.375 H&H Magnum: Rifles

There are many rifles available in .375 H&H Magnum, today, and this information, while dated, does provide a basic overview of what's out there. I would recommend you check out each rifle manufacture's website for more up to date information.

Remington offers its famous Model 700 in .375 H&H Magnum. The rifle, called the Model 700 KS, is a synthetic-stocked, stainless steel bolt-action rifle, and it is perfect for wet/cold weather destinations such as Alaska. Some consider the rifle to have one drawback - it does not feature "controlled round feeding." Remington is has a fantastic webpage which you should check out.

In 1996, Remington released a .375 H&H Magnum as its 1996 Model 700 Classic. The Classic is a special Model 700 which is only produced in one caliber each year. Many visitors have written to proclaim the virtues of this particular rifle. This rifle has iron sights, a relatively light overall weight, and a matte finish. Also, the wood is not Remington's standard glossy Model 700 BDL finish, and the wood is reported as being nicer than the standard Model 700's stock.

Ruger offers its deluxe Model 77 bolt-action rifle, called the Ruger Magnum Rifle, as well as its equally famous No. 1 Tropical single-shot rifle in .375 H&H Magnum. Ruger rifles are well made and strong rifles that are quite pleasing to handle. The Magnum Rifle features a higher grade wood stock and intregal express rib sights. The following information is from the Ruger webpage and catalog.

Sights: blade front, V-notch rear express sights, one stationary, one folding and drift adjustable for windage. Factory machined for Ruger scope mounts, each rifle comes with a set of standard 1" rings. Safety: 3-position. Steel floorplate and trigger guard. Stock: checkered Circassian walnut with live-ruber recoil pad, metal grip cap, and studs for mounting sling swivels. Length of pull: 13 1/2". Drop of comb: 1 7/8". Drop at heel: 2 1/8". Barrel length: 23" (.375), 24" (.416). Overall length: approx. 44" (.375); 45" (.416). Weight: approx. 9 1/4 lbs. Magazine capacity: 4 rounds (.375 H&H); 3 rounds (.416 Rigby). Calibers: .375 H&H, .416 Rigby.

(Catalog No. 1-H): weight approx. 9 lbs. Open sights, barrel band on heavy barrel. Alexander Henry style forearms. Calibers: .375 H&H Magnum, .416 Rigby, .45-70, .458 Win. Mag. Barrel Length: 24".

In 2001, Ruger began making the No. 1-H .375 H&H Magnum in stainless steel. The ones I've seen looked very nice.

Sadly, these rifles are no longer in production. The pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 is perhaps the greatest bolt-action sporting rifle ever made. Such a gun is the dream of many a well-read sportsman. What makes the pre-'64 Model 70 stand apart from is post-'64 sisters is its controlled round feeding where the cartridge being chambered is grabbed by the claw extractor and held as it is pushed into the chamber. This allows feeding of the action upside down while you are lying on your back and being mauled by a bear, lion, buffalo, etc.

While not quite a pre-'64 per se, Winchester offered the Model 70 Classic "Super Express." The Model 70 Classic Super Express is basically a modernized pre-'64 Model 70 complete with controlled round feeding (but beware, I have seen a brand new "Super Express" with the post-'64 style bolt). It was available in several configurations including a nice walnut stock, a synthethic stock, and a super deluxe version from Winchester's Custom Shop. My .375 H&H is a standard Model 70 Classic Super Express with a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5x scope. This is my complete rig pictured above with the Murray Custom Leather Company, Inc., "Quick-Set" Rifle Sling - 1-817-441-7480. It feels, shoots and handles fabulously!

Savage Arms Co. also has a controlled round fed .375 H&H Magnum. It is the Model 116SE Safari Express. The rifle's information is as follows:

Safari Express
Model 116SE
Features: Controlled round feed, stainless barreled action, Adjustable Muzzle Brake. Sights: 3-leaf Classic Express Sight System. Drilled and tapped for scope mount. Stock: Select-grade American walnut with cut-checkering, ebony tip, stainless cross bolts and internally vented recoil pad. Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds. Weight: 8.5 lbs. BarrelLength: 24" (22" barrel plus 2" Adjustable Muzzle Brake.) Overall Length: 45.5". Caliber: 300 Win. Mag., 338 Win. Mag., 375 H&H, 458 Win. Mag.
Action: Long.

