.300 H&H (magnum) Forgotten caliber?

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Kylima

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Recently I saw an article about the .300 H&H magnum ammo that has been introduced by the H&H company in 1925 as "the super thirty".
The parentt case is the .375 H&H and the advantages are legion. Superior over the 30.06 over long range and it is bread and butter with the reloaders (which I am). The fact that the case provides ample space for experiments with loads and different types of bullets(weights) makes it an excellent allround caliber - imho and a fine Afrcan plains caliber for everything outside the 4 big's.
I am very well aware that this is not a popular caliber, but I am somehow a bit addicted to ancient British stuff. As shooting is not only a leisure but also a pleasure. If it means to have a rifle with the two options of long range target shooting and being an efficient hunting tool too, I gladly savcrifice a bit of cash for a custom job.
Brass is sufficient available. It drives a 180 gr with 2920 ft/sec
Pmax is 62,000 psi
The cartridge feeds well and the only disadvantage is the price of the brass.

Any suggestions according to handloading?
 
Not forgotten so much as surpassed. It requires a magnum length action to do the same job that is done today in a short action. I must say however the shorter rounds have a hard time living up to the 300 H7H's reputation fro accuracy. It ruled the roost at Camp Perry for many years prior to WWII.
 
I have long wanted a 300 H&H. Not sure why, I think maybe I just like saying 300 H&H.

I recently decided it was time and I am in the process of acquiring an older Ruger #1A in 30-06. The #1 is a favorite of mine. I will have the rifle rechambered to 300 H&H. I know that Ruger recently introduced this caliber but it's the Medium Sporter with a 26" barrel and I prefer the shorter Light Sporter model.

Last week I picked up a set of RCBS dies on ebay for $20 and a Leupold VX-1 3x9x40 scope on GunBroker for $162.50. All I need is for the rifle to arrive so i can send it off to the smith.

I agree the old H&H design has been surpassed by newer cartridges but there is something elegant about that long, tapering case.
 
The .300 H&H is the first "magnum" I ever shot. As a kid, a friend's Dad owned one and we got it out one day clandestinley to shoot one round each. I remember I was rather concerned that my shoulder or eye socket was going to be crushed, but the other boys were daring me to go first (as boys will do) so I anchored the big rifle and zero'd in on a big oak tree that was a distant 20 yds behind the house. I nervously pulled the trigger, the gun went boom, and there I stood, unhurt. It kicked less than the 3" 12 ga shells I had already been introduced to for hunting turkeys and deer. It turned out to be a good experience as I have never been afraid of magnum rifles since. I guess if things had gone bad, I'd be shooting .243s now instead of real rifles;-) I've not shot an H&H since, but yeah, one of those Ruger #1s would sure be nice as I have a special place in my heart for the old 300 due to the story above.
 
I'm the odd man out actually owning a rifle in this fine cartridge. About 8 years ago I was looking for another bolt action rifle for big game. In one of the gunshops I frequented the owner was selling his Remington 700 Classic in .300 H&H Mag. I thought it would be a neat cartridge to own so I purchased the rifle.

This really is a great cartridge. Brass is not easy to get but not hard either, I have about 800 cases that I ordered when brass was cheap. The cartridge is underloaded in most loading manuals. The difference in case capacity between the H&H and a Win Mag is less then 2 gr in favor of the Win .300. Whatever the Win .300 Mag can do so too can the H&H.

Brass also seems to last forever. I have cases I've fired twice and none need trimming yet. One other thing became apparent to me after spending some time with this rifle. It doesn't seem to kick as bad as the other magnums I've owned. The H&H shooting a 180 gr bullet kicks less then a 7mm Rem Mag shooting a 150 gr bullet. I sold my 7mm Mag because of this and the fact that it just wasn't as versatile as the .30 Mag.

Also noticed the H&H is capable of decent accuracy. My rifle routinely shoots under 3/4" with a sporter barrel. It really does well with bullets of 200 gr or better.

The only reason I can think of that the H&H has fallen from favor is the length. It is very long. I included a picture of some of the cartridges I load. The .300 is the left most cartridge and dwarfs the 7mm Mag 3 to the left.
DSC_0734.jpg
 
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personally, i love the 300 H&H. i think it is an awsome cartridge. it is the sleekest cartridge ever invented. while it may not be the most potent, it is certainly very capable. i have wanted one since i first shot my dad's when i was 10. unfortunatly, when i went to buy a rifle, there were no rifles being chambered in it. one of these days, i will find a used one, and buy it. but having two small kids, there is way to much money going elsewhere right now. my brother has my dad's rifle, as dad passed away in 1985. i do a little hand loading for it, mostly because of the price of the shells. but my brother is not much of a shooter, so i maybe make a box of ammo a year. i keep telling him we need to spend a little time at the range, and find a load the gun really likes (sub moa), but getting him to do this is like pulling teeth from a tiger shark in the middle of the ocean. anyway, if i had a load that was sub moa, i would certainly share it with you. right now, i load his @ 68 grains of imr 4831 with 180 grain bullets. they hit within a 3" circle with him shooting off the hood of his truck, and for him, this is good enough. i would love to try to coax all the accuracy i could out of that gun, but he just does not seem interested.
 
@ Joed
I absolutely agree with you - I find here on THR at last a number of decent experienced people.

@ X Wrench

This is the very reason that I consider to bring a Holland & Holland .300 magnum on the (EU) market.
Barrels of very best quality are no obstacle, neither are the actions. I just look for a medium sized facility to put the rifle together. Maybe Priegl in Germany.
Pricewise it will be in the range of the Sauer 202

Thanks all for your positive replies.

