Crimping 375 H&H

[zambezi]

I can see Namman's point as it applies to revolvers: the case head cannot do any thing but reverse under recoil held as it is. In that rearward motion, a revolver's recoil is akin to the behaviour of an inertia hammer.

In the case of a rifle the cartridge is held fairly snuggly, but not as per a revolver. It can move. I would tend to think that John's estimation is on the money: Cartridge is not held fast in a rifle, rifle and magazine are moving rearward...the next force being applied to the cartridge must be the front of the magazine pushing the bullet inward.

 

[bowji john]

I didn't mean to come across as a smart arse, and certainly not at anyone's expense - just my OCD trying to understand the resolution of forces (there I go again )

To my mind the double rifle is just the same as the revolver - forces acting on the rim of the case so 100% agree with you

Curiously it is also taught practice to 'chamber rounds' after an 'event' (like exposure to recoil) to a round with a top loading or mag fed rifle - especially if a miss fire or failure to feed can be life threatening

 

[Namman]

I didn't mean to come across as a smart arse, and certainly not at anyone's expense - just my OCD trying to understand the resolution of forces (there I go again )

To my mind the double rifle is just the same as the revolver - forces acting on the rim of the case so 100% agree with you

Curiously it is also taught practice to 'chamber rounds' after an 'event' (like exposure to recoil) to a round with a top loading or mag fed rifle - especially if a miss fire or failure to feed can be life threatening

No probs!
I suppose we all speak from our own experience! Like my original post I have never crimped .375 but I find I have to heavily crimp my .458. Both of my handloads for these rifles are compressed loads so the bullets can,t enter the case any further.
However I always use the lee factory crimp die on my other lighter rifles but I think that was accuracy OCD !!

 

[Selous]

Here are the rounds that were in the mag when a single shot was fired with a dummy round of the same COAL on the far right. The exposed lead was dented on all rounds.

 

[Redneck]

I know why I haven't noticed if it happens with my rounds. Only empty brass has come out of mine up to now

 

[Selous]

I know why I haven't noticed if it happens with my rounds. Only empty brass has come out of mine up to now

Haha it was only a close encounter of an eyebrow kind that saved these four!!

 

[Stalker62]

Haha it was only a close encounter of an eyebrow kind that saved these four!!

The "Sniper's Scar of Shame"...got one of those...

 

[Selous]

The "Sniper's Scar of Shame"...got one of those...

No blood fortunately just a reminder that eye relief is important Equally fortunate it wasn’t my eyebrow !!

 

[Hanechdene]

Wearing a base ball cap with a long beak can cause an unpleasant contact with the scope.........

For blinking rounds I use 200gn Sierra GK in my 375

 

[zambezi]

For plinking rounds I use 200gn Sierra GK in my 375

More than one shooter on this forum cautioned me against loading and shooting downloaded .375 rounds, even when "plinking". Far better to get used to the feel and POI of your chosen load. I think that is wisdom. Both of those parameters might differ enough from your "plinking" round to make your field performance sub par.

I am feverently committed to a clean kill on PG and shudder at the idea of a fluffed DG shot. So I plink with my full-strength rounds.

 

[enfieldspares]

Ok thanks that is reassuring. To be honest I trust my handloads more than factory loads after nearly 30 years of handloading practically everything

I can see that there is a logic in that. One American writer wrote of having a box of fifty rounds of handgun ammunition for his PPW on which, on all fifty, the round failed to fire when he tested them. The primers on each and every cartridge had no anvil.

I have found a number of places in Africa will only allow commercial ammo, new un-opened box to start the trip.

I assume though that they at least fire a couple of rounds out the box on a paper target? If not I'd imagine they have close relatives who never check their car tyre pressures nor before setting off if their rear brake lights work. Or do they just shoot it on an animal untested?

 

[levigsp]

I assume though that they at least fire a couple of rounds out the box on a paper target? If not I'd imagine they have close relatives who never check their car tyre pressures nor before setting off if their rear brake lights work.

That's goes without saying

 

[Hanechdene]

“More than one shooter on this forum cautioned me against loading and shooting downloaded .375 rounds, even when "plinking". Far better to get used to the feel and POI of your chosen load. I think that is wisdom. Both of those parameters might differ enough from your "plinking" round to make your field performance sub par.”

I didn’t say these were downloaded, travelling @ 2800fps they are moving at a far pace. If you stoke these bullets up to a maximum (over 3100fps) they fragment considerably but at this load they behave reasonably well on our smaller deer.

The other benefit is that when chucking lead down the range they are relatively inexpensive and mild on the shoulder.

 

[Namman]

Here are the rounds that were in the mag when a single shot was fired with a dummy round of the same COAL on the far right. The exposed lead was dented on all rounds. View attachment 166703

Here are two photos from Zimbabwe, the first shows a dubbed round which had been in the magazine, note no bullet movement, just a dubbed nose. The second shows a round from the same batch from my cartridge belt next to leopard spoor to show the original col. The third shows some of my unfired rounds to show that I don't crimp and I seat the bullets out past the cannelure. The bullet in the moth photo has not moved despite being in the magazine during shooting several rounds.The bullets are Hornady 300gr BTSP
I have always used RCBS dies and Winchester cases in this calibre. Seems to give me good neck tension. With this calibre I find that case failure tends to occur just above the case web after repeated firings. I don't tend to see neck cracks and so I don't bother with annealing.
This is a classic British Big Game cartridge in worldwide use and is superb! Get used to the stout recoil and you will enjoy it!