Gun Digest – August 2019

gundigest.com GunDigest the magazine AUGUST 2019 (^) | 53
BETTER RESULTS VIA HEAVIER LOADS
I spent a good amount of time devel-
oping some loads for the .300 H&H
and have found that heavier bullets
have given me the best results. The
180-grain Swift Scirocco II, 180-grain
Federal Trophy Bonded Tip, 175-grain
Federal Edge TLR and the 220-grain
Hornady InterLock roundnose have
all given excellent results.
The 180-grain bullets like pow-
ders such as IMR4350, Hodgdon’s
H4831SC and Alliant’s Reloder 19, 22
and 23. I’ve been able to achieve both
good velocities and accuracy with all
these bullets using Norma brass and
Federal’s excellent Gold Medal Match
GM215M large-rifl e magnum primer.
In spite of the Coltsman being an
old rifl e (I have no idea how many
shots have been sent down that barrel,
although it still shoots very well), I’d
happily take that setup on any hunt
for which a .30-caliber rifl e would be
suitable.
As far as rifl es go, there are many
modern used options available—from
the CZ550 Safari Classic, Remington
700 Classic and Ruger No. 1 single-
shot to the Browning X-Bolt. The
chambering seems to be produced in
limited runs by a particular company
... only to be dropped and then picked
up again by another company.
IN THE FIELD
For Namibia, I settled on the duo of
sleek Federal Edge TLR and Trophy
Bonded Tip component bullets at 175
and 180 grains, respectively. Loaded
with Reloder 22 for the Edge TLR and
Reloder 23 for the Trophy Bonded Tip,
I achieved velocities of 2,955 and 2,940
fps and a point of impact so close as to
call it the same. I had the opportunity
to take fi ve animals with the nearly
century-old cartridge; they ranged
from the aforementioned Hartmann’s
mountain zebra to gemsbok and wilde-
beest, as well as red hartebeest and the
mighty eland.
Mainly due to the terrible drought
that Jamy Traut’s Panorama conces-
sion was experiencing, the shot dis-
tances were defi nitely on the long
side. The closest was a gemsbok at
slightly more than 100 yards, with the
other shots ranging between 275 and
325 yards. My rifl e was topped with
a Bushnell Forge 3-12x44mm with a
good duplex reticle, so I had a good,
clear image at midday, as well as at fi rst and last light.
I’m happy to report that the old case design and the modern bullet designs got
along just fi ne. And although I couldn’t recover a single bullet (I was shocked
that an eland bull at more than 300 yards wouldn’t stop a Trophy Bonded Tip),
all the animals were taken cleanly.
The recoil of the .300 Holland & Holland—at least in the Coltsman rifl e I have
come to love—isn’t much more than the average .30-’06 and is certainly easier
on the shoulder than any .300 Weatherby Magnum I’ve spent time with. From
the bench, it is more than tolerable, and from fi eld positions, well, suffi ce it to
say that from shooting sticks and from the prone position, I truly don’t recall
the recoil.
The .300 H&H, handloaded with
175-grain Edge TLR bullets.
IN CONCLUSION
We have a whole bunch of good .30-caliber cartridges—from the venerable
.30-06 Springfi eld and its little brother, the .308 Winchester, through the .300
Winchester Magnum and .300 Weatherby Magnum up to the seriously fast car-
tridges such as the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum and the behemoth .30-378
Weatherby Magnum.
New developments, such as the .300 PRC and .30 Nosler, put a new twist on
things, offering very usable trajectories and energy fi gures. But if you want the
measure of the .300 Holland & Holland Magnum, tell your PH in Africa you’ve
brought one along on safari as your light rifl e ... and watch his face light up. I can
certainly tell you that Jamy Traut asked to hold the rifl e more than a few times
during our time together afi eld, and I could see him get that same nostalgic look
that I had while carrying it.
The rifl e? It belonged to me once, but I sold it to Dave deMoulpied, a dear
friend who was generous enough to let me take it to Namibia to experience a
safari with an absolute classic. I’ve helped him develop several loads for the
old girl, and he takes it afi eld at least once each deer season. After all, classics
shouldn’t be locked up in a safe.
If you base your rifl e purchases on sheer practicality (like my dad, Ol’ Grumpy
Pants, does), the .300 Holland & Holland might not be for you. But if you like
to hold a bit of history in your hands, a good rifl e chambered for the .300 H&H
might just tickle your fancy.
There are good choices among factory ammunition, including lead-free op-
tions, such as Federal’s Trophy Copper load, as well as a factory version of the Tro-
phy Bonded Tip load. Hornady loads the 180-grain InterBond bullet, and Nosler
loads its Partition (it’s fi tting that it solves John Nosler’s original problem) and
AccuBond in several weights.
Because there are so many choices, along with the myriad choices for the han-
dloader, I can’t come up with a single excuse not to buy that sweet, vintage .300
H&H you might fi nd in a dusty corner of your favorite gun shop. GDTM