375 h&h vs 444 marlin

[Atracksler]

Trying to decide between a 444 marlin and a ruger no1 in 375 h&h.

Looking basically for a big boomstick for moose in maine, and having fun at the range.

App irate any insight anyone has on these calibers and these guns. I'm not a huge fan of big recoil. My main guns are 308 win and 20 ga.

Thanks in advance, ad

 

[firesky101]

Both of these will recoil considerably more than your .308, but they are not shoulder separating either. I do not know what kind of hunting there is in Maine, but if shots over 150yds I would go .375. I love the .444, but it will shed velocity and thus power pretty quickly. Inside of 150 I doubt Mr. Moose will ever know the difference.

 

[C-grunt]

Like what was stated above the 375 H&H will have significantly more range.

 

[bubba15301]

get a 45/70 are you going to handload or shoot factory ammo? look at the difference in the cost between the 2 calibers

 

[R.W.Dale]

get a 45/70 are you going to handload or shoot factory ammo? look at the difference in the cost between the 2 calibers

If handloads are in the cards 444 has it all over both 375 and 45/70 due to being able to employ cheap cheap cast revolver bullets


When did ruger offer a 444 no1?






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[Alaska444]

Trying to decide between a 444 marlin and a ruger no1 in 375 h&h.

Looking basically for a big boomstick for moose in maine, and having fun at the range.

App irate any insight anyone has on these calibers and these guns. I'm not a huge fan of big recoil. My main guns are 308 win and 20 ga.

Thanks in advance, ad

Wow, my kind of thread for sure. The .444 Marlin is a great gun and by far my favorite rifle. Never had or shot a .375 but it will have longer range and higher muzzle energies. I find the recoil on mine very manageable but I added weight and great recoil pads. My .444 weighs about 9.5 lbs and has a Limbsaver pad covered by a Kick Killer leather pad for protection. I believe the recoil feels like my 20 ga, but others say it is more than that. I guess recoil is subjective.


It is a capable bear stopper, but the .375 magnum is in a class of its own. I can't contest that no matter how much I like my .444 Marlin. You won't go wrong with either. Good luck. You may want to shoot both to compare. Obviously the .375 is going to have more power and more shells available but I feel well protected with my Buffalo Bore 335 gr at 2025 fps. Hornady has some great rounds as well for the .444.

 

[jmr40]

I'm not a huge fan of big recoil.

Your 308 will generate around 15-18 ft lbs of recoil depending on the individual load and the weight of the gun.

A 444 with mild loads is going to be generate 25-26 ft lbs of recoil and with some of the hotter loads 30-32 ft lbs. This is much more than typical 300 magnum recoil.

The 375 will have over 45 ft lbs of recoil. About the same as the hottest 45-70 loads. If I'm getting that much recoil anyway I'll be carrying the far more effective 375 over a 45-70.

But your 308 will kill moose just as dead, without a lot of recoil. You certainly don't need a 375, although it is clearly the most powerful of your options. If you just want another gun I'd go with a 444 or 45-70 and keep the loads light. But honstly either would be a step down from what you already have.

I'd buy some good quality 165 or 180 gr loads with some of the premium bullets such as the Barnes TTSX, Nosler Accubond or Partition, Hornady GMX, etc and go kill a moose. That ammo is expensive, but cheaper and more effective than a new gun. It is not needed for general hunting, so a box for moose hunting would last many years.

 

[RPRNY]

There are very few circumstances in which you will have a moose shot at over 100 yds in ME and beyond 150 yds is difficult to envision. Your .308 with 180 gr bullets will work.

But that's no fun! Get the Ruger No 1 in 375 H&H. Moose is the biggest game going in the Northeast and if it provides the opportunity to buy a very cool Safari gun, go for it! The moose won't mind if it's "more than you needed" and you will enjoy the rifle.

 

[IkenI]

Never hunted Moose but in my younger days I did lot's of Black Timber Elk hunting and took quite a few. I used both those cartridges, as well as several lessor ones. My all time favorite was a real lightweight .358 Win Savage 99, but close behind that was a .375 H&H. It was in a classic styled bolt but I wouldn't hesitate to use the No. 1. I used Marlins in .444 and .45-70 but they were way down the list on my favorites. All will work.

 

[Dave1965]

I have a 375 Whitworth safari rifle. I got it because of the name. I can't imagine any thing living at the end of being hit by that. I don't hunt an rarely shoot the rifle because the kick is like a mule. Need a padded jacket to lessen it.

 

[mdauben]

My all time favorite was a real lightweight .358 Win Savage 99,

A Browning BLR in .358 Win is one of my dream guns. IMO the .358 deserves to be much more popular than it is, its a wonderfully flexible, medium-range cartridge suitable for any NA big game.

 

[Atracksler]

ahh a lot to chew on....

the 358 win looks interesting!

My 308 is a BLR, which I like a lot.

