338 win mag vs 375 h&h

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I would throw a 30 cal in there for big body deer but yeah.
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Yeah, I agree, but for me the "perfect hunting rifle battery" is pretty much impossible to limit to four chamberings anyway, and I'm a fan of having mostly "common" calibers in there, with the ol' .375 H&H being a near-universal DGR chambering. Ruger's .375 has grown in popularity in that niche, but it hasn't yet outpaced the H&H in the places where DGRs are actually being used in the field: Alaska & Africa - which again raises the specter of ammo-availability.

Midway USA came up with a set of rifles raffled off a while back called "The nearly perfect Rifle Battery".
It was a set of model 70 Super Grades in the following cartridges
22-250
.270 win
.300 win mag
.375 HH
If you add a 22LR to that you are set for anything. You can hunt the big 5 in Africa with the .375 HH and 350 gr pills.
The .300 win mag for moose/Brown bear etc.
The .270 for deer /antelope
And a 22-250 for varmints or smallish - small/medium game.
And 22LR for really small game.
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The problem with that list is the 300mag and .375 H&H give way too much overlap. First, the .375 can be loaded with all manner of lighter bullets sent fast with less pressure (I've played around reloading 200gn-225gn bullets in my .375 BRNO 602 with great, flat-shooting accuracy). Second, a .30-06, with the right powders, can be loaded pretty close to lower .300 mag velocities anyway. If more power is needed on game, I'd just grab the .375.

So for me the Big 5 chamberings (if including rimfire) would be:

22l.r.;

223/5.56 (heavily invested in rifles, ammo, reloading equipment & components - brass, bullets, powder);

30.06 (again same: heavily invested in it) - although the .308 would be a legit 30-cal substitute if hunting is restricted to the lower 48;

.375H&H (Alaska & Africa);

404 Jeffrey (Africa - admittedly not as "common" as the .458WM, but it's the most classic and 'nostalgic' of the 40-cal African magnums, and it's what I have already ;) ).

Or, if the .22-rimfire is excluded and only centerfire calibers make the list, then those are the Big 4.
 
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The problem with that list is the 300mag and .375 H&H give way too much overlap. First, the .375 can be loaded with all manner of lighter bullets sent fast with less pressure (I've played around reloading 200gn-225gn bullets in my .375 BRNO 602 with great, flat-shooting accuracy). Second, a .30-06, with the right powders, can be loaded pretty close to lower .300 mag velocities anyway. If more power is needed on game, I'd just grab the .375.
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I am a .300 win mag fan. I have 3 of them. it is a very versitile cartridge and it does have some overlap, but I promise you cannot load a .30-06 anywhere close to what I load my .300wm loads to. My elk load is a 200 gr nosler accubond at 2950 w/24" barrel. My F-Class load is a 225 gr Hornady ELD-M at 2990 fps from a 28" barrel. That is up there with the .338 Lapua magnum for a 225 gr bullet.

You can't compare a Weak .300wm to a strong '06, for apples to apples I use factory ammo comparisons, even though I don't use factory ammo, because I can "juice up" anything.

But, because I already have .300wm's, I do not have an HH...For my big game thumper i have the 460 weatherby....If that gun wont kill it, I shouldn't be trying to hunt it.
 
I really can't agree with the list at all.
.223.
.270
300 short magnum
.416 Remington.

22-250 is for dedicated prairie dog shooters, the .223 will serve 90% or more people much better.

I generally see the '06, .270, and many other as being nearly identical in function for most purposes. I would choose the dead ..280, a 7mm-06 or 30-06. Again, excellent function for the great majority of hunters. The short magnum might be better.

.338 to go after anything that exists in any non African continent.

I would choose a .416 because many, if not all, countries won't permit any bore smaller than that for elephant. If I had choice of a rimfire to complete this set it would be a 17 or a 22 magnum.

We haven't put any limits on this, right? It's just a list of dreams. We will own other pieces.
 
To be on topic: 375 H&H all day. (Cause that's what I got ;))

A far as an all inclusive list of calibers:

The 300 WSM can cover everything from 308 to 338 Mag easily. That's why I favor the 375 over the 338 Mag. I shoot 200 grain Barnes LRX in my 300 WSM and would feel good taking Black Bear, Moose, Elk and similar without reservation.