First, we need to understand a little geography. A visitor from Hungary was kind enough to provide this information. There are two large manufacturers of firearms in the Czech Republic. CZ (and ZKK for that matter) are made in Ceska Zbrojovka (Czech Armory) in Uhersky Brod, Czech Republic. Zbrojovka Brno (Armory Brno) is a different manufacturer of fine firearms also in the Czech Republic. This tends to confuse even collectors when it comes to figuring out when and where your Curio and Relic CZ50 or CZ52 pistol or Curio and Relic VZ24 rifle was made.

Here is a catalog description and technical data for the CZ 550 Safari Magnum from several years ago. "Known world wide as the 602 Brno, the CZ 550 Safari is a true full sized Magnum, not a smaller action blown out to barely hold the cartridge with only 2 rounds in the magazine, the Safari can hold 4 Rigby's in the magazine! Features include Express sights (1 standing, 2 folding), hammer forged barrel and single set trigger. The stock is made from select Turkish walnut and has a classic safari shape. The controlled round feed and fixed ejector make this rifle reliable enough for Heavy and Dangerous game."

Technical data: Model CZ 550 Safari Magnum, Stock/Grip Express rifle, Caliber .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .458 Win. Mag. Magazine cap. 3-5, Overall length 1180mm (46.46 in.), Barrel length 635mm (25.00 in.), Weight 4200g (9.3 lbs.), Barrel - Hammer forged, Trigger - Single set, Sight/type - Express (1 standing 2 folding).

Darin Peterson, the owner of The Armory in Mesquite, Texas (972-285-1288), was kind to provide some comments on the current production CZ rifles. First, he notes that CZ rifles are the most widely used brand of rifle in Africa. Second, he states that every CZ Safari magnum that has passed through his store has had beautiful wood, a flawless, smooth action, and outstanding accuracy. He also noted that the rifle is intended to be used with the express iron sights, but it is not uncomfortable to shoot with a scope installed. CZ also offers an American style stock that is just like a Winchester or Remington. As for the trigger, out of the box the single set trigger is usually a bit squishy and heavy, and while the trigger is a bit complicated to adjust, it is fully adjustable for weight of pull, over travel, and take up. The adjustments apply to both the set trigger and standard trigger (you don't have to use the set trigger). CZ rifles also now come with swivel studs and not permanent swivels. Thanks for the information, Darin!

Here are some photos of a beautiful CZ550 that has been customized.

Below is perhaps one of the loveliest CZ 550's I ever seen. This rifle was built in Hungary using the CZ 550 as the base. CZ 550 Magnum. The rifle was bought complete from Frankonia Jagd as a barreled action is not available, and it was then passed immediately to the owner's gunsmith (the only one in Hungary building rifles in limited number on Mauser 98 actions). The work included a new stock of dense European walnut made to size with cast off, 20 dpi chequering, ebony fore-end tip and metal grip cap; Pachmayr "Old English" style, 17 mm thick, pad fitted; one cross bolt behind the recoil lug of the action fitted; foresight together with ramp and barrel band replaced with a complete express style set with fixed blade of silver bead plus one folding bead for close range; express rear sight blades sanded, ramp top chequered; barrel band sling swivel boss fitted; bolt handle straightened, knob lightening hole plugged, knob shaped and chequered on five faces; safety mechanism fined, safety knob reshaped and re-chequered; circumpolar polish on the extractor; trigger pull adjusted to 3 lb (1 lb when set); barrel polished and the whole system re-blacked. The magazine cover, trigger guard, rear piece of the firing pin and the grip cap was engraved with arabesque engraving and noble-metal inlays. The job was done by an "old hand," formerly a coin engraver. When tested on the range with open sight at 50m, the 5 shot group is less than 3/4 inch with RWS 300 gr. KS factory load ammunition, which implies an MOA accuracy with hand load ammo. The repeating is very smooth, and the trigger pull is the most sensitive one compared with the owner's other rifles including a Sauer, Mauser, Mannlicher Scönauer, Winchester, Sako and Remington.

