Powders for the .30-378 Wby?

[cape cove]

If you cant get 3500 with a 200 gr, then you really don't have one.

No I can't get 3500 with mine and most with a 26" barrel will not come close to 3500. In fact most with a 26" barrel will have to stretch it to get 3500 ft/sec with a 180 gr bullet.
Dgarrett
I've gotten a tad over 3100 ft/sec with the 210 using RL-33 and Norma 217.

 

[dgarrett]

Thanks... the load I am shooting now is 98 grs of H1000 at 3008fps. This is Broz load from way back but I load mine just a bit longer then he did.. I know its mild and easy on brass but this same load has worked well in every 30-378 Accumark I have tried it in... I am interested in getting at least 3100fps out of the 215's...Will try Reloader 33 soon as spring gets here... In the 2 Edges I had Reloader 33 helped a bunch with FPS over H1000. I did have a Thompson Long Range 30-378 that with his scope setup needed the 180's at 3360 fps I believe it was... Their recommended load was with Retumbo and this load was a 3-4 shot per brass load for the most part in that gun... Thanks for your reply... Dave

 

[cape cove]

With the 200 gr Nosler Part I worked up to 112 grs of RL-33 and stopped. My vel was close to 3200 ft/sec and accuracy was good so I stopped. I believe, going by my pressure ring measurement, that I could have gone up maybe 1 or2 grs more. But that is maybe. My max with the 200 gr Part and H-870 is 115 grs and vel is Appx 3250 ft/sec. This is the most i've gotten with this bullet. Accuracy is real good.

 

[dgarrett]

Thanks for the info... Dave

 

[yobuck]

The problem is barrel length, if you want velocity in a 30x378 you need at least 30", and longer is better. Otherwise just as well use a 300 Norma or a 300 ultra. You will get 3500 with a 200 using h870,
but not without a long barrel. 116/118 gr in a 36" barrel. 112 will do it with h570.
Good choice for a 30 cal long range bench gun, but better choices exist for a 30 cal walking around gun.

 

[ctw]

Worked up a load using rl26 with 185 gr.classic bergers, achieved 3490 fps with 106grs. [poor accuracy]. switched to 180 gr. nosler balistic tips, achieved 3549 fps with 107 grs. of rl26,1/2 inch groups at 100 yds. No high pressure with either load. Stock mk5 accu mark with 26" barrel w/muzzle brake. Hornady brass fed 215 primers. Plan on working up a load with 200 gr. nosler accubonds later next month or two providing weather cooperates. I previously used retumbo, could not achieve the velocity I wanted due to high pressure. Also I would experience an occasional high pressure spike. To me rl26 was an awesome powder that came along at the right time. ctw

 

[cjuve]

I just started working with a 30-338 LM AI with both Retumbo and RL 33 running the 230 hybrid target. Right now the RL 33 is leading in the velocity and accuracy department but it is still early. I ran a ladder from 101-106 gr. Velocity ranged from 3120 FPS to 3304 FPS all shots from 101-104 formed 1/2" group at 100 yds, temp variation looks to be the only concern when it comes to the RL 33.

 

[zeeman]

How about (Western Powder's) RamShot's Magnum powder for ELR (>1200 yrds) use with the .30-378 Wby? I've seen Hodgdon's H1000 recommended and Magnum is one of the few pwders that I know of that can compete with H1000.

It's recommended for the "7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag through the Remington Ultra Mags and 338 Lapua"

Just saw this thread. Been shooting a 30/378 for 20 plus years. 36 inch Obermyer Hall G action 4th bbl smithed originally by Howard Wolf. 113.5 grains H870 will generate a legitimate 3500. Had it past that but no real need to. 200 SMK at 3500 shoots as flat as I need at ELR and is a proven hammer. Should try the newer bullets but lost interest in experimenting too much as barrel life is an issue. Accuracy was exceptional!!! Killing power also. You need barrel length to achieve max velocities in this cartridge. Nice to see the discussion on an older round.

 

[Broken arrow]

I sold my 30-378

 

[yobuck]

Ive had several over a period of many years, all built by Howard Wolfe who was really the first one to develop that cartridge at a time when there weren't any suitable actions for it.
He designed what he thought was a good one, and had a large machine company do most of the work for his own actions.
After Wetherby legitimized the cartridge, he did lots of business rebarreling them with longer barrels, and he would also build guns using that action.
He had also created a shortened case version for shorter barrels, which were then more available than the longer 36".
That version was fairly popular among local hunters, and also at the Williamsport 1000 yd matches. That case was also used for necking down to 7 mm and also 6.5 by some.
I don't think Howard got involved with any of that, at least with the 6.5, but maybe a few in 7mm.
He was very carefull as to who got one of his actions for that very reason.
As it turned out, the case capacity is almost exactly the same as the 300 Norma, which came along many years later.
I'm still using a (little Wolfey) short version on a mark 5 action for hunting, but i had Bruce Baer put a 338 barrel on my #29 Wolfe action about 5 years ago.
As good as the cartridge is, it really cant compete with the bigger 338s at the longer distances, even with the heavier bullets.
Bruce proved that to some of us a good number of years ago when we crossed paths while hunting one day. lol

 

[Rifleman97]

Before I sold it I used N570, it was kinda similar in performance to R33 but had a cleaner burn and didn't require me to clean the barrel every 40 shots. I preferred R33 but it just wasn't clean enough of a powder. It was very accurate though, 3 shots one hole at 100 and 2 inches at 600 yards. If I can find my old reloading book I might be able to find the velocities for the 215 and 230 grain berger

 

[Love a Weatherby]

I used a lot of H1000, and Retumbo. A a bit of US 869...I shot a 30-378 for about 5 years straight...used little else. it is big and effective with 210s and the heavier bullets. My load with a 180 accubond was the most accurate though. My longest kill is with a 30-378...I still have one--but seem to enjoy lesser calibers now

I have question what col did you use with the 180gr accubond

 

[yobuck]

Back in the day, there were actually very few powders that worked well in the 30x378.
H570 was the best, but not easy to find. I used 113 gr of that in mine along with the 200 gr SMK for a MV of 3500 fps from the 36" barrel.
H870 would work also as did WC872, but both of those required more powder to achieve the velocity.
About 118 gr in my gun to get to 3500 fps with the 200 gr bullet.

 

[Love a Weatherby]

I have some wc872 pull down powder what kind of bullet you use