Bigger than that? 375 H&H or 450 Marlin.
 
Here's how I solved the 4 rifle Question:

22LR:
4980M10-22_2.jpg



270WCF:
270_WinM70_012210_5.jpg



9.3x62:
9_3x62_Mauser_042608_1.jpg



458WM:
RemM798_458_061215_1.jpg
 
Along asimiliar line, I was worjing for four year in Everr, Wa, thought I upgradr my rifle to include a 7mmMAg, for possibl elk usage, never happed. So, us inafter MI whitetail, I use a differnt powder to give 7X57Mauser velocity, with out overkill.SO, I suggest the .375H&H, for should be .375 is more common.
Hope this helps.
 
If I thought I had need for a .375 H&H Mag, I'd go with a .416 Rem Mag.

I'd rather had a .338 Win Mag than a .338 Win Mag due to sectional density of .338 caliber bullets.

The .35 Whelen is a good cartridge, but the .338 Win Mag is better. Again, it's about sectional density.

I'd rather have a .338 Win Mag than any .300 magnum.

I'd rather have a 7MM Rem Mag than any .300 magnum.

If I had to go into thick stuff after a wounded and very dangerous brown bear, I'd want a .45/70 Gov't Guide Gun firing 400+ grain cast bullets.
 
I prefer the .375 myself. If I was hunting something with the .338 and I had to wonder if it was "enough" I would not stop at the .375 though. If the .338 is not "enough" I'm going into the .40 African cartridges of some type or another.

Then again the only thing I can think of where the .375 would be questionable, in my opinion, is elephant and I have no desire to hunt elephant.
 
One rifle for deer and brown bear will not be perfect for both. If you must use one for both then I say carry enough power for the bear and don't worry about having too much for the deer.

There are only two land animals that hunt, kill and eat humans. Bear are one of them. I don't hunt but if I did I'm thinking a 458 or 460 for brown bear.
 
I've shot both and most everything around that size. Mostly killed in the midbores with my 338wm. My 338wm is in a custom based on a New Haven, SS, Classic action. For hunting I shoot nothing but 250 grn AFrames with around 70 grns of H4831sc. Good to 500 yards and pretty much eat up to the hole.

A lot of counsel here, a lot of it emotional - which is okay. The bottom line is the 338wm, 375 ruger, 375h&h, 9.3x62, and a number of other midbores will all do about the same thing. What matters is how you shoot it. In this case the fit of the stock to your body type is more important than the cartridge.

My 338wm is a soft shooter, whether it is the 26 inch barrel or the Macmillan Hunter stock, or the 1" decelerator pad it is a mellow cat to shoot. I routinely shoot 40 - 50 rounds off a bench to stay tight. My 9.3x62 is about the same. The 375's I have shot are about the same.

As far as ballistics by far the biggest influence is your ability to shoot. I cannot honestly say that either a 375 or a 338 or a fast 300 is superior. I like the 338 better but that is my bias from killing an ark load of animals with it.

From my experience I have not seen any 375 that shoots in the same class as my 338 for accuracy but part of that is $4500 dollar package(with glass included) and a couple of thousand rounds down the barrel.

Buy a good quality rifle in 338wm or 375h&H, put a very good piece of glass on it - think Swaro, Nightforce, US Optics, Leica range. Keep the magnification UNDER 10 power. Settle on one bullet weight and shoot it a lot.

When you can call the letter on a popcan at 100 yards go kill stuff and have fun.

For rifles I like: the new Model 70 Classic ( or any of the older Model 70CRF's), the Ruger Hawkeye, Kimber, Montana Rifle Company, NULA - or an old FN Browning in 338wm (just make sure its a pre 67 or so). If you can find a BRNO 602 that is also a particularly fine rifle. I just passed on a minty one in 375h&h and am regretting it right now.

Honestly, be more worried about how the rifle fits you, high quality hunting bullets, and practice than caliber or cartridge.
 
