"THE EMPEROR" .375 H&H Magnum

[farhan.lateefi]

Hi everyone,

got this e mail form a friend who owns a .375 H&H magnum, thought i should share with you all.


"THE EMPEROR" .375 H&H Magnum

The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is a powerful rifle round and one of the best-known medium-bore cartridges in the world. A truly classic cartridge, the .375 H&H was only the second cartridge ever to feature a belt, now common among magnum rounds. The belt is for headspace as the case has a rather narrow shoulder. It was introduced by the British company Holland & Holland in 1912 as the .375 Belted Rimless Nitro-Express. It initially used cordite propellant which was made in long strands - hence the tapered shape of this cartridge, which was also to ensure smooth chambering and extraction from a rifle's breech.

The .375 H&H is often cited as one of the most useful all-round rifle cartridges, especially where large and dangerous game occurs] With relatively light bullets in the region of 235 to 270 grains (15 to 17 g), it is a flat-shooting, fairly long-range cartridge ideal for use on light to medium game. With heavy bullets of 300 grain (19 g) and greater, it has the punch necessary for large, thick-skinned dangerous game. In many regions with thick-skinned dangerous game animals, the .375 H&H is seen as the sensible minimum acceptable caliber, and in many places (in Africa, primarily) it is now the legal minimum for hunting such game. African game guides, professional hunters, and dangerous game cullers have repeatedly voted the .375 H&H as their clear preference for an all-round caliber, if they could only have one rifle. A similar preference has been expressed by Alaska game guides for brown and polar bear country.

Unlike what is seen in most calibers, many .375 H&H rifles also achieve nearly the same point of impact over a wide range of bullet weights at all commonly used distances] further simplifying a professional hunter's choice in selecting different grain bullets based upon the game hunted, without requiring significant scope or sight adjustments, which further serves to popularize the .375 H&H Magnum among professional hunters (PHs).

.375 H&H cartridge specification
• Bullet diameter: .375 in (9.55 mm)
• Maximum case length: 2.850 in (72.39 mm)
• Trim-to length: 2.840 in (72.14 mm)
• Maximum cartridge length: 3.600 in (91.44 mm)
• Shoulder angle: 15 degrees
• Industry maximum pressure: 53,000 CUP (Copper units of pressure)
• SAAMI maximum pressure: 62,000 lbf/in² (430 MPa)
• Case capacity: 96.3 grains (6.24 g) of water

A typical factory load will launch a 270 grain (17 g) spitzer bullet at 2,690 ft/s (820 m/s) with 4,337 ft•lbf. (5880 J) of energy at the muzzle. This load has approximately the same trajectory as the 180-grain (12 g) bullet from a .30-06 Springfield.

There are a great number of rifles (and even a few handguns) chambered for the .375 H&H. Many types of actions are used, including single-shots, double-rifles, and bolt actions. When hunting dangerous game, a double-rifle or a controlled-feed bolt action rifle is most commonly recommended, as a quick follow-up shot may be necessary, and reliability of the firearm becomes of paramount importance.

The 9.3x64mm Brenneke cartridge is probably the closest European continental ballistic twin of the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. When compared to the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum the 9.3x64mm Brenneke has a slightly smaller caliber and it is a rimless cartridge. The 9.3 X 64 does not have the time trusted conical cartridge case of the 375 H&H and will never be as reliable in the field. Extraction of the cartridge is vital when faced with dangerous game. A split cylindrical cartridge will jam. For non dangerous game the 9.3 X 64 is a wonderful weapon and as it has a relatively short case it may be used with interchangeable barrels such as the 7.62 X63 ( 30-06 ) or the 7 X 64 brenneke or together with the 7 X 57 Mauser ( 275 Rigby).

The belted magnum case
The distinctive belted case of this cartridge was patented in Britain on 31 March 1891 by G. Roth of Austria. The first commercial use of the patent was in 1907 for the .375 Holland-Schoenauer cartridge for a Mannlicher-Schoenauer bolt-action rifle marketed by Holland & Holland. The .375 H&H used an improved belted case shared with the .275 H&H Magnum when they were introduced together in August, 1912.[1] This second belted case design was later used with the .300 H&H Magnum, and has been modified as the basis for "Magnum" cartridges developed by other arms manufacturers. Weatherby used the case as the basis for their .257, .270, 7 mm, .300, .340, and .375 Weatherby Magnum cartridges. Norma Projektilfabrik A/S shortened the case as the basis for their .308 and .358 Norma Magnum cartridges. Winchester Repeating Arms Company used similarly shortened cases for their .264, .300, .338, and .458 Winchester Magnum cartridges. Remington Arms used the case for their 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, and .350 Remington Magnum cartridges.