If you go to your local Barnes & Noble' s Bookstore, in the guns subsection of the Sports section they carry (usually) a lot of large reference books such as Gun Values, Modern Firearms , etc. There is also a book (usually) there called Bolt Action Rifles (3rd Ed.) by Frank deHaas. I think it is about $24.00. It's a really great book that covers in surprising detail the many, many makes and models of just about every commercial or military turn-bolt action ever made. This is especially true for Mauser-pattern derivative rifles like Winchesters and Brno's as well as others like the Lee-Enfields. The Brno chapter reviews the features of the 600, 601 & 602 actions which were made for a variety of European and American sporting cartridges. If there are other makes of bolt guns you like, you'll probably find separate chapters devoted to them as well as this is a fairly thorough study.

Now, a little more about the rifles. The ZKK 602 is a true Mauser action with an easy five-round capacity (this is at least one round more than most .375's). The rifle has a 25" barrel with integral recoil lug and rear sight base, barrel band and front sight ramp. The rifles do have some rough edges including the trigger and difficulty in mounting scopes. The rifle's other drawback is its stock -- the "hogback" stock is not very pretty. But there is some good news. The next generation ZKK's are reported to have M700-contour receiver bridges for scope mounting and a straighter stock. A .375 fan in Norway wrote to tell how he put his ZKK in a McMillan fiberglass stock, fixed the trigger pull and now has a MOA rifle! With his new rig, most premium bullets such as Nosler's Partition shoot into one inch at 100 meters and Woodleigh Weldcores shoot sub-half inch groups at 100 meters! That is outstanding!

There is a wonderful article by Joe Coogan in a late 1993 Guns & Ammo special publication called Rifles and Cartridges for Big Game named "The Ultimate .375." The article discusses the conversion of a ZKK 602 from its factory configuration to a semi-custom big game rifle by well known gunsmiths Larry and Lon Paul of Tanglewood Ranch Custom Guns in Mountain Center, California. For a total of a little over $1,100 (1993 dollars) including the cost of the gun, the rifle was reworked into a beautiful, classicly styled big game rifle.

We are fortunate that a .375 fan from Ohio read the article and had almost the exact same work performed on his ZKK 602. Mark also added 2 Pachmyr flush mount swivels in the foreend, 2 cross bolts, and a Pachmyr Deccelerator recoil pad. After the conversion, with certain factory loads and handloads of varying weights, Mark's rifle is a sub-MOA rifle. Below are several photos of Mark's ZKK 602 .375 H&H Magnum. Thanks very much for the info and photos, Mark!

Weatherby also makes a .375 H&H Magnum as well as its own .375 Weatherby Magnum. The Weatherby rifle, the Safari Classic, is a Mark V action with more traditional lines than the usual Weatherby rifles.

Remington, Ruger, Winchester, Brno and Weatherby are not alone in offering the .375 H&H Magnum. As you would guess, Holland & Holland still makes rifles chambered in .375 H&H. Many other manufacturers such as Sako and Browning also make .375s, and there are "magnum" Mauser bolt-actions available that can be used in building a custom .375 H&H.

Berretta and SigArms both produce .375 H&H Magnum caliber rifles. The Berretta model is called the Mato, and the SigArms model is called the Blaser. As soon as I can obtain some additional information about these rifles, I will post it.

When one thinks about a custom .375, usually the first thought that comes to mind is a express-style rifle with a rich grained walnut stock, express sights, barrel band, etc. But Gerhard Bartsch took matters a step further. he had a #6 stainless, fluted, black teflon coated Lilja barrel put on his Winchester Model 70 .375 action along with a JP enterprises recoil reducer (he says it reminds him of the muzzle of a 155mm howitzer). The barrel was cryo-treated, and the rifle had scope mounts installed. He is planning on trying some 1000 yard shooting with it. Check out his rig below.

My best suggestion is to buy the current issue of The Shotgun News or The Gun List and see what's listed in the classified or the advertisements. If that doesn't work, then ask your favorite gun dealer to try to find one for you.

Below are some photographs of a custom rifle chambered in .375 H&H Magnum. The rifle was made by a firm from Cleveland called Hoffman Arms. After extensive searching and networking, some information finally turned up on this firm. The rifle is a commercial Model 98 Mauser magnum action mated to a half-octagonal barrel with quarter-rib express sights and a beautiful piece of wood. And the best thing is the owner found this very rifle for a steal!