.38-55 cast in .375 H&H?

[Chena]

On a whim I picked up two new molds intended (I think) for the .38-55 Win that were going cheap at an estate sale. One is a Saeco/Redding 738 VF3 250 grain and the other a Hoch 376 310 C4899. Are these adaptable for the .375 H&H? If not, what would the experts here recommend as a general purpose .375 mold? Thanks!

[richhodg66]

They'll work fine in .375 H&H. You'll most likely need a sizer, most bullets for the .38-55 seem to throw fat bullets. A sizer to make the .376 or .377 should be easy to do.

If you've never cast bullets and loaded them, you need to do some reading, you can't just load them up like jacketed loads and expect good results.

[Chena]

Richhodg, thanks for your reply. One concern I have is that neither boolit it can be seated deeply enough to cover all the lube grooves without the bases extending well below the neck. I pan lube with fairly soft lube so the lube exposed in the grooves by seating to the base of the neck could melt out, smear or otherwise be messy. Advice? Would tumble lubing with 40/40/10 be an option for lower velocity loads? Not looking to exceed about 1400 FPS.

[pworley1]

Just lube as high as you intend to seat the bullet.

[725]

many moons ago I loaded a Lee .375 cast in my buddy's .375 H&H with some Unique. Worked up from 10 or 12 (can't remember which) grains 'till I found an accurate load. It was plenty for deer hunting & accurate, too.

[gwpercle]

Richhodg, thanks for your reply. One concern I have is that neither boolit it can be seated deeply enough to cover all the lube grooves without the bases extending well below the neck. I pan lube with fairly soft lube so the lube exposed in the grooves by seating to the base of the neck could melt out, smear or otherwise be messy. Advice? Would tumble lubing with 40/40/10 be an option for lower velocity loads? Not looking to exceed about 1400 FPS.

With a good rifle lube you only need to fill the grooves that get covered .
Modern lubricants are much better than the older ones .
1400 - 1600 fps is not hard to get enough lube in covered grooves ...
Also 40/40/10 tumble lube would be an option ...
and don't forget to explore the new baked on coatings ... I hear they fix all your problem .
Gary

[RickinTN]

45-45-10 will work just fine. I would do 2 coats. I am about to do the same thing when I get the opportunity. I bought 2 375 H&H rifles in the spring and haven't fired either one. Looking for the time to do so among all my other projects. Shooting will be no problem, it's the loading I can't get around to.
Take care, and Good Luck!
Rick

[missionary5155]

Any cast slug properly sized can be fired in most any caliber firearm. It is just a matter of finding the right powder / lube application.
In our 375 H&H rifles we have fired from 185gr p to 345 grains.

[Outpost75]

For many years my friends and I have used Ideal #375499 without the GC, lubed with LLA or 45-45-10 with 12-13 grains of Bullseye. No filler. Shoots on at 50 yards with rifle zeroed to 250 yards with full charge hunting loads. Ballistics like a .38-55. PH killed truckloads of plains game for biltong.

In US excellent woods deer load.

[Chena]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Looks like the info I needed. My .375 was a work gun, but now that I am retired I want to try some new tricks with it. Have always had good luck with reduced j-word loads, including mid-velocity 235 grainers using new-old stock HiVel #2 of all things, but with component prices through the roof cast looks like the way to go.

[rockrat]

I size mine to .379" without any issues in both my H&H's