 4 rifles to Africa:

.300 Win Mag - 6 PG
.375 H&H - 2 PG
.416 Rigby - 1 buffalo, 4 PG
.470 NE - could never get close enough to make an ethical shot

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Good comments all. Many of you are more experienced than me. I appreciate the input. As of today, my plan for the hunt is this. I am taking the 375HH. For DG I plan to hunt with the mag loaded with 300g Woodleigh Hydros with one of either the 300g A-frame or the 300g Barnes X bullets in the chamber for the first shot. This will come down to which ever load shoots closest to the Woodleighs. I am still working on testing that. For the larger PG hunting I will use the same rifle loaded with the Barnes X ammo. I am confident out to about 300y with it but hope to limit my shooting distances to inside 250y. For smaller PG I plan to take a 308 but am also still working on that angle as time permits. I found the 308 did not shoot very will with some 180g ammo and am backing up to test other options. It is also quite accurate and can be relied upon easily to 300y with the right ammo. While the 308 is much smaller it is also much lighter and the felt recoil of the light weight 308 is not that much less than the larger 375.

I have hunted with the 375 here in NA using 250g trophy bonded bear claw ammo and it performed well. I do not plan to take any of the lighter bullets with me to SA since it is way too easy to mix them up once they our out of the boxes.

 

[375er]

Good comments all. Many of you are more experienced than me. I appreciate the input. As of today, my plan for the hunt is this. I am taking the 375HH. For DG I plan to hunt with the mag loaded with 300g Woodleigh Hydros with one of either the 300g A-frame or the 300g Barnes X bullets in the chamber for the first shot. This will come down to which ever load shoots closest to the Woodleighs. I am still working on testing that. For the larger PG hunting I will use the same rifle loaded with the Barnes X ammo. I am confident out to about 300y with it but hope to limit my shooting distances to inside 250y. For smaller PG I plan to take a 308 but am also still working on that angle as time permits. I found the 308 did not shoot very will with some 180g ammo and am backing up to test other options. It is also quite accurate and can be relied upon easily to 300y with the right ammo. While the 308 is much smaller it is also much lighter and the felt recoil of the light weight 308 is not that much less than the larger 375.

I have hunted with the 375 here in NA using 250g trophy bonded bear claw ammo and it performed well. I do not plan to take any of the lighter bullets with me to SA since it is way too easy to mix them up once they our out of the boxes.

If your .375 is accurate it will do well on the smaller game too. Shoot what you have confidence in!!!

 

[WyoBull]

In my 375 H&H using a 300 gr TSX with the load I shoot the bullet drop is as follows with a 100 yard zero:

50 yards- 0 inches
100 yards - 0 inches
150 yards - 2 inches
200 yards - 5 inches
250 yards - 11 inches
300 yards - 20 inches

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Our repeat Hungarian client took his elephant today on his 60th birthday! His son should take his ele the day after tomorrow. Before this hunt is over this M-70 being used by 3 hunters should account for 3 ele- 3 crocs- maybe 3 hippo & maybe a few hyena. I have no idea how many animals this M-70/swarovski/ Trophy bonded have accounted for.

No their will be no pictures posted by us
and if you think no pictures it didn’t happen, no comment.

Lon