.30-375 Ruger Opinions...

[Josh Wayner]

as i researched new/interesting cartridges for my next rifle project, i came upon this cartridge on a different thread i started about the new Hornady 225gr Match bullet. i am very interested in this round and have several questions about it:

-practicality. should i really spend the money for a wildcat when the primary goal of this rifle will be long range caribou, a job easily accomplished with a 300WM or even a .308?
-does it fit in the AICS magazine, either the .300 or .338 models?
-how big of an advantage am i looking at versus the .300WM inside 1000yards?
-what, if any, dies and reamers exist for this round?
-is the performance really worth the price in the long run?
-what ballistics can i expect?

im really not interested in hearing about how much better other rounds are, despite how good yours may be. this is really the only wildcat i am interested in, and i am trying to guage it to the round i will most likely go with, the .300WM to see if it really is better.
thanks.

 

[diriel]

I hope posting a link to snipers hide is ok, look for the post by Steve123 about 3/4 of the way down the page. It has pretty pictures too!

No 338 Magnum for me!!! Heres why...... - Sniper's Hide Forums

I have been tempted for a while to roll up one of these.

Gary

 

[James H]

-practicality.should i really spend the money for a wildcat when the primary goal of this rifle will be long range caribou, a job easily accomplished with a 300WM or even a .308?
That is something only you can decide, if you really want a wildcat yes I suppose it is worth it.

-does it fit in the AICS magazine, either the .300 or .338 models?
Sorry I am not familiar with the AICS mag but from my experience the 30-375 will work better with a single stack than stagger feed magazine.

-how big of an advantage am i looking at versus the .300WM inside 1000yards?
The performance of the 30-375 is comparable to the 300 Wby and 300 Ackley improved.

-what, if any, dies and reamers exist for this round?
There are several different reamer prints for this round since it is still a wildcat.
I have 2 reamers for the 30-375 one pushes the shoulder back around .060" I believe and the other(my design) another .070" . The reason for pushing the shoulder back is for a longer neck, as a straight 30-375 Ruger leaves a rather short neck, my version has a .375" long neck. I was attempting to duplicate the 30 BooBoo but the shoulder really needs pushed back a little more to duplicate it. My design was purpose built for 1000yd competition and nothing else.
The other I have a model 70 Win chambered in. My accuracy load pushes a 208 A-Max 3060 fps I don't have any 225gr Hornady bullets yet to try. Cartridge length is 3.668 but the reamer could be ground to seat the bullets deaper, I think mine has a .260" lead. I had a resize reamer ground that I use to make my own resize die. I used the chamber reamer to make a sleeve for my 30-378 Wby RCBS Gold Medal Match seating die.

-is the performance really worth the price in the long run?
Again that is a personal thing. I don't like to follow the mainstream so to me it is.

-what ballistics can i expect?

I'm running the 208s 3060 with a 26" barrel, I think it is realistic to expect 2900-2950 out of the 225gr bullets. Of course if you reduce the lead you will lose a little performance.

Since I am seating the bullets longer than the magazine I have done nothing to make the magazine feed them, but I think single stack is the way to go.

Both my reamers have a .338 neck so the necks need to be turned on them.

Hope this helps.

James

 

[Varminator 911]

Since you asked for opinions here's mine. Ballistically there just isn't much difference between any of the bigger 300 magnums. I'm thinking 300 WM, 300 Weatherby, 300 Ruger, 300 Norma, 300 RUM, and the one I shoot 300 Jarrett. They'll all shoot the heavier, high BC bullets fast enough to reach 1,000 yds easily on game like caribou.

I only shoot the Jarrett because I inherited the gun, not because I think it's better. It may be the worst of the lot. Still gets the job done just like the rest.

 

[3006savage]

You would end up with ballistics identical to the 300 WBY mag in a package the size of a 300 Winchester. It would have the advantage of working in rifles set up for 3.34 OAL cartridges and the rim diameter would work with 300 win mag bolts.

This would be a good factory round but not something I would make especially if your action would handle 3.6" rounds.

I would load down a 300 RUM. Your brass would last forever so I would just match the performance of a Weatherby with the RUM before building a 30-375.

Loading down the RUM and using faster burning powders like 4350 or better yet a ball powder with a similar burn rate would also offer great barrel life in addition to great brass life.

 

[woods]

I have been planning one for awhile, just haven't got around to it. I have a 375 Ruger so cases are not a problem.

4D rents a reamer

4-D Products Rentals

The first step I took was to see what was necessary to neck down a 375 Ruger case to a 30 caliber. After calling one of the die companies (either Redding or Hornady I'm not sure) and talking with them (one of their techs is shooting this round), was lead into using a 338RCM Full Lenght Die for the first step and then a 300RCM neck die. Was told and believe that going from 375 to 30 caliber was too much for one step. Necessary that it be a Full Length 338RCM since the forcing cone going up into the neck was more gentle than a 338RCM neck die.

