The round is made for the big bore Winchester lever action and other than being kinda cool....what good is it?

In terms of energy.....it is equal to or in some cases LESS powerful than the 30-30 out to hunting distances.

In terms of trajectory.......nearly equally as bad as the 45-70 or the 444 Marlin.

You would be safe in saying that it offers the worst of the 30-30 in power and the worst of the 45-70 in ballistics.

Am I the only one who wonders why Winchester would make such an ill conceived round?  Please, someone show me ONE person who would rather hunt with a .375 Winchester than a .348 Winchester or a .358 Winchester?  Even the .356 Winchester had so much more going for it than the .375.

My goodness....if I wanted something that was going to limit my range to under 150 yards and was going to put a big hole in something without the recoil and blast of a big thumper.....I'd grab a handy 44 magnum and be done with it.

The .375 Win is a waste.  I wish the firearms manufacturers would come out in an arm that was useful to 250 yards and could be had in a lever action rifle.  Is this too much to ask??

I purchased a Big Bore 94 when they first appeared in the late 1970's (I think?). It was a handsome rifle , accurate, and handled well. I think it was a smokeless powder recreation of th 38-55 blackpowder round. I took several deer with it but had to pass on the longer shots. It found a new home soon after deer season as I couldn't find a good reason to keep it except maybe to look at and play with. There are many better calibers to hunt with unless you want to challenge yourself and maybe go hungry. The 375 JDJ in the same rifle would be a hunting machine though!  God bless and good hunting.

Take a look at this thread:
http://www.thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1329

Now...in a world that you do not operate, the 375 Win/.38-55 is quite an accuracy round.  I have used it in one or two silhouette shoots and did very well.

I've used it on deer and Black Bear without ever a problem.  Like many of the larger calibers, it does not need to expand to create a wound channel.

It is inexpensive to shoot with lead bullets, it has a low report and I've used it to take the heads off grouse while hunting other game.

It is my experience that the potential of the older cartridges is not limited to their design, the firearms they are chambered in or their trajectories.  The cartridges are limited by the men and women who shoot them.

Please forgive me for insulting your caliber. My grandfather used an old savage in 38-55 to put meat on the table for many years. He was a native american as was my grandma. To say he could hunt was an understatement. But he knew the limitations of his equipment. I filled all my tags the year I owned the 375 winchester but was lured away by the thought of being able to shoot farther. Guess I'm just lazy. My grandpa would be ashamed of me.

Sorry mg...I didn't mean to give the impression I was insulted, or even angry.  No, I just do my best to defend old cartridges that really do not need to be defended.  Their successful history is their own defense.

I guess what happens is that new cartridges come along and younger hunters, riflemen and shooters re-designate them as the 'standard' by which to measure all other cartridges.  When this happens...the older cartridges suddenly become 'obsolete' and 'way below standard'.

But there is always a surviving few who know the deadly efficiency of the older cartridges (or firearms) and still have the skills to make them work.

I have deliberately hunted deer with handguns (usually .45 Colt) but the experience most imprinted on my mind is my oft repeated story of taking a deer, at an opportune moment, with a .44 cap & ball Colt 1860 Army.  A lead roundball in the right place and he was dead.  Should I be surprized?  No.  The 1860 Army was used with great deadliness during the Civil War and it is foolish to believe that it doesn't kill good because the .357 is the current 'standard'.

I personally use a 265 grain .376 diameter bullet in my rifle and it will take anything in North America if I do my part...which includes stalking the game.

I also intend (and have the materials) to build a singleshot in .30-40 Krag...which falls below the 'bar' set by the .30-06 or .308 Winchester.  I've shot a few deer with another customized .30-40 Krag I have and it always produced the desired results.

I reckon that puts me in good company...with your grandpa.

Horses for courses.  I also like the "slow"  calibres for bush hunting.  I find it much more satisfying to have to get within 80 yards or so of the quarry than simply to knock them over from several hundred yards away.  Obviously the long shots have a different satisfaction but it only makes sense to me in terrain where the stalk is not an option.
 
To get my long shot kicks, I would rather take out my 220 Swift and knock over some varmints at 300 yards plus.  Long shot + small target = high satisfaction!
 
The fact that there are "other" calibres that do the same thing has never been a reason for a cartrdige not to exist.  COTW claim to contain 1500 sporting cartridges (a bit of an exaggeration).  Yet still we keep producing new ones.
 
You will also be surprised to see how many of the hugely successful modern catridges are virtual copies of other cartridges that existed long before the modern ones were launched.
 