 

[CraigC]

A good .444Marlin would be my choice over the .375. If you get one of the later 1-20" twist models, they can be loaded right up to a Beartooth 405gr and that is serious medicine for any critter. Comparable to a 450gr .45-70 load only a couple hundred feet per second faster. Although for moose, I'd probably go with a good hard cast 300-320gr LBT.

 

[Kyle M.]

But that's no fun! Get the Ruger No 1 in 375 H&H. Moose is the biggest game going in the Northeast and if it provides the opportunity to buy a very cool Safari gun, go for it! The moose won't mind if it's "more than you needed" and you will enjoy the rifle.

I second this I love my .375 H&H No.1, also I ordered a H&R buffalo classic .45-70 yesterday it should be plenty of fun as well.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If handloads are in the cards 444 has it all over both 375 and 45/70 due to being able to employ cheap cheap cast revolver bullets

Welllllll . . . 44 Magnum revolver bullets are short and light for caliber when compared to rifle bullets. For hunting, I would want a heavy bullet in .444 (300 grains and up) -- and some .444s have too slow a twist to shoot heavy bullets.

The .375 has it all over the .444 as an earlier poster said.

 

[CraigC]

Due to the added velocity, even the slow twist guns will stabilize a 330gr. Which is plenty for the task at hand. If the quarry were elephant or rhino it might be a little different. The 270gr Gold Dot makes for an excellent deer/elk bullet.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Welllllll . . . 44 Magnum revolver bullets are short and light for caliber when compared to rifle bullets. For hunting, I would want a heavy bullet in .444 (300 grains and up) -- and some .444s have too slow a twist to shoot heavy bullets.

The .375 has it all over the .444 as an earlier poster said.

Over a case full of trail boss they'll kill paper just fine. And the heavy jacketed partition will still be strong moose medicine

I've gotten to the point I wont own a caliber I can't have a couple thousand projectiles on stand by for target shooting for




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[Cosmoline]

Other than the differences already discussed, the major difference is that the .444 is a lot cheaper to feed. It runs fine with cast bullets you make yourself and the brass lasts a long time. The .375 H&H factory ammo costs a small fortune these days and the bullets also tend to be pricey. You can also easily download the .444, while the .375 H&H tends to have its tracks and run on them.

Few people shoot all day with the .375 H&H. They come in, sight in, and that's it. But you can certainly load up the .444 with TB and cast rounds and shoot for a long session. So how much you plan on shooting it is a major factor.

 

[Atracksler]

Well I know im waaaay over thinking this whole thing. What, realistically, if anything would I get in either a 444 or 375 that I am not getting in the 308 (this is the Scot in me -- I'm not cheap, I'm thrifty).

Also how does the recoil compare to a 12ga?

 

[Flatbush Harry]

A few of points to consider on the .375 H&H:

1. You can comfortably download them with Sierra 220 gr flat point bullets using SR 4759. These reduced loads, which are good deer hunting and plinking loads, are shown separately in the Sierra V ed. loading manual.

2. starting loads are frequently listed among the most accurate from the .375. Specifically, IMR 4064 and RL15 are two that I recall from the Nosler manual. I particularly like the Nosler 260gr AccuBond for non-dangerous game. This bullet and a moderate load feel to me like a 12g a. pump action shotgun and lighter than said shotgun shooting slugs.

3. shooting any heavy recoiling rifle such as the .444 Marin or the .375 H&H require good technique to handle the recoil and avoid developing a flinch. As an NRA Certified Rifle Instructor, I recommend all shooters, particularly those with limited experience, take a basic rifle course and develop good technique through the use of lighter recoiling calibers first.

4. I find a well-stocked bolt action rifle more comfortable to shoot than a traditional lever action rifle. I also find the Ruger No. 1 to be both accurate and manageable; it might be a goood alternative to a bolt action for some. (My No. 1 in 6.5x55 SE, loaded with 140gr Nosler A/Bs over VV N550, is one of my two favorite go-to rifle for most of my hunting. With a second round held between a couple of fingers on my left hand, I can get a follow-up shot pretty quickly if required).

Good luck and happy shooting,

FH

 

[xXxplosive]

Hunted Maine with the .444 Marlin for years.....my rifle is 36 yrs. old and in great shape....most shooting is in dense connifer forrests and heavy timber up close and personal....my gun has put down many a Bear and deer...... and no problem on a Moose either......excellent woods / forrest gun and caliber.

 

[natman]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot the biggest moose that ever walked with a 444.

A 444 kicks considerably less than a 375 H&H of similar weight.

 

[Alaska444]

I can't believe I am not sticking up for my .444 Marlin, but as much as I love this great rifle, the .375 H&H magnum is in a completely different class. I don't own a .375 and likely never will, but it not only has more power, it has more range and more flexibility. Despite all of the wonderful defense of the .444 Marlin which is a bit surprising compared to the usual discussions on the .444, I feel it is a bit misplaced.

 

[Water-Man]

Load your .308 with some 165gr. TSX ammo and you'll be all set.

 

[DM~]

Between those two choises, i'd grap the 375 and run!!

Then i'd handload it where ever i wanted!

DM