375 Winchester

[shell70634]

Digging thru box of reloading stuff from a friends dad who died. Found dies for a 375 Winchester.

DO I:
1. sell the dies?
2. put em on the shelf to keep my other dies company?
3. buy a 375 Win?

[map55b]

2 & 3. It's tough to find brass though. I've written to StarLine to ask if the think their 38-55 can take the extra pressure, but have never heard back.

[Artful]

You can use 38-55 or 30-30 brass for low pressure loads
- Good Cast chambering but if you don't have one you might
look into it before you buy a rifle and a mold

Myself I have found the Ruger #3 in 375 to be a winner - have a Big Bore Winchester 94 and a barrel for my Contender (with muzzle brake) - Marlin and Savage also made them.

[cainttype]

You should keep the dies. You never know when they might come in handy, including loading for 38-55 with proper adjustments.
Something worth considering... Many firearms labeled as 375 Winchester will actually have chambers cut for 38-55 brass... If you encounter that situation, and you plan on shooting cast, using 38-55 brass makes good sense so your projectile doesn't have to jump a large gap from the end of your case to the beginning of your firearm's throat... think about it.
38-55 brass is usually easy to find, anyway, so it's a win/win situation.

[Gerald]

I would say keep them and find a rifle. But if you don't email me and I will buy them from you.
Gerald

[Thin Man]

Keep the dies and buy a rifle. The political landscape has changed and the market will recover in time. We are already seeing increasing availability of various handloading components, loaded ammo, and other materials. 375 Winchester brass is being offered by Jamison, just have to find a vendor who has it in stock when you want it. As for Winchester's future stock, no one has a clue. This is a really fine caliber that has all the potential one could ask for. Keep the dies. Buy a rifle. When you find brass, buy at least 200 rounds - this is the benchmark number I always retain for any rifle I own. As we used to say years ago, try it, you'll like it!

Thin Man

[.45Cole]

Sell the dies and buy another mold/sights. I'd guess the dies will bring $30, a new rifle is prob about $500.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Well for me, just me, I could never pass up the opportunity to buy another rifle! :-D

[shell70634]

I've decided to put em on the shelf and start looking for a rifle. After looking at the price of ammo, I may be able to find a good deal on one. I once bought a 416 Rigby at a great price because the owner didn't like paying ammo prices.

[pressonregardless]

Wise move.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Best choice - Savage 99 in .375 Win, next best Ruger #3 in .375 Win, then the Marlin, then the Winchesters.

[shell70634]

I imagine the savage and ruger will be the hardest to find. And the most expensive.

[dragon813gt]

I have a 375 Savage sitting in my safe. Still has the hang tag on it. People sure seem to want everything for nothing.

[shell70634]

didn't say i wouldn't buy one. don't mind paying for quality.

[map55b]

Build one! Its even more impracticable, but that's not when any of us are in this hobby. ;) I built a 38-55 on a Jap Type 38, I'm sure it will eat 375's with out issue (that is if I could find any). :)

[pressonregardless]

Might consider having one made.

Jesse Ocumpah

http://www.35caliber.com/index.html

[runfiverun]

I'll kick your brand-mother-in-law down a flight of stairs for a decent 375 win rifle at 500$.
the last Marlin i seen looked like it had just come back from Alaska and they wanted 650$ with a handful of brass.
I might sell you my win BB for 800$

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I second, third or forth the JES Reboring route.
Find a rusty bore Marlin 336. Buy it cheap. Send it to JES . For lets say $350-$400 + you can have your375 Winchester. That is how our #3 375 rifle joined the stable.

Starline brass... They make the "short" version of the 38-55 (375 Winchester). I have never had a "cut down" (that I trimmed) 38-55 Starline Brass fail in any of our 375's. Starline brass is well made. That includes a Ruger #3 that gets the Ruger #3 loads.
Go to the Starline site and read what they say about their brass. Old Winchester 38-55 brass I would not load in the #3. Remington either.
Mike in Peru

[Jeff Michel]

Starline brass... They make the "short" version of the 38-55 (375 Winchester). I have never had a "cut down" (that I trimmed) 38-55 Starline Brass fail in any of our 375's. Starline brass is well made. That includes a Ruger #3 that gets the Ruger #3 loads.
Go to the Starline site and read what they say about their brass. Old Winchester 38-55 brass I would not load in the #3. Remington either.
Mike in Peru[/QUOTE

This is my experience as well. I wrote a note to Starline quite a while back, and this is what they sent in reply:

Our .38-55 has been used by a lot of people in the .375 but we have never tested it into .375 Winchester pressures.

Regards,

Hunter Pilant
Process Manager
Chief Ballistician

[Hickory]

I have a 375 Savage sitting in my safe. Still has the hang tag on it. People sure seem to want everything for nothing.

They probably think it's still 1978.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Yeah, the JES rebore on a Marlin 336 30-30, pre-safety would make a pretty good .375 and would be 'easier' than the others.

[shell70634]

Just talked top JES. I have an old 30-30 that I will get rebored to 375. Thanks for the info.

[doc1876]

My brother bought a '94 Winchester in 375. We found a little brass, and then none. at one time, he paid $2.00 a case and was happy to get it.

I have talked to Winchester (they are just down the road) a couple of times, and they say that they have no intention of running any anytime soon ( ore in the distant future), and Starline can run it, just for some reason they are not. The 38-55 will digest just fine, but yes, you do have to reduce the load specs to 38-55 loads for the case.