Traditional sporting bullets
Flat-nose, round-nose, and soft-point designs remain important in these cartridge families. For tubular magazines, use ammunition specifically approved by the manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · LARGE-BORE CENTERFIRE
.375 H&H Magnum
A long, belted .375-caliber sporting cartridge, also known as .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Its long tapered case is part of its historical identity.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 3.475–3.600 in
88.265–91.440 mm - Case length · max
- 2.850 in
72.390 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.376 in
9.550 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.532 in
13.513 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Large-bore centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.3760 in / 9.550 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 10 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 250–300 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.375 H&H Magnum is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 375 Holland & Holland Magnum. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.375 Ruger is a separate, beltless cartridge. Sharing a nominal .375-inch bullet does not make the cases compatible.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Holland & Holland introduced the .375 Belted Rimless Nitro Express in 1912, the cartridge now usually called the .375 H&H Magnum. It entered an African sporting-rifle market in which the 9.3×62 mm Mauser had already established a strong reputation. The long, tapered case helped feeding and extraction, while its shallow shoulder made the belt useful for establishing headspace.
Its reputation grew as an all-round sporting cartridge rather than solely a heavy-rifle specialist. Professional hunter Harry Selby’s centenary account describes the combination of moderate recoil for its class, useful trajectory and effectiveness across a wide range of game that made it so durable. American factory-rifle support later widened access beyond expensive British sporting arms. Its influence also spread through case design: the H&H magnum family provided a foundation for many later belted cartridges. That lasting influence concerns a particular cartridge and case lineage, not merely the presence of a belt on an ammunition case.
Historical sources: Harry Selby: first-hand centenary account of Holland’s .375 Magnum ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Purpose-built modern loads
Flexible tips, bonded bullets, monolithic expanding bullets, and solids have different functions. A similar exterior shape or shared diameter does not establish equivalent behavior.
Firearm-specific ammunition
Some older cartridge families span firearms with very different operating limits. Keep any product restrictions with the ammunition record and use only loads authorized for that firearm.
In the cited .375 H&H Magnum examples, bullet weights are 250, 270, 300 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
250 grains
2,700 fps
CX®
270 grains
2,690 fps
SP
300 grains
2,530 fps
SP
Compare all 10 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady823314 | 250 gr 16.20 g | CX® | 2,700 fps 823 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Federal375A | 270 gr 17.50 g | SP | 2,690 fps 820 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady8508 | 270 gr 17.50 g | InterLock® SP-RP SPF | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Federal375B | 300 gr 19.44 g | SP | 2,530 fps 771 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalP375SA | 300 gr 19.44 g | SWIFT A-FRAME | 2,450 fps 747 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalP375T1 | 300 gr 19.44 g | TROPHY BONDED BEAR CLAW | 2,400 fps 732 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalP375T2 | 300 gr 19.44 g | TROPHY BONDED SLEDGEHAMMER SOLID | 2,440 fps 744 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalP375WH | 300 gr 19.44 g | WOODLEIGH HYDRO | 2,500 fps 762 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| Hornady82322 | 300 gr 19.44 g | DGS® | 2,530 fps 771 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady82334 | 300 gr 19.44 g | DGX® Bonded | 2,530 fps 771 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.375 H&H Magnum: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 250 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 2700; 100: 2481; 200: 2272; 300: 2073; 400: 1885; 500: 1708 |
| 270 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 2690; 100: 2418; 200: 2162; 300: 1922; 400: 1700; 500: 1500 |
| 300 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 2530; 100: 2267; 200: 2021; 300: 1790; 400: 1581; 500: 1394 |
| 270 gr Hornady InterLock® SP-RP SPF | Hornady | 0: 2800; 100: 2562; 200: 2336; 300: 2122; 400: 1919; 500: 1729 |
| 300 gr Federal SWIFT A-FRAME | Federal | 0: 2450; 100: 2194; 200: 1953; 300: 1730; 400: 1527; 500: 1349 |
| 300 gr Federal TROPHY BONDED BEAR CLAW | Federal | 0: 2400; 100: 2159; 200: 1932; 300: 1721; 400: 1529; 500: 1359 |
| 300 gr Federal TROPHY BONDED SLEDGEHAMMER SOLID | Federal | 0: 2440; 100: 2115; 200: 1815; 300: 1548; 400: 1321; 500: 1147 |
| 300 gr Federal WOODLEIGH HYDRO | Federal | 0: 2500; 100: 2179; 200: 1881; 300: 1614; 400: 1380; 500: 1195 |
| 300 gr Hornady DGS® | Hornady | 0: 2530; 100: 2223; 200: 1938; 300: 1678; 400: 1448; 500: 1256 |
| 300 gr Hornady DGX® Bonded | Hornady | 0: 2530; 100: 2223; 200: 1938; 300: 1678; 400: 1448; 500: 1256 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .375 H&H Magnum?
A long, belted .375-caliber sporting cartridge, also known as .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Its long tapered case is part of its historical identity.
What diameter does .375 H&H Magnum use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3760 inches (9.550 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.375 Ruger is a separate, beltless cartridge. Sharing a nominal .375-inch bullet does not make the cases compatible.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 152 ↗
- Sierra: .375 H&H Magnum cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗
- Harry Selby: first-hand centenary account of Holland’s .375 Magnum ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.