Optimal Barrel Length for .375 H&H?
- Thread starter Kestrel
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rangerruck
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no way i would fire a 375 with a 22 in bbl. i would go 26 inches, or longer if you can stand it.
rangerruck
Member
the problem isn't the powder burn, per se. the 375 cart is blessed with a long neck, and this aids greatly in helping not only to burn up the powder plug before it reaches the throat of your bbl, but the cooler brass at the end of a long neck also helps dissipate heat much better, so as not to 'cook' the throat as well. such is the major bbl/ throat life diff in the 243 as opposed to the far superior life of a rifle in 6mm remmy.
So a chamber/throat in one 22 in bbl, will be getting equal punishment in a 28 inch bbl, the 375 cart does good work in trying to save the throat in either.
So you have to ask yourself, which do you prefer, are you humping this bad boy around, will you need to use fast manuever, will this be primarily used in a stand, can I handle the extra weight, do I want the huge fire blast and recoil of the short bbl, etc.
So a chamber/throat in one 22 in bbl, will be getting equal punishment in a 28 inch bbl, the 375 cart does good work in trying to save the throat in either.
So you have to ask yourself, which do you prefer, are you humping this bad boy around, will you need to use fast manuever, will this be primarily used in a stand, can I handle the extra weight, do I want the huge fire blast and recoil of the short bbl, etc.
Tom C.
Member.
Many new .375 rifles, like the CZ-550, come with 25" barrels,
rangerruck
Member
mmm.... that cz sure sounds nice, I wonder if Savage makes one as well?
Years ago
The "standard" for magnum rifles was 26", and "standard" calibers at 22". Over time, this has generally come down a bit, and today magnums often wear 24" or even 22" tubes. One loses some of the magnum performance this way, but it makes for a handier rifle in the game fields. A 270gr bullet from a 24" Model 70 shows about 2600+fps, so out of a 22in barrel, it would be in the 2500+fps range. Every rifle is a little different, so the exact amount of velocity change depends not just on the difference in barrel length, but the details of your rifle as well. A rough rule of thumb is 35-70fps per inch, but this varies greatly.
The "standard" for magnum rifles was 26", and "standard" calibers at 22". Over time, this has generally come down a bit, and today magnums often wear 24" or even 22" tubes. One loses some of the magnum performance this way, but it makes for a handier rifle in the game fields. A 270gr bullet from a 24" Model 70 shows about 2600+fps, so out of a 22in barrel, it would be in the 2500+fps range. Every rifle is a little different, so the exact amount of velocity change depends not just on the difference in barrel length, but the details of your rifle as well. A rough rule of thumb is 35-70fps per inch, but this varies greatly.
I was trying to decide on keeping a .375 that has a 22" barrel. I also have a CZ, that has the 25.5" barrel. I just didn't know if the 22" barrel hurt velocity enough to not use it.
I also just posted a CZ .458 WM, in the "For Sale" section, only because of duplication. It has a 25.5" barrel, too. I don't know how the ballistics are affected with a caliber that large, among the barrel lengths. I was thinking a 22" barrel would be fine for that, but the issue of blast made me think (since I've never fired one with a 22" barrel).
It's funny, in the CZ, the ~25/26" barrels seem to balance and handle fine. When thinking about it, it sounds long compared to the 22", but holding it seems right.
I was just double-checking, before making some decisions.
Thanks for all the help.
I also just posted a CZ .458 WM, in the "For Sale" section, only because of duplication. It has a 25.5" barrel, too. I don't know how the ballistics are affected with a caliber that large, among the barrel lengths. I was thinking a 22" barrel would be fine for that, but the issue of blast made me think (since I've never fired one with a 22" barrel).
It's funny, in the CZ, the ~25/26" barrels seem to balance and handle fine. When thinking about it, it sounds long compared to the 22", but holding it seems right.
I was just double-checking, before making some decisions.
Thanks for all the help.
