Interested in .375

[Giterboosted]

Hello all, I'm super interested in the .375 caliber, I'm aware that you can convert some other rifles to this with a rebarreling, what models is this an option with?
Has anyone ran across an h&r handi rifle barrel?

 

[browningguy]

An H&R Handy rifle in .375 H&H or .375 Ruger would be unshootable for all practical purposes. It may be the smallest of the big bores but it's still a big bore with a big bite.

You really need a Mauser magnum action for the H&H, although many Mausers in just a regular long action have been built in the H&H round. It takes some machining at the front of the action to get the round to fit but has seemingly worked well for almost 100 years. But most manufacturers including CZ, Ruger, Savage, Winchester and Remington have chambered the .375 H&H at various times.One of the CZ's would be my pick for current guns, but the Ruger Number 1 Tropical would be fun also.

 

[Giterboosted]

The only thing that concerned me about those is the price point, I don't mind reloading the caliber but buying the gun itself in one of the higher end brand names is a little pricey

 

[SHR970]

375 what? You can range from the 375 Winchester (midway between 30-30 and 45-70) up to the 378 Weatherby.

You can do a 375 Chatfield-Taylor which is a 300 WM necked up or 375 Ruger;these will fit into a standard bolt action, or you can go with 375 H&H, Ackley - Improved, Weatherby, RUM, or one of several other wildcat variations that require a long/magnum action.

What are you looking for and how much punishment are you willing to take? The 375 RUM and 378 Weatherbys can be quite a handful.

 

[oldpapps]

I have found my .375 H&H Mag to be a lot of fun. Just pull out one round with a 300 grain full patched bullet and watch the eyes pop out.

Mine is a Ruger Number 1. The last time a went anyplace to deer hunt was with this Ruger, I was loaded with 285 grain case lead bullets. Think broom handle in and broom handle out. Missouri white tails.

The round is one heavy/potent beast. (Calm down boys, there are many beast rounds.) Before you plunk down your bucks, do some calculations of free recoil with your weapon of choice and think about setting down to sight it in.

When younger (and dumber) I fired many beasts and thought it was fun. Now I'm older (and slower of wit, just ask my daughter) and have trouble justifying many of my weapons. Where is the money better spent? What hunting need does this weapon fill?

Also, don't think that you will just stop by that gas station just out side of town and have a great choice of loadings. With today's on-line ordering, components will be more or less available, but you are gona have to put them together.

 

[Giterboosted]

As I said, I don't mind reloading so ammunition isn't a huge ordeal, but I'd like something with some serious recoil as this is mainly just for a bit of old caliber fun, so I'm thinking 375 h&h, but I have no clue what to look for in a reasonably priced weapon

 

[oldpapps]

Giterboosted,
Can't help you with current prices or availabilities. Keep your eyes open. Depending upon your area, try gun shows and on-line listings.
The .375 H&H is a lot of fun.

 

[SaxonPig]

I have two 375s. A BRNO 602 in 375 H&H and a Cogswell & Harrison double in 375 Nitro Express. The NR is a medium powered number and is fun to shoot but you have to form brass from 405 Winchester cases and it sucks. I have heard that the 303 Enfields were rebarreled to this caliber for hunting in Asia during the colonial period.

 

[SHR970]

CZ550

Here's a start

 

[Jimro]

Any standard magnum action will handle the 375 Ruger. I'd look for a used Savage 110 and start there. With a Savage if the bolt face isn't the right diameter just swap it out when you swap barrels.

That is probably the cheapest way to go if you can do the work yourself. If not, then a CZ 550 is the next cheapest way to go.

Have fun, when I was looking for a "Safari" round I ended up choosing a 9.3x62, and I'm still tempted to get something in the 3/8's bore.

Jimro

 

[Hizzie]

The Howa 1500 with Hogue stock is the cheapest bolt action rifle chambered in 375 Ruger that I am aware of. http://legacysports.com/products/howa_375ruger.html The Zastava M98/Interarms Mark X/Whitworth/Charles Daly/Remmy 798's (.375 H&H) are available used on gunbroker and gunsamerica. CZ550's show up used all the time in big bore calibers. The Savage 116 seems pretty affordable too.

