If you had both a 375 and a 416

[Tanks]

... But I can't imagine not bringing the double - after years of perfecting accuracy in my rifles, and expectations of accuracy from myself and equipment, choosing the double for the sure and fast second shot but giving up that accuracy feels strange. Any thoughts on the dilemma?

If you can put shots on the double in a 4" group at 50 yards the double is accurate enough. You most likely will not be shooting an elephant any further than that, probably 15-20 yards.

 

[Bill DeHaan]

S'dutch - Allow me to apply what I have learned from hanging around our knowledgeable associates at AH, and this forum thread. Based on the weapons and their accoutrements you outlined from your personal Battery, the suggestion I'd offer is easy. You clearly need to buy another rifle!

 

[WAB]

Gentlemen, I too have a problem and can relate to the OP! First I purchased a 375 Rug Ruger Alaskan. I have taken two buffalo with it and will be bringing it on my AK brown bear/Moose hunt this September (the stainless and Hogue stock are prefect for the AK weather). Now I find a 416Rug Ruger African, with pretty wood and a 450-400NE Merkel 140 in my safe. The 375 and 416, being scoped rifles are very accurate, the 450-400 with an RMR is minute of buffalo at 50. Now I am planning an elephant and plains game hunt, find myself struggling to figure out my two rifle battery. I need to decide a light rifle between custom 270wsm, 6.5prc or 300win (all of which are fine and probably doesn't matter) and the three heavies for a two rifle battery! But I can't imagine not bringing the double - after years of perfecting accuracy in my rifles, and expectations of accuracy from myself and equipment, choosing the double for the sure and fast second shot but giving up that accuracy feels strange. Any thoughts on the dilemma?

Take the .375 and the double.

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Have both a .375 and a .416 (Chatfield-Taylor; same 2,450 fps as the Rem & Rigby, using 15 & 25 gr. less powder!) 'Gave the .375 to my Son and he's put it to good use on all sized African game. In addition to that 400 gr Swift A-Frame, you'll need solids (for backup on Buff, all shots on Elephant, Hippo, Rhino.) I've found the Barnes banded solid to shoot very similarly to the Swift. They do say the .375 will perform similarly (to the .416) on big game using 350 gr bullets. The .375 is a do-everything gun in Africa (and a pleasure to shoot), whereas the .416 is getting to be special purpose (i.e. Big 5.) Sure, you can use it on plains game (not a bad idea for big Eland, Giraffe), but a bit overkill and range-limited (and you'll have to re-sight it if using lighter bullets-NOT recommended for DG.) Always go heavy-for-caliber for big game and you won't be disappointed! Afterall, the .375 is just the beginning of the big bore continuum...I still have that .375, only now I have to ask my Son if I can borrow it. I prefer to have 1 "heavy" rifle and 1 "light" rifle on-hand, when in Africa (but there are plenty that have a light, heavy and heavy double on-hand; in this vein you could use the .375 & Double.)

 

[superdutch]

If you can put shots on the double in a 4" group at 50 yards the double is accurate enough. You most likely will not be shooting an elephant any further than that, probably 15-20 yards.

Tanks, I still have a little work to tighten up the groups with the double before the hunt, but still in the world of accuracy 4" at 50 is an entire different expectation to strive for!

CW and WAB, I always enjoyed a light and a heavy - usually a 270wsm and a 338 or 375. It is just more comfortable carrying a light flat shooting rifle when that is all you need. But I suppose the 375 is the new light rifle!

 

[Tanks]

Tanks, I still have a little work to tighten up the groups with the double before the hunt, but still in the world of accuracy 4" at 50 is an entire different expectation to strive for!

CW and WAB, I always enjoyed a light and a heavy - usually a 270wsm and a 338 or 375. It is just more comfortable carrying a light flat shooting rifle when that is all you need. But I suppose the 375 is the new light rifle!