Type rifle
• Place of origin: United Kingdom
• Designer: Holland & Holland
• Designed: 1912
• Produced: 1912 - present

Specifications
• Bullet diameter: .375 in (9.5 mm)
• Neck diameter: .404 in (10.3 mm)
• Shoulder diameter: .448 in (11.4 mm)
• Base diameter: .513 in (13.0 mm)
• Rim diameter: .532 in (13.5 mm)
• Rim thickness: .220 in (5.6 mm)
• Case length: 2.850 in (72.4 mm)
• Overall length: 3.6 in (91 mm)
• Primer type
• Large rifle magnum

Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type - Velocity - Energy
• 200 gr (13 g) JFP - 3,195 ft/s (974 m/s) - 4,534 ft•lbf (6,147 J)
• 235 gr (15.2 g) SP - 2,964 ft/s (903 m/s) - 4,585 ft•lbf (6,216 J)
• 250 gr (16 g) SP - 2,835 ft/s (864 m/s) - 4,463 ft•lbf (6,051 J)
• 270 gr (17 g) FS - 2,694 ft/s (821 m/s) - 4,352 ft•lbf (5,901 J)
• 300 gr (19 g) SPBT - 2,645 ft/s (806 m/s) - 4,661 ft•lbf (6,319 J)

[winnie_the_pooh]

It is certainly a versatile cartridge.But calling it "THE EMPEROR" is a bit too far fetched.In some situations,the Emperor may not have any clothes .

There seems to be a craze for owning a rifle with the word "magnum" stuck to it.Something Freudian about this fascination

Re. the two animals that can be legally hunted in India,wild boar and nilgai even the humble .315 works admirably.

[eljefe]

Ah well, coming in an era which was still transitioning from BP to smokeless to the 7.92x57 IS Mauser at 2800fps to many such remnants of the stone ages, Its no wonder various apellations stuck to the 375-ALL GOOD
Reg the 375 H&H MAg-Age hasn't withered its beauty, and the mytique remains, even though other loudenboomer von biggerbanger calibers have surfaced and may have overtaken (on paper) the venerable ones.
A bit unfair,comparing it to the 9.3x64 -on paper. the last couple of pigs I shot with my 9.3x62 went down like a normal evening's power cut in Koramangala-factory standard 286 grRN at 2019fps @45m. Nope I'm NOT going to soup up with premium bullets.yet.My fellow shooter knocked em as dead with his 30-30!
then there's this bloke (seen his ref & pics on AR, terminal performance thread) who has scored some BIG cape buff with his 9.3x62, and states that his PH refuses to hunt with him if he changes the caliber! Go figger.
9 thou of an inch wont tell any buff or elef to be any deader, unless its a 40mm M79 HE.
In the end, without being deprecative about a classic caliber, it is ALL about shot placement. And yes, the 244gr 315 may be ideal Pig and Nilgai medicine. Any one chrono'ed it ?

[hvj1]

There seems to be a craze for owning a rifle with the word "magnum" stuck to it.Something Freudian about this fascination

Re. the two animals that can be legally hunted in India,wild boar and nilgai even the humble .315 works admirably.

My friend Amit knocks of boars, with his .270.

[eljefe]

The only 'Emperor'
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 by Ludwig van Beethoven

[shooter]

The only 'Emperor'
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 by Ludwig van Beethoven

And i thought this referred to the recent big red stag taken in exmoor/dartmoor. The biggesttrophy this year.

i thought the story was about him being shot by a .375.

[shooter]

.270, a necked down 30-06, "will stop a tank" as some of my hunting buddies say.
Well not exactly a tank but you get the point.
A flat shooting, powerful round. Much flatter than the 30-06 or the .308.
Kicks like a mule, booms like thunder.
Will knock out a boar or a nilgai easy peasy.

[eljefe]

130gr at approx 3000 fps is major stuff, Amit. No piggy is going to be complaining...and the 270 made its mark as a 'long range' cartridge-Chuck Connor was the cartridge's chief spokesman,I think??
A 375 in 270gr is about 200-250 a pop -I'm guessing.But it IS a chalu caliber ,in India too
I was thinking, the IOF 244gr bullet for the 315 must be doing atleast 2200fps? with a profile like a concrete ashtray, will be delivering a fair amount of thump,eh?
As a 7-8 year old,I do have memories of being a 'regular' at my Grandpas evening tea, with a couple of his IAS/IPS friends. inevitably the topic would turn to Shikar, and the 375 would shine. Most of those blokes had a couple of Tigers accounted for.
A Blanket bad mouth of other calibers because they are NOT bottlenecked is not fair.
The Straight walled 458 Win Mag and Lott, have accounted for more than their fair share of DG

[Sakobav]

I am going to hijack the thread and get knuckles rapped -- remembered that 27x something was used by Jim Corbett and came up with this

http://www.africahunting.com/hunting-af ... 955-a.html


http://www.gunsinternational.com/John-R ... id=1001525

I know this is 375 discussion so hale the emperor but whats the difference between new 270 and this 275??

