hjl
Well-Known Member
Who makes dies for a 7mm-378 Weatherby mag? Anyone used a rifle in this calibre?
Regards.
hjl
Regards.
hjl
7mm-378 Weatherby mag
- Thread starter hjl
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screech
Well-Known Member
i thought about it but heard that is was so overbore that you wouldn't be gaining much over the 7-338laupua.
Buffalobob
Well-Known Member
There is a great deal of similarity between the Wby 378 case and the 338 LM case. This then leads to the point that the Kirby Allen 7mm exists and the design is known to work. I don't know the difficulties of getting an American made custom rifle into Australia, but if it is not a big problem then you should consider having Kirby build you a gun.
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
It could work but there are several limitations that make a 338 Lapua based 7mm a much better choice.
First off, you will need bullet weight and barrel length to make it work and the slowest powders you can get your hands on. I use WC872 in my 7mm AM. I have used Retumbo, H-50BMG, AA8700, H-870, US869 and WC872 and I always come back to WC872.
Bullets, you want at LEAST 180 gr of bullet weight and you will be much better off with a 200 gr bullet like the great ones from WIldcat Bullets.
One problem with a 7mm based on the 30-378, the brass is VERY soft. I would be suprised if my 7mm AM would not match or even possibly exceed what a 7mm-378 could produce with same bullet weights and same length barrels.
The reason is because the Lapua case will handle dramatically higher chamber pressures then the norma made 30-378 case. Even though the big wby has a capacity advantage, it is overshadowed by the fact it can not use that capacity in the 65,000 to 68,000 psi chamber pressure range and get more then a couple firings off each case.
On the other hand, I have pushed the hell out of my 7mm AM finding the designs performance limits, I have yet to loosen a primer pocket on a Lapua case.
Also, the 338 Lapua based rounds are sigingicantly shorter in OAL and will be easier to git into a repeating rifle. I use the HS Precision DM system and it works perfectly well even with the 200 gr ULD RBBTs.
I get a comfortable 3300 fps in a 30" barrel with the 200 gr ULD RBBT. I could horse it up to 3350 easily and possibly even push 3400 fps but there is no need to push pressures that high.
BB's 34" 7mm AM will easily top 3400 fps with comfortable loads so that shows the potential of the 338 Lapua case when necked down to 7mm and used with HEAVY bullets and ultra slow powders.
All this performance does come at a cost. IF you shoot in wide temp ranges, you will have to develope the load for the hot temps and live with the velocity drop in cooler temps. Also, these class of 7mm rounds can be a bit finicky to some degree, the heavy the bullet you use, the less this is a factor.
If it were me, I would look at the 338 Lapua case as a parent case over the 30-378. Its just a much better start to your project.
Kirby Allen(50)
First off, you will need bullet weight and barrel length to make it work and the slowest powders you can get your hands on. I use WC872 in my 7mm AM. I have used Retumbo, H-50BMG, AA8700, H-870, US869 and WC872 and I always come back to WC872.
Bullets, you want at LEAST 180 gr of bullet weight and you will be much better off with a 200 gr bullet like the great ones from WIldcat Bullets.
One problem with a 7mm based on the 30-378, the brass is VERY soft. I would be suprised if my 7mm AM would not match or even possibly exceed what a 7mm-378 could produce with same bullet weights and same length barrels.
The reason is because the Lapua case will handle dramatically higher chamber pressures then the norma made 30-378 case. Even though the big wby has a capacity advantage, it is overshadowed by the fact it can not use that capacity in the 65,000 to 68,000 psi chamber pressure range and get more then a couple firings off each case.
On the other hand, I have pushed the hell out of my 7mm AM finding the designs performance limits, I have yet to loosen a primer pocket on a Lapua case.
Also, the 338 Lapua based rounds are sigingicantly shorter in OAL and will be easier to git into a repeating rifle. I use the HS Precision DM system and it works perfectly well even with the 200 gr ULD RBBTs.
I get a comfortable 3300 fps in a 30" barrel with the 200 gr ULD RBBT. I could horse it up to 3350 easily and possibly even push 3400 fps but there is no need to push pressures that high.
BB's 34" 7mm AM will easily top 3400 fps with comfortable loads so that shows the potential of the 338 Lapua case when necked down to 7mm and used with HEAVY bullets and ultra slow powders.
All this performance does come at a cost. IF you shoot in wide temp ranges, you will have to develope the load for the hot temps and live with the velocity drop in cooler temps. Also, these class of 7mm rounds can be a bit finicky to some degree, the heavy the bullet you use, the less this is a factor.
If it were me, I would look at the 338 Lapua case as a parent case over the 30-378. Its just a much better start to your project.
Kirby Allen(50)
longrangebo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2005
- Messages
- 292
Bob is right, I think Kirby has the 338 lapua improved, I am building a 7mm 416 rigby. Allthree cases are close to the same,if they all are improved! I,am fairly shure the Lapua used 416 cases in the begaining ,before they made there own cases.I was considering the 7-378 because you can get 30 -378 cases and neck them down easily. However the 378 is a belted case the other two are not.
hjl
Well-Known Member
Thank you for your reply. it sounds like a 30-378 is a much better idea. I will have to look into the legals getting a rifle built in the USA & importantly back into Australia.
Regards
hjl
Regards
hjl
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
I would again recommend a 30-338 Lapua, same reasons. Much stronger brass, will match the 30-378 with same bullet weights and barrel lengths because the Lapua will handle SO much more pressure. Plus easier to get into a receiver as a repeater if that is your goal.
This is why I designed my 300 Allen Xpress on the Lapua case instead of the big Wby, case strength is not even a comparision between the two.
Kirby Allen(50)
This is why I designed my 300 Allen Xpress on the Lapua case instead of the big Wby, case strength is not even a comparision between the two.
Kirby Allen(50)
GoBallisticGNX
Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
- Messages
- 5
Im truly happy with my 26 in 7mm STW pushing a Hornady 162 gr BTHP at 3300 fps. I tend to think the STW is about the practical limit on case capacity for 7mm bore as when you go hotter unless you have a very long barrel you don't gain much velocity and shorten barrel life also. Just a two cent point of view. Thanks for listening guys!gun)
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
You are 100% correct.
C.O. Shooter
Well-Known Member
This thread is over 7 years old, almost 8!
