Playing with the .375 Win Model 70

Guy Miner

Master Loader
Apr 6, 2006
17,453
4,514
Took this wonderful rifle to the range today. First time since swapping the scope onto it a couple of months ago. Started by getting my 25 yard zero, which took just a few shots. Then out to 100 yards for a three shot group, and finally a single shot at the steel silhouette target at 300 yards...





Why only one shot at 300 yards? Because the 300 grain full metal jacket bullet knocked my danged silhouette over! (y) There was a pretty serious 15-20 mph wind blowing more or less from left to right. I had never shot this rifle at 300 yards. I was so surprised, and pleased, when I hit the target! :) Today was the first time I'd tried the rifle at over 100 yards!

I was using 30+ year old Winchester 300 grain FMJ factory ammo and 300 grain Round-Nose Soft Point Remington ammo. I did not chronograph it, but would be surprised if it exceeds 2500 fps.

Photos are of me getting it zeroed at 25 yards, which turned out to be just about 1" high at 100 yards... I can live with that. I can't use ammo I loaded for my .375 H&H Ruger Number One. That ammo is too long to fit into the magazine or chamber of the Model 70 with the Douglas barrel.

What a wonderful rifle. Am so fortunate to have this rifle pretty much fall into my life. To this point I've mostly shot it with the iron sights. Today, smacking the 300 yard gong, felt really good.

Oh - some may quibble with the sling around my arm in the "hasty sling" position because the sling is connected to a barrel band instead of the stock. Okay. I hear you. HOWEVER, I learned some years ago that the stability afforded by the sling far outweighs any potential "bending" of the barrel or other adverse impact on accuracy... First round hit at 300 yards, with only a 25 yard zero. Luck? I don't think so... :) That's a lot of rounds downrange, and some marksmanship fundamentals.

Bench? Bipod? Say what? :mrgreen:

Regards, Guy
 
Excellent riflery, Guy. A sling is highly underrated in our world today. Superb report.
 
NIce... The barrel profile is thick enough you're unlikely to bend it unless you turn green when you get angry.

The .375 just gives a guy some confidence.
 
Ya, I no more "need" this thing than another hole in my head - but dang - I REALLY like it... :)

Recoil from it, at least from this wide-leg sitting position, is quite nice actually. No problem at all. That's with 300 grain factory ammo.

Guy
 
I knew I was in love when I bounced a couple bowling pins clear over a 15' berm at 100 yards.
 
Guy Miner":3e92l170 said:
Ya, I no more "need" this thing than another hole in my head - but dang - I REALLY like it... :)

Same here! Really have no real need for a 375 but, have a bad want for one (y)
 
Excellent Guy... I too use a sling on my 375 w/ barrel band. In fact if the rifle has sling attachments I don't head out w/o a sling. Usually a Latigo.
 
Woodycreek":9wnye8fs said:
Guy Miner":9wnye8fs said:
Ya, I no more "need" this thing than another hole in my head - but dang - I REALLY like it... :)

Same here! Really have no real need for a 375 but, have a bad want for one (y)

I'm waiting for Guy to get tired of his :lol:
 
Normally I sight my rifles in for 2 inches low at 25 yards which puts me within a click or 2 at 100 yards. So really it shouldn't be hard to hit 300. Good shooting but it sounds like you need some bench time to craft some proper ammo for her!
 
Yup, time to start building ammo for THIS .375, instead of the Number One with the overly generous throat...

(y)
 
Guy Miner":2xvo5d5h said:
Yup, time to start building ammo for THIS .375, instead of the Number One with the overly generous throat...

(y)


and then it is time to schedule that hunt we discussed. I need a lot of notice as I have been spending more time in London than Cape Town. I find more husband opportunities here but fewer cape buffalo lol

Best Regards

Jamila

for those who were upset about my response to Woodycreeks Africa thread, you will see I deleted it, hopefully this one is acceptable. For the record, I understand that Lion hunts are expensive. I was simply sharing with Woodycreek that both Hippo and Lion hunts are or can be as exciting as Buffalo. I am sure everyone here has a favorite animal they like to hunt, mine just happens to be Lion.
 
Africa Huntress":ai8kqye3 said:
Guy Miner":ai8kqye3 said:
Yup, time to start building ammo for THIS .375, instead of the Number One with the overly generous throat...

(y)


and then it is time to schedule that hunt we discussed. I need a lot of notice as I have been spending more time in London than Cape Town. I find more husband opportunities here but fewer cape buffalo lol

Best Regards

Jamila

for those who were upset about my response to Woodycreeks Africa thread, you will see I deleted it, hopefully this one is acceptable. For the record, I understand that Lion hunts are expensive. I was simply sharing with Woodycreek that both Hippo and Lion hunts are or can be as exciting as Buffalo. I am sure everyone here has a favorite animal they like to hunt, mine just happens to be Lion.

Careful, Jamila. Some of the husband opportunities can be as dangerous as a dagga boy.

I understand favourite animals. Mine is bear--the closer, the better. (y)
 
Africa Huntress":1b3p37ru said:
Guy Miner":1b3p37ru said:
Yup, time to start building ammo for THIS .375, instead of the Number One with the overly generous throat...

(y)


and then it is time to schedule that hunt we discussed. I need a lot of notice as I have been spending more time in London than Cape Town. I find more husband opportunities here but fewer cape buffalo lol

Best Regards

Jamila

for those who were upset about my response to Woodycreeks Africa thread, you will see I deleted it, hopefully this one is acceptable. For the record, I understand that Lion hunts are expensive. I was simply sharing with Woodycreek that both Hippo and Lion hunts are or can be as exciting as Buffalo. I am sure everyone here has a favorite animal they like to hunt, mine just happens to be Lion.

Well heck, don't delete those doggone posts! You've got the voice of experience in that world. Hunting lion? A real live fire-breathing African Lion??? Awesome! What a dream. That you've actually done it, is terrific, and what I love about reading from different hunters.

Mike hunts his grizzlies, black bear, moose & more.

Gerry goes after anything legal in his corner of the North! Makes me a tad jealous with his posts of grizzly bear, mountain goat, etc...

We've got a whole pack of rabid rabid hunters who pursue elk with tenacity.

Me? I like a quiet spot & stalk mule deer hunt above all else. Then again, I haven't hunted a lot of other game.

So yeah - I love it when people on our forum chime in with their experiences on plains game, dangerous game, far northern hunts, or whatever... Some of that I have never done, and will never do. It's great reading about it here on Nosler's forum.

Regards, Guy
 
I agree with Guy... I like reading about stuff I haven't done and even that which I am unlikely to do- leave those posts up!

Life is too short to live in an echo chamber of people who do the same stuff you do!
 
You know... This is such a sweet rifle...

After I'm done with whatever uses I have for a .375, I wonder if re-barreling it as a 7mm Rem mag might just be the way to go?

I don't really "need" a .375 for anything, but it makes a certain amount of sense for grizzly/brown bear, and is absolutely a good idea for cape buff I've been told...

But I think two or three hunts will scratch that itch, so to speak, and then it's back to "normal" deer, elk and black bear hunting.

Not that I'd throw the .375" Douglas barrel away mind you!

Guy
 
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