Any .375 Winchester users here?
- Thread starter njc110381
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6pt-sika
Well-Known Member
In my experiences with cast bullets in deer compatible lever action cartridges I generally got more DRT deer with cast than I did with jacketed that’s in everything from a 30-30 up to and Including the 45-70 . May have been a bunch of lucky after the facts , but that was my experience. In the 444 and to a lesser degree the 45-70 I tried just about all the bullet molds I liked including HP’s . That 330 grain Gould HP bullet that Ideal/Lyman cut knocked the fire out of for Virginia a huge bodied 6 point whitetail , needless to say he was DRT . For the 444 I think I tried upwards of 7 or 8 different HP designs and if memory serves all but one of them killed the deer DRT . Never tried HP in the smaller cartridges .
6pt-sika
Well-Known Member
There was a fellow called Ranchdog on a couple of the forums I frequented and he developed his own design of cast bullets specifically for lever action hunting . And for some reason he usually got a mold to me for paper and field testing before he started cutting for sale . Later on I kinda cut some hybrids of his molds just for myself and had satisfying results .
6pt-sika
Well-Known Member
At the time I fooled with this stuff I was accumulating Marlin levers and had a pair of 375’s as well as several in 38-55 . I’ve been known to overdue things in gun related stuff that intrested me . Lols !
Yeah. I just got 48rds in Holts for £28+hammer tax etc. I've said as much in my message. He did say make an offer, although I wouldn't expect him to go that low.
Being in the UK, and not having a lot of exposure to hunting with cast, this is an interesting prospect. Some time ago I picked up some ingots of alloy that had a ring to then when I hit them with a steel bar. Turns out the hardness is 22.7BHN according to a friend who has tested one. That should probably do for 1800fps or so if the fit is right, shouldn't it?
This is a hard one to swallow, but velocity, as such, is not the main factor to leading. It's pressure. And as I've often said, pressure and velocity are not chained at the wrist and ankles. If you need convincing, you only need to look at the old Lyman manuals for cast bullets using some charge of fast burning shotgun powder that developed 1800 fps and 45K pressure. Your metal has a Bhn of linotype. Be aware that IF you induce leading it will be very difficult to remove.
Clean all traces of copper fouling from your gun before you start.
Yes. A properly fit bullet and using the powder charge that develops the least pressure while giving you the velocity you are after, should be fine with that alloy. ~Muir
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Being a straight case you could easily add a grease cookie. Ideally it would be with a case full of powder if possible.
You melt beeswax and olive oil until you get the beeswax stiff but workable..
Poor it onto grease proof paper and put a sheet on top.
Once cooled and set stamp wads out with a suitable sized leather punch.
It keeps the pressure and heat off the direct surface of the bullet. Lubes the bore which is always good shooting laed.
You melt beeswax and olive oil until you get the beeswax stiff but workable..
Poor it onto grease proof paper and put a sheet on top.
Once cooled and set stamp wads out with a suitable sized leather punch.
It keeps the pressure and heat off the direct surface of the bullet. Lubes the bore which is always good shooting laed.
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Being a straight case we have options.
Some will add leather wads or felt wads with lube added.
Just like 22 shoots soft lead well once the bore is coated in bullet lube we can do the same here only we need some kind of firewall also if no copper gas check is there.
The only other fly in the ointment is the bore size. It could run .379"! If we only have .377" bullet that could cause issues!
Some will add leather wads or felt wads with lube added.
Just like 22 shoots soft lead well once the bore is coated in bullet lube we can do the same here only we need some kind of firewall also if no copper gas check is there.
The only other fly in the ointment is the bore size. It could run .379"! If we only have .377" bullet that could cause issues!
I guess the first job will be to slug it, see where it's at.
I'm not sure I like the sound of hard leading being tough to remove! Maybe I'll start out soft and slow, work up slowly looking for signs and also only harden the alloy as much as needed?
