I have a old sporter mauser that is chambered in 375H&H and with reloads configured for the game at hand I have hunted everything from white tail to caribou, ferral hogs, elk, moose and mulies with it. It is IMHO the most versital caliber in the world and with it's "perfect design" it doesnt jump when the sholder hits the edge of the magazine in a fast reload and jam. It is slicker that sheep sh*t on ice for reliability and accuracy. It's my favorite caliber for hunting. Albeit I have never hunted Bear as I am not a trophy hunter and don't like bear meat nor can I afford to etc etc ..... I liked the warm and fuzzy stopping power of the 375 H&H in regions where I was not top of the food chain while I sought to harvest meat for the freezer.
Shot placement is key as ya state. I have seen big polar bears taken with a 303 enfield above the artic circle and Elk with a 243 Winchester in the Rockies.
I once killed a mouse with a Glock .40S&W.
Took three shots though.
Tough lil' bastard!!
IMHO, the .375 H&H going from perfection to perfection, is a larger .30'06. The 270 gr. bullet's trajectory is about the same as an '06s 180 grain bullet, as I recall. A beautiful thing.
It has a wonderfully low and deep boooom, and in a heavy enough rifle, is a pleasure to shoot.
I would not hesitate to shoot it at deer for meat, since it is not an extremely high velocity cartridge, but relies on bullet weight to be effective, and with a heavily constructed bullet, may not even expand in a deer, on it's way out the other side...leaving a .375 caliber hole. Another good thing, to get the job done well, and quickly.
Again, placement....and Murphy, is almost everything. It wouldn't be a "sport" otherwise, and the sportsman's challenge that it is. A clean kill is proper, respectful harvesting, a success. Having to run around and try to murder wounded game is highly unpleasant, to say the least, and nothing to brag about, unless the quarry has the ability and interest in murdering YOU!
What a great post, spatznaz. Thank you very much for it.
Animals like that make one's firearm seem truly deficient, or too powerful to recover and fight it out with in the event of a miss, or failure to stop.
Gulp.