.375 chamberings for ELR hunting and shooting

[Coercionist]

Within a few years, I'm looking to travel the world and hunt game of every size. Including Kodiak bear, Cape buffalo, and maybe a giraffe if I can. To be able to safely take these game and abide by whatever laws that are set in their area I need a cartridge with a caliber of at least .375. I've been looking at four cartridges to push the new heavier bullets fast: 375 Cheytac, 375 Snipetac, 375 Mercenary, and the 375 Mjolnir. I am not an expert on any of these chambering's but from my limited knowledge the 375 Cheytac requires a cheytac length action of course and can push 350 grain bullets at around 3100 ft./s, it seems that the snipetac is an improved version of the Cheytac which gains velocity and im assuming trys to mitigate case growth however I am unsure of how much velocity it gains. The 375 mercenary seems to be a wildcat created by swamplord based on the Cheytac action and bolt face however it has a longer overall length and sharper shoulders allowing the same bullet to be pushed faster. The Mjolnir on the other hand looks to be the derivative of an improved 500 Jeffrey therefore not on the Cheytac action but I do not know if It can be mag fed with a 350 match king, this looks the safest of the options barrel life wise However I have zero knowledge on any of the ballistics for how fast It can push anything. I would like to know more about the three Wildcats and each of their benefits upon the 375 Cheytac. If anyone has first-hand knowledge with these I would like to know brass availability if possible or any other knowledge you would be willing to share.

-Coercionist

 

[Bravo 4]

I can only speak for the Snipetac (and Cheytac in .408 cal), great performance and the components are not hard to get. I built mine to be what I jokingly call my 1-mile elk rifle. I say jokingly because people look at you like you're crazy for attempting such things. However it is up to it if you are. Mine is a switch barrel rig, one barrel is a shorter 30"-smaller contour for carrying (have carried it up mountains) and the other a long 36"-heavy contour for real ELR work.
If I wanted to go bigger, I would just go to the .416 Barrett. However I don't really want to go bigger, I'm thinking of going a little smaller. Been playing with a 33XC and may sell the Snipetac to make the 33 a switch barrel rig and include a 37 & 41XC barrel.

 

[sp6x6]

Theres the 375 Allen Mag too.He is Fifty driver on here.Look up Allen Mags well know builder in MT

 

[Coercionist]

I have also read good things about tubb's new XC line. Have you gotten to play with the 37xc? And If I were to go the XC line I would also go 37 and 33xc but as a repeater. In your opinion what would be the costs and benefits of the 37xc vs the 375 Cheytac/Snipetac. Also do you believe that the Snipetac was worth the hassle of fireforming? Or is that why you may transition to the XC. Because as of now ive backed myself off of the obscure wildcats and am debating between a switch 33/37xc and a single barrel in 375 cheytac or Snipetac

 

[Coercionist]

Theres the 375 Allen Mag too.He is Fifty driver on here.Look up Allen Mags well know builder in M

The only thing about the Allen magnums is that to my knowledge there even more overbore than anything I've looked at so barrel life would be abysmal

 

[Bravo 4]

The Allen Mag is just a smidge more improved than the Snipetac.
I went with a XC because I can put it in an action made for a .338 Lapua. I wanted somewhat Cheytac performance but in a lighter platform. This one currently has a carbon barrel. It is more than a Lapua but a Cheytac it is not. To my knowledge (and I could be wrong) to run the XC as a repeater you need a Cheytac action. If that's the case I'd just do a Cheytac/Snipetac. My XC is also more of a budget build, my Snipetac is not! Don't think I can bring myself to having that much invested into two rifles at the same time.

 

[Coercionist]

I also think that I would have to run the xc in a cheytac action for it to be a repeater. But how much of difference are we talking between the 37xc and cheytac/Snipetac. Would the 37xc be able to run a 350-360 gr class cutting edge or matchking at 3000 fps? Or how about a 390gr atip (not at 3000 fps but like 2800-2900). If these are not possible with the 37xc then I believe the debate between 375 cheytac/Snipetac should start because a 350-360 bullet at 3000 is what I would like to achieve.

 

[Bravo 4]

You could get there with a long enough barrel. That is no problem with the Snipetac, I'm running a 375 grain bullet at 3150 from my shorter barrel. Could probably get more but it shoots insanely good where it's at.

