Brag about your 375 Whelen or Thoughts?

[centurion20000]

I think you knew I would strike at this cast. I am a true died in the wool 375/06 nut case. I have 4 of them. In my view it is absolutely perfect for where I live and what I hunt.
For someone wanting near 375 H&H performance with much less recoil it fits that bill nicely. All the other praises attributed to well balanced boolit shooters can be piled on as well. My standard hunting load uses a 375gn boolit at 2200 fps and leaves little to be desired in a big game hunting round for shots extending to 300 yards.
Why the 375 H&H round is so popular on this continent and the 375/06 so unpopular is a mystery to me. The latter is in my way of thinking better suited to our game.
Throw in the miser factor in procuring ammo and there is no comparison. When I go scrounging for brass at the local shooting sites (gravel pits) I find once fired 06 brass in no short supply but in contrast scant few 375 H&H.
Forming brass from 06 is not at all difficult but there is a little labor involved in trimming to square up the mouths.
A 35 Whelen has been my constant companion for at least 30 years and I can not put down the 35 version but have to say that since using the 375 version I have a strong preference for the latter.

Forgive me for resurrecting a 3 year old thread but what barrel length did you get that 375gr boolit to 200 fps and did you have a particular powder preference?
I'm doing some research on this caliber for a project and would appreciate any responses you give. Thank you.

[Bullshop]

The 2200 fps load mentioned uses 4350 of any flavor. Its quite easy to get 2000 fps with as slow a powder as 4831 and this heavy a boolit. The 2200 fps load was chronoed from a 27" barrel but I also have a 20" barrel rifle and it give up very little velocity with these slow type powders and very heavy boolits.

[centurion20000]

Thanks. It might sound crazy, but I'm looking at building 375 Garand Tanker ... data really helps

[Bullshop]

I cant read between the lines. Do you mean you would like my load data?

[centurion20000]

No, I was just saying thank you for the barrel / speed data. I'll work up the load myself (no liability).

[Bullshop]

Oh OK. What barrel length will you use? What boolit/bullet weights will you use? I have the load data that at one time was available from Hawk Lads for the 375 Hawk Scovill. The HS cartridge is a slightly improved version of the standard Whelen case.
The HS data is mostly for what I consider light weight for caliber bullets and they do get some very impressive velocities with them.
I found that using the very heavy boolits that I use that since much of the boolit base extends into the powder volume area that the HS case just didn't give any better ballistics than the standard case. On the other hand I had one rifle, a riflemen's rifle pre 64 mod 70 Win that did exhibit feeding issues with the HS case while I have had no feeding problems with the several rifles I have had chambered to the standard Whelen case.
If you would like the Hawk Labs data I have that available.

[3584ELK]

[QUOTE=405;1262827]Before the love fest gets out of hand about the 375 or 400 Whelen... take a second look at the of hints about headspace control issues that were brought up in a couple of previous posts. Even the 35 Whelen is subject to this design flaw in the cartridge. Don't believe it?? Try shooting a very low pressure cast or Jbullet load with the bullet seated normally (not jammed into the lands). Report the results.... usually a backed out primer.... indicating loss of headspace control. Load that identical bullet, seating depth and case up to higher pressure 40Kpsi + and check the primer after firing.... magically seated back to normal position that is flush with cartridge base? ..../QUOTE]

This happens with a .280 Remington as well, it seems to be more about low pressure than it does head spacing on the shoulder.

[Frank V]

[quote=3584elk;3318291]

before the love fest gets out of hand about the 375 or 400 whelen... Take a second look at the of hints about headspace control issues that were brought up in a couple of previous posts. Even the 35 whelen is subject to this design flaw in the cartridge. Don't believe it?? Try shooting a very low pressure cast or jbullet load with the bullet seated normally (not jammed into the lands). Report the results.... Usually a backed out primer.... Indicating loss of headspace control. Load that identical bullet, seating depth and case up to higher pressure 40kpsi + and check the primer after firing.... Magically seated back to normal position that is flush with cartridge base? ..../quote]

this happens with a .280 remington as well, it seems to be more about low pressure than it does head spacing on the shoulder.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but back in the 60s when the .300 Win Mag. came out some people got detonations not combustions using light charges of slow powder in the .300 Win. Mag. I think the finding was secondary pressure excursions? Even today some reloading manuals warn against trying light loads with slow powders. I'm not sure if we have the same thing here?
Elmer Keith spoke highly of the .35 Whelen.

[3584ELK]

[QUOTE=Frank V;3318301]

I'm not trying to start an argument, but back in the 60s when the .300 Win Mag. came out some people got detonations not combustions using light charges of slow powder in the .300 Win. Mag. I think the finding was secondary pressure excursions? Even today some reloading manuals warn against trying light loads with slow powders. I'm not sure if we have the same thing here?
Elmer Keith spoke highly of the .35 Whelen.

Agreed Frank...I should have specified that my various experiences with the primer backing out typically occur with cast boolit loads and
low charges of fast burning powders, and with perfectly formed brass for the particular rifle. I think it may be a matter of pressure not being high enough to firmly seat the case against the bolt face.

[Frank V]

[QUOTE=3584ELK;3318349]

Agreed Frank...I should have specified that my various experiences with the primer backing out typically occur with cast boolit loads and
low charges of fast burning powders, and with perfectly formed brass for the particular rifle. I think it may be a matter of pressure not being high enough to firmly seat the case against the bolt face.

I have had that happen not enough pressure to force the case up against the bolt face & primers back out.

[dakota]

Last night I almost finished chambering a 375 Whelen AI. It's a 22" barrel 2 1/2 contour, Mouser 98 action, Lyman aperture sights. Front sight is red post. Stock s McMillian recoil pad = decelerator.
I'm plannng on cast boolits, primarily.
Im thinking leaving the trigger military as trigger control isn't much of an issue and I want a trigger that can handle dust/dirt. The bolt handle will be a copy of early model 70.
Hopefully will be the rifle I carry this fall.

[lotech]

Some years ago, I worked extensively with several '-06 wildcats and Improveds, including .35 Whelen Improved, .375 Whelen Improved, and .411 Hawk. Never a headspace problem with any of them. Some who speak of headspace troubles have probably experienced them. I have no expert qualifications, but perhaps there was something wrong somewhere in their setup, be it gun, dies, handloading practices, etc. Others have simply read somewhere that these cartridges were poorly designed and should have headspace problems, but they have no experience with the cartridges of which they speak.

In retrospect, for jacketed or cast bullet use, there is probably very little practical difference in any of the .35s in comparison with the .375s. I suppose the .375 Whelen Improved was my favorite. However, with jacketed bullets, I never got the velocities that others claimed, though maybe I had a "slow" barrel.

The .411 Hawk, (talk about something with minimal shoulder) is, maybe in my opinion only, a better cast bullet cartridge than it is a cartridge for jacketed bullets, particularly so if the user is inclined toward the heaviest of bullets. All these cartridges are interesting to work with, but I'm glad I satisfied the curiosity some time back.

[Moonie]

Last night I almost finished chambering a 375 Whelen AI. It's a 22" barrel 2 1/2 contour, Mouser 98 action, Lyman aperture sights. Front sight is red post. Stock s McMillian recoil pad = decelerator.
I'm plannng on cast boolits, primarily.
Im thinking leaving the trigger military as trigger control isn't much of an issue and I want a trigger that can handle dust/dirt. The bolt handle will be a copy of early model 70.
Hopefully will be the rifle I carry this fall.

I have a beautiful 335gr mold from Accurate Molds I'm using in my 375 H&H. I would think it would work very well in a 375 Whelen AI as well.