Winchester Big Bore 375 Winchester?

[TG70]

Is one likely to be a headache for shooting cast bullets?

I have read some of the posts regarding the problems with Marlins but didn't find any discussions about Winchesters.

Tom

[badgeredd]

Is one likely to be a headache for shooting cast bullets?

I have read some of the posts regarding the problems with Marlins but didn't find any discussions about Winchesters.

Tom

Tom,
I got my dad's 375 Big Bore a few months ago. After cleaning the copper foulings out really well, I took some loads I use in my 375 Winchester Mauser. Dang thing really shoots!!!!! I like the 249 grain Lyman boolit for mine. I have them loaded to about 1900 fps which is more than adequate for most everything in the Continental US.
I haven't experienced any feeding woes either. Like the Marlins, I imagine there are some boolits they just don't care for. OH YEAH, I sized mine @ .377 and it seems to like them better that .376 or .378. The bore slugged right on .375 though. Have fun, after all it is just a modern version of the 38-55!
Edd

OOPS!!!!! My goof. I really meant to say RCBS mold, not Lyman.

P.S. No. 1....I'll get to it in a new thread!

[Harry O]

Is one likely to be a headache for shooting cast bullets?

I have read some of the posts regarding the problems with Marlins but didn't find any discussions about Winchesters.

Tom

No problem with mine. I use a Lyman 375449-GC (approx 270gr with GC and lube) sized to 0.376" lubed with Tamarack 50-50 lube with 27.0gr of Reloader 7. That is the most of that powder that can be used with that bullet without compressing the powder. That gives approx 1,550fps. It is about as accurate as the Hornady 220gr bullet at least out to 75 yards. With a peep sight, I can't shoot worth a darn beyond that anyway. If I was going to use it for hunting, I would mount a scope, but of course, that is not easy to do with the Winchester BB.

I have taken it up to 29.0gr of Reloader 7 with a 30" drop tube. That compacts the powder enough so that the bullet does not compress the powder when it is seated. I get another 100fps with that, but I don't think it is worth the extra work. There were no signs of excessive pressure with this load.

[No_1]

Sorry about the high-jack but could you post info and pics about the 375 Win Mauser?

R.


Tom,
I got my dad's 375 Big Bore a few months ago. After cleaning the copper foulings out really well, I took some loads I use in my 375 Winchester Mauser. Dang thing really shoots!!!!! I like the 249 grain Lyman boolit for mine. I have them loaded to about 1900 fps which is more than adequate for most everything in the Continental US.
I haven't experienced any feeding woes either. Like the Marlins, I imagine there are some boolits they just don't care for. OH YEAH, I sized mine @ .377 and it seems to like them better that .376 or .378. The bore slugged right on .375 though. Have fun, after all it is just a modern version of the 38-55!
Edd

[6pt-sika]

I got started in the 375 caliber stuff with the 336CB in 38-55 . And in that one I used the RCBS 37-250GC and the Lyman 375449GC . Later on I added a Marlin in 375 WIN , but had no intentions of shooting cast in it !

Shortly after that I picked up a second 38-55 . This one was a 1894 vintage Marlin Model 1893 and I also got my hands on one of the Lyman 249 grain PB moulds . But after trying the GC moulds in this one I decided to use the same loads I used in the 336CB .

And then RAnch Dog started with his first 379-210GC mould and I just happened to pick up a second Marlin 375 . So now I had a 375 to shoot cast in !

And last season I killed a nice 7 pointer with the 375 shooting the RD 379-210GC bullet . I also had a load worked up in this Marlin 375 for using Ranch Dog's second 375 offering the 379-235GC . But I never got a chance to smoke a deer with this one .

Now this season I have my cast bullet Marlin 375 all sighted in and loaded with the RD 379-235GC bullet .

[JFE]

Is one likely to be a headache for shooting cast bullets?

I have read some of the posts regarding the problems with Marlins but didn't find any discussions about Winchesters.

Tom

Tom - 375 Win chambers have generous throats but can still shoot cast well. If you do a search you will find several threads on the subject. Ranchdog has an chamber diagram in a prior post that will help you understand the chamber configuration. There's also one on leverguns.com.

A number of people use 38/55 brass in their rifle and that brass works well in mine too. 38/55 brass is not as heavily constructed as 375 Win and on a like for like basis it allows about a 10% increase in effective case capacity. I have found that Reloader 7 works well, providing good velocities from the modest case capacity.

A load the works well from my gun, is 30 gr R-7 & Lyman 375449 (sized 0.377) in 38/55 brass. Velocity is a whisker over 2000 fps with this load. You can push it harder but its not neccessary - accuracy begins to fall off and recoil increases in the light carbine. I also use CBE 376300 which was designed for the 375 Win. This one works best in either 375 Win brass or reformed 30/30 brass. You can easily push this bullet to 1800 fps in the little carbine and its a little powerhouse.

Joe

[S.R.Custom]

Dunno about the .375s, but my Winchester Big Bore in .444 Marlin had a problem feeding SAAMI length cartridges. Even when they were the "proper" length, they wouldn't clear the magazine tube, and I had to 'machine' an upside-down feed ramp in the receiver where the magazine tube fits in...

[Four Fingers of Death]

I think you have heard about the trouble shooting lead in microgroove barrels. They shoot lead ok, but not always straight up, they need a bit of playing with. I have a Big Bore 375Win and I love it. One day, I will find a 444 Big Bore. Like I really need another lever gun!

[TG70]

Thank you to all for the replies. Sounds like the Winchester will work well.

I have kind of wanted a 38-55 but reading posts on this forum (re Uberti and Marlin rifles) and at Graybeard (re H&R) decided to think about other calibers. Now, my local shop has a .375 big Bore, and it sure is pretty...