 

[Coercionist]

How long are we talking? I think 33 inches would be that max for me bc i still on to be able to move around with it. Do you think that a 30-33 inch or so 37xc would be able to suit my needs of a 350gr-375gr bullets going at 3000 fps and a 390-400gr bullet at 2800-2900 fps or is that just not possible with the XC. If not, then Snipetac it is, but if the 37XC can do it then it comes with the added benefit of a twin barrel throwing a 300gr berger at the speed of light via the 33xc.

 

[Marine sniper]

This is a topic I debated for some time before finally deciding on a 375 Lapua Improved, mine should be done in the next few months. It is true the larger case capacity cartridges look better on paper- but are the really any better for hunting? Unless you are shooting much further than a mile I would submit not. You only have to kill something dead and a 350 grain bullet at 2750-2800 will reliably kill anything that has walked the planet for at least the last 1 million years.

Of note is the new sniper cartridge the Europeans are using called the .375 Swiss P, it is essentially a .375 Lapua improved.

My build:
Defiance Anti / DBM
26 in Bartlein (do not want a 30 in barrel on a hunting rifle)
Carbon fiber M40 stock
Leupold Mk 5 HD 3.6 x 18
Neopod (.25 lb) bipod- 500 bucks! ug....
Ti brake

I have a very similar 338 Lapua improved that weighs less than 11 lbs. scoped with bipod. The 338 is a little better than a .5 MOA rifle (on average) with 252 MTH Cutting edge bullets in field conditions.

Btw; I also plan on taking mine to Africa.

We all get caught up on paper ballistics, but you gotta ask yourself when is enough- enough?

 

[Coercionist]

I definitely see you're point and that is the reason am liking the 37xc. Its not as extreme as the allen mag or Snipetac, but it has more than enough to get the job done. And with the XC cartridge line i can step up or down if i new more wind resistance or speed if feeling extreme. all and all i think the 37xc is a nice well rounded ELR cartridge and it should suit my needs well bc im pretty certain it will meet my velocity requirements but it isn't burning 200 grains of rl33 or rl50 to get it unlike the big boomers like the 375 lethal mag and such

 

[Chase723]

Not trying to be ascerbic, but have you ever even shot any cartridge in the class that you are talking about? From prone/modified prone where you can shoot 1000 yards and beyond the 37XC is incredible however it comes at the cost of pretty absurd muzzle blast etc. Just my opinion but I wouldn't even consider it for 800-1000 yards and in. Furthermore, it's single shot all the way unless you use a Cheytac action…and then you should just build a Cheytac Improved (375 Gibbs).

For all the game animals you just listed a 375 H&H or 375 RUM shooting something like a the Badlands 300gr SBII will smoke them and allow you to run a repeater in something less than 20-30lbs. It has G7 BC of .317. The 375 H&H will push it ~2650 and the 375 RUM will push it ~ 2950. However, to each his own.

 

[Marine sniper]

Not trying to be ascerbic, but have you ever even shot any cartridge in the class that you are talking about? From prone/modified prone where you can shoot 1000 yards and beyond the 37XC is incredible however it comes at the cost of pretty absurd muzzle blast etc. Just my opinion but I wouldn't even consider it for 800-1000 yards and in. Furthermore, it's single shot all the way unless you use a Cheytac action…and then you should just build a Cheytac Improved (375 Gibbs).

For all the game animals you just listed a 375 H&H or 375 RUM shooting something like a the Badlands 300gr SBII will smoke them and allow you to run a repeater in something less than 20-30lbs. It has G7 BC of .317. The 375 H&H will push it ~2650 and the 375 RUM will push it ~ 2950. However, to each his own.

Good point; I should add I have a 375 Wby that I push 300 gr. A-frames at just under 2800. Rifle is built on a Winchester model 70 Safari.

 

[snox801]

I have a .375 allen mag, and lapua improved.
I love my allen mag for what it's for but as stated above I don't even drag it out till 1000 yards plus. For what your talking I would have to agree that a .375 lapua improved would be the best fit. Even then a hood bit overboard.
Maybe look into a few of the large calibers like a .375 RUM, .375 norma, or heck even a .375 PRC or a Sherman version.
Shooting the game you are talking. About sounds good in theory way out but have u considered the fact that if you wound it or they say you did you pay animal or no animal recovery.
Hence why I rarely take game out at distance that my allen mag or lapua are need for heck usually only pigs to say yep I did it.
Almost any of the larger ones will get you to 1000 yards pretty easy even a .375 PRC I bet would do it fairly easy especially a Sherman version.