375H&H and 2400 w/cast loads

[1Shirt]

The 43rd. edition of the Lyman Reloading Manual, copywrited 1964, lists 24 gr of 2400 behind a 265 gr. that they list at 375296 for a vol of 2150. My 375449 weighs a bit over 270, and I believe that the editor confused blullet weights. At any rate, I load 24 gr. of 2400 under 375449GC both as is, and in HP, with dac fill. I am getting under 2", 5 shot groups when shot slowly enoung not to heat the bbl of my #1 Ruger. Primer shows NO indication of pressure at all. I used mag primers. The Lyman manuals before and after the 43rd. and to present show no listing for loads of 2400.

Btroj today chronoed that load in his CZ (open sights) benched at 50 yds, and got a nice group under 2" at 50 yds. Noting No pressure. However, his 10 shot string averaged 1566 fps, nowhere near the 2150 vol indicated. The manual also states
:" Most loads Est---Very little data for cast bullets". So much for estimation.

I am wondering if anyone has used 2400 above the 24 grain level? If so, would be very interested in your results. I find it interesting that the old manuals list SR4759 with the 43 manual listing 30 gr. at 1646fps, and 4759 is still listed in the latest Lyman Cast manual.

Anyhow, if someone is using 2400 in the 375 H&H at above the 24 grain level and has chrono results, would be interested in results and accruacy. I know that there has been some slight modification to 2400 in the last 50 years, but know for sure that it is not enough to create over a 500 fps difference. If no one out there has any tested data above the 24 gr. load, will think of trying increase of 1/2 grain at a time until I see an indication of primer pressure (unless there is some reason that somebody can explain would be dangerous). I also realize that the dac fill raises pressure to some degree, but have been using it for years, and what works for me, I try not to fix. At 1566 fps, am very confidant that a 270 gr HP, is more than adequate for a 100 yd deer load. However a little more would'nt hurt my feelings.

I thank in advance all who respond to this thread!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[bigboredad]

there is a good member here who has worked with the .375 h&h quite a bit. it's RobS that dude knows his shiite when it comes to cast boolits he has taught me more in one than everything I have read about casting in the past 10years reading and trying to figure it out on my own. He has been super busy but I'm sure he will chime in. if not I'll give him a nudge in the right direction.
He also loves 2400 but I think he loves ramshots enforcer a wee bit better lately

[rockrat]

I like 4759 in my H&H w/brp 310gr

[btroj]

Getting ready to load some working up from 24 to 26 gr of 2400. I would like something around 1700 to 1800 fps. If 2400 doesn't pan out I will change to RE7.

Must say that with the iron express sights the group wasn't too bad. This may well be my first non-lever action deer rifle in many years. Sure hope I remember how to work the bolt!

[RobS]

bigboredad may have given me too much credit. In my 375 H&H I've run 260-275 grain boolits at the 1500 fps range with IMR 4759 and with Accurate Arms 5744 very nicely and these powders do well in part to their bulky nature. I don't like to use fillers but many here don't mind it so 2400 could work fairly well should a person keep the powder ignition consistent. I shoot for MOA or better and I don't think 2400 would do it without a filler so it never floated my boat to invest the time. A step up, if you want to run up to the 1800 fps range then IMR 4189 is a nice powder as well. I've run RL-7 to 1800/1900 fps and had decent results but pushing 2000 fps the groups started to open. IMR 4895 is a good powder for the 1900-2000 fps range and many have had good loads with 260-270 grain boolits up to 2100 fps but best results require a bit of dac filler in most situations. I prefer a bit slower powder for those 2100 to 2200 fps and have had nice results with IMR 4064 and even RL-15. I may one of these days try a slower powder yet but for now............

As you can see I prefer to run more linear powder pressure curves so its easier on the start of the boolit and often choosing to use slower powders or balkier powders so the case has more powder in it. One of these days maybe I’ll work more with some IMR 4350 or RL-19 to play with a slower powder out there in the 2300 to 2400 fps range. I just don't know if the rpm's will be too much or not for the boolit but I suspect at those velocities/rmp's it is going to be near the edge with a 1-14" twist rate barrel even with a tough water dropped WW boolit to withstand the twist rate.

[btroj]

What sort of loads did you use with RE15? I have lots of that stuff sitting around.

I mostly use 2400 because it works well in so many rifle and handgun cartridges. I have never bought 4759 and 5744 is so dang expensive. How can one powder be that much more expensive than all the others?

[RobS]

btroj:

A move a year ago and I'll be darned if I can find my rifle notes however I did find my cartridge box with the loads on it. I had 63 and 64 grains of RL-15 pushing this boolit here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=157237

The boolit was cast from water quenched WW alloy with a pinch of tin and then annealed down to around 18 BHN.

[btroj]

You will notice my name on the list for that mould. I may forgo that and get a mould from Accurate, time is the deciding factor. The Mihec mould could be a year out or more.

Have you used cast in you rifle for deer? That is my plan for this fall. I would like to be in the 1800 fps range. I doubt I will shoot past 50 yards.

