I blame all of you...

[spike.t]

Soon enough I hope.
Perhaps 15.

now dont forget to come visit this time even if its just for a beer

 

[BRICKBURN]

I was out hunting yesterday in a blizzard to help a buddy fill his deer tag on the only day he could get out to do it. Not good to start your hunting season three days before the end. Somehow, the critters seem to be a little better educated at this time in the season.

Anyway, on to the related part of the story. I had promised myself that I would only take the 375 out hunting this season, no matter what. When you open the Gun Safe and you see those trusted, "tried and true" rifles you just have to fight the urge to grab one and take it along.
The little niggling doubt when I knew the shots were likely going to be longer and I knew the other rifles and and felt more confident with them. I forced myself to live up to the promise.

It turned out well. Thankfully.
From a sitting position I managed a 265 yard shot on a wounded running deer.
Not a perfect shot by any means but, it did it's job.
I can safely say that a 375 is a good back up rifle on deer!


I LOVE the Set trigger.
You can not yank the Set trigger. You just can't.

Glad I made myself use it.
The CZ has not quite made it all the way into the "tried and true" category in the safe but damn is it close.

 

[Velo Dog]

BRICKBURN,

Good shooting old chap.

I'm one of the many who vote for the .375 H&H (is there any other .375 ?) as the greatest hunting cartridge ever dreamed up.

Yours truly has taken both deer and caribou (not to mention Africa PG) with the .375.

I've tried all 3 of the original, classic bullet weights - 235 gr, 270 gr and 300 gr on deer and caribou, with perfect results.

Likewise, I have shot the heads of many a ptarmigan and spruce grouse with it, which as you know either variety can be very dangerous when wounded so, the .375 is a real comfort out on the tundra and/or in the grouse woods.

Great minds think alike,
Velo Dog.

 

[colorado]

Congrats

 

[Ardent]

I am simple minded with regards to the .375 H&H, and use H4895 for all loads now, though I've used RL15, H4350, and a couple others. I load the 300gr TSX over 65grs of H4895, seated to the top groove, and it's worked from -35 to +40 for me from bolts and a double with no issues in any of them (the double hasn't seen the cold extreme, but just shot it and that load today in -20). It's a boring load and by no means rings the maximum from the old girl, but it kills everything I shoot and is kind mannered, also accurate. I also use the same powder charge under the 300gr interlock and the 300gr interbond, depending what I'm hunting. One bullet weight is nice as there are no sighting adjustments, when my kids are older and I have time to tinker I'll experiment again, for now this just plain works.

 

[Ardent]

BRICKBURN,

Good shooting old chap.

I'm one of the many who vote for the .375 H&H (is there any other .375 ?) as the greatest hunting cartridge ever dreamed up.

...

Likewise, I have shot the heads of many a ptarmigan and spruce grouse with it, which as you know either variety can be very dangerous when wounded so, the .375 is a real comfort out on the tundra and/or in the grouse woods.

Great minds think alike,
Velo Dog.

I'm glad someone else here notes the danger ptarmigan and spruce grouse can pose. I'd like to take a moment to share an old family spruce grouse recipe as well,

-Heat oven to 375
-Oil a cast iron pan with olive oil
-Place a flat, smooth rock (creek rock ideal) in the pan and oil it too. The rock needs to be slightly smaller than the split breast of the spruce grouse.
-Lay a couple sprigs of Rosemary on the rock, then the split spruce grouse breast.
-Cook for 25 minutes, and after letting stand 5 minutes, eat the rock.

 

[DOC-404]

And then some lunatic from Namibia (DOC!) suggested this recipe:

..oi, only just seen this, guess I'll be meeting you at the airport matey..

 

[BRICKBURN]

..oi, only just seen this, guess I'll be meeting you at the airport matey..

Glad you finally saw the post. I was wondering why I did not get a reaction earlier my friend. You must have been out in the bush.
It's actually a very good suggestion and if I could get the powder readily I would have given it a whirl.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I'm glad someone else here notes the danger ptarmigan and spruce grouse can pose. I'd like to take a moment to share an old family spruce grouse recipe as well,

-Heat oven to 375
-Oil a cast iron pan with olive oil
-Place a flat, smooth rock (creek rock ideal) in the pan and oil it too. The rock needs to be slightly smaller than the split breast of the spruce grouse.
-Lay a couple sprigs of Rosemary on the rock, then the split spruce grouse breast.
-Cook for 25 minutes, and after letting stand 5 minutes, eat the rock.

You need some better spices for your birds.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I am simple minded with regards to the .375 H&H, and use H4895 for all loads now, ...............

