Build advice for a modern safari rifle

[Nitroexpress]

Thanks for all your comments ~ I have been shooting Blaser since before they became mainstream, it's a great system, accurate & flexible.

I now feel I want to move on - This project is to build something unique, something bespoke and custom made.

There was a good comment about finding ammo where you are hunting and although this hasn't happened to me (so far) I very much agree with the point made.

It maybe a good idea to go with a .375H&H improved ~ that way I can have something pokey & in a jam you still shoot standard rounds!

Covering the 416 rem mag:- I too have used 300gr TSX (in my Blaser R93) and they were great - if I'm honest; better than I ever thought they would be! With a little bit of practice (and a mildot scope) I could hit a clay pigeon out to 400 yards - A trophy Blue Wildebeest & Eland fell to that rig and I considered taking it for Brown Bear (but the trip was cancelled much to my disappointment)!

My thoughts was to go with a .375 as I feel although a .416 'could be used' its a bit over the top for Wildebeest, Eland, Roan etc. Even a hot .375 could be suitably loaded for driven Wildboar making it that bit more flexible - guess it's going to be down to weather I want to load off a belted mag case (something I have been told is not as accurate) or have something more difficult to find and possibly come un stuck in the future when I'm travelling?!

32 trips to Africa - that's living the dream ~ I'm on 8 (I think), need to get back over there ~ possibly Australia for there buffalo's, that really appeals!

Nitro....

 

[Grumulkin]

Just a few points of clarification:

1. There is nothing wrong with a 375 RUM or a 416 Remington Magnum; in fact I think they're very good but not my choice.

2. I'm not stuck on Blaser; I have other rifles as well but there is a bit of misunderstanding on the cost. Right now, I could buy a new R 8 with pretty wood in 416 Remington Magnum or even 458 Lott for $5,708. If I wished to go with a composite stock which I prefer for situations where the gun may be banged around a bit, I could get one for $3,450 though maybe for a different cartridge choice. I never even paid close to that much for my R 93s.

3. For those who have traveled with rifles in large cases, be advised that things are different now than even a few years ago. I doubt you'll avoid oversized baggage fees on most of the airlines if you go over the 62 linear inches. Also, some airlines will not allow you to pack your guns with your clothing.

4. If you try to pack your rifle scope in your carryon baggage, there is a good chance you won't be permitted to do so. Yea, I know, it's hard to kill someone with just a rifle scope but the argument can be made that's it's a gun part which is not permitted in carryon baggage.

5. Rather than a 375 H&H Magnum Improved, I'd go with a 375 Weatherby with which you can still shoot 375 H&H Magnum ammo.

6. As far as a 416 being "over the top" for Wildebeest, etc., I would disagree. Use one if you like. I've used a 458 Lott for rabbit, a 460 S&W Magnum for Klipspringer, a 375 H&H Magnum for Black Backed Jackel and African Wildcat, etc.

7. I would ignore the rumored inaccuracy of the belted magnums because it just ain't true. My various Weatherbys and 458 Lott easily attain 200 yard groundhog accuracy as does my 375 H&H Magnum rifle and 375 H&H magnum handgun. In my opinion, it's not the cartridge but the gun that determine accuracy.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

On point #5 , the 375 Whby. Is one of the original Improved H+H wildcats. " think it is a SAAMI round now tho. All that I used for 375 Whby brass in the #1 that I had made came from fireforming H+H ammo in the new chamber.
Agreed that belted rounds are all the accurate a hunter and most target shooters need.

 

[Nitroexpress]

I have been looking around and found this post on the .375 RUM:-

http://www.shootersforum.com/rifles-rifle-cartridges/7609-taming-375-rum.html

I'm going to build the following:-

• .375 RUM
• McMillan Round Feed G30 Action
• Blind magazine
• McMillan Hunter Stock (Solid fibreglass)
• 26" Rem Varmint Contour - Cut Match Barrel (threaded for Moderator or Muzzle brake)
• New England 'Folding Hood' front ~ 'Single Fold Down Leaf' Rear Sight
• EAW Apel Mounts (I will have one scope for long range - one for short range)

I think if you are going to build a rifle from scratch you really should get exactly the chambering you want (sometimes this might be something new) - if I was to buy anything less I would always regret it. Just have to put up with the potential problems with ammo that is not common.

Has anyone use "Cutting Edge" Bullets? I really would like to get some feedback - especially on the hunting type HP-BT bullets.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=MTH_L08

Nitro............

 

[gerryb]

i have not tried the cutting edge in 375 yet, i have in 500 nitro but just the dangerous game bullet. My RUM likes most bullets though and 270 and 300 XXX shoot great and the 300 north forks shoot great. You will love it.I still use my H&H sometimes but the RUM is special.

 

[Nitroexpress]

gerryb ~ whats your free bore on your 375 RUM please????​

This is my 7mm RUM ~ a work in progress (finding my favorite load that is) ~ I think there is too much freebore (200tho if I seat in the case as little as I dare)

My smith says I should'nt be loading ultra mags really close to the lands anyhow but ive had issues (sooting the full length of the case)

I ve gone to a faster powder and its far better but it hasn't loaded as easy as anything else ive done (and ive done a fair bit over the years .222, .243, 6.5x55, .300wm, 9.3x62, .416rm & .470ne with no issue)

Example of the case condition.


Going off topic a bit - but useful advice very welcomed!

