375 Win ?

[Drm50]

I have loaded 375Win on and off since it came out, for Lever Actions. That's my experience, jacketed bullets - crimped. I have never crimped anything that didn't need
it. Now for past couple years have a couple of #3 Rugers and have been trying to tune
it for Speer 235g semi spitzers. No crimp. I have been getting some respectable 11/2"
groups at 100yds. Several guys who shoot a lot of single shot straight walls are telling
me that group will improve with crimp. The Speer 235g had no cannulure to crimp and
these guys are shooting cast in older type rifles. This doesn't make sense to me and
I don't want to crimp without cannulure and don't want to buy the tool and have this
come out as BS. Anyone had experience along these lines? I was happy to get 11/2"
out of a#3 and can't see crimp improving on that. With the flat nose bullets for the
375w/ 38-55 my best groups were 3". I've shot two spitzers and one RN and they
all outshoot the FN for accuracy. Didn't crimp any of them.

[Tatume]

My opinion, crimping probably will not produce an improvement in accuracy. However, it's hard to say without more information. For example, what powder are you using. Powders that are hard to ignite sometimes benefit from crimp.

The big question is: if you are satisfied with 1-1/2" accuracy, who cares what the other fellows say? Load them and shoot them.

[cwlongshot]

I tried the 235 Speer's years ago and never could get a respectable group. I have three 375 Winchesters. (Had at the time) Plus I don't know how well they would or might expand anyhow...

I agree about crimping. (Generally) I like and use mostly the 220g in my 375 on top of a case full of RL7. Crimped. Excellent accuracy (Now mine are both lever Marlins.) One peep site and one 2 3/4X Leupold. Shot quite a few Deer with the Contender carbine that I sold off.

CW

[Tatume]

The Speer 235 gr bullets are intended for smaller game taken with the 375 H&H, and similar. They are indeed pretty hard. I've gotten pretty good accuracy with them in the 375 H&H, with no crimp. I use easy to ignite powders like 4198, 3031 and 4895.

[Drm50]

You are right about the hardness of Speer 235g bullets. One of my favorite rifles was a old Sako
375 H&H I bought new in 60s. I started using the 235 for deer, even shot some Ground hog with
them. I sold the 375 H&H couple years ago, to old to go the mountains with bad back. I have a
good supply of 235 Speers, Hornady 300Rn and some Win 270gr. The Speer is accurate out of the
#3. I'm using IMR 3031 & 4198. I'm loosing some velocity but gaining accuracy with the Speer.
I have a 223 & 45/70 besides the two 375 Ws. The 223 is a tack driver but the 45/70 is not that
much to brag on. I have a 1895 JM a early gun that will outshoot it by 25% on group size. Any
way I don't think the burn on IMR powders would be helped much with crimp. I load a for a dozen
cartridges from 222 to 3006 BAs and don't crimp. Crimp only tube mag type ammo in rifles.
I left out the fact even though Speer 235 g doesn't expand much on deer even in 375H&H it does
a good job of killing them. I'm not worried about them in # 3.

[Marlin356]

IME killing 2 mature deer with a 375 Win Contender pistol, they are too hard to expand well. One was a dbl lung shot, thankfully on snow. Unpushed she went 2 miles before bedding and dying. Second was a deliberate double shoulder shot. Flopped on the spot but bullet punched through like a solid. Went back to flat points designed for 38-55 velocity.