I sold all my mag big game rifles two years ago. I had 9 magnums, sold them
because of bad back and not going to be able to cut big game terrain any more.
The only one I regret selling was Sako 375H&H that I bought back in 60s. It
ended up being my favorite rifle. I even got loading it with light bullets for deer.
Biggest animal I shot with it was a Moose and it plum kilt it hands down. I had
M70 pre 64 338mg. it wasn't bad but wasn't as accurate as the 375 H&H. I had
several other 375H&H rifles and they all shot well. The 375H&H can bail a
300gr bullet with the same trajectory as a 150gr in a 30/06, that's impressive.
If I had to pick it would be 375H&H hands down.
 
4 gun battery is easy and can be many combinations. With what I have now, 243, 6.5x55, 30-06 and I guess throw in a 22 mag. I'm never gonna hunt dangerious game in Africa and not in North America either. For the sake of discussion, Were I to hunt big bears or bad bears, Alaskan Brown or inland Grizzly, I have every faith my 30-06 with a 200gr bullet will do the job as well as anything, maybe better as I would likely shoot it better. My elk rifle is now my 30-06 with 180gr spire points. all the deer and antelope would be easily handled with my 6.5x55 and varmint's and predator's easy with the 243. I haven't hunted small game much in recent years but am sure my 32 Long handgun could handle it with 93gr cast bullet's. But I'd throw in the 22mag or even 22 LR to make 4. So what do I really have? 22 LR I seldom ever shoot, 22 mag I seldom ever shoot, 2-243's, 25-06, 6.5x55, 6.5x06, 2-308's and a 30-06. It would be easy to swap out the 25-06 for the 6.5x55 and I could swap out the 30-06 with the 6.5x06, it's taken two elk with two shots! Then again I could drop everything but the 243 and 30-06 or 6.5x06 and be in good shape.

Somehow I simply can't imagine putting up with more recoil than necessary, to old for that! I'll never hunt Africa and if I did, my 30-06 would handle everything I might want to hunt! Either that or my 6.5x06. Actually my 6.5x55 could also replace my 30-06 but I have one, 30-06 and a beautiful custom so I'll finally use it! Had it since 1995 and this year is the first time I ever took it hunting, one elk down!

What I don't believe make's a good for everything cartridge if you include elk and everything smaller is simply one cartridge. It's my opinion that the jack of all trade's does not exist. But I am absolutely confident I could kill everything up to an elk, make it moose with a 22 LR given my choice of shot! Foolish thing to do just to prove a point!
 
I have a Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker in .375 H&H with a Leupold VX-1 3-9. Total weight is about 7.5lbs. It's my go to for everything.

I've shot alot of .300 Win Mags and .338 Win Mags and to me the recoil of the .375 H&H to be much more pleasurable to shoot. To me it feels like a light weight .30-06 and I enjoy shooting it. Sure there are much bigger but do you really want to experience the recoil of a .460 Wby Mag? I wont again. I once paid $10 to shoot a .460 Wbu Mag Mk V twice...after the 1st shot I turned around to the guy behind me and told him he could have my other shot.

Many professional hunters in Alaska and Africa say if they could only have one gun to hunt anything on the planet they would choose a .375 H&H. To me you can't beat a cartridge that's been around for over a hundred years and bullet technology has come very far since it's introduction so it's even better than it used to be.

Heres a quote from Hodgon's reloading manual..."Some say the 375 H&H magnum is our all time greatest big game cartridge. Others say it is neither fish nor fowl, too big for deer, and too little for the really big stuff. But one indisputable fact remains: The 375 H&H will drop a deer with less meat damage than a 270 and has probably accounted for more dangerous game up to the size of Cape Buffalo and Elephant than any other large caliber cartridge".

Either way which ever one you choose I don't think you could go wrong. At least you'd know you brought enough gun for the job. Just in case though I carry a Smith and Wesson 629 4" .44mag Mountian Gun with some 305gr hard cast gas checked bear loads in a Diamond D Leather Guide's Choice Chest Holster.
 
"Recoil - the 375 H&H has higher recoil energy , but lower recoil velocity than the 333WM. High recoil velocity gives a punch rather than a push ! That explains the recoil difference."

Bingo.

In my experience, rifles chambered for the .338 Mag. are about 1 to 1.5 pounds lighter than their .375 counterparts.

I've fired several rifles chambered in either cartridge, and the .338s were always more unpleasant, being a LOT more punchy than pushy.
 
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