I'm open to cookies of lube, leather wads, paper patching etc. Whatever works if it saves me bother with cleaning! I started gas checking heavier bullets for my .45-70 and that allowed much better performance, but that then holds me to being able to buy, or make, gas checks. I'd rather avoid it if possible.
This is all very new to me. I've read a fair bit about cast bullets but haven't done much. Just gentle .45-70 and .357 loads for plinking really.
I'm not sure I like the sound of hard leading being tough to remove! Maybe I'll start out soft and slow, work up slowly looking for signs and also only harden the alloy as much as needed?
I'm open to cookies of lube, leather wads, paper patching etc. Whatever works if it saves me bother with cleaning! I started gas checking heavier bullets for my .45-70 and that allowed much better performance, but that then holds me to being able to buy, or make, gas checks. I'd rather avoid it if possible.
This is all very new to me. I've read a fair bit about cast bullets but haven't done much. Just gentle .45-70 and .357 loads for plinking really.
scrumbag
Well-Known Member
Maybe ask Shellhouse what diameter this is:
shellhousecastings.com
See when you slug the bore you can get there?
Scrummy
250gr FN .375 Holland and Holland Hard Cast Head — ShellHouse Castings
A 250gr FN .375 Holland and Holland Hard Cast head available in the following options: 100 As Cast 100 Gas Checked and Lubed at .376
shellhousecastings.com
See when you slug the bore you can get there?
Scrummy
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
The link brother says sized and lubed at .376"! Might not be enough..Maybe ask Shellhouse what diameter this is:
250gr FN .375 Holland and Holland Hard Cast Head — ShellHouse Castings
A 250gr FN .375 Holland and Holland Hard Cast head available in the following options: 100 As Cast 100 Gas Checked and Lubed at .376
See when you slug the bore you can get there?
Scrummy
It maybe possible to lap a set of Lee moulds open enough if required.
6pt-sika
Well-Known Member
There’s certainly nothing wrong with plain base cast bullets but I tended to prefer gas check cast bullets over the plain base .
scrumbag
Well-Known Member
I wish Gas Checked bullets were easier to get here.
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
We would need to make a machine or press to stamp beer cans for us.
The .375 is actually thicker in the neck as well. Enough that, using it to form 32-40, the necks have to be turned. Which when using 30-30 brass, is not required.
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You might consider just powder coating your cast bullets. It's a fairly recent development here in the US that is gaining a lot of following in the pistol community. You would still need to keep the velocities (relatively) low, but it would alleviate any concerns of leading your barrel.
How to Powder Coat Your Bullet | US Reloading Supply
scrumbag
Well-Known Member
Interesting.
If you read buffalo bore’s site they say on varying bore size for 38-55s which go from 377 to 381 thou
Heavy 38-55 Winchester Rifle & Gun Ammunition
Heavy 38-55 Winchester Field Proven rifle and gun ammo. Maximum firepower bullets. Best ammunition for rifles and guns for sale. Buffalo Bore. Strictly big bore. Strictly Business.
www.buffalobore.com
“
375 BORE RIFLES
We use a bullet that is sized .377 inch. I am aware that 375 Winchester chambered rifles utilize a .375 inch bore. When fired, the .377 inch bullet will slug/size right down to .375 without raising pressures (we’ve tested the heck out of this) this is in part due to the construction of the bullet, but also due to our powder choice.
.381 BORE RIFLES
We are also aware that many old 38-55 rifles utilize a bore diameter of up to .381 inch, but most are between .377 and .380 inch. At 38,000 cup, there is enough pressure generated by this cartridge to cause that .377 diameter bullet to hit the rifling lands and slug up to the bore diameter (all the way up to .381 inch) and give wonderful accuracy.”
So you might find the Shellhouse bullet might “slug up”
Worth a try?
Scrummy
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Circa a dozen years ago mate Frank G (co inventor of Woodleigh Hydro bullets with John M) shot a water buff up north using the .375 big bore with a W hydro bullet. It went THROUGH the considerably thick horn into the neck and was recovered in the hip!
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