3584ELK
12-23-2006, 08:09 PM
I was part of the Group Buy for a 6 banger Lee mould that Buckshot honcho'ed last summer. I got the mould and spent some time working up a load, reaming out my Hornady dies so I could seat these big boys, etc. I finally ended up with a load for my .375 Winchester in Big Bore 94 guise. The load consisted of W-W cases, Rem 9 1/2M primers, 35.0gr of AA1680, and the Lee FPGC weighing 255gr sans gas check and lube.
After drawing a cow elk tag for the Late Rifle hunt in December for Colorado, I took my daughter for opening weekend and then I returned last Monday for the beginning of that huge snow storm we ended up with. On Tuesday, I started at 10,000 feet and worked my way down into the cedar ridges. I spotted two cow elk feeding together and snuck to within 150 yards wherein I bellied into the snow and laid the rifle over my daypack. I blew my cow call and got one to stop, drew a bead on her front shoulder, and at the shot she immediately fled downhill as though she was scared or heart shot. I followed up my shot, finding some hair that had been cut and began to follow her tracks. It was snowing so heavily that I couldn't see beyond 200 yards and I didn't see blood until she crossed a 4x4 trail. I could see where she stopped and looked back several times. I jumped her from underneath a pinon tree and she ran like a jackrabbit, making me believe she wasn't hit very hard. I followed her over the ridge, and spotted her bed with the outline of her shoulder with a 6" circle of blood under it. At this point she moved along the opposite ridge and I finished her with an offhand shot through the neck at 150 yards or so. In the photos, you can see where the finishing shot was taken from, marked with a tiny red dot, as I took the pic from where she dropped. Also, you can see the broken shoulder very evident, with the entrance hole labelled "1". Number 2 indicates the entrance hole for the finishing shot.
Upon skinning, we found the bullet from her neck, and it measures .473" at its greatest diameter, weighing in at 188.5gr. It retained 74% of its weight. Brinell hardness, measured on my LBT tool, came out at 11. The mix was wheelweights, water quenched. I sized the bullets to .378" in an RCBS lube/ sizer. As you can see, the gas check survived the trip, although it got beat up a bit.
I have one last quarter to butcher and I believe it holds the initial bullet. The first shot never penetrated the ribcage. It broke the near shoulder and travelled down the ribcage and lodged itself in the brisket. Very interesting bullet path, and I am anxious to find what remains of that bullet. I will update with my findings. Is the .375 Winchester an elk rifle? I think so, even though I am a bit disappointed that the bullet never penetrated the vitals.
As a side note, my daughter has been teasing me with "that little lever can't kill an elk, you need to take Greenie" (my .358 Norma Magnum). She shoots a .280 Remington and this sure has quieted her down. LOL.
Thanks for reading my essay, I hope it makes sense! :-D
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After drawing a cow elk tag for the Late Rifle hunt in December for Colorado, I took my daughter for opening weekend and then I returned last Monday for the beginning of that huge snow storm we ended up with. On Tuesday, I started at 10,000 feet and worked my way down into the cedar ridges. I spotted two cow elk feeding together and snuck to within 150 yards wherein I bellied into the snow and laid the rifle over my daypack. I blew my cow call and got one to stop, drew a bead on her front shoulder, and at the shot she immediately fled downhill as though she was scared or heart shot. I followed up my shot, finding some hair that had been cut and began to follow her tracks. It was snowing so heavily that I couldn't see beyond 200 yards and I didn't see blood until she crossed a 4x4 trail. I could see where she stopped and looked back several times. I jumped her from underneath a pinon tree and she ran like a jackrabbit, making me believe she wasn't hit very hard. I followed her over the ridge, and spotted her bed with the outline of her shoulder with a 6" circle of blood under it. At this point she moved along the opposite ridge and I finished her with an offhand shot through the neck at 150 yards or so. In the photos, you can see where the finishing shot was taken from, marked with a tiny red dot, as I took the pic from where she dropped. Also, you can see the broken shoulder very evident, with the entrance hole labelled "1". Number 2 indicates the entrance hole for the finishing shot.
Upon skinning, we found the bullet from her neck, and it measures .473" at its greatest diameter, weighing in at 188.5gr. It retained 74% of its weight. Brinell hardness, measured on my LBT tool, came out at 11. The mix was wheelweights, water quenched. I sized the bullets to .378" in an RCBS lube/ sizer. As you can see, the gas check survived the trip, although it got beat up a bit.
I have one last quarter to butcher and I believe it holds the initial bullet. The first shot never penetrated the ribcage. It broke the near shoulder and travelled down the ribcage and lodged itself in the brisket. Very interesting bullet path, and I am anxious to find what remains of that bullet. I will update with my findings. Is the .375 Winchester an elk rifle? I think so, even though I am a bit disappointed that the bullet never penetrated the vitals.
As a side note, my daughter has been teasing me with "that little lever can't kill an elk, you need to take Greenie" (my .358 Norma Magnum). She shoots a .280 Remington and this sure has quieted her down. LOL.
Thanks for reading my essay, I hope it makes sense! :-D
2629
2630
2627
2628