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.375 H&H Mag. Ballistics — Velocity, Energy & Drop

Common uses: Dangerous Game, Big Game

Specifications

Typerifle (centerfire)
Typical load300gr Nosler Trophy Grade Safari Solid
Muzzle velocity2550 fps
Muzzle energy4333 ft-lb
Published G1 ballistic coefficient0.3
Case length72.4 mm
Overall length91.4 mm
SAAMI max pressure62000 PSI
Common twist rate1:12"

.375 H&H Mag. Trajectory Table

Range (yd)Velocity (fps)Energy (ft-lb)Drop (in)
025504331-1.5
100226334100
20019942649-5.3
30017472032-19.5
40015231544-45.1
50013291177-85.8

.375 H&H Mag. Extended Ballistics (to 1,000 yd)

At 1,000 yards, .375 H&H Mag. (300gr at 2550 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 66.2 MOA / 19.2 MIL, retaining 879 fps (subsonic).

Range (yd)Velocity (fps)StateDrop (in)Elev (MOA)Elev (MIL)
3001747Supersonic-19.56.21.80
4001523Supersonic-45.110.83.13
5001329Transonic-85.816.44.77
6001175Transonic-146.223.36.77
7001064Subsonic-231.831.69.20
800987Subsonic-348.141.612.09
900928Subsonic-500.353.115.44
1000879Subsonic-692.666.219.24

Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.

Hunting Energy Reference

A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.

Data & Sources

Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.

Overview

The .375 H&H is widely regarded as one of the most versatile dangerous-game cartridges ever made, capable of taking everything from plains-game antelope with lighter bullets to buffalo, lion, and elephant with heavy 300-grain solids and softs. Its reputation rests on a balance of adequate power, manageable recoil for a big bore, and famously good feeding from the long, tapered case. Hunters and professional guides value its flat-shooting character relative to other stopping-caliber cartridges, which lets it double as an all-around choice where a single rifle must cover both large and dangerous animals. Its main limitations are the heavy recoil and muzzle blast inherent to the class and the need for a long (magnum-length) action to accommodate the cartridge. Effective within typical hunting ranges, it endures as a standard against which other medium bores are measured.

History

Introduced by the British firm Holland & Holland in 1912, the .375 H&H Magnum was among the cartridges that used a belted case and helped popularize the "magnum" designation. It was designed as a versatile large-bore round for dangerous game, built on a long, gently tapered case with a distinctive belt for headspacing. More than a century on, it remains a benchmark medium-bore cartridge and is the legal minimum caliber for hunting dangerous game in many African jurisdictions.

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