350 Grain .375 Bullets

[SoDakhntr]

Does anyone have experience using 350 gr. bullets such as Woodleigh or Rhino?  While the increased sectional density at what should be adequate velocity seems ideal, I don't see much in print on their use.  I was thinking that case capacity due to magazine length restrictions could be a reason but if magazine length were not a problem what would be the downside?

[JJHACK]

Sectional Density is only a functional measure of bullet performance with solids

If you are using solids which will already penetrate with a 375HH as much as anyone could want I see no advantage to the 350 grain weight.

The barrel twist in some rifles may not stabalize a bullet that long

The 300 grain bullet in the 375HH has accounted for all the biggest game in the world in very high volume. It's not a weak link in the design.

I really think the 350 grain bullet in the 375HH is about like the 250 grain barnes original bullet in the 30/06. A novelty idea at best.

[SoDakhntr]

I am guessing that you would not see any value from a 350 gr. soft point either.

[JJHACK]

I guess up til now in my years of guiding in AK and as a PH in Southern Africa I have not seen any reasonable situation where a 350 grain bullet from a 375HH would have improved on what the 270 or 300 could do. Maybe there is some condition where it would have an advantage. I am not in a position to have experienced that or comprehend what that might be.

With the current crop of outstanding bonded core bullets available for the 375HH in common bullet weights. I just don't see anything that can improve enough to risk an odd ball load like this.  You will never find this ammo outside your loading room should the ammo vanish or run out while in the bush.

Mind you I'm not much of a tinkerer and I have never gambled. So I tend to be very conservative and boring with my choices. I only shoot a 30/06 and a 375HH for hunting. Old and boring pair for sure. But they work well and I can find ammo for them just about anyplace on earth that big game is found.

Even so my bullet weight of choice for the 30/06 is 165 grains. That is not a bullet weight that is easy to find outside North America. 150 grain and 180 grain or much more common. I have had the best success over all on big game with 165 grain bullets. Choosing the 165 grain weight puts both 150 and 180 very near the mark as it splits the difference between them. Its a nice coincidence that makes it work so well this way.