375-408

[dakor]

I am looking at building one of these and would like some real world info from people who have one. What I would like to know is your rifle setup, what dies do you have, what brass are you using, what velocity's are you seeing with 350gr+ bullets, your OAL, and what kind of Accuracy you are seeing?

 

[montana_native]

Send me a pm.

Thanks.

 

[dakor]

PM Sent.

 

[royinidaho]

If it were an improved 375-408 I'd say the following:

Its too big (350 grain pills are on the small end of too big )
Its too fast (3250 or so is a bit much don't cha think?)
Its too flat (17 MOA come ups from 200 yd zero is a bit like bragging. )
Its too accurate (clay birds at some very unreasonable distance is again like bragging. )
It shoots too far (range finders get expensive to keep up with it. )

Other than that its a pretty decent rig.gun)

 

[peashooter]

What are the advantages of the 375-408 vs the 338-408? The bullet selection is somewhat limited with the 375 is it not?

 

[Fiftydriver]

What are the advantages of the 375-408 vs the 338-408? The bullet selection is somewhat limited with the 375 is it not?

375 pros compared to 338
-Barrel life is measurably longer for the 375 version.
-More powder choices.
-Same velocity with roughly 50 grains more bullet weight

375 cons compared to 338
-More felt recoil
-very limited number of reasonably priced bullets

 

[Joel Russo]

Kirby compared and contrasted the .375 and the .338 just as I would have. The fact is, the .375 and the .338 are ballistic twins out to the 1,800 yard area.
I have found that the .338 is superior in accuracy over the distance, utilizing the commerically available bullets. Although the .338 is shooting a 50 grain lighter bullet, it still carries an impressive 1,730 ft lbs at 1,500 yards.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Kirby compared and contrasted the .375 and the .338 just as I would have. The fact is, the .375 and the .338 are ballistic twins out to the 1,800 yard area.
I have found that the .338 is superior in accuracy over the distance, utilizing the commerically available bullets. Although the .338 is shooting a 50 grain lighter bullet, it still carries an impressive 1,730 ft lbs at 1,500 yards.

Could not agree more. In fact the drop chart for my 338 Allen Magnum with 300 gr SMK and my 375 Allen Magnum with 350 gr SMK are pretty much interchangable out to a mile. Past that, with these two specific bullets, the 338 has a slight edge ballistically but it takes longer for it to catch up energy wise.

Bullet performance wise, have not been overly impressed with the expansion of the 350 gr SMK on game lighter then 400 lbs, certainly does the job but the old 300 gr SMK in 338 is hard to beat terminally on any game from deer to elk.

 

[Joel Russo]

Bullet performance wise, have not been overly impressed with the expansion of the 350 gr SMK on game lighter then 400 lbs, certainly does the job but the old 300 gr SMK in 338 is hard to beat terminally on any game from deer to elk.

Bingo!

My personal experience with the 350 SMK on game is that it has never impressed me with the transfer of terminal energy. The .338 SMK on the other hand is about as good as it gets.

 

[peashooter]

Thanks Kirby and Joel, very good info from reliable sources.

 

[Fiftydriver]

The 300 gr Accubond is a great bullet terminally but it gives up ALOT ballistically. The Rocky Mountain bullets expand almost violently, in my opinion they expand to much. I have not put a cutting edge bullet in game, they have several options in 375 cal but as mentioned, have never put one on game. Any solid copper alloy bullet makes me a bit nervous when it comes to consistant expansion at long range but just have no experience with them on game yet.

 

[davewilson]

i'm guessing with good bullets, the 358-408 would be perfect!

 

[Fiftydriver]

The 35 cal has HUGE potential but unfortunately, its a dead stick with US bullet makers and do not see that changing. A good 325 to 350 gr VLD in 35 caliber would be a special bullet if designed properly but the demand will likely never be there except for maybe full custom bullets made in very small lots but small custom bullet makers.

Again, it would have huge potential however.

 

[Joel Russo]

I don't have any first hand experience with the Rocky Mountain Bullets, but I do with the .338, 300 grain CE bullets, both on game and on paper at extended range. I am more than please with their performance on Elk sized game at ranges from 600 to around the 1,000 yard mark. Consistency in the accuracy department is what concerns me. Shooting groups on paper at 1,760 yards, in multiple calibers, has me a bit perplexed as they will not group consistently. Now, consistently is the key word. Good three shot, four shot groups are possible, but I have never been able to shoot a tight five shot group. Perhaps, these bullets are no better than the other solids that seem to share the inherint "solid consistency problem". Taking into account the fact that one has to run a sharper twist to shoot the solid, it does not leave much option if the combination does not like the bullet. One should never build a rifle around one bullet! Sooo, my bid is for the .338 combination..... that will allow the end user multiple comercially available match bullets to use in the 285-300 grain range.
Remember Germs... if we can't hit what we're aiming at, the rest is a moot point!