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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game

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bigmaxx
.375 member

Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.

.338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger
#105030 - 14/05/08 01:48 PM

I am deciding between taking a .338 winchester magnum with 250 grain bullets and the new .375 ruger with 270 grain bullets. Zeroed at 200 yards the .338 drops 8.8" at 300 yds, and the .375 ruger drops 8". At 300 yds the .338 has 2503 foot lbs of energy and the .375 ruger has 2786. I am taking a .458 lott for my buffalo and really think the .375 ruger would do anything the .338 will and be a backup in the remote case of a failure with the .458. Any thoughts that will decide this quandry??

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One day at a time...

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bipbigbore
.224 member

Reged: 06/10/05
Posts: 42
Loc: USA

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: bigmaxx]
#105033 - 14/05/08 02:15 PM

I am in the same position. The only reason that I would even consider the .375 is in case of failure with my Lott. I have killed a lot of animals with both calibers and have found that, on plains game, the .338 wm produces faster, more humane kills.

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AzGuy
.333 member

Reged: 23/03/06
Posts: 388
Loc: Prescott, Arizona, USA

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: bipbigbore]
#105036 - 14/05/08 02:34 PM

This is simple...

In most of Africa the 338 is NOT legal for DG.... and the 375 (H&H, Ruger, etc) is...

IF, IF, IF the Lott breaks down, why have a 338 "back up" when you can have a 375 ??

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Hike the Grand Canyon, you will never be the same!

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JabaliHunter
.400 member

Reged: 16/05/07
Posts: 1958
Loc: England

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: AzGuy]
#105070 - 14/05/08 09:59 PM

If it is for a back-up, you can't argue with the .375 if you want to avoid bribing your game scout...
You could consider the H&H though - same bolt action length and you can make either Lott or H&H from the same brass.

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bigmaxx
.375 member

Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: JabaliHunter]
#105074 - 14/05/08 10:13 PM

I already have the Hawkeye African in .375 ruger and love it. It is very accurate and feels great. I searched for a rifle in .375 H&H for some time and found nothing w/ sights I liked. Its somewhat lightweight and has a tad more recoil than the .338 though.

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One day at a time...

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Ripp
.577 member

Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: bigmaxx]
#105093 - 14/05/08 11:44 PM

think you may have already answered your own question with ""shoots great and I love it"...

Agree with everything said here...338 on plains game is awesome and you would not be disappointed...

The idea of having the 375 for and additional weapon in the event your .458 went awry is a good idea..plus your odds of any shots much past 150 t0 200 in Zim are low..

Personally, as you are hunting BOTH plains game and dangerous game--and will shoot the plains game in all likelyhood much more than the dangerous game gun--I would take the .338--but that is just me...either will work just fine...

Boddington once wrote he thought the perfect combo was something in the .375/416 range along with a 338 for the light gun...think that is very wise advise..

Good Luck

See you in 3 weeks or so...

Ripp

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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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Plains99
.300 member

Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: Ripp]
#105620 - 20/05/08 12:05 AM

I ended up choosing a .375 Ruger for my next African hunt and will take my old .458 Win Mag Ruger as backup. Go with a .375 (Ruger or H&H) over a .338 because of regulations over there and in case your other rifle goes south on you. The thing you will really like about the .375 Ruger is what a nice carry rifle the African model is. It carries like an 06 and delivers very good power and range. Heck, I plan to make it my elk rifle as well. This rifle and cartridge match really is a good idea and this one won't be going away like a lot of the Short Magnums.

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bigmaxx
.375 member

Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: Plains99]
#105623 - 20/05/08 12:32 AM

Quote:

I ended up choosing a .375 Ruger for my next African hunt and will take my old .458 Win Mag Ruger as backup. Go with a .375 (Ruger or H&H) over a .338 because of regulations over there and in case your other rifle goes south on you. The thing you will really like about the .375 Ruger is what a nice carry rifle the African model is. It carries like an 06 and delivers very good power and range. Heck, I plan to make it my elk rifle as well. This rifle and cartridge match really is a good idea and this one won't be going away like a lot of the Short Magnums.

I think your right. I have the African too. I love it, it cuts holes at 100 yds with 270 grain bullets. I am going to try the 300 grain this week. I am going to take it and the M77 Magnum in .458 lott. I will use the lott for the buffalo and the African for the rest. If i get picked for the Elk lotto in KY this year the African will be the gun i use too.

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One day at a time...

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albertan
.333 member

Reged: 13/06/06
Posts: 432
Loc: Alberta, Canada

Re: .338 winchester magnum VS .375 ruger [Re: bigmaxx]
#105833 - 22/05/08 10:18 AM

Always have a solids available for a Cape buffalo hunt. .375 or .458, you need solids if things go south. Make certain that the solids and the softs hit the same point of impact at 100 yards and you and the hunting group will be safe. I would feel cheated if I went all that way to have a P.H. do the dirty work for me just because I did not sight my rifle in with solids.

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