Edit: It is the caselength & capacity that makes the recoil so sweet. It is one of the advatages of the H&H; at the same time it makes your brass last longer.
 
I would love to add a 300H&H to my rifle collection. Too bad I didn't buy one years ago when they were more readily available. Instead, I bought a 300 WM. A 300H&H rifle would definitely make a nice baby brother to my 416 Rigby.
 
For loads my H&H has always liked IMR4350. For the 180 gr I use 64.5 gr and Winchester LRM primer with a Sierra or Nosler bullet. For the 200 gr bullets I use 66.5 gr of H4831sc and same primer. The rifle also likes 165 gr bullets and a load of 66.5 gr of IMR 4350. It will shoot all of these into groups under 3/4" at 100 yards. I know this cartridge can be loaded hotter then what I'm shooting but I see no reason to push it. When I bought it the gunsmith told me it was a great cartridge and brass lasts forever as long as you don't go nuts with the loads.

It has been a good companion to the .25-06 sharing the same powders. I've found what works in one works just as well in the other.

I haven't tried any other bullet weights in it but I have no doubt it will shoot any .30 cal bullet accurately.

When I bought the rifle I wanted something in a larger caliber then my .25-06. The clerk was telling me all the various rifles they had, when he named the .300 H&H I said stop. The cartridge always intrigued me and I had no plans on letting it go.

I don't shoot it much, hasn't been fired in 5 years now. It's just there should I decide to hunt large game.
 
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788Ham, that 4th cartridge is a 7mm Rem Mag. I had always wanted one and bought a Win 70 Sporter chambered for it. Unfortunately I sold it and kept the Classic in .300 H&H. The model 70 was a beautiful rifle but the Classic was just more versatile.
 
Not Forgotten....

I have a custom rifle chambered in .300 H&H Magnum sitting in the rsc.
Ammunition cost is prohibitive (@$4.75 a round!) , but I can reload them.....after I buy all the components; or just shoot some factory loads and save the brass ;) .
If I ever get around to taking it out to the range, I will let you all know how it performs :scrutiny: .
 
Since this thread came back I'll post a photo of my 300 H&H. Earlier I discussed plans to convert an '06 #1, well, it wasn't cost effective so I just bought a new one.


standard.jpg
 
The .300 H&H is not a picky cartridge. I bought mine because it shares powders with the .25-06. I've found it likes bullet weights from 165 gr to 200 gr with no preference as to which is best.

Brass lasts forever as long as you don't go nuts with with heavy loads. The cartridge is capable of doing anything the .300 Win Mag does and surpasses it with heavier bullets.

The only issue I've found is brass isn't plentiful.
 
As good or better than 300 Win mag, and does not punish the shooter nearly as bad. Imo recoil is equal to or less than 30-06 in the same weights.
 
Don't hold me to it, but I almost think that .264 Winmag brass can be reworked to make .300 H&H. I have a friend in Pakistan who found a H&H Mannlicher Schonauer takedown, an absolutely phenomenal rifle, and had me help figure out what he'd need to get it up and shooting a few years ago.
 
Just my opinion, but unless you get the 26" barrel, your losing a good bit of what makes it superior to 30-06. :) Shorter than that just makes it louder than 30-06.
 
Vaarok said:
Don't hold me to it, but I almost think that .264 Winmag brass can be reworked to make .300 H&H.
Click to expand...

Doubtful. 300 H&H brass is a good deal longer than 264 WM brass. (2.85 inches vs. 2.5 inches.) Good luck stretching the brass a third of a inch.

You might be able to cobble up something that would headspace off the belt and go bang, but I wouldn't recommend it.
 
NEVER FORGOTTEN! at least by anyone who shot one at a young age. my father had a win 70 chambered for it. i think i was 12 when i was so very fortunate enough to touch that ol gal off. my brother has her now, and i reload for it. unfortunatly, my brothers intrest lies only in shooting 2 or 3 cartridges a year through her. 2 years ago, i asked about her, and he said it was in the closet. fine, not everyone has or needs a safe. when he drug her out though, it made me almost sick. he had put her away dirty, somewhere between 4 and 6 years ago! i experssed my discust, to me, it is a family heirloom. and asked for his cleaning equipment. i guess he felt pretty guilty, as he just handed it over without saying a word. fortunatly, there was no massive amounts of visable rust anywhere. the bore was quite dirty as you can imagine, so if there was rust in there, i could not tell it. i got her cleaned up, and discovered another problem, that took me 2 years of hounding him to (and at this point, i am taking his word) fix. the trigger pull was about 10 pounds, and felt like it was 2 concrete surfaces grinding across each other. i did get to shoot the ol gal, but i can not say it was as fond as my memory. the reloads, are a guestimate. i picked something that i felt would be safe, but that would perform much better than the now thirty + year old remington and winchester factory loads that he hoards in his closet. i have no hopes of getting the rifle, it will go to his son. and that is fine. i will do my best to instill into him, what a prize he will be getting. and if forever what reason, he feels he needs money, to come and see me first. i would love to shoot several hundred rounds through her, and go over it with a fine tooth comb. it would be wonderful to see what she is truly capable of with finely tuned handloads. i am only afarid that will not happen any time soon.
 
If you can't find 300 H&H brass you can make it from 7 mm STW,8 mm Rem mag,340 Weatherby,375 H&H or 416 Remington mag brass.
 
I had no trouble finding brass. Hornady was a little pricey and there was another brand (Win or Rem I forget) that was much cheaper.
 
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