I was talking the 4" at 50 yard accuracy from off-hand or sticks not the bench, practical shooting accuracy needed for elephant. On my upcoming hunt I have the .375 H&H with Barnes 300 grain TSX as my "light" rifle and my .458 wildcat as my heavy rifle.

 

[superdutch]

I was talking the 4" at 50 yard accuracy from off-hand or sticks not the bench, practical shooting accuracy needed for elephant. On my upcoming hunt I have the .375 H&H with Barnes 300 grain TSX as my "light" rifle and my .458 wildcat as my heavy rifle.

Agreed, I only shoot the guns over 375 off the sticks!

 

[Bill DeHaan]

Done deal and Thanks guyz!

 

[MLindsay]

Agreed, I only shoot the guns over 375 off the sticks!

Sighted in my 500 A2 with a new scope yesterday. Replaced a 2.5 leupold with a 1.65x5 Nikon Slug Hunter. It is built on a 602 action synthetic stock with a pachmayr f990 pad and a brake on it. Crazy accurate with 570 Barnes. I shoot it off the bench with a small piece of closed cell foam between shoulder and pad.

 

[Goose Cracker]

ufg’ -
What have you decided to do? Or do you need further “help”?!

I've followed the thread with interest but haven't heard anything that would dissuade me from the original thought process. I picked up my new Kimber Caprivi 416 RM yesterday (thanks @Philip Glass) and it's already disassembled. The stock is headed to Edwards to have their excellent recoil reducers installed and the bolt is off to Custom Jewel Shop for a full treatment. When the stock and bolt are back and the rifle is reassembled it will wear the VX6 1-6x24 as originally planned. My custom CZ 375 (cerakote, three position safety, Timney trigger, jeweled bolt, Aramid stock) will wear the Trijicon 2.5-12.5x42. The bolt throw on the CZ is such that I can use the same mounts with the 42mm Trijicon as I originally used with the VX6.

I think I've decided to stick with 300 grain bullets in the 375 and 400 grainers in the 416. I think it's unlikely I'll take both rifle on the same trip, and if I was only going to take one for a mixed bag up to and including buffalo I'd select the 375. The 416 will be used in a two gun battery.

 

[CBH Australia]

stick to the plan. i think you had it right at the start but its good to see what others think.

 

[Philip Glass]

I've followed the thread with interest but haven't heard anything that would dissuade me from the original thought process. I picked up my new Kimber Caprivi 416 RM yesterday (thanks @Philip Glass) and it's already disassembled. The stock is headed to Edwards to have their excellent recoil reducers installed and the bolt is off to Custom Jewel Shop for a full treatment. When the stock and bolt are back and the rifle is reassembled it will wear the VX6 1-6x24 as originally planned. My custom CZ 375 (cerakote, three position safety, Timney trigger, jeweled bolt, Aramid stock) will wear the Trijicon 2.5-12.5x42. The bolt throw on the CZ is such that I can use the same mounts with the 42mm Trijicon as I originally used with the VX6.

I think I've decided to stick with 300 grain bullets in the 375 and 400 grainers in the 416. I think it's unlikely I'll take both rifle on the same trip, and if I was only going to take one for a mixed bag up to and including buffalo I'd select the 375. The 416 will be used in a two gun battery.

Wow can’t wait to see how it turns out! Edwards is the best recoil reducer.
Hope we can go on safari together soon!

 

[Longrifle]

Agree on putting that scope on the 416. I have the identical scope and put it on my Rigby 416 Big Game. I'm a big fan of RMR sights and the VX6HD 1-6X24 red dot scope works just like a Trijicon RMR when set at 1. The Rigby will be my primary buffalo rifle. My 375 H&H is a double and it has the RMR sight, so that's my two rifle battery for my trip in July 2021 with buffalo, roan and golden wildebeest on my list.
Absolutely agree on the 400 gr Federal Swift A-frames for the 416, though I also love the Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and that's the bullet I submitted to Leupold for my CDS dial on the scope. Not a lot of difference in the ballistic data between the TBBC and Swift A-frame, so I will probably use both. I use the same ammo in 300 gr. in the 375.