C

I've been reminded on several occasions by the good folks here and over on other sites that shots of extreme close range (under 100 yds.) are more the norm for the average hunter then then those shots of a longish nature. I do not fall into this category, but, assuming this be true, the .375 would certainly not be considered a waste of a cartridge.  While I've never used one, hearing from experienced of those that have, I've gotta accept the fact that the .375 Win. performs under these conditions quite admirably.
 
Either way, from my personal perspective, the cartridge is far from a waste for the simple fact that, in time, I will need it so that I can keep feeding my .375 SuperMag, if'n when I ever run through my current lot of discontinued factory brass.
 
I don't necessarily like certain cartridges, but I would never call them a waste either, cause there's no doubt the rounds that I have no use for, others think are gems and are more then satisfied with the performance they're getting.  Later.  >>  klallen

Let me be clear:

The .375 Winchester is a fine cartridge and for 80% of my likely shots at whitetails....would be more than adequate.  

I have every reason to WANT to like the .375 Winchester....I like the idea of a big bore bullet and the effeciency of doing more with less.  I like the fact that not everyone has a .375 Winchester.  

As I said.....most of the shots at whitetail deer in Missouri come at less than 75 yards from deer stands overlooking deer paths, creeks and sometimes deep woods.  My deer stand overlooks all 3...yet it also overlooks about 250 yards of pasture in a field bordering thick woods.  If my buck ventures out from the woods to cross a field due to the pressure of hunters or the smell of a doe.....I want to be able to take that shot.  The exception to the rule is what makes the .375 Winchester obsolete.  Not sure how I am suppose to stalk a whitetail buck from my deer stand....expecially with the cracking of leaves and the movement he would see as I climb out of my deer stand to approach him over open land to his position.

The .375 Winchester needs another 350 to 400 fps to have a chance at that buck across the field.  

At that point, the .375 becomes the .358 Winchester....a round that I think should be available in EVERY model 94 Big Bore.

Quote from: periscope_depthThe round is made for the big bore Winchester lever action and other than being kinda cool....what good is it?

In terms of energy.....it is equal to or in some cases LESS powerful than the 30-30 out to hunting distances.

In terms of trajectory.......nearly equally as bad as the 45-70 or the 444 Marlin.

You would be safe in saying that it offers the worst of the 30-30 in power and the worst of the 45-70 in ballistics.

Am I the only one who wonders why Winchester would make such an ill conceived round? Please, someone show me ONE person who would rather hunt with a .375 Winchester than a .348 Winchester or a .358 Winchester? Even the .356 Winchester had so much more going for it than the .375.

My goodness....if I wanted something that was going to limit my range to under 150 yards and was going to put a big hole in something without the recoil and blast of a big thumper.....I'd grab a handy 44 magnum and be done with it.

The .375 Win is a waste. I wish the firearms manufacturers would come out in an arm that was useful to 250 yards and could be had in a lever action rifle. Is this too much to ask??

Contrast your above post...and the title of the thread...with your last post.

You may like to compare the .30-30 and the .375 Win.

Interesting thread and a question that could be raised for numerous rounds out there as many seem to be clones or don't do anything another one can't. Many seem to be close enough in performance that it's redundant. But I enjoy seeing what comes out or what is being developed in the great sport of hunting/shooting.
 
Of course some cartridges are better than others. Some make it and are seemingly timeless while others do not. Some that make it and are popular aren't as good IMO as some that don't (the 35 Rem vs the 358 Win comes to mind). But it's part of the evolution of firearms. It'd be pretty boring if they stopped at the 22LR, .223 Rem, 30-06 Spfld, and the 338 Win Mag. They pretty much cover anything you'd hunt in most of the world except for a few animals. I personally enjoy different calibers and firearms and am getting more and more partial to older calibers (except I have a 204 Ruger and the 325 WSM does peak my interest). I think it's all part of the process of development by researching and developing different cartridges and why many we see calibers such as the .375.  I have no exp with the .375 but I like big bores and they're great for thick woods and short range situations. Many have their niche and that's why I got my .358 Win. For the open areas/farmland I have my .270 Win.

Well put M1Garand!

I am much more of a fan of the old time rounds today than I was when I was younger.
 
The .375 Winchester is an interesting round and (as I said before) would be terrific for 80% of the likely shots I would encounter in Missouri.  I would not feel too cheated if I had to pass on a 225 yard shot as I would know that if I waited long enough....I'd see a deer standing within 125 feet of me.  At that point....the round you are using is largely academic.
 
I am really taking an interest in lever action guns more and more....and it is a shame that these handly little lever guns are so limited by the shapes of the bullets they fire and the weakness of the action.
 
I think I would die and go to heaven if Winchester made a rimmed .257 Roberts for the Model 94.  I would snatch it up and keep it forever.
 
