Pet loads for .375 H&H?

[Johnny Guest]

Well, I finally broke down and got myself a .375 H&H. Read the saga at - -
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46562
if interested. If not, the rifle is a Remington 700 BDL Safari. For the monent, everything standard (until I begin messing with the sights.)

Now I’m reading everything I can find on the .375, most of it for a second time. (Hey, I had to catch the bug somewhere, right?)

I’m seeking input for pet loads - - Preferably factory-equivalent type stuff, but also plinking/practice loads, and even cast bullet loads. One thing I’ll NOT do is exceed uppermost rational loads.

I’ll probably never be able to use the rifle for its truly intended purpose - - - I didn’t choose my career properly, I guess. But, unless I win the lottery, I can dream of some cape buff getting loose in North Texas, I suppose. I already have a (different) wild hog gun and loads worked up.

Thanks in advance - - -
Johnny

 

[HankB]

I'll list some of my loads, but, as always, check them against a good manual and work up from below, looking for signs of excess pressure, etc.

With a 300 grain bullet, I use 76.0 grain of Winchester 760 powder, Winchester cases, and a Winchester large rifle magnum primer. This load is 1.5 grains below what the Winchester data sheet lists as maximum, but indicated pressures in my rifle - a Belgian Browning - are very mild, even in the hottest weather. (I do NOT want to risk a stuck case when hunting dangerous game!!) Chronographed velocities are on the order of 2550 ft/sec in my rifle. For soft points, I use Swift A-Frames. For solids, I use the Speer African Grand Slam.

I've found that both Winchester and Remington factory .375 H&H loads clock a bit under 2400 ft/sec from my rifle, so when I duplicate what the factory CLAIMS, I'm happy. (No matter the caliber, I've yet to find a factory load that, when fired from a normal rifle over a chronograph, actually delivers what the data sheets claim.)

For a 270 grain load, I like the Hornady Spire Point. Seated on top of 82.0 grains of 760 - max in the Hornady manual - in Winchester brass with a Remington 9 1/2 M primer, it clocks right about 2800 ft/sec. Pressurewise, this load seems a bit "warmer" that the ones above, but I get no signs of excess pressure. (I've heard - but haven't confirmed - that current production of this bullet differs from the "old" lot I stocked up on, so use caution, check a manual, and work up from below.)

Somehow, 760 powder just seems to work well in my .375.

I've played around some with Speer's 235 grainers, but don't remember the load. And I haven't tried cast bullets at all.

 

[BigG]

Too many years since I cooked some up but I remember it included IMR 4064 in the recipe. 300 gr bullets. Sorry!

Congrats on your new rifle, Johnny, may it serve you well on those TX whitetails!

 

[Hutch]

I threw a dart at the loading manual, and then spun the magic wheel, and got....

The Speer 235 gr semi-spitzer over 72.0 of H4895. A very mild load, and shot right to the point of aim, first 3 went into .83 from my Interarms Mark X. Would likely kill deer just graveyard dead. Never shot anything but paper with it, tho'.