Who are you hunting with in July 2021 if you don't mind my asking? I will be hunting RSA July 2021.

 

[chashardy]

Who are you hunting with in July 2021 if you don't mind my asking? I will be hunting RSA July 2021.

Quagga Safaris in Limpopo. My third hunt with them. Great people with about 25,000 acres on 4 tracts to hunt.

 

[Longrifle]

Quagga Safaris in Limpopo. My third hunt with them. Great people with about 25,000 acres on 4 tracts to hunt.

I will be with J.P. Kleinhans in the Eastern Cape. Taking my .375 H&H and .300 H&H for PG. In 2022 it is Buffalo with the Dakota in .416 Rigby. I have a two sight set up for that, a Trijicon 1-6x Accupoint and an RMR.

 

[chashardy]

Great! Good hunting!

 

[Professor Mawla]

By all forms of logic , the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum can easily secure any Cape buffalo under the circumstances in which a client hunter pulls the trigger . This especially applies in modern times , with the advent of modern semi soft nosed premium bullets ( such as the 300 grain Rhino Shank ) . It also is a little bit more versatile than the .416 Remington Magnum , in that you can get by with using the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum also on the lesser game species .

That said , I would personally opt for the .416 Remington Magnum . Keep things more exciting . Besides , it is not AS SPECIALIZED as many believe . With appropriate choice of ammunition , it is also ALMOST as versatile as the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum .

 

[gizmo]

So months ago you worthless jerks didn't talk me out of purchasing a 416 so of course I'm weak-willed and I have one on the way. A Kimber Caprivi 416 Rem Mag to be precise. Let's not re-litigate the veracity of a Rem Mag vs a Rigby vs a Ruger...

But if you have both a 375 and a 416, would it change how they are set up? My 416 will be my buff rifle at this point.

Currently have a VX6HD 1-6x24 on the 375 zeroed at 100 but thinking I'll replace that with a 2.5-12.5x42 Trijicon and put the 1-6x24 on the 416. May even drop down from 300 grainers in the 375 to 260/270 grainers and zero it out a bit longer.

I'm definitely going heavy on the 416: 400 grain A-Frames is what I'm thinking.

Thoughts?

So just my 2c. I have both. My 375 is set up with a 2-7 on it so I can reach out a bit farther with a little extra magnification. My son actually deer hunts with it as he loves the rifle. My 416 has a 1-4 on it but I’ve contemplated putting a eotech for faster target acquisition. That being said my double is open sights and I’m thinking of having a rail built to put a reflex sight on it.

 

[BeeMaa]

By all forms of logic , the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum can easily secure any Cape buffalo under the circumstances in which a client hunter pulls the trigger . This especially applies in modern times , with the advent of modern semi soft nosed premium bullets ( such as the 300 grain Rhino Shank ) . It also is a little bit more versatile than the .416 Remington Magnum , in that you can get by with using the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum also on the lesser game species .

That said , I would personally opt for the .416 Remington Magnum . Keep things more exciting . Besides , it is not AS SPECIALIZED as many believe . With appropriate choice of ammunition , it is also ALMOST as versatile as the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum .

If you want to use the 416RM for smaller PG...
Might I suggest taking along some solids.
Two smaller holes should be no problem for the taxidermist.
Just make sure they shoot to the same POI and you are good.

 

[Professor Mawla]

If you want to use the 416RM for smaller PG...
Might I suggest taking along some solids.
Two smaller holes should be no problem for the taxidermist.
Just make sure they shoot to the same POI and you are good.

@BeeMaa
Oh yes , definitely . I frequently use Hornady 500 grain DGS ( Dangerous Game Solid ) factory loads ( or at least , I used to ; before last month’s mishap with that rogue Asiatic elephant bull ) in my .458 Winchester Magnum for hunting our small East Bengal barking stags .

Unless of course , when I hunt them during beats . You need a 12 bore shotgun and LG shells , for that .