Instead, I have a limited choice of the 30-30, 44 Mag, 35 Remington and thats about it sportsfans.
 
Sure....I could spend an additional $200 and get a 450 Marlin or another $150 and get a 45-70 or 444 Marlin....but after 125 yards, the energy and trajectory figures are similiar to the 30-30 anyway.  Whats the use of getting your shoulder tenderized for the same downrange ballistics you'd find with a mild shooting 30-30?
 
Savage NEEDS to reproduce the Model 99.  Hey, maybe another company would like to get the specs on the 99 and go into production if Savage won't do it themselves?

well i've been using a 6.5mm here recently but don't discount the big hole that a big bullet will make. this comming deer season i'm going to take my 7 yr old, and i'm going to take 2 rifles with me. 1's going to be a 375 winchester (375 win is the smokless version of the 38-55) and a 45-70 both lever guns. the reason i'm doing this is to show my son what his grandfather hunted with and how well it works on deer sized critters. i put a lyman pep and a blade site on my 375 and have no problem taking game at over 200 yrds with it. it has killed it fare share of whitetails as has my 45-70. i shoot lead bullet out of these 2 rifles, i have never had an animal go more than 40 yrds after a good lung shot. last time i shot a deer with my 45-70 i got a two-fer 1 spike and the doe standing behind him (i didn't see her till i had to put my doe tag on her). the 375 (38-55) is a great round if it is used as it was intended, and thats to take game, it does a very good job of it.

neolithic hunter, very nice post.
 
Any of the standard 6.5 mm catridges available on the market today will take deer sized game as far (and even further) than you have any business taking a shot.  What I mean is, the 6.5 mm has excellent ballistic characteristics and can be driven fast enough to kill out reliably out to 300 yards.
 
It seems that both the .375 Win and the 45-70 are rounds of a different feather.  The 45-70 is going to tenderize your shoulder and even if sighted in at 100 yards....is truly no more of a 150 yard gun.
 
The .375 is much more mild mannered....but again, you are asking for trouble for anything past 150 yards.....the bullet drop is just too severe and your range estimation has to be nearly perfect.
 
Both are incredible rounds and are extremely deadly up to 150 yards.....but lets think about this a bit more.
 
The .375 and a 6.5x55 will kick about the same amount.  The faster bullet will continue to keep on keeping on out to 300 yards whereas the .375 caliber bullet has hit dirt about 165 yards away.  This means you have to pass up any shot on a deer you see at the edge of a clearing or one you might have jumped in a field.

periscope i see that your basing your yardage figures out of the book. it's a good place to start but doesn't reflect the truth. the 375 range issue is strictky based on the capabilities of the shooter not the capabilities of the round.  the 38-55 was used with good results on animals as large and larger than elk. the trajectories you quote are correct but the inability to dope range is strictly shooter dependent. the 45-70 is also discounted by you for the same reason. yes it kicks more than a 375 or a average 6.5 mm rifle. but it has no more recoil tham my 6.5x68s and it does not need speed to be effective at range. i have shot deer with the 45-70 and 45-110 at over 400 yrds. in either case the deer didn't appear that it had been shot by a round that was not capable of doing what it was intended to do. the 45-70 and larger cased 45 cal. rounds have been taking game a extended ranges for over a century. the same issue can be said for the 30-30 being a 150 yrd rifle, but my t/c in 30-30 is a 250 yrd gun. why is this, it has to do with the standard factory sites on most of these rifles. with the correct sites, and a little for knowalge of where your bullet will hit at different ranges, these rifles hold a different place in the deer woods. don't discount a round as febiel and punny until you've used it as it was intended. LOL and happy hunting:cool:

Neolithic.....

First let me say that if you are able to connect to 400 yards with your 45-70 90 times out of 100 on game animals....then you are truly a 1 in a million hunter shooting a rifle that is more accurate than 1000 others just like it. Your skill must be a God given talent honed by hundreds of thousands of hours shooting and hunting. Truly remarkable.

For the other 999,999 of us....we cannot reasonably take shots that are this far as only on in a thousand can judge the range of a game animal past 200 yards plus or minus 40 yards with 99% accuracy. Not a big deal with a flat shooting .270 Winchester...but the difference between a hit or a miss with a .375 Winchester.


I would suspect that the energy levels of these rounds would drop well below 500 fps out to 400 yards. Its not enough to score a hit....you have to make a hit in the neck to really but the critter down.
 

There are ALWAYS exceptions to every rule. Neolithic hunter is one of those one in a million cases. For us normal people.....the .375 Winchester has some major limitations.