New Elk Rifle

[Walkalong]

We have folks around here hunt deer with .300 Win Mags and such, so a .375 should be just about perfect for Elk.

No such thing as too dead.

I would love a bigger bore rifle. A 3/8 in bore would allow a good size bullet and velocity providing plenty of power with out the sharp blast of magnums.
I am not a recoil junkie but I really dislike high pressure blast.

I hate the sharp reports of things like hot .32-20, high speed 125s in .357, & 7MM Mag etc as well. .30-06 as far as that goes. That is why my "big gun" is a .458 Win Mag. My deer guns are .30-30, .35 Remington, and .308, although the .458 would do the trick in a pinch. I may never shoot anything with it, I just wanted a big dog. Would love to hunt some pigs with it.

Beautiful rifle in a classic caliber.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Nice sample elkphant rifle.

Pablo,

Now that right there is AWESOME an elkphant rifle!! I'm going to use that thanks..

9.3x64 is another REALLY good one along the same line as the 375 but they never really caught on in the States probably due to it's metric name.

Yep I agree the various 9.3's are pretty awesome rounds they seem to be gaining some traction in the US market I'm see that Ruger is offering the Hawkeye African in a 9.3 now. A rifle that I dream of is a Light weight slim 9.3x74R double. Talk about a cool timber cruiser!

 

[tahoe2]

.375 H&H is for everything !

I talked to a guy at the range a couple weeks back said he uses 235 grn spitzers @ 2800 fps for Deer, Elk and Caribou,
250 grns @ 2600 for Moose and 300 grns @ 2400 for them scratchy, toothy, bears & such.
He said he even launches straight lead bullets @ 2000 fps just for fun. And that was his only hunting rifle.
I don't need anything else, he says. I said isn't that boreing? he says " A .375 H&H is anything but boreing !!" We both laughed !

 

[H&Hhunter]

All this talk got me to motivated to go to the range last night. I took my .375H&H and my .300 WM.

The old H&H did as it always does and cut a nice little sub 1.5" four shot group off the bags at 200 yards. That is with a 270 gr Barnes TSX @ 2700 FPS. I then popped a couple of holes in the paper at 500 yards just for fun.

I then did the same with my .300 WM. It shot a very nice little group at 200 as well shooting 180 gr TTSX @ just about 3,000 FPS. It's a bit flatter at 500 yards obviously but the secret is knowing where to hold for either rifle.

But the main thing I was doing was once again comparing recoil side by side. They are pretty close to the same, both obviously have some recoil but neither is violent or unmanageable.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Looks well made! Nice.

Those may not be the best pics, but the crown looks well done, and damn...are those real cross bolts through the action? (I'd love that on such a rifle...like they used to make 'em.)

I've always had my eye on the CZ/BRNO 602 in 375 H&H, I might have to consider that as well.

FWIW, I'd also consider (strongly) using solids on elk for that cartridge. Not because you'd NEED them, per say, but because solids will go straight to the vitals, no turns at all, given a less than perfect angle. Maybe I've read too much Peter H. Capstick!

I do like the 602 stock shape better...but it lacks real crossbolts..

 

[H&Hhunter]

FWIW, I'd also consider (strongly) using solids on elk for that cartridge

Sorry but it's illegal to use non expanding ammo on big game in Colorado. However any good premium bullet out of a .375 in the 250 to 300 gr range will give you reliable straight line penetration on an elk from any imaginable angle.

I am a strong advocate of the Barnes TSX for that job. Another Awesome straight line penetrator is a Speer 285 gr Grand Slam. Heavy bullet, good construction, relatively low velocity, good SD = reliable straight line penetration.

I've found that the TSX in 270 or 300 gr loadings out of a .375H&H will generally give length wise penetration on a cape buffalo bull. So an elk is light duty for this round in the penetration department.

 

[Kachok]

The terminal ballistics of a big game solid are not idealy tuned for elk sized game, though I would think they would cause sufficient trauma to harvest the animal, you might find the blood trail much longer then you hoped. Solids penatrate very deep, sometimes in excess of 5 feet! That is excessive for an elk and the majority of the bullet's energy will be expended out the far side of the animal. If I were to use a solid I would avoid round nose solids all together, they generate the lease trauma, I would look for a bullet with a very large meplet (flat nose on a bullet) this would apply a greater amount of the bullet's energy to the animal as it passes through, but remember no solid will ever cause the kind of damage as a good 270gr SP will.
I tend to agree that the TSX is a fantastic bullet for larger game, they have a loyal following and are well known to out penetrate any cup and core bullet of the same weight. Grand slams used to be top shelf stuff but they dumbed them down several years ago and they are no longer a partitioned bullet, I have not used them since the change so I cannot vouch for them now. Of course the remaining partioned bullets are fantastic, the Nolser Partition and the Swift A-Frame are as good as lead and guilding metal get IMHO

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Quote:

FWIW, I'd also consider (strongly) using solids on elk for that cartridge

Sorry but it's illegal to use non expanding ammo on big game in Colorado. However any good premium bullet out of a .375 in the 250 to 300 gr range will give you reliable straight line penetration on an elk from any imaginable angle.

I am a strong advocate of the Barnes TSX for that job. Another Awesome straight line penetrator is a Speer 285 gr Grand Slam. Heavy bullet, good construction, relatively low velocity, good SD = reliable straight line penetration.

I've found that the TSX in 270 or 300 gr loadings out of a .375H&H will generally give length wise penetration on a cape buffalo bull. So an elk is light duty for this round in the penetration department.

I believe every word H&H. Leave me my reloading fantasy though! (inspired by P. H. Capstick, 'Safari The last adventure'. 9780312696573, Chapter 7 'A Solid Suggestion' pages 108-121. He makes a good case.)

 

[H&Hhunter]

Ok so if you want the most devastating straight line penetrating solid available go with the flat nosed Barnes BBS 300 gr solid or a North fork 300 gr solid.

They often will penetrate a frontal brain shot on an elephant and exit or be found in the hind quarters on skinning. You can't do much better than that.

 

[PabloJ]

We have folks around here hunt deer with .300 Win Mags and such, so a .375 should be just about perfect for Elk.

No such thing as too dead.


I hate the sharp reports of things like hot .32-20, high speed 125s in .357, & 7MM Mag etc as well. .30-06 as far as that goes. That is why my "big gun" is a .458 Win Mag. My deer guns are .30-30, .35 Remington, and .308, although the .458 would do the trick in a pinch. I may never shoot anything with it, I just wanted a big dog. Would love to hunt some pigs with it.

Beautiful rifle in a classic caliber.

Good number of hunters use stuff into 'Nitro Express' territory on deer and hogs as practice for african safari trip.
Although .243, 6.5, 7x57 would be sufficient I'm holding onto Model 660 .350 for my hunting needs. I haven't used it in number of years getting my meat from Whole Foods Market, but I just can't bring myself into selling it. It is the only rifle I own.

 

[IndianaBoy]

I consider myself somewhat a student of rifle cartridges.

375 H&H is a fantastic performer and I plan to own one someday.

Congrats on your new rifle!

 

[Robert]

It does indeed have two steel cross bolts and two recoil lugs as well. The stock fits me like it was fitted to me. My eyes line up perfectly with the irons every time I shoulder the rifle.

 

[High plains shootist]

Great rifle,great cartridge,you paid for it so get what you want.Only one person will be happy with you purchase,you.I have a Ruger Sporter 338 win mag with a Leupold VX ll 3x9 ss scope.This is my idea of the perfct rifle for me and I love it.A Safari rifle is a beautiful thing,in many eyes around the world. Excellent choice!!