DW .375 Super Mag

[pistolman44]

Does anyone hear know anything about this caliber .375 SuperMag from Dan Wesson. I know ammo isn't sold for this caliber anymore and a bullet for this revolver. I know there is .375 rifle boolits but none for this revolver. I think you can make brass from 30-30 rifle brass. Don't know if there is any boolit mold with a gas check for this handgun. Reason I'm asking is that I have a chance to buy a new unfired one. But this revolver is useless if you can't make ammo for it.

[stubshaft]

You can make brass from 30/30's but the web is NOT as strong as the original 375SM brass. That doesn't mean that it won't work it is just that you have to be more careful when nearing max loads.

I used to use alot of the original brass to make 30 Herrets, one pass throught the sizer and you were done.

As far as the DW guns are concerned, they were a hit and miss proposition. The 375SM held the IHMSA record group at 200 yards. IIRC it was about 1.75" out of a 10" DW revolver. I campaigned one for a couple of years when shooting sillywett but sold it to buy a (then) new prototype .445SM from Elgin gates.

My experience with Dan Wessons of that time period is that they either shot like a house afire or spit lead like you wouldn't believe.

I still have my LBT mould for this cartridge. It is a 220gr .376" LFN.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I still have one but in storage in the great state of ILL politicians.
My is a shooter. I prefer a 255 + boolit. I sized at .377. I use more 1680 in it than other powders. I do not have my loading records with me here on that one so I cannot give you particulars. The revolver will easily duplicate the old 38-55 loadings. I cronographed a near max load but very accurate at 1340fps with the 255 using 1680. My last gun deer was shoot with that load and the buck died as expected. Straight WW. With a scope it would easily pop ground hogs at 100 yards.
As all Dan´s close down the barrel gap as much as possible and it will improve acuracy. A tight barrel is happier but you can over do that also.
If I could come across an affordable one I would not hessitate to BUY.

[44man]

I had one in a Seville long ago. In fact I still have a pristine set of Redding dies for it.
I used WW .375 brass cut down. That is where I learned I did not like WW brass. All the rims were different diameters and thicknesses. I spent a lot of time with a file making brass fit the gun.
It was a lot of fun, a lot of power. We would pick a small junk tree and it didn't take many shots to chop it down! :Fire:

[44man]

You can make brass from 30/30's but the web is NOT as strong as the original 375SM brass. That doesn't mean that it won't work it is just that you have to be more careful when nearing max loads.

I used to use alot of the original brass to make 30 Herrets, one pass throught the sizer and you were done.

As far as the DW guns are concerned, they were a hit and miss proposition. The 375SM held the IHMSA record group at 200 yards. IIRC it was about 1.75" out of a 10" DW revolver. I campaigned one for a couple of years when shooting sillywett but sold it to buy a (then) new prototype .445SM from Elgin gates.

My experience with Dan Wessons of that time period is that they either shot like a house afire or spit lead like you wouldn't believe.

I still have my LBT mould for this cartridge. It is a 220gr .376" LFN.
You have to be very careful buying old Dan Wesson's. The first ones were perfect but after the company changed hands they went to pot. Barrels in the frames crooked and internal parts that were there but did not do anything. Even the cylinder fronts were not faced square and if you set the gap on the wrong chamber the cylinder would not go past the rest or the wobble would change the gap for each shot.
Then they changed hands again if I remember and they got good again.
I would not buy one without a full inspection. Most barrels pointed way left on the bad ones. I think a cross eyed worker drilled them by hand! :veryconfu

[69daytona]

I reloaded for a friend that still has one he bought new while we were in the USMC in Hawaii.
It was a flame thrower but a very good shooter, He bought a bunch of 375 SM brass and still has it.
He hasn't shot it in 25 years, would love to get it from him and convert it to 357max.
I use a speer 200gr JSP for all the loads I made for him.

[Whitworth]

I reloaded for a friend that still has one he bought new while we were in the USMC in Hawaii.
It was a flame thrower but a very good shooter, He bought a bunch of 375 SM brass and still has it.
He hasn't shot it in 25 years, would love to get it from him and convert it to 357max.
I use a speer 200gr JSP for all the loads I made for him.

69daytona, were you at K-Bay? Sorry for the tread hijacking!

[yarro]

Friend had one back in college. Bought it for dirt from a woman who got it in her divorce. It was loud like a .300 SAUM with a muzzle brake sort of loud. I was really well built and accurate. Tried to buy it from him several times.

-yarro

[35isit]

Pistolman I sent you a pm.

[JSH]

If BFR made one I would OWN one. I have no idea why with all the new whopper stoppers out there, no one has brought one back. From what research I have done on it, I would think all of the 38-55/375WW bullest would work well.
Then again they would probably mess it up with a goofy twist or somthing. I think it would make an excellent intermediate caliber for a revolter. In between a 357 and a 41.
jeff

[curioushooter]

Anybody have the laboratory max load(s) of AA 1680 with a 220 grain or heavier bullets? I've been actually thinking of having a messed up 30-30 rifle re-bored to 375 Super Mag (instead of 38-55 and 375 Win) as it would be legal to hunt deer with in both Indiana and Ohio. Seems like a cartridge with good cast boolit potential, too.

[nhithaca]

Bought one at a gun show 20+ years ago. One of the Monson built guns. Shoots better than I can. Shot hundreds of 220 grain Hornady jacked bullets w/ 1680 powder full to the bottom of the crimped bullet. Makes a great fireball at dusk. 8" w/ slotted barrel sleeve gun, have never seen any different barrels in this caliber. Took just this gun and my brother's compound bow moose hunting in 1998, but of course he shot the bull with the bow. Would buy another in a minute. Easily capable of 1"+ at 75-85 yards with a two hand steadied hold.