Thanks

[winnie_the_pooh]

difference between new 270 and this 275??

The .275 Rigby , a fancy name for the 7mm Mauser

[shooter50]

Not a fancy but a deliberate name. It was done to mask the German origins of this superb cartridge and make it more acceptable to British users because of the intense Anglo German rivalry of the period. A smilar example would be German Shepard dogs being known as Alsatians in England.

[Amit357]

Hi jefe,there was a time the 375 Mag was a desired cal in India,my dad had one by the Holy Grail ( H & H),he had a 577 a 450/500 also,the cal was as we all know in India for a reason,maneater tigers were everywhere and taking care of them was the job of a few of the DCs/SPs so the reason of the evening sundowners used to be that.There was a Maneater Tiger about 25Kms from Bangalore in the late 1950s , now you will find maneater in and around Bangalore but not the 4 legged version.
There was a time for this rifle in India but i could be wrong ,now all one can do with it, is sit with a large of Black Label on the rocks and talk about the days of the past.
Ngrewal, mine is a 9 lb rifle,hardly kicks,as far as the thunder,people look for lightning or rain when i let loose

[TwoRivers]

No question, the .375 H&H is a great cartridge. However......the claim that the .375 will shoot every weight bullet to the same point of aim (unlike rifles chambered for other rounds) was made by H&H solely for the flanged version, and doubles. And different ballistics from the belted case. None the less, every idiot American gun writer writing about the .375 will repeat this, claiming that his .375 (if indeed he has one) will shoot all bullet weights, at velocities quite different from the original ones, into the same group. Regardless of caliber, some rifles can and will group different bullet weights at different velocities together, others won't. The stiffer the barrel, the more likely. There is nothing magic about the .375 H&H. Neither my Winchester M70, my Brno, nor my Ross M1910 straight-pull in .375 H&H will "shoot all bullet weights into the same group". Unless you think that 6" is an acceptable group at 100 yds. Though it would be for a double shot over open sights at 80 yds with different bullet weights.

The paragraph dealing with the 9.3x64 is pure hogwash.

Why .275 and not just 7x57 Mauser? The Boers used that one. Painful memories.

The difference between the .270 WCF and the 7x57? 200 feet per second. Almost none when loaded to the same pressure.

IOF quotes 1975 fps for the .315. The original Austrian, and E-K, was 2025 fps or so, from a longer barrel. When handloading, 2200 fps is easily possible with the 244 grain bullet.

[shooter]

Mauser 7X57 a really good calibre and very popular in the continent. (and still is)

the british, not to be outdone adopted it but named it 275 rigby.

A 275 rigby was gifted to Corbett for shooting the champawat maneater and is currently in the UK and there was an article about it in a shooting magazine here. I have discussed this in a previous thread.

The .270 is a necked down 30-06 as mentioned above

[z375]

Hi HV, 270 is stated to be a Riflemans rifle, practical little rifle, ammo is cheap, as long as S & B are making it, Dealers in India are gonna Import it, thats the reason i got it ,i know you say if you really want something,you will get it,it worked man was looking for the 270,and you know,Chuck Hawks rights raves about it, rest you know,piggys are easy,knocked a cpl with 22 LRs,like jefe said its really the placement,there is a clip at you tube,the guy knocks a Piggy with an Air rifle,that even a .177,Col Kesri Singh the chief of forest deptt in the days of the Raj,knocked off a Tigeress with a 22 H.P,as Winne says regarding the facination for fancy magnums cals,i am sure he called it right,was reading an article about people looking at big mag cals,Americans have a line for it ,dont want to use it here,Rusty or Dev are gonna throw me out.oops i hope Zubin doesnt read this Rgds Amit

i got my eyes on you, Amit! LMAO!

-- Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:19 pm --

The .375 H&H has had a sterling reputation ever since it was introduced back in 1912 by H&H and that reputation has been further strengthened by the variety of modern bullets available today for this caliber. But all that said and done, the 9.3x64 Brenekke though brought out some 15 years later is as good as the old H&H if not better, ballistics resemble the H&H and with a slightly better SD and with a variety of bullet weights from 200 right upto a 320-grainer make it a serious and formidable performer. The way I see it, the only edge the .375 H&H would have over the 9.3x64 Brenekke is with the ammunition availability, there are a lot of metric caliber buffs here so blindly stating otherwise is asking for trouble!