Gordon
Member
The .375 H&H gets very close to optimum velocity from a 22in barrel . I have a 700ss Brown Precision .375 with a 22" + brake and it gets 2630 fps from Rem . factory 270 grain ammo. My 27" long range version (Whitworth action) with a Lothar Walther long throat barrel only gets 2730 fps from the same load. An Older pre 64 Mod 70 got 2700fps more or less from a 25" barrel. Now if I stuff the case full(and compressed) full of Hogdon870 and seat a 300 grain bullet kinda shallow , the 27" can get 2700+fps with that 300 Sierra and THAT is a load to reckon with 
Silent Sam
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I don't know about "optimal" but most new safari rifles are around 24" +or-. That would depend on a lot of variables. The Ruger RSM is 23" btw. I think you'll see just as much variation from different barrels of the same length as you will from barrels +or- 1 or 2". Savage does make or has made a safari express rifle. I don't know if they chambered it in 375 although I would be surprised if they didn't. I have seen one in 458 winmag with a 24" barrel including a 2" long brake making a 22" barrel. I have a Ruger and chronographed it with Remington's 300gr factory load and it was spot on advertised velocity at 2550 fps. I would be a lot more concerned with accuracy than 100 fps of muzzle velocity. In the hunting field it just won't matter.
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Metapotent
Member
I don't know about that. I shot 300 grainers out of my Remington 700 chambered in .375 H&H with 24inch barrel and it was brutal. After 10 shots at the bench I felt like curling up into a fetal ball and crying. I only weigh 150 lbs too, and I had no recoil pad.
So i can only imagine what 2700fps with 300-gr bullets out of a longer barrel would feel like. I'm sure its not pleasant.
Gordon
Member
The Remington 700 SS Brown Precision wighs 7.5 pounds scoped, it has a Gentry Brake and I shoot Factory Ammo or Barnes Triple Shock at factory type velocity, the recoil is there, but not intimidating by any means.. It has shot caribou and elk, but no bears-yet! The Pre 64 Model 70 Supergrade weighs 9.5 pounds and I got it relatively cheap as it has been reamed for .375 Weatherby, but shoots .375 H&H with a hundred FPS or so loss. The "long Range" .375 is 27" long and weighs 13.5 pounds with Harris Bipod and with a 12x Leupold with stadia reticule. The heavy stainless barrel is on a Whitworth Mauser action with a 2 pound trigger. It has a thumbhole Curly Maple stock with a cross bolt and fiberglass bedding . I was gonna ream it for .375 Weatherby also, but the tight chamber and 2700fps with 300 grain Sierras with a compressed charge of H870 ( 90.5 grains cheap powder) has prove 1/2 moa accurate and has plenty of OMPH for those crazy long shots if they ever HAVE to be made. I purpose built it as I did not want to get into the .338 Lapua, but wanted a rifle in the jeep if you HAD to maybe finish something at half a mile or so. It has negligable recoil as far as I'm concerned, certainly less than the Model 70 !
BTW I also have an old Shultz and Larsen actioned Weatherby .378 that weighs about 11 pounds with a Weatherby Imperial scope but kicks to high heaven! This one hurts, even with the old Saturn Brake (which will blow your ears off!
), With 132 grains of H870 it launches the Sierra 300 grain bullet at a chronographed 3080 fps from it's 26" barrel
BTW I also have an old Shultz and Larsen actioned Weatherby .378 that weighs about 11 pounds with a Weatherby Imperial scope but kicks to high heaven! This one hurts, even with the old Saturn Brake (which will blow your ears off!
), With 132 grains of H870 it launches the Sierra 300 grain bullet at a chronographed 3080 fps from it's 26" barrel rangerruck
Member
a good average in velocity loss in a centerfire, I allways think , is to say I lose 50 to 75 fps for every inch lost, depending on how hot the round is.
MachIVshooter
Member
Though somewhat useful, that is very general and subject to variables. The velocity loss of a .308 Win. 150 gr. load going from 24" to 22" is much less significant than the loss from 18" to 16".
Each cartridge/load has an optimal length before sacrificing handling characteristics for negligeable velocity gains. Smaller critters like the .223 don't gain too much velocity going from 20" to 24", but large cartridges burning 70 or 80 grains (or more) seem to benefit considerably from the extra length of a 24" or 26" tube vs. 22". The more powder you're burning, the more tube you need. Also, the cartridges with shorter, fatter powder columns seem to make better use of available length. The .375 H&H is a long, slender case and I would suggest a 26" tube.
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