375 Winchester

Unkel Gilbey · January 5, 2000, 04:11 AM

Howdy Folks,

Recently, a friend of mine approached me about starting out in reloading, and during the course of that conversation, he mentioned that he wanted to start loading for his .375 Win. Seems he was going broke feeding his baby! This set my mind in motion and caused me to start to look through all of the reloading catalogs that I had on hand - plus a few editions of Shotgun News. After a bit of looking, I could only find one source of these cases, the Huntington Company (Found them in Shotgun News).

Now, I realize that there are probably a bunch of wholesalers out there that have stocks of these cases and/or loaded cartridges for sale, that I will accept. But this is apparently a little used cartridge as I only found that one source.

So,my first question to you today is... Are there any other sources of this case out there that I missed?

My second question address's the tinker in me. I am reasonalby sure that the 375 Win didn't start life as a One-off design. It most likely is the result of someone monkeying around with either blowing out a smaller cartridge (like a 30-30) or necking down a larger cartridge (like I don't know what!) So, what is the parent cartridge for the 375 Win? Would it be practical to fire- form 375 Win. cases from this 'parent' case as opposed to shelling out massive geetah's for the 'proper' factory cases?

I appreciate all your comments (in advance) and incidentally, if you have any pet loads for this cartridge and don't mind sharing, then throw them along as well. Thanks!

Unkel Gilbey

**Bud Helms** · January 5, 2000, 10:20 PM

Unk,

The .375 Winchester came along with the .356 and .307 Winchester cartridges when Winchester introduced their Big Bore '94 version of the lever action Winchester 94. You may already know all this.

As far as a parent cartridge goes ...? Well, it is about a tenth of an inch shorter than the .38/55 buffalo rifle cartridge. I have used .375 cases in my .38/55. Other way around won't work and of course, one must not shoot modern .375 loads in vintage .38/55s. Danger, Will Robinson!

Here is a crazy project a friend of mine and I did ... !

Necked down .375 brass to .357 for loading a wildcat: full length .30-30 Ack Imp chamber into a .357 barrel blank on an H&R single shot action. It's my hog gun. Neck is about .400 long. Not much of a shoulder though.

Resize/deprime with a .30-30 Ack Imp die for the body. Resize neck and seat bullets with .357 dies.

Crazy, but fun!

Sensop

**Bud Helms** · January 5, 2000, 10:22 PM

BTW, for authenticity, I have quit using the .375s in my .38/55. And I got the .38/55 brass from ... you guessed it ... Huntington's.

Sensop

Unkel Gilbey · January 7, 2000, 11:20 PM

Thanks for the info there.

On the subject of the wildcat, I myself have thought that a New England single shot in 30-30 that had been improved to Ackley's specs would really wake up that cartridge. You would be able to utilize any 30 caliber bullet, taking advantage of bullets that normally wouldn't be used in a lever action. This idea really appeals to me, I just have to locate a 30-30 single shot that can be had for a decent price. After all, us Marine Gunnies aren't made of cash!

If you are able to uncover any more info about the .375 Win, it's always appreciated. Thanks again.

**Bud Helms** · January 8, 2000, 01:56 AM

Will do. BTW, I picked up a H&R Handi Rifle Camp Pack (or some such name) a few years back. It had a .30-30 barrel and a 20 ga. barrel, and the action, of course. The three pieces were held in a black cordura nylon carry case about 22 in long with nice wrap-around strap handles ... really neat.

I have had the .30-30 barrel chambered for the .30-30 Ack Imp and I must say I am impressed. I hunt whitetails with it and it is very effective. I have tested Nosler Ballistic Tip 125s, 150s and 165s and Hornady 150 gr spitzers. The Hornadys are the most accurate. The Nosler BT 125s are the most dramatic! I have chrono'd this beauty at +2600 fps with the 125s, in front of 36.0 grs of H335. Nosler shows a 300 Savage delivering a 125 BT at 2200 fps with 38.5 grs of BL-C(2). Go figure.

Last year, two different times, I stepped off whitetail kills and then went to get a buddy to check me. One was 186 steps and the other was 209 steps. Well within point blank range ... held right on target.

I am a believer.

------------------
Bud Helms
Fort Valley Gun Club
NRA Life, GOA Life

Sport45 · January 12, 2000, 08:34 AM

I've also wondered about making .375win from 30-30. Just what is the process? I've heard everything from 10 grains of bullseye and a wadded tissue to 10% case volume and cornmeal. For pistol powders I have AA#5, W231, and WST. Will any of these work to fireform the cases? I was also wondering if ground walnut from my tumbler could (or should) be used over the charge. Thanks for any advice.

------------------
"An unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

Cesare Beccaria, the father of modern criminology

**Bud Helms** · January 12, 2000, 08:13 PM

Sport45,

I've never sized a .30-30 up to anything larger. What I did was size the .375 down to .357 at the neck and load it into a .30-30 Ack Imp chamber, but the bore was .357. I'm not sure how the smith cut the transition into the .357 bore. He has since passed away.

Also I haven't yet gotten into replicating old cartridge velocities with modern pistol powders too much yet. I am still relying on advice from those who know better and have been doing it longer. So, the few loads I have were given to me. As soon as I finish remodeling my house I hope to learn more.

As I recall, the .30-30 case thins out a lot as you approach the mouth of the case. It might not be a good candidate for sizing up.

That may be why the .357 Herrett was shortened, to move back to a more substantial part of the case wall to support necking up to the .357 bullets.

Sensop

[This message has been edited by sensop (edited January 12, 2000).]