I have not yet dipped my toes into casting, but when I get over to Tucson I can try casting with my friend there so I can see if I want to buy the equipment. Even if I don't cast my own a bit of searching on the Internet reveals at least a couple of sources of bullets.

If I buy the rifle I will probably use it for target shooting and maybe silhouette shooting at the local short range matches. The guy at the shop thinks that 38-55 data could be used for loading lower powered rounds. If 38-55 brass will fit OK I wouldn't have to worry about the difference in case capacities.

Tom

[PatMarlin]

.This one works best in either 375 Win brass or reformed 30/30 brass. You can easily push this bullet to 1800 fps in the little carbine and its a little powerhouse.

Joe

That is itself is a good enough reason to own one.. :Fire:

[6pt-sika]

I have kind of wanted a 38-55 but reading posts on this forum (re Uberti and Marlin rifles) and at Graybeard (re H&R) decided to think about other calibers. Now, my local shop has a .375 big Bore, and it sure is pretty...




The "Marlin" 336CB 38-55 was the second rifle I ever cast for . And strangely I never had any of the "problems" others have complained about [smilie=1:

This rifle was the first rifle I ever killed a deer with a unscoped rifle with a home cast bullet .

And furthermore I have shot my loads in this rifle with very decent results on paper out to 200 yards .

[PatMarlin]

30-30 brass to short for the 38-55 I would imagine?

[garandsrus]

TG70,

I have blown out 30-30 brass to use in a .375 Win and it worked fine. The blown out 30-30 brass is the same length as .375 Win brass. This is shorter than the longer (they have two lengths) 38-55 brass that Grafs sells.

If you get the rifle, I can send you some 375449 bullets to try. I have been very happy with this mold for the .375 Win. You can use 38-55 loading data for reduced power loads. I shoot a lot of loads with 8.5 or 9 gr Unique.

Is the rifle the older top eject or the newer angle eject? My Win 94 is top eject. I bought it used but it was 99% perfect.

John

[Harry O]

There are a lot of claims on the Internet about the strength of the .375 Win. brass vs. 30-30 brass. When I got my first batch of new .375 Win. brass, I weighed 25 of them and did the same with some new 30-30 brass. The difference in the two was just less than 5%. The .375 was heavier.

I do not know what the manufacturing tolerances are for 30-30 brass and/or .375 Win. brass, but I suspect that they probably overlap if there is any real difference. 5% is not much difference.

[PatMarlin]

Wouldn't even matter for us cast booliteers.

[TG70]

Garandsrus:

Thank you for the kind offer and additional information. Sounds like I could use the rifle for plinking.

The rifle is top eject. I'm still on the fence re the purchase because there are so many other interesting guns.

Tom

[garandsrus]

TG70,

I really like my 375 BB. After reading this thread, I got it out and shot it on Wednesday using 8gr Unique and the 375449 cast boolits. It shot great! The shots were all within an inch or so vertical and a couple inches horizontal, at 50 yds. I used a 6 o'clock hold so I am sure that most of the horizontal variation was me trying to put a circle on top of another circle.

If you get the rifle, I think you will enjoy it. The 8 gr Unique load is very easy to shoot. You get enough push to know that you shot a rifle, but not enough to be at all uncomfortable.

Since they don't make the 375 BB any more, it should at least hold it's value, if not appreciate. Mine is a top eject also, which is the earlier model.

John

[LIMPINGJ]

Like others have said think of as a modern 38-55. Mine has a long chamber and I use the 38-55 brass. I have the top eject so have a receiver sight on it. Great hunting rifle.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm thinking of getting a fold down sight for my 375BB so that I can remove the slide out of the reciever sight and use it as a back up gun for Pat Garrett matches. At those velocity/pressure levels it will no doubt be ok, but I will used 38/55 brass trimmed to 375 lenght.

[pietro]

[Sorry about the high-jack but could you post info and pics about the 375 Win Mauser? R.] :groner:

JMO, But I would think "Mauser" a typo for "Marlin" - IOW, a Marlin chambered in .375 -
ILO a Winchester so chambered............. :drinks:

.

[No_1]

It is not a typo, I have spoken with him and it is a Mauser 98 custom build.

R.


[Sorry about the high-jack but could you post info and pics about the 375 Win Mauser? R.] :groner:

JMO, But I would think "Mauser" a typo for "Marlin" - IOW, a Marlin chambered in .375 -
ILO a Winchester so chambered............. :drinks:

.

[Boomer Mikey]

38-55 and 375 Winchester are some of the easiest chamberings to load cast for. There are plenty of molds available and commercial cast bullets as well. Brass is no issue either as Starline has both the long 2.125" brass for the 38-55 and shorter 2.082" brass that will work fine in the 375 Winchester without issue for cast bullet purposes or normal jacketed velocity loads for that matter.

I look at the 375 as a fast twist 38-55... it will shoot the 250-300 grain bullets fine as well as the lighter 200 grain bullets well too.

My favorite powder for cast in these is 4198; H335, H322, and 2400 work fine as well as the other 30-30 powders.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about loading the 38-55's and chamber dimension variations with some rifles but no issues with the 375 Winchester chambering and nothing in the 38-55's that a new 38-55 reamer can't fix in minutes by any competent gunsmith and switching to Starline's 2.125" long brass.

Boomer :Fire:

[Duff L Bagg]

I have been shooting the NEI 375-210 in my Winchester 94 BB for a couple of years now and could not be more pleased. It is more accurate than any jacketed bullet that I have used. at 50 yards with open sights and poor eye sight three shots go into a neat little clover leaf.

sized to .377, lubed and gas checked they weigh in at 235grns.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Dufflbagg/NEI%20375-210/PICT0016-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/Dufflbagg/NEI%20375-210/PICT0015-1.jpg