[RobS]

btroj:

I have not had the chance to deer hunt for quite some time and haven't with the 375 H&H and cast. Wished I had the time to do so; deer season and college coaching seasons collide so it's going to be a while unless I would happen to "make it happen". There is no doubt in my mind that this boolit/rifle combo would do a fine job on a deer. If I knew I was going to be shooting at 50 yards I would pull my 454 Casull or 45 Colt lever action and have a hoot of a time.

[beagle]

When I fist started with the .375 H & H, I tried most of the loads that Lyman listed for cast and found them wanting.

I eventually went with 4198, 4895 and even found a load with 4064 and got better results.

The faster burners just didn't make it for me./beagle

[looseprojectile]

Now I need another. With my alloy,[soft] I can only get 1,300 fps without some leading. Dang boolit is a plain base.
At that speed five all go into one ragged hole at a hundred yards from the #1 Ruger.
The load is 23 grains SR4759, dacron and a card gasket. Sized .378"
Plain base boolits don't want to go any faster but that speed will be enough for any animal I will hunt.
I think I need the RCBS 378 312 except with a gas check. But then a wide meplat would be good also.
Details, details!


Life is good

[quasi]

in my .375 H&H with a 375296 16 grs Reddot cronos 1480 FPS. 2" 5 shot groups at 100 yards.

[1Shirt]

Beagle, If you don't mind sharing, what are your recommendations on 4895 and
4198? My 449 is a HP, and I am very happy with 2400 and 1560+/- as a deer load, as I will not shoot over 100 yd. Have shot with 50 gr of 4064, and have no doubt (thou not chroned) that it is around 2000 or better, but accuracy was not overly great (around 3" at 100) which I know is more than acceptable. However like most old timers, am never quite satisfied with what is good and will probably always try for something newm and mayibe better. Also std or mag primer for 4198 and 4895. Thanks!
1Shirt!

[beagle]

Look on Castpics/Articles by Members/ Cast in the .375 H & H. All my loads are in there.

When I started shooting the .375, it was damp and cool and I used regular primers. The low density fast burners gave me all kinds of hangfires and missfires. I switched to Fed 215s and searched out data for the slowburners and got good results.

One of our favorite sports one fall was shooting white softball sized rocks on the 300 meter berm. That .375 really powdered them but you had to have a spotter. Alas, the grass grew and covered the rocks after about a month of that fun./beagle


Beagle, If you don't mind sharing, what are your recommendations on 4895 and
4198? My 449 is a HP, and I am very happy with 2400 and 1560+/- as a deer load, as I will not shoot over 100 yd. Have shot with 50 gr of 4064, and have no doubt (thou not chroned) that it is around 2000 or better, but accuracy was not overly great (around 3" at 100) which I know is more than acceptable. However like most old timers, am never quite satisfied with what is good and will probably always try for something newm and mayibe better. Also std or mag primer for 4198 and 4895. Thanks!
1Shirt!

[fcvan]

Loose projectile, it sounds like a plain based gas check maker would do well with your boolit. I'm not sure if Pat Marlins is doing those or planning to do so. You might want to look into that. Frank

[1Shirt]

Beagle, Will keep you posted of our results! 300 yd rock busting with the H&H, sounds good. Last time I did that was in a high mountain pass in Colorado with a number of rifles w/cast. O6, 6.5x55, 8MM, 7x57, 7.65x55 etc. ranges up to a bit over 600 yds on a boulder that was probably the size of a bushel basket. Lots of hold over, but it was bone dry and you could see impact. Could usually walk a round into the boulder in 3-4 shots, and then stay pretty consistant. Good memories!
Thanks John!
1Shirt!

[1Shirt]

Range results today w/2400, and 265 gr. HP, .278, lars Red lube. 25 gr of 2400 showed a little more recoil (just a little more than w/24 gr) primer showed just a tiny bit more pressure than the 24 grain loads. 10 shots at 50 yds in under 2". 5 rounds at 100 about 2"

26 gr of 2400, an obvious increase in recoil, but still lite for a 375. Primer showed slightly more pressure than the 25 grain load. Tight group at 50 yds, didn't have enough loads for 100 yd testing.

Both loads are with dac fill, my choice, not recommended.

Think this load would probably run close to 1700, which for me is very adequate for deer. Blts were cast at 15bh, and recovered from dirt berm showed expansion to about .5, weighing about 200 gr.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[W.R.Buchanan]

Those must be some dang big deer you guys are shootin' at?.

Doesn't seem like you need to worry about bringing enough gun.

Randy

[btroj]

Randy, ou ever been charged by a rampaging, horny buck?

Yeah, we either.

No such thing as overkill. I shot one with my Marlin and the 425 RD going over 1700 fps. Shot another with the 350 RD at similar velocity.

I will be using a 375 also this fall, cast bullet in the 2000 fps range. Should work quite well.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have been charged by a rampaging horny doe but not in the field, it happened in my living room.

Glad I wasn't shootin' blanks! I could have been permanently damaged. :holysheep

Randy

[nanuk]

the 375 HAS to be adequate for Deer...

after all, it DOES have Magnum appended to it!


and we all know, Magnum is Latin for "Mo Better"

[1Shirt]

Interesting responses on this. Have settled on 27 gr. of 2400 under the 265gr. HP, WW/air drop, w/dac fill. Goes into 1-1 1/2" at 50, and stays at or under 3" at 100. Plan to use it on at least one deer this season.
1Shirt!:coffeecom