 

[Giterboosted]

What's the general consensus on a Thompson Center encore setup?

 

[atomchaser]

What's the general consensus on a Thompson Center encore setup?

It will loosen your teeth filing with a full power load. Look around for a used gun that was designed around the round. I have a 375 Sako Kodiak and I would want it any lighter (around 9 lbs with the scope installed).

 

[SHR970]

atomchaser nailed it pretty good.


To perform initial sight in my RUM (Rem 700 Alaskan Wilderness Rifle) I loaded 225 gr. bullets at starting level; a bit over 3000 fps. In an 8 1/4 pound w/ scope rifle the recoil is STOUT. That load churns up a bit more energy than a full throttle H&H 235 gr. load since the velocity is over 150 fps. more then the H&H can give but they are in a similar ball park. The 300 gr. loads are real attention getters.

If you wish to do this with a TC, make sure you have a good and generous recoil pad on the stock or you will have a sore shoulder PDQ. If you've ever fired factory 300 gr. fodder out of a 45-70 Marlin just remember that you will be adding over 600 fps. to that weight in a gun that weighs less.

 

[dubbleA]

I rock a Sako M75 stainless in the old 375 H&H and it tips the scales at just over 10 lbs with it's Zeiss scope. Recoil is very manageable and it's a goto rifle of mine and has faced some nasty environments.

 

[bad375]

Love my Ruger #1 in 375H&H, recoil to me compares to a single barrel 12 gauge

 

[Craigman]

just picked up a .375 HH in Winchester Model 70 (1969 push feed) It has a pretty heavy barrel and the gun is probably around 9lbs with open sights and no scope. I paid $425 so there are some budget ones out there.

I also saw a used Savage stainless/syn at the same shop for $495 about a year ago. That would give you some recoil!

I see Ruger African and Alaskan in .375Ruger quite often. New for around $6-700

 

[GooseGestapo]

I got a used Ruger Hawkeye "African" for $500.
You could also get a used Interarms MkX in 7mmMag, .300WinMag. or .338Mag or a Remington M700 or Win Mod-70 is such calibers, as they will already have the "Magnum" Bolt Face, and have it rechambered for the .375Ruger. Rebarreling will run you ~200.00-$300.00 or more depending on who does the work and how good a barrel you get. (do get a good one as the .375's can be tack-drivers w/good barrels).
Recoil from the Ruger is there, but not as bad as you'd expect, and accuracy is outstanding. (but, I have shortened the stock to fit ME, and installed a Pachmayer "Declerator" Old English 1" pad, which is better than the original "soft" Ruger 1/2" pad.

Like others have said, the recoil is on the order of a 12ga with Express/High velocity slugs. An H&R in .375 would kick about like a 10ga version of such. A LOT!

 

[Robert]

My next rifle will be a Winchester M70 in 375H&H. It is really tough to beat the new M70 Safari Express.

 

[wombat13]

375 what? You can range from the 375 Winchester (midway between 30-30 and 45-70) up to the 378 Weatherby.

You can do a 375 Chatfield-Taylor which is a 300 WM necked up or 375 Ruger;these will fit into a standard bolt action, or you can go with 375 H&H, Ackley - Improved, Weatherby, RUM, or one of several other wildcat variations that require a long/magnum action.

What are you looking for and how much punishment are you willing to take? The 375 RUM and 378 Weatherbys can be quite a handful.

I thought the .375 Chatfield Taylor was a .338 win mag necked up. I would like to have a .375 CT built - about the ballistic twin of the .375 H&H with less powder and recoil.

 

[SHR970]

wombat, you are correct. 338 WM appears in Ackley #1 and 300 WM in Ackley #2. In Ackley #2 they list the CT as the 375 / 338 C-T (375 Belted Newton). In Ackley #1 they also list a 375 Durham Mag.; a 338 necked up with a 35 degree shoulder.

So many choices it's hard to keep track of them without a program.