Help with 30-378 load

I'm doing load development on my 30-378 and need a little direction on where to go from here. I'm using RL33 powder and 196 grain hammer bullets. I'm only shooting at 100 yards because it cold and snowy and that's as far as I can shoot off my back porch. So far, I've done a ladder to find velocity nodes as well as pressure. Here is what I came up with on my velocity test.
View attachment 251770

Looks like a velocity node down around 109-109.5 and another at 110.5-11.5. I was really hoping to find a higher node, but ran into pressure, so I stopped. Based on this information, I loaded up 5 rounds at 111 grains with a COAL just short of magazine length. Here is the resulting group.


View attachment 251771
I guess with that group, it would be an ok short range Texas deer gun, but I was really hoping to be .5 moa or better. My question is, will playing with seating depth shrink this group to acceptable levels or should I try a different powder? If seating depth is the culprit, which way do I move it, shorter or longer? I prefer to be shorter than magazine length as this will be a hunting rifle, but if longer is necessary, I'm ok with that. I just want to figure out the best course of action in order to use up the least amount of my supplies possible. Any advice?
Shoot me a PM and let's talk. I load for more than a dozen of these and they all shoot to the level you're looking for. In the last year plus I've switched them all to the Hammer Hunters with excellent results. I'm a 30-378 nut and I'll give you all the data I've gathered so that you're not chasing your tail.
 
Shoot me a PM and let's talk. I load for more than a dozen of these and they all shoot to the level you're looking for. In the last year plus I've switched them all to the Hammer Hunters with excellent results. I'm a 30-378 nut and I'll give you all the data I've gathered so that you're not chasing your tail.
Just read your thread and I am having the same problem the black dirt cowboy is having.
Shoot me a PM and let's talk. I load for more than a dozen of these and they all shoot to the level you're looking for. In the last year plus I've switched them all to the Hammer Hunters with excellent results. I'm a 30-378 nut and I'll give you all the data I've gathered so that you're not chasing your tail.
Shoot me a PM and let's talk. I load for more than a dozen of these and they all shoot to the level you're looking for. In the last year plus I've switched them all to the Hammer Hunters with excellent results. I'm a 30-378 nut and I'll give you all the data I've gathered so that you're not chasing your tail.
I'm having same problem black dirt cowboy is having. How do I send you a private message. Thank you
 
Shoot me a PM and let's talk. I load for more than a dozen of these and they all shoot to the level you're looking for. In the last year plus I've switched them all to the Hammer Hunters with excellent results. I'm a 30-378 nut and I'll give you all the data I've gathered so that you're not chasing your tail.
I'm not sure how to send a private message but you can text me at (707) 483-1484. Thank you for your help.
 
I'm doing load development on my 30-378 and need a little direction on where to go from here. I'm using RL33 powder and 196 grain hammer bullets. I'm only shooting at 100 yards because it cold and snowy and that's as far as I can shoot off my back porch. So far, I've done a ladder to find velocity nodes as well as pressure. Here is what I came up with on my velocity test.
View attachment 251770

Looks like a velocity node down around 109-109.5 and another at 110.5-11.5. I was really hoping to find a higher node, but ran into pressure, so I stopped. Based on this information, I loaded up 5 rounds at 111 grains with a COAL just short of magazine length. Here is the resulting group.


View attachment 251771
I guess with that group, it would be an ok short range Texas deer gun, but I was really hoping to be .5 moa or better. My question is, will playing with seating depth shrink this group to acceptable levels or should I try a different powder? If seating depth is the culprit, which way do I move it, shorter or longer? I prefer to be shorter than magazine length as this will be a hunting rifle, but if longer is necessary, I'm ok with that. I just want to figure out the best course of action in order to use up the least amount of my supplies possible. Any advice?
I'm doing load development on my 30-378 and need a little direction on where to go from here. I'm using RL33 powder and 196 grain hammer bullets. I'm only shooting at 100 yards because it cold and snowy and that's as far as I can shoot off my back porch. So far, I've done a ladder to find velocity nodes as well as pressure. Here is what I came up with on my velocity test.
View attachment 251770

Looks like a velocity node down around 109-109.5 and another at 110.5-11.5. I was really hoping to find a higher node, but ran into pressure, so I stopped. Based on this information, I loaded up 5 rounds at 111 grains with a COAL just short of magazine length. Here is the resulting group.


View attachment 251771
I guess with that group, it would be an ok short range Texas deer gun, but I was really hoping to be .5 moa or better. My question is, will playing with seating depth shrink this group to acceptable levels or should I try a different powder? If seating depth is the culprit, which way do I move it, shorter or longer? I prefer to be shorter than magazine length as this will be a hunting rifle, but if longer is necessary, I'm ok with that. I just want to figure out the best course of action in order to use up the least amount of my supplies possible. Any advice?
Curious on what you settled with.. or what shot the best? Never shot the hammers but I'd like to try them.. I'm curious on what worked for you..
Thanks,
Mark
 
Funny you should bump this thread now. I got really busy and put the rifle away. I'm actually loading up some rounds to shoot today and see if I can't get this thing figured out. I wasn't happy with the velocities I got with RL33, so I'm switching powder to VV 24n41. I really wanted to try H1000, but I just can't seem to get my hands on any. I'll post up results when I'm done.
 
Funny you should bump this thread now. I got really busy and put the rifle away. I'm actually loading up some rounds to shoot today and see if I can't get this thing figured out. I wasn't happy with the velocities I got with RL33, so I'm switching powder to VV 24n41. I really wanted to try H1000, but I just can't seem to get my hands on any. I'll post up results when I'm done.
Sounds good! Good luck! Look forward to hearing what worked for ya... (H1000 is hard to find locally for me as well)
 
Your not going to get the velocity potential from that cartridge unless your willing to use a long barrel.
And of coarse that inhibits its use as a carrying around type gun.
You would actually be better off using a different cartridge like a Rum or a Norma with the barrel length of the factory Wetherbys.
The late Howard Wolfe was very well known as a builder of 30x378s many years before it became a factory offering.
He was also kept busy installing 30" barrels on them after it became available.
I still have and use one of his short version 30x378s which is almost the exact dimensions of the 300 Norma case.
Its built on a Mark V action with a 30" Hart, and using 190s as my deer hunting load, 98 gr of Retumbo produces 3400 fps.
 
Looks like I'm going to settle on 111.5 grains of VV 24n41 under a 196 grain hammer. I still need to do some tweaking on seating depth, but I ran out of bullets. This looks like a promising combination. The one that I was able to run across the magnetospeed was 3200 FPS.

16BCE8EE-D0BE-44BD-885D-CDAF146B60E5.png
 
I run a custom 338-416 Rigby Improved 45° and run H50BMG in it, it has slightly more capacity than the 378 Weatherby. If you can get some, it really shines with it, also try US869, I see that is available.

Cheers.
 
I run a custom 338-416 Rigby Improved 45° and run H50BMG in it, it has slightly more capacity than the 378 Weatherby. If you can get some, it really shines with it, also try US869, I see that is available.

Cheers.
As i recall you claim to be getting over 3200 fps with that gun, and i had asked what charge of that powder you are using in order to get that velocity.
I never got a responce, but would still like to know?
 
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