.375 H&H MAGNUM
I don’t think that there is any need to go into the history of this fine cartridge. Let’s just say that it is in it’s 90th year and going as strong as ever. The gentleman at Holland & Holland that designed this cartridge did the hunting community a great service. It has long been favored as the perfect caliber for a "one gun" safari, and if there was an award for the most versatile, all around caliber for African hunting, the .375 H&H would win hands down. While it is not considered a charge stopper, it has killed more dangerous game than most other heavy caliber weapons combined. It may be considered marginal for Cape buffalo in the thick bush found in most African hunting areas today, however when using the Barnes X bullet and Super Solids, it reliably kills buffalo each time it is used. Keep in mind that it is still the minimum caliber allowed for the hunting of dangerous game in most African countries.
I have developed a load that pushes the 270 gr X. L. C. and coated solid bullets to a velocity of 2850 fps. This load generates 4871 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle, and produces excellent accuracy. My personal rifle, a Winchester M70 stainless, will consistently put three rounds in less than an inch. The list of animals I have taken with this load is extensive, from a five ton bull elephant in Zimbabwe, to a 15 pound Grimm’s duiker in Burkina Faso. If I am limited to bringing just one rifle on safari, I choose the .375 H&H. The trajectory is flat enough to allow shots out to 300 yards with a 150 yard zero. My clients have found it to be extremely useful for buffalo, lion, leopard and the largest Plains Game. Every animal pictured on the Burkina Roan Safaris page was taken with the .375 H&H using the 270 gr X. L. C. load. The Cape buffalo and sable pictured on the Zengela Safaris page were taken by Jerry Castoral using the same load.
The charts below compare the .375 H&H with the .338 Winchester Magnum. You will note that the trajectories are almost identical out to 400 yards, however that is where the similarities end. The .375 has 670 additional ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle, and still retains an energy edge of 444 ft. lbs. at 400 yards.
If you do not already own a .338 Win. or .375 H&H , and are considering a rifle for African hunting, or even for Elk or the big Bears, keep these numbers in mind when making your decision.
.375 H&H Magnum 270 gr. X. L. C.
|
0 |
100 |
200 |
300 |
400 |
|
|
velocity |
2850 |
2675 |
2506 |
2345 |
2190 |
|
energy |
4871 |
4289 |
3765 |
3295 |
2874 |
|
trajectory |
-1.5 |
+ .69" |
- 1.99" |
- 10.20" |
- 24.75" |
.338 Winchester Magnum 225 gr. X. L. C.
|
0 |
100 |
200 |
300 |
400 |
|
|
velocity |
2900 |
2715 |
2538 |
2368 |
2205 |
|
energy |
4201 |
3683 |
3217 |
2801 |
2430 |
|
trajectory |
- 1.5" |
+ .65" |
- 1.91" |
- 9.89" |
- 24.07" |
.458 LOTT
Noted gun writer Jack Lott created the .458 Lott cartridge as an answer to the anemic ballistics of the standard factory loaded .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition. In fact, he started development on the .458 Lott after being tossed by a Cape buffalo while on safari in Mozambique with Wally Johnson. Jack realized that the major error that Winchester made when developing this cartridge was to use the standard length case, instead of the full length 375 H&H case. He decided that using a full length case would solve the powder compression and incomplete ignition problems that were plaguing the .458 Win Mag, and allow for a true 2150 fps with a 500 grain bullet.
Ruger has now teamed with Hornady to legitimize the .458 Lott making the caliber available in the excellent Ruger M77 Express rifle. While the .458 Lott is no longer head and shoulders above the .458 Win Mag, it is capable of higher velocities, especially with the 500 grain bullet. With the availability of the new double based propellants, and the 450 gr Barnes X and Super Solid, the .458 Winchester Magnum has finally reached its potential, however the Lott will drive the 500 grain bullet a full 200 feet per second faster than the Win Mag. As shown in the chart below, it will drive the 500 grain bullet to the same velocity as the 450 grain bullet in the Win Mag yielding 500 foot pounds of additional energy. I load the .458 Lott for quite a few full time Professional Hunters who stake their lives, and the lives of their clients, upon their rifle/cartridge choice. Please visit my other web site:
www.africanhuntingadventures.com
for information regarding the safaris offered by these fine outfitters and Professional Hunters.
