I bought my first of seven .375H&H rifles in spring, 1984, a Brno 602, customized it and handloaded for it. I sold it, too long and I am a .338WM-250NP guy, so.....
I then bought one of the first Ruger MKII Magnums to come into Vancouver, used it working alone in the mountains around Jasper Park, in the East Slopes of the Rockies, where Grizzlies are often a problem. Then, took it on a 2 week horse pack into the Muskwa River region in BC. Sold it, just too heavy.
Soon, bought my first of four P-64 Mod. 70s, stocked each with a synthetic and used these in the bush alone for five month stints in Alberta. Bought a custom Browning Safary LE during this time as well, accurate, but, heavy and only 3+1.
My final .375 is my last P-64, custom rig built from spare parts, factory .300H&H action, Classic STS "take off" bbl, cut to 20" and reworked Micky MC stock, with Recknagel fire sights, Leupy QRWs and two Leupy 2.5X scopes. Shoots 300 NPs at 2400 fps and usually sub-moa groups.
The same load in my nicest original .375 on the same day, same chrono, went 2540 fps, factory 25" tube. I just sold that gorgeous rifle due to age and never seem to shoot it or it's minty twin in .300H&H, Africa, is not for me.
I had a very sick wife, so, the bush job I built the shorty for was not accepted and I still have it, have not shot it in 4-5 years. I find the short .375 much more useful for me, if, I were not retired from bush work.
However, I also have a few 9.3x62 rifles and seven .338s and prefer these for my uses. I have a custom Brno ZG-47, Benchmark sts tube, Micky stock and good irons being finished now, 21-22" tube and this will be my final "working" rifle as I intend to sell all of the others. I would use a 23" tube if I were to build an "all around" .375 and I do prefer the factory P-64 action for this as they hold 4+1 without the added costs of custom bottom metal.
A buddy built a P-64 .375, 21" sts Shilen, good steel irons, Talley QDs, Borden stock and it is about "perfect" as a working bear gun in BC, where he has mucho bush experience. I like this one and tried to trade a P-64 .338 for it, but, like me, he has far too many rifles now and is a .375 fan for bush camps.
So, for me, I do think cutting to 20-21" is just fine and handloading can make such rifles perform as one wishes in the bush.
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