Difference Between .375 and .358 Ammo

When it comes to hunting and sports shooting, the choice of ammunition is as important as the choice of gun. Ammunition is specially designed for different firearms, and depending on how it is loaded into the cartridge, can be used for different situations, providing different levels of power and force from the barrel. For example, big game hunters use more powerful ammo, which can be too destructive when used on smaller game.

  1. Bullet Size

    • Ammunition is determined initially by the size of the bullet, which is packed into a cartridge filled with gunpowder. When manufactured by firearms for the United States, it is expressed in terms of inches. For example, .375 ammunition has a bullet with a diameter of 0.375 inches. European firearms are expressed in millimeters. For example, a 9mm rifle has ammunition that is 9 millimeters in diameter. The bullet size is critical to the discharge of the firearm because it needs to be able to move smoothly through the barrel of the gun and spin with the rifling on the inside of the barrel. Loading a gun with ammunition that is too large can be extremely dangerous because it can cause the bullet to lodge in the barrel.

    Cartridge Size

    • For a bullet to be fired, it must be at least partially encased in a cartridge, which is a metal casing that is filled with gunpowder. A primer, which is a small explosive at the base of the cartridge that ignites the gunpowder, is struck with the gun's firing pin to discharge the weapon. The cartridge either remains in the gun or is ejected from the chamber manually or automatically. The size of the cartridge must fit a firearm to be used properly. Popular ammunition like .375 rounds come in several types of cartridges, for various uses.

    .375 Ammunition

    • In 1912, the Holland & Holland company introduced a .375-caliber ammunition that would become extremely popular for big game hunting. It is comparable in size to 9.5mm bullets used in African game hunting. Known as the .375 H&H Magnum, this cartridge was loaded to produce a muzzle velocity of 2,500 or more feet per second. This ammunition became popular because it was powerful enough to use for big game but small enough to be loaded in a medium-bore rifle. Following the .375 H&H Magnum, other firearms manufacturers like Winchester, Remington and Ruger developed their own cartridges for .375-caliber bullets.

    .358 Ammunition

    • The .358-caliber ammunition is a product made for American firearms based on the .308 Winchester ammunition. It is also be used for big game, such as elk, bear and moose. Not as popular as the extremely common .375 ammo, its physical size is slightly smaller by 0.017 inches. However, like the .375 ammo, it can discharge with a muzzle velocity between 2,500 and 3,000 feet per second, depending on how the cartridge is loaded. Both .358 and .375 ammo are not recommended for smaller game because they are designed to break through thick hides of larger animals. While the .375 has multiple manufacturers and several firearm options, .358 is more rare and harder to find, and it can be more expensive as a result.