Does anyone shoot this caliber? I bought a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H this weekend and would be interested in anyones experience with this rifle and/or caliber.

my brother has one that i have shot...pretty awesome weapon

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I've owned a couple over the years, an old Model 70 Win. and another one built on a 98 Mauser action. It's a terrific cartridge, hard hitting, fairly flat and very, very effective on big critters like elk. It's been popular in my neck of the woods for years among the real diehard elk/bear hunters.

I never owned a Ruger but I used one several times. Maybe it was just a weird thing with me, but it always seemed to me that the recoil with the Ruger was much more severe than it was with the Winchester or Mauser. Might have been a stock design thing - I just don't know. I do know that, while I never minded the recoil with the bolt guns, the recoil with the Ruger was enough more to put me off actually buying one. Hopefully you'll have better luck with yours.

Anyway, it's a great cartridge. Go out and hunt something really big with it!

A friend of mine had a Model 70. The lower 200 gr bullets were fun to shoot but when you got up in the 300 grains it didn't take many to set that fine rifle down.

I owned a CZ actioned 375 H&H express rifle for several years. If you decide your going to reload for this caliber PM me.

My brother has a Remington 700 in this caliber. He installed a Limbsaver recoil pad. It helped a LOT. I will likely do the same.

I have a "push feed" M-70 I took in a trade.

I was surprised that the recoil was so manageable. I started by shooting offhand and it wasn't too bad. Then I went to the bench and survived, but I have never shot more than 6-7 rounds at one sitting.

If you reload - try H-4350.

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6/23/2022

I had a Wilhem Hyme in .375 H&H. Used it in Alaska, it had some serious
recoil. Was doing some range time in Anchorage with it and my adult son said "Dad give me a try with that thing", I warned, watch out, don't get the scope too close. He got it too close and carries the mark of Hyme around his eyebrow. We still laugh about that one. Have fun! its an awsome caliber and as said go out and shoot something really BIG!

Gary,I have a Winchester pre 64 mod 70 in 375 H&H I aquired many years ago.If you reload you can work up a light practice load with a 250-275 grain jacketed bullet and SR4759 powder.I don't remember the powder charge but maybe someone here can help or a current reloading manual.The load I ended up using was very accurate and recoil about like a 30/06.Hope this helps.

Know nothing about #1s, but I did have a ZKK600 once in .375 and thought it was a nifty caliber. The ZKK was a bit of an oddity. I never felt safe with the goofy trigger and quickly installed the spare (non-set) trigger provided with the rifle. The trigger action as good, didn't need a set trigger in the first place, and the rifle must have had a good barrel. I believe I loaded for it with IMR4350 and 300-gr Hornady RN and 270-gr spire points. Very good results. A friend talked me out of the rifle and it is now in Alaska - where is belongs. Good rifle and good caliber.

I don't recall anyone who fired it thinking it was particularly brutal, as far as recoil goes. The .375 is known more for "shoving" the shooter, rather than "slamming," like its more violent brother the .378. And to say the .378 "slams" is something of an understatement.

speer 235gr. bullets make nice practice type loads and also were used for lighter game. for an almost non existant recoil load, try cast lead bullets meant for the 38-55 in .376 or.377 diameter and accurate 5744 powder. load them to no more than 1500 fps. loading data available with the powder company and other sources online.

I had a No. 1 Tropical in 375 H&H. Loved it!!! I had a 2.5 power shotgun or muzzelloader scope on it, which kept it out of the way. The empties came back hit the safty switch and popped out of the way [or stopped there on a soft opening of the lever] Loading A 300gr. spitzer BT is 14" flatter shooting than a RN at 200 Yards in factory dup. loads. Someone else, really wanted it [very badly] and I let it go about 14 years ago, be he won't part with it. I still ha a Weatherby in that cartridge.

I've got a mid-'70's vintage Model 70 that I picked up several years ago, I really had no interest in it, but it was mint and priced right, so I bought it. I've put maybe 20 rounds or so through it, just plinking, so I really can't comment how well it does or does not shoot, but it did a good job killing beer cans!

I have a Browning A-Bolt I've posted pics of,had the BOSS thing/muzzle brake on it-I hate that,so it went to a local gunsmith and got a reduction job and I now have an 18 1/2 .375 carbine as my "all around" hunting rifle.
I'm not worried about hunting anything with the beast,so I may go after some bears or such somedays.

I had a Ruger #1 once too,in .338 mag...I felt it was too small so I traded it off,one thing to note you can adjust the extractor and have the shell just kick out enough that you can pick them out of the gun,or you can have it pop them into the next zip code.

I've talked to several men who liked it in Africa. One was the late Peter Hathaway Capstick.

It has long been the standard all-round safari cartridge, although some think it's a little light on Cape buffalo and elephant. But many hunters shoot it better than the harder-kicking rounds, and the trajectory is flatter, a real help on plains game. Ammo is cheaper,too.

I've read a lot about African hunting and talked to many who've hunted there. If limited to one rifle, I'd choose a .375, unless hunting a species that legally requires a caliber over .40. My rifle would be a M-70 or a CZ, or a custom rifle built on one of those actions.

A guy who I knew in high school had a Ruger No. 1 in .375. He did say that it kicked a lot. But as mentioned in other posts here, bolt actions seem to kick less. And the Limbsaver recoil pad should work wonders.

T-Star

I shoot a late New Haven "Super Grade" Model 70 in .375. Side by side with a pal's Ruger M77 and a Remington 700 also in that caliber, I honestly believe the Model 70 is easier to shoot. I think that the Biesen designed Super Grade stock shape makes the recoil more manageable.

I agree! Stocking makes all the difference in the world on the big kickers. I've got a late issue Safari grade M-70 and it's THE most comfortable three seven five I've ever owned. Have had a couple of Ruger #1's, a Sig Sauer, a pair of Rem 700 Custom Shop guns, and a few Winchester M-70's. ALL of them were very accurate.

My current M-70 did a few trips over to South Africa and has accounted for an easy half dozen elk here in MT too. The .375 H&H tossing a 300 gr slug at a moderate 2450 fps...simply WORKS!
Yeah for the truly big stuff like buffalo in the thick stuff, big bears in the alders or elephant I'd prefer a .416 Rigby and 400 gr slugs.

FN in MT

That is my all time favorite combo for serious work (outside my Sharps 45 2 4/10).
I have 375's in a number of rifles and the #1 is by far the easiest to shoot. If you want a good practice/white tail load get you some Trail Boss...you cant get enough in the case to blow the gun, but makes it almost like a heavy reduced load.

My old Remington will shoot cloverleafs at 100 yards with Sierra 300gr boat-tails and 64.5 gr of 4064. Also makes deer do cartwheels when hit with them.