When I find one that works I stop and use it.

If I get bored and have a bunch of time to fiddle I may try some other powders to see what they do.

 

[Ardent]

You need some better spices for your birds.

Likely indeed, just never acquired the Spruce Grouse tastebud, Ruffed I'll take all I can get. Spruce are the more beautiful bird, and the less pleasing on the plate. This said, when very hungry in a very remote place, they taste wonderful.

Hope you don't mind a slight digression... My strangest hunting shot was on a Spruce Grouse. Looking for early supper, I took aim at a Spruce Grouse sitting in the scrub in front of me, maybe fifteen yards. I shot, the bird did a little flinch, and stayed put. I cursed quietly, aimed and fired again; same result. Then I noticed slightly upslope and behind the bird, a wing jutting up from the scrub and flexing slowly, maybe forty yards or a bit less. I walked right past and flushed the lucky bird that I missed twice at spitting range, and found a dead grouse downrange. I then looked at my iron sights, the old style with the jack for elevation, and it had been rammed all the way forward in the travels. The tale of the luckiest, and most unfortunate Spruce Grouse I've encountered.

 

[BRICKBURN]

NBD. Good story of fortunes whim.

Hilarious!

 

[BRICKBURN]

In my never ending quest to find reloading material I decided to go direct. I was off on a trip and decided while I was in the state of Utah I might as well see the source.
If the factory did not have anything then I give up.

So, Barnes does four ten hour shifts per week and Friday appears to be repair day (1/2 day) and nothing much was happening. This was the closest I could come to a tour.
Oh well, another time.

I requested my favourites and out they came. I only took four boxes from them. I had to leave some behind for the next guy.
I bought Cabela's out of them (two boxes).

There was no powder at any local stores. I missed a couple of pounds by a few hours.





Back home it was time to go out and practice. Now that I had some Bullets to replace what I shot.


250 gr TTSX at 100 yards. 45 Seconds Five shots and I yanked one down.

I went to a gun show and grabbed some solids.
Hornady 300 grain DGS.

Then it was time try the solids to see what they would do.

Sadly, I have to explain which bull I was aiming for. ( I was aiming of for the large bulls eye.)
Perhaps if I were Pheasant shooting and this was a pellet spread I would be happy.
Can you call this a group?

I guess these are only good for being very "up close and personal". I'll see what they do at 30 to 50 yards another day.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

The solids group, no bueno. North Fork FPS my friend.

 

[shuter]

Brick, did you ever get around to chronographing the 71.5/H4895/250 gr TTSX load?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Brick, did you ever get around to chronographing the 71.5/H4895/250 gr TTSX load?

I have not borrowed the tool yet. One of these days.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The solids group, no bueno. North Fork FPS my friend.

I may try and reload some Woodleighs. There is a local source finally.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Starting to work on packing.

20 Cartridges come in at 752 Grams. 37.6 Grams per. Comes out to 132 will meet the Airline weight limit. I think 100 will do the trick.


(why that damned iPhone won't focus)

 

[8x68]

In my never ending quest to find reloading material I decided to go direct. I was off on a trip and decided while I was in the state of Utah I might as well see the source.
If the factory did not have anything then I give up.

So, Barnes does four ten hour shifts per week and Friday appears to be repair day (1/2 day) and nothing much was happening. This was the closest I could come to a tour.
Oh well, another time.

View attachment 40411


I requested my favourites and out they came. I only took four boxes from them. I had to leave some behind for the next guy.
I bought Cabela's out of them (two boxes).

There was no powder at any local stores. I missed a couple of pounds by a few hours.





Back home it was time to go out and practice. Now that I had some Bullets to replace what I shot.


250 gr TTSX at 100 yards. 45 Seconds Five shots and I yanked one down.

View attachment 40412





I went to a gun show and grabbed some solids.
Hornady 300 grain DGS.

Then it was time try the solids to see what they would do.

Sadly, I have to explain which bull I was aiming for. ( I was aiming of for the large bulls eye.)
Perhaps if I were Pheasant shooting and this was a pellet spread I would be happy.
Can you call this a group?

I guess these are only good for being very "up close and personal". I'll see what they do at 30 to 50 yards another day.


View attachment 40413

I guess you could call it a group if no one liked each other....
I had excellent accuracy with 300gr Hornady solids in my BRNO 602 in 375 H&H

 

[BRICKBURN]

I guess you could call it a group if no one liked each other....
I had excellent accuracy with 300gr Hornady solids in my BRNO 602 in 375 H&H

Each rifle likes different ammo. It never surprises me anymore. It works or it does not.