The 458 Winchester Magnum has always been a great stopping round, when the right bullet/load combination was utilized, the .458 Lott is just more of a good thing. A .458 diameter bullet has 10% greater frontal area, as compared to a .416, and transmits greater shock on impact. This combined with the greater bullet weight, makes it a better choice for close range work on dangerous game.
.458 Winchester Magnum - 450 grain Barnes X Bullet
|
0 |
50 |
100 |
150 |
200 |
250 |
|
2300 fps |
2216 fps |
2131 fps |
2051 fps |
1971 fps |
1895 fps |
|
5373 ft-lbs |
4909 ft-lbs |
4550 ft-lbs |
4213 ft-lbs |
3996 ft-lbs |
3598 ft-lbs |
|
-1.5" |
+ 0.14" |
0.0" |
-2.05" |
- 6.17" |
- 12.52" |
.458 LOTT - 500 grain Barnes X Bullet
|
0 |
50 |
100 |
150 |
200 |
250 |
|
2300 fps |
2221 fps |
2143 fps |
2067 fps |
1993 fps |
1921 fps |
|
5873 ft-lbs |
5475 ft-lbs |
5099 ft-lbs |
4745 ft-lbs |
4411 ft-lbs |
4097 ft-lbs |
|
-1.5" |
+ 0.13" |
0.0" |
-2.02" |
- 6.08" |
- 12.32 |
Loaded with the proper bullets at the correct velocity, the .458 Winchester Magnum is just as useful as a general, all purpose heavy rifle, as is the .416 Remington Magnum.
The trajectories are comparable out to 250 yards, which should be considered the maximum practical range for calibers of this size.
The .458 Winchester Magnum has the distinct advantage of over 10% greater bullet diameter, which translates into much greater stopping power for large and dangerous game.
The 450 grain load has greater kinetic energy out to 200 yards, and has just 58 lbs less at 250 yards.
The 500 grain load has 257 ft-lbs greater energy at the muzzle, and is still ahead by 83 ft-lbs at 250 yards.
.458 Winchester Magnum vs .416 Remington Magnum|
Muzzle |
100 yards |
150 yards |
200 yards |
250 yards |
|
|
458 Win Mag 450 gr. |
2300 fps - 5373 ft-lbs |
2131 fps - 4550 ft-lbs |
2051 fps - 4213 ft-lbs |
1971 fps - 3996 ft-lbs |
1895 fps - 3598 ft-lbs |
|
416 Rem Mag 400 gr. |
2400 fps - 5116 ft-lbs |
2245 fps - 4487 ft-lbs |
2171 fps - 4196 ft-lbs |
2096 fps - 3918 ft-lbs |
2025 fps - 3656 ft-lbs |
|
Trajectory .458 / .416 |
-1.5" / -1.5" |
+1.37" / +1.2" |
0/0 |
-3.43" / -3.1" |
-9.1" / -8.0" |
|
Muzzle |
100 yards |
150 yards |
200 yards |
250 yards |
|
|
458 Win Mag 500 gr. |
2200 fps - 5373 ft-lbs |
2048 fps - 4663 ft-lbs |
1975 fps - 4336 ft-lbs |
1902 fps - 4028 ft-lbs |
1833 fps - 3739 ft-lbs |
|
416 Rem Mag 400 gr. |
2400 fps - 5116 ft-lbs |
2245 fps - 4487 ft-lbs |
2171 fps - 4196 ft-lbs |
2096 fps - 3918 ft-lbs |
2025 fps - 3656 ft-lbs |
|
Trajectory .458 / .416 |
-1.5" / -1.5" |
+1.5" / +1.2" |
0/0 |
-3.7" / -3.1" |
-9.9" / -8.0" |
Loaded with the proper bullets at the correct velocity, the .458 Winchester Magnum is just as useful as a general, all purpose heavy rifle, as is the .416 Remington Magnum.
The trajectories are comparable out to 250 yards, which should be considered the maximum practical range for calibers of this size.
The .458 Winchester Magnum has the distinct advantage of over 10% greater bullet diameter, which translates into much greater stopping power for large and dangerous game.
The 450 grain load has greater kinetic energy out to 200 yards, and has just 58 lbs less at 250 yards.
The 500 grain load has 257 ft-lbs greater energy at the muzzle, and is still ahead by 83 ft-lbs at 250 yards.