I have reloaded some previously in cal 30 and .338 with very good results.
This year I have loaded some in 250grs in 9,3x62 for a good friend and they have had problems with lack of expansion and animals that stroll of for as much as 350y.
Has any one had any experiencence With Rino Bullets? There avalible in the US now.The design sounds intersting.I'm thinking about a 250gr.338 WM. Allen
Posts: 656 | Location: North of Prescott AZ | Registered: 25 October 2004
The Rhino softs are pretty much a crib on the excellent Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (solid shank with bonded core). I use the 300gr softs in my .375, my son uses the 286gr softs in his 9.3x62, and a friend uses the 400gr softs in his .404 Jeffery. Between us, we've taken a lot of game with the Rhinos and we're very happy with them. We have yet to recover a bullet, so I can't tell you much about retained weight, expansion etc., but I suppose those dead animals are a statement in themselves??
I would also like to use the 380 grain bullet on moose and bear. I know a moose does not need 380 grains but where there are moose, there are bears. Any information would be great. Where do i get them?
Posts: 308 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 19 July 2002
I recently used the .375/350 grain on 2 moose. The moose are dead, but the bullets went thru so I can't tell you how they looked etc. They were loaded to around 725 m/s. I generally have the impression that the Rhino bullets are maybe a bit too hard. That they don't open up much unless you have high velocity. Since the heavy ones are long, getting high speed is difficult... I personally think that the 350 grain would be better if it was shaped like the 380 grain. This would allow the 350 grain to be a tad shorter, and thus allow more powder in the case.
Erik D.
Posts: 2662 | Location: Oslo, in the naive land of socialist nepotism and corruption... | Registered: 10 May 2002
I have only recently joined the forum and have been amazed at the amount of interesting activity and discussions that take place.
I have noticed various comments with regards to Rhino bullets. Being South African and living out in the sticks as most of us professional hunters do we often do not have the luxury of vast choices when it comes to reloading components.
I have been using Rhino bullets with amazing success in the majority of my firearms. A comment was made about the 380 gr Rhino in cal 375. This bullet has really made a significant difference to my choice in bullets. For the last two hunting seasons I have used nothing else but the 380 gr Rhino in my 375. The bullet was used in various situations on Buffalo, White Rhino, Lion and various plains game. I do not have the luxury of all the various propellant that the rest of you do. All my loads were developed with Somchems powders. I will be more than willing to share this information with interested parties.
Happy Hunting Dries van Coller
Posts: 15 | Location: South Africa | Registered: 30 October 2004
I have used the 286 grain bullets on Kudu and it killed well, I only recoverd 1 bullet and only the chunk was left, not the nice mushroom we always hear about, but it worked well, so no complains
Flip
Posts: 931 | Location: Nambia | Registered: 02 June 2000
Ray I have shot 7 buff over the last 3 years with my 500 jeff using rhino solid shanks, they where in all cases chest shots and only require the usual insurance shots they all opened to be perfect mushrooms.I must be honest Pierre van Tonder story leaves confused .
In South africa We use a mix between our local S365 and S335 for the 380 rhino in the 375 h&h.We use between 30g of each up to 31.5 and do a mix i hope this might help.
It would be good to remember Jack Hornady's reply to an unsatisfied customer, "At what point in the death of the animal did the bullet fail?" I never recovered any of the Nosler Partitions used in my 375 H&H on plains game on my one and only Africa safari, they all exited on these one shot kills (Kudu, Gnu, warthog among others). I wonder if they worked correctly?
Posts: 7046 | Location: Rambouillet, France | Registered: 25 June 2004
I was with Jaco on the hunt in which his .500 Jeffery and buffalo are pictured. And I can assure you that .500 Jeffery Rhino opend up and mushroomed perfectly. As have all the others we've collected over the years. I was also with Jaco when we shot a giraffe bull with his .450 Rigby also using Rhinos.
That was the only time I've seen less than perfect performance from a Rhino as one of the two bullets only opened on one side instead of all the way around. These were prototype bullets that we sent back to Kobus for examination and subsequent modification.
I've used the Rhinos in my .375. I use the 300gr soft point. It's accurate and has always performed very well on game.
Alf, I guess we're embarking on the age old bullet design controversy: not enough expansion versus disintegration on the one hand, good expansion but not enough penetration on the other. All to be discussed in the context of theoretical performance on animals with an almost infinite number of physical characteristics in terms of physionomy depending on bullet path in the animal. I guess we can all agree that if a bullet traverses a vital organ the animal will die, sooner or later. The logical starting point then would be a bullet that can traverse vital organs in any animal no matter what the shooting angle or the physionomical characteristics of the animal. This should occur whether or not bone is encountered. I don't think you will find an example of a bullet which can do this which also "always" mushrooms correctly in all circumstances as I don't think it can be done. If somebody can give me an example of this bullet then perhaps the great bullet controversy is finished and I just haven't been informed.
Posts: 7046 | Location: Rambouillet, France | Registered: 25 June 2004
Quote: Alf, I guess we're embarking on the age old bullet design controversy: not enough expansion versus disintegration on the one hand, good expansion but not enough penetration on the other. All to be discussed in the context of theoretical performance on animals with an almost infinite number of physical characteristics in terms of physionomy depending on bullet path in the animal. I guess we can all agree that if a bullet traverses a vital organ the animal will die, sooner or later. The logical starting point then would be a bullet that can traverse vital organs in any animal no matter what the shooting angle or the physionomical characteristics of the animal. This should occur whether or not bone is encountered. I don't think you will find an example of a bullet which can do this which also "always" mushrooms correctly in all circumstances as I don't think it can be done. If somebody can give me an example of this bullet then perhaps the great bullet controversy is finished and I just haven't been informed.
Then my friend you do not need to look further than the Northfork soft points. They are performing the same way in calibers of very different size and velocity capabilities.
When a bullet looks the same fired out of a 308Win and a 300 Weatherby your looking at a great product.
We have strings about the lack of expansion of Rhino bullets several places on the internet at forums like this in at least three different languages as far as I have seen.
I have used the previously, but for know they are not my first choice before I can find out why they sometimes do fail to expand.
Posts: 118 | Location: Norway | Registered: 02 October 2003
6.75" at 600 yards kinda says it all for me. 15 rounds no less.
The 57.2 gr. load of IMR 4895 with Norma Brass, WLRM primers, and the 380 Rhino RNSP bullets. Have you chronographed this load? Do you know the OAL of this load? What's your perceived recoil with this load?
I've been interesed in a 400 for the 375 for sometime but no one makes one. Your load might make for a reference point for loading a 400.
BTW, very nice shooting.
Roger QSL
Posts: 4428 | Location: Queen Creek , Az. | Registered: 04 July 2000
Hi, I have used the 9,3 mm 286 grain Rhino in both 9,3x62 and 9,3x63.
I agree about that they do not expand as much as they should, no expansion noticed when fired through European Moose. Also tested the bullets fired through wet paper, When fired at 100 paces the expansion was hardly noticed.
I prefer bullets like Norma Oryx, Woodleigh and Stewart!
Husky
Posts: 1134 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 28 December 2003
I am looking forward to getting my hands on some Northforks and am just waiting for the reply from the distributor in Norway (if they can ship them to France). I hope to try them out on my next hunt in Africa, but I have to get some first.
Posts: 7046 | Location: Rambouillet, France | Registered: 25 June 2004
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