 

[J E Custom]

gerryb ~ whats your free bore on your 375 RUM please????​

This is my 7mm RUM ~ a work in progress (finding my favorite load that is) ~ I think there is too much freebore (200tho if I seat in the case as little as I dare)

My smith says I should'nt be loading ultra mags really close to the lands anyhow but ive had issues (sooting the full length of the case)

I ve gone to a faster powder and its far better but it hasn't loaded as easy as anything else ive done (and ive done a fair bit over the years .222, .243, 6.5x55, .300wm, 9.3x62, .416rm & .470ne with no issue)

Example of the case condition.


Going off topic a bit - but useful advice very welcomed!

Hang around on this site long enough and you will see something new.

I have been loading for over 50 years and I have never seen this much soot.

Give us your loading procedure and loads and maybe we can help you.

Normal soot is confined to the neck because the case seals it,s self off before it get beyond
the shoulder.

All I have is questions at this point.

Are you full length sizing?

What primers are you using?

What powder are you using?

What is your neck to chamber clearance with a loaded round.

What is your head space?


Your smith is right about the free bore. The RUM,s and the WSM,s along other High pressure
cartriges need free bore to keep the pressure down and the velocity up.

Most of the Weatherbys have more than .300 thousandths free bore and if you reduce this
very much you will not be able to shoot factory loads and you will give up velocity.

The problem as I see it is that the case is not expanding enough at initial firing to expand the
case, sealing it off in the chamber.

Please keep us posted on this problem because we can all learn something new.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Grumulkin]

Soot on the case pretty much always means the pressure is too low. The appearance of the primer would support the low pressure theory.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Yup! That look like one strange case. Nice looking target rifle tho.

The only time I had close to that much soot on the case walls was from shooting a box of 375H+H in my 458 Lott. You don't have a fluted chamber on that do you.

 

[Greyfox]

My trips to Africa were both combos for plains game and dangerous game, buffalo and lion. I brought two rifles after my first trip a 375 H&H Whitworth,and a 500-450 H&H Double. The first trip i brought only my 375 which I used on a buffalo. The 375 was perfect for the plains game, but seemed underpowered for buffalo. I don't believe a couple hundred FPS extra velocity would have made much difference. My lion(tracked in Botswanna), and buffalo were all shot at 20-25 yards. At close quarters in the thick brush I prefer the bigger bores for mean guys. The difference in killing power is quite noticeable. IMHO.

 

[Nitroexpress]

These are the loads I have been working on for the 7mm RUM:-

• All loads are with Berger 180gr VLD's

I'm a big fan of Berger and I built this rifle especially to benefit from thier .659 high BC offering.

The photo is with Retumbo - (I did a bit of research and it came up as a good mag / ultra mag powder)

• Nosler custom brass - new
• Fed GM215M primmers - Large rifle-magnum-match
• Berger 7mm 180gr VLD

.284" Ogive to the land was 3.3920" ~ my loads were seated 3.1410"
(251 tho freebore) this gave me what I felt was 'enough' bullet in the case mouth.

Powder Charges:-

Picutres Shown ~ Retumbo 86gr - this was the max charge!

Vitavori N170 89gr faired much the same - I carefully loaded that way over the max and still got sooting (the max was 87gr - I loaded upto 89gr and still got sooting) Velocity was also very poor - around 3000fps

I was hoping for 3100 -3200fps range (the rifle has a 32" barrel and I thought the cartridge is capable of much more - my friend loads a factory rifle in 30-06 with 180gr bullets nearly upto that speed with no issues - 2990 fps)

I did beter with Vitavori N165 but its not listed on Walts data - the fastest powder he lists is H1000 at a burn rate of 118

Powder Burn Rates:-

N170 ~123 (heavy sooting)

Retumbo ~ 121 (very heavy sooting)

Reloader 25 ~ 120

H1000 ~ 118

IMR7828 ~ 116

Reloader 22 ~ 113 (great in my .300wm loads)

N165 ~ 112* this powder worked o.k, I wanted to try some others but I may have to go back to using it if I dont get anywhere.

With regards to the photo:-

• Crattering of the primer - is that high pressure?
• Plunger mark on the head - is that high pressure?
• Sooting to that level - is that really low pressure?

Is the fact the case is not expanding hard enough because of low pressue it is not gripping in the chamber and causing these misleading high pressure signs?

 

[Grumulkin]

The primer is not "cratered" and looks to have been shot in a low pressure load to me. Also, the soot on the case means low pressure to me. If you want added confirmation, look down the barrel after you shoot; if there is a lot of powder residue in the bore that is added confirmation of a low pressure load. Also, if you were shooting an excessively high pressure load, you would probably be getting a sticky bolt lift and scuffing of the head of the case from the bolt.

You seem preoccupied with Berger's data and with powder burn rate. You can have several powders with very similar burn rates and have one that will shoot better than the others. You also could use data from other bullet purveyors for 175 to 180 gr. jacketed lead core bullets with your Berger bullets.

As for "maximum" charges, take a look at different reloading manuals and cartridges. I've found instances where a maximum charge in one manual was about the starting charge in another. That is because chambers, barrels, throats, free bore, powder lots, cases and primer lots varied among the various testers. Thus, a maximum charge in a manual may not be the maximum charge for your gun and components.

 

[Beng]

Did you use the same primer lot for all of the tests?

 

[Marine sniper]

I, too, have never seen that much soot, wow.....

How much NK tension? Has the brass been annealed? how many firings on the brass?

I would try a different lot of primer, but before that I would load a few up with the bullet a lot closer to the L/G's. I understand the issue with the high pressure cases, but it is accuracy you are looking for, not another 50 fps. This could also help you figure out the issue with the soot.

Nice looking rig...