January 5, 2000, 04:11 AM	#1
Unkel Gilbey Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 1999 Location: Danby, Vermont Posts: 349	Howdy Folks, Recently, a friend of mine approached me about starting out in reloading, and during the course of that conversation, he mentioned that he wanted to start loading for his .375 Win. Seems he was going broke feeding his baby! This set my mind in motion and caused me to start to look through all of the reloading catalogs that I had on hand - plus a few editions of Shotgun News. After a bit of looking, I could only find one source of these cases, the Huntington Company (Found them in Shotgun News). Now, I realize that there are probably a bunch of wholesalers out there that have stocks of these cases and/or loaded cartridges for sale, that I will accept. But this is apparently a little used cartridge as I only found that one source. So,my first question to you today is... Are there any other sources of this case out there that I missed? My second question address's the tinker in me. I am reasonalby sure that the 375 Win didn't start life as a One-off design. It most likely is the result of someone monkeying around with either blowing out a smaller cartridge (like a 30-30) or necking down a larger cartridge (like I don't know what!) So, what is the parent cartridge for the 375 Win? Would it be practical to fire- form 375 Win. cases from this 'parent' case as opposed to shelling out massive geetah's for the 'proper' factory cases? I appreciate all your comments (in advance) and incidentally, if you have any pet loads for this cartridge and don't mind sharing, then throw them along as well. Thanks! Unkel Gilbey

January 5, 2000, 10:20 PM	#2
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Unk, The .375 Winchester came along with the .356 and .307 Winchester cartridges when Winchester introduced their Big Bore '94 version of the lever action Winchester 94. You may already know all this. As far as a parent cartridge goes ...? Well, it is about a tenth of an inch shorter than the .38/55 buffalo rifle cartridge. I have used .375 cases in my .38/55. Other way around won't work and of course, one must not shoot modern .375 loads in vintage .38/55s. Danger, Will Robinson! Here is a crazy project a friend of mine and I did ... ! Necked down .375 brass to .357 for loading a wildcat: full length .30-30 Ack Imp chamber into a .357 barrel blank on an H&R single shot action. It's my hog gun. Neck is about .400 long. Not much of a shoulder though. Resize/deprime with a .30-30 Ack Imp die for the body. Resize neck and seat bullets with .357 dies. Crazy, but fun! Sensop

January 5, 2000, 10:22 PM	#3
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	BTW, for authenticity, I have quit using the .375s in my .38/55. And I got the .38/55 brass from ... you guessed it ... Huntington's. Sensop

January 7, 2000, 11:20 PM	#4
Unkel Gilbey Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 1999 Location: Danby, Vermont Posts: 349	Thanks for the info there. On the subject of the wildcat, I myself have thought that a New England single shot in 30-30 that had been improved to Ackley's specs would really wake up that cartridge. You would be able to utilize any 30 caliber bullet, taking advantage of bullets that normally wouldn't be used in a lever action. This idea really appeals to me, I just have to locate a 30-30 single shot that can be had for a decent price. After all, us Marine Gunnies aren't made of cash! If you are able to uncover any more info about the .375 Win, it's always appreciated. Thanks again.

January 8, 2000, 01:56 AM	#5
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Will do. BTW, I picked up a H&R Handi Rifle Camp Pack (or some such name) a few years back. It had a .30-30 barrel and a 20 ga. barrel, and the action, of course. The three pieces were held in a black cordura nylon carry case about 22 in long with nice wrap-around strap handles ... really neat. I have had the .30-30 barrel chambered for the .30-30 Ack Imp and I must say I am impressed. I hunt whitetails with it and it is very effective. I have tested Nosler Ballistic Tip 125s, 150s and 165s and Hornady 150 gr spitzers. The Hornadys are the most accurate. The Nosler BT 125s are the most dramatic! I have chrono'd this beauty at +2600 fps with the 125s, in front of 36.0 grs of H335. Nosler shows a 300 Savage delivering a 125 BT at 2200 fps with 38.5 grs of BL-C(2). Go figure. Last year, two different times, I stepped off whitetail kills and then went to get a buddy to check me. One was 186 steps and the other was 209 steps. Well within point blank range ... held right on target. I am a believer. ------------------ Bud Helms Fort Valley Gun Club NRA Life, GOA Life

January 12, 2000, 08:34 AM	#6
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I've also wondered about making .375win from 30-30. Just what is the process? I've heard everything from 10 grains of bullseye and a wadded tissue to 10% case volume and cornmeal. For pistol powders I have AA#5, W231, and WST. Will any of these work to fireform the cases? I was also wondering if ground walnut from my tumbler could (or should) be used over the charge. Thanks for any advice. ------------------ "An unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." Cesare Beccaria, the father of modern criminology

January 12, 2000, 08:13 PM	#7
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Sport45, I've never sized a .30-30 up to anything larger. What I did was size the .375 down to .357 at the neck and load it into a .30-30 Ack Imp chamber, but the bore was .357. I'm not sure how the smith cut the transition into the .357 bore. He has since passed away. Also I haven't yet gotten into replicating old cartridge velocities with modern pistol powders too much yet. I am still relying on advice from those who know better and have been doing it longer. So, the few loads I have were given to me. As soon as I finish remodeling my house I hope to learn more. As I recall, the .30-30 case thins out a lot as you approach the mouth of the case. It might not be a good candidate for sizing up. That may be why the .357 Herrett was shortened, to move back to a more substantial part of the case wall to support necking up to the .357 bullets. Sensop [This message has been edited by sensop (edited January 12, 2000).]