Redneck loading the 375 Whelen

[RustyReel]

I have a nice Springfield sporter that I really don't need, a bunch of 06 brass and a Lee .375 Bullet mold. Been thinking about sending the Springfield to JES to have it rebored to 375 Whelen for quite a while now. (Don't really need that either, but what the heck!!) My only real concern is reloading dies. They seem to be more scarce, and more pricy, then the 9.3x57 mauser dies I have been trying to find for months.

So, did a little redneck testing. Seems I can use my H&H dies to open up an 06 case to 375 and I can seat the bullet, but I can't crimp it with those dies. I'm thinking I could do the crimp with a 375 Winchester seating die. Would basically be doing neck sizing on the brass and if they ever got to the point where they would not chamber I could run the thru the 06 sizer again or toss them and start with new(er) brass.

Just wondering if anyone else has done something similar, if there is another way to do it without the proper dies, or if there is some obvious reason this will not work??

Thanks in advance for any help and positive comments.

RReel

[Low Budget Shooter]

RR, I don't know the answers to your questions, but I'd just like to say that I can see the true redneck spirit lives in you, and I can feel the kinship! LBS

[littlejack]

RustyReel:
Welcome to the CastBoolits.
I know the expense of wildcat dies, as a few years ago I bought a set of 8mm-06 AI from RCBS. The cost IIRC was 129.??.
Would it be possible to have your 30-06 die reamed out to accept the case necked up to .375?
You shouldn't have to crimp your bullet/boolit, the neck tension will hold it.
Just a thought.
Regards
Jack

[Mk42gunner]

RustyReel,

I don't think the .375 Whelen case will fit into your .375 Winchester die, and my back is hurting too much to dig mine out to try it.

You might check CH4D for .375 Whelen dies, the last time I looked at their website a lot of wildcat dies were under ninety dollars.

Robert

[RustyReel]

Dang Mk42, I think you are correct. I should have seen that. CH4D does list 375 Whelen dies, but I'm a cheap @#$%^ and I don't really want to spend the $80+ (assuming they actually have them in stock) for dies that will probably only load a couple hundred rounds...........

[Mk42gunner]

I hear you on the money, I still use a hodgepodge of miscellaneous dies to load a couple of my oddball cartridges

You could shorten your .375 H&H dies a little on the bottom to end up with a neck sizer and seater that would work for loading.

For the eventual shoulder bump/ body die, there is the Redding body die $$$, or get an old '06 die and cut it at the shoulder to resize the body of the case.

Robert

[FLINTNFIRE]

I had jesse rebore a 03 remington made springfield , to 375 whelen and I called rcbs ,and CH4D and contacted some others , CH4D said 7-8 months ,but I received mine for around $80 dollars in about a month , a pleasure to deal with them . Might be worth seeing if they have some in stock now as they had a few of the A.I. in stock .

[TXGunNut]

Should have thought more closely along these lines before I bought 35 Whelen dies. I have 30-06 and 35 Remington dies.