Big Bore .375 Project

[TXGunNut]

Ever have one of those projects that can't wait to get started and takes on a life of it's own? I have a safe queen that's eager to get out and it looks like she's headed for the range today!
Wasn't going to start this project for awhile but it seems I couldn't stop the old girl, it seems to be well underway without much effort from me. Been reading about 375's and 38-55's for over a year around here, finally decided to do this project but wasn't planning on doing it for awhile. My second centerfire rifle is a Winchester Big Bore in 375 Winchester, bought new over 30 years but for various reasons hasn't seen the light of day in over 25 Years. She's a beautiful honest 98% gun, one tiny stock ding and sling mounts are the only things keeping her from looking like a new gun.
I bought a Lyman 375449 several months back when they came off backorder, finally got around to casting with it a few weeks ago. Lubed, sized and loaded 20 recently and the Williams FP sight came off backorder last week so I installed it last night. Forgot to put some Wipeout in the bore last night but I put some in when I got up this morning, should be good enough for as little shooting as she's seen.
Have a few other projects going on but I'm hopefully winding them up this morning, will let the 375 come along for a few quick test and sight-in shots.

[hound-1]

I'm curious where you end up ,as far as loads ect. I have a nib ruger #3 in 375 win that is on my project list.

[TXGunNut]

Well, it was pretty disappointing, in a way. My first shot impacted very close to POA and the rest tended to stay well within 2" @ 50 yards, that's about all I can expect from my middle-aged eyes using peeps. Decent group and flawless perfomance from this former safe queen, project is pretty much over before I was ready to start. :-) The FP sight took a bit of getting used to but I like it a bit better than the standard Williams sight. Load is 32grs Rx7, SPG is in the bottom 2 grooves and the OAL is 2.56" and velocity is about 1800 fps.
Hate to complain about a project coming together so nicely but I guess I was due for an easy one. Feels good...other than my shoulder, of course. ;-)

[35 shooter]

Don't remember the year the .375 Big Bore Win. came out but i bought a brand new Dodge Ram truck back then and they were giving away either a 30/30 or .375 rifle (your choice of either) with the new trucks. They had the dodge ram head emblem in the butt stocks. I took the .375 and it was a shooter but i decided i hated that dodge emblem in the stock and traded it off. I wish i had that to do over again.:(

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like it had more to do with the truck than the rifle, none of the big three built a decent truck in those years. With all the silliness in the collector market there's no telling what that rifle's worth. Probably no more than a standard BB but if it was anything like mine it was a keeper.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I concur that the caliber .375 Win generally is an easy one as the throats and bores seem to follow standards. It is nice when you do not need to lap out molds to get one fat enough. Refreshing !

But why have a "Safe Queen" anyway ? That kind of gun would not last long about me. My last was a NOS in origonal box Colt 38 Special Police Positive 4 inch in 100% condition. It took me about 3 hours to get 50 rounds run through it. They just have no value to me if I would feel any qualm about getting the bore dirty.
Mike in Peru

[shdwlkr]

the .375 winchester is a fun caliber and I have 3 molds 248gr, 264 gr and 300 gr and some 350 gr bullets that I intend to use in the .375 winchester. From what I found a heavier bullet is real fun in the .375winchester.
Also one of the ones I get to play with has a 26 inch octagon barrel on it and no it was never factory made that way but it should have been. The issue with the 20 inch round barrels is as they heat up from use the point of impact changes. Never fired one to get the barrel warm enough to see if it really happens but have read it does so accept it is possible.
Winchester tried to come out with an up graded 38-55 with the .375 winchester but I wonder how much the lawyers messed up the caliber and rifle. Remember they have the stronger actions or something on them. Some of them actually can handle the 2.08 inch cases of the 38-55, nope haven't tried with either I play with but might one day as they are early models.
I also like that it is a straight wall case, just seem fun to me and the older I get the more I like old calibers, obsolete calibers and old style firearms.

[TXGunNut]

Also one of the ones I get to play with has a 26 inch octagon barrel on it and no it was never factory made that way but it should have been.-shdwlkr

Sounds like an awesome rifle, I agree it should have been built as a factory item. I suspect that if the 375 had come out today it would have been offered in an octagonal barrel.
I have no idea why this rifle became a safe queen, Mike. I wish I knew. Maybe it's too pretty. Maybe it kicks too hard. I have no use for safe queens but I'm glad I didn't do something silly like trade it off. I moved it to my project list solely to get some use out of the components I had lying around before I sold it, pretty sure I won't be selling it anytime soon.