I am planning to get a scope

Mills that’s a great looking rifle. Love those pre64’s. The 375 gives you a lot options for hand loading.
Look into taking a shotgun if you haven’t already planned on doing this. I was talking to a friend today that I got my 458 mag. from. He said that the bird hunting was incredible.
He took a Parker VH 16 when he went but that was 20 years ago.

Papa and Uncle Bill took their Parker 12's to Africa in 1956. Bill's was an AH with Damascus barrels. Papa's was a VH Remington Parker. They shot hell out of Francolin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGzc8Dot0Fg

Shot it some this weekend. Need to shoot it some more to get the hang of it.

Mills, the shoulders on those cases don't look like any 375 H&H that I've seen. You sure somebody didn't cut the chamber to 378 Wby or some other wildcat?

Not a 375 H&H chamber. More likely a 375 Ackley Improved as it doesn't appear to have the double radiused shoulder of the 375 Weatherby, although that's difficult to tell from the picture. Not a 378 Weatherby as that is a larger case.

Positive that's a Ackley Improved .375 Mag.

Disclaimer no actual experience with the H&H but. I bet you could work up a plinking load with Meisters 245 g cast bullet and 4227. There may be some cast plinking loads in one of my old manuals will look today.

I use that bullet in a 38/55 at 1400 FPS. Recoils like a .22 and accurate to 200 yards. Our gun club has a African Hunt outfitter and members that have made the trip. They all say best do a lot of work with reduced loads before the trip.

We ran the running target course at Vintage Cup several years. Rules require full power & it takes a lot out of the shooters. Have shot the runners with .22, Pistol caliber Levers and down loaded 30/06. It’s just like shotgun shooting takes a while to get a feel for the gun. Couple of hundred shots practice it’s remarkable how you can hit crossers chargers and turners.

William

Mills take a factory case and compare it to a fired one. I agree with the others that it looks to be whats called an improved 375. P.O. Ackley did this to a number of cartridges. I once had a 257 Roberts AI and have a 7X57 AI. You can shoot factory 375 ammo and the shoulder will be fire formed to the improved version. This modification eliminates any collector value however.

I have a great plinking load using a 200 gr bullet and 4227 for my Pre 64 M70. It will flatten a deer

Mattens “Handloading Ammunition” 1926 has a 1170 FPS & 1500 FPS loads Shapes “ Complete Guide to Handloading” 1937 has 1300 FPS loads.

Both specify powder that’s no longer produced SR #80 C.O.B. Advice is good on 4227. Charge weights same as SR 80.

On the Mestier Bullet. They come in two diameters right one depends on your bore. That case sure looks like a Ackley. CH4D can supply dies for it but probably easier to load it with neck sizers instead of F/L I had troubles getting F/L for a 25 Kraig, CH4D switched me to universal neck size dies. Lot better and no case fit issues.

William