Anyway, it does work. So the process for me is:

1. Size brass with a 375 Ruger Full Length die without the expander
2. Next size with the 338RCM Full Length die set to size the neck only
3. Finally size the neck down to 30 caliber with the 300RCM Neck Die

30/375 Ruger on left, 375 Ruger on right

300 win mag on left, 30/375 Ruger in middle, 375 Ruger on right

Now I am going to ream the chamber on an existing 300 win mag. It is a Beretta Mato so the mag is plenty long and it has a Lothar Walther barrel on it already.

My purpose (and it may different than yours) is to have an unbelted 30 caliber that will push a 200 gr Accubond at an honest 3000 fps without a muzzle brake. I do not want to shoot a 300 RUM without a brake and have loaded for a few and find them finicky so do not want one (personal preference). The 30/375 Ruger should hold ~93 to 94 grains while the 300 win mag is ~87 grains so I'm thinking it will make the difference.

Besides, it's a wildcat, should be fun!

 

[Josh Wayner]

thanks everyone, this was very informative. i guess for me it boils down to usage and logistics. as much as i play with the notion of a round like the 30-375, i would probably find it hard to justify it in the long run. something like the 300WM is common, well documented, and predictable. i feel like i am robbing myself of some performance, but seeing as how i have accomplished 440-880yd shots on game recently with my 18-inch bbl .308s firing 168gr Hornady Match bullets at 2650fps, it seems a moot point to consider a larger round than the 300WM.

 

[diriel]

Hey Josh,

If you fire up JBM and run the general FT/lbs vs. yards you will see that a good (but not insane pressure) 300wm load will deliver plenty to get the job done out to about 1k, especially if you use something like a berger 210 or hornady 208.

I am still frothing at the mouth for a non belted mag of some kind. Yeah, I drank from the New Coolaid punch bowl I still reload for a 300wm that my brother & law owns, nothing wrong with the tried-n-true!

Gary

 

[Josh Wayner]

tried and true is a good way to look at it. i was thinking of finally building one of these large .30s due to the new 225gr Hornady match that is due out in 2011. it is a good excuse to me at least
what i was looking for through this discussion was some kind of profound 'magical' aspect that applies only to the beltless magnums, but it really doesnt exist (i could quickly see it dissolving into a .30-06 + 8mm Mauser vs. 7.62x54R + .303 Brit argument.)

i guess the .300WM is gonna be it then, since there is not a terribly large advantage by going with the 30-375.

 

[Wolf01]

thanks everyone, this was very informative. i guess for me it boils down to usage and logistics. as much as i play with the notion of a round like the 30-375, i would probably find it hard to justify it in the long run. something like the 300WM is common, well documented, and predictable. i feel like i am robbing myself of some performance, but seeing as how i have accomplished 440-880yd shots on game recently with my 18-inch bbl .308s firing 168gr Hornady Match bullets at 2650fps, it seems a moot point to consider a larger round than the 300WM.

What you will find is how much closer your markings are. Ie your drops will be much closer. Shoot farther with more power. Always a good idea.

 

[Seabeeken]

as i researched new/interesting cartridges for my next rifle project, i came upon this cartridge on a different thread i started about the new Hornady 225gr Match bullet. i am very interested in this round and have several questions about it:

-practicality. should i really spend the money for a wildcat when the primary goal of this rifle will be long range caribou, a job easily accomplished with a 300WM or even a .308?
-does it fit in the AICS magazine, either the .300 or .338 models?
-how big of an advantage am i looking at versus the .300WM inside 1000yards?
-what, if any, dies and reamers exist for this round?
-is the performance really worth the price in the long run?
-what ballistics can i expect?

im really not interested in hearing about how much better other rounds are, despite how good yours may be. this is really the only wildcat i am interested in, and i am trying to guage it to the round i will most likely go with, the .300WM to see if it really is better.
thanks.

If you need ammo out in caribou country, say you luggage and ammo are lost, can you get 300 wsm ammo locally? Ive done a number of wildcats and can tell you they can be expensive and limited options as far as dies, brass etc. Likely you can buy 300 wsm anywhere you go should the need be but no so with wildcats. I stayed with ackley imp for the most part so i can shoot the parent round if needed. Id recommend the 300 wsm. In addition to tooling and ammo availability, the shorter powder column may be easier on a bore. IMO

 

[Pdvdh]

The 300 PRC is now the equivalent of the 30-375 Ruger. No longer any need to wildcat the 375 Ruger case. Just buy a 300 PRC.

 

[FEENIX]

What you will find is how much closer your markings are. Ie your drops will be much closer. Shoot farther with more power. Always a good idea.

I hope after 11 years the OP has learned a thing or two about it, if he actually built it. OP was last seen May 7, 2011.

 

[Wolf01]

I hope after 11 years the OP has learned a thing or two about it, if he actually built it. OP was last seen May 7, 2011.

Ya.. couple adult beverages may have missed the date on that one.