I've just started reloading for this cartridge. I'm quite impressed with it. The rifle and cartridge are alot more accurate than I had hoped for, and it is a pussycat to shoot. (Okay, after 35 rounds from the bench yesterday, working up a load, I finally said- ouch! THAT one hurt and packed up.)

While I was working up a load yesterday I shot several rounds which where clearly too hot, resulting in a sticky bolt. (Very confusing at first, until I realized that the scale was not being consistent)

I settled on a load of 69gr RL-15 and a 300gr Partiton. I zeroed it at 200 yards, as a 300 yard shot will be unlikely, and a slightly higher hold will do the trick if need be.

Anyways...
What is the expected case life for this? I've used the cases 3-4 times and they are showing signs of case head stretching, maybe the beginnings of a crack as determined by my RCBS Case Master...I am neck/partial sizing with a FL Redding die.

Does this cartridge have a reduced life span because of it's body taper?

How many full power loads is the average for the .375?

Thanks

[ 04-25-2003, 07:13: Message edited by: Gatehouse ]

Be most careful in setting the FL die. The only way to do it is to try a sized case in the chamber. Take the firing assembly out of the bolt and size a case a little at a time until you can feel the bolt close easy but not too easy. This is a fussy operation as you want to be able to operate the rifle from your shoulder.

I don't think the taper of the case has much to do with case life. Some don't agree. On that cartridge which is made for dangerous game there is nothing wrong with some taper to enhance chambering, extraction and feeding. Any loads for hunting should be with like new cases anyway.

I think the shoulder is adequate for headspacing and overall it's the standard.

I don't like belts at all but there are other worse things in life. You just have to deal with it that's all.

The CaseMasters feeler gage has a very sharp hook and it may cause you to overreact. Cut a case in half to see what it really looks like.

Of course very hot loads will shorten the case life faster.

The .375 H&H is my first attempt at loading a belted magnum. It's been a little frustrating, to say the least.

I bought a Wilson Adjustable case gauge, but I was still sizing rounds that would slide right into the case gauge, but wouldn't chamber in the rifle.

I was using a FL die to size about 1/2 to 2/3 of the neck only.

I finally had to screw the die down to the bottom to get rounds that would reliably chamber.

I'm not using the case gauge anymore.

I think the problem was PARTLY related to concentricity, because with SOME cases, I could rotate them 90 degrees and get the bolt to close.

Rick.

If a case is partial FL sized the base might indeed be out of round as it is not controlled by the die. Also partial FL sizing makes the case grow in headspace and it might change the dimensions of the base a little too just below where the die goes.

I have only had a couple of these .375 H&H's but I don't think they are any different than other belted cases for reloading.

Just size it down like I suggested in my first post.

Gentlemen
Savage99 is correct. However this is something you might try, especially if your chamber is slightly out of round.
Sometimes partial resizing can cause chambering problems. Switching to a Neck only sizing die may work, especially for practice and non dangerous game. If your chamber is out of round, and for the most in reliability you can try this.
Make a "Body Die". Redding makes them for benchrest and I have used one in High-Power as well. It goes like this. Take a Full length sizing die that you know will size the base and body of the ctg so it will chamber easily. Take it to a good machinist and have the shoulder area reamed out so it cannot touch the shoulder of the case.You do not use the expander stem in this die. Then resize with this die first, followed by your properly adjusted neck die. This adds an extra step, but is well worth it if it makes your rifle 100% reliable.
Normaly this body die [or bumb die as it is sometimes called] is used after a case has been neck sized many times and has become difficult to chamber. They bump the shoulder back [which you do not want] and resize the case body [which you DO want]. Target shooters use their cases "forever" something you do not want to do on a DGR, but this self made "body" die will allow reliable feeding without pushing back the shoulder.

I have never experienced any problems loading the 375 or any belted case...but 99% of my guns are custome barrels and properly chambered...

If I had a out of round chamber on a DGR or any rifle for that matter, I would replace that barrel with a Lothar Walther barrel and have it chambered by a top notch gunsmith..or take it for a trip down gunshow lane.

I neck size my belted magnum cases so they fill the chamber and not use the belt for head space. Case life depends on many factors and the less you work any brass the longer it will last. Trying to partial resize any brass with a FL sizer die can make the brass grow and not fit the chamber properly. The FL sizer die is made to size the case to factory specs and not designed to be used as a neck sizer die. If you want neck sized brass get a neck sizer die. All you need do is neck size and run every round your going hunting with through the chamber to be sure it works smoothly. I have a 300 Winchester magnum and get several reloads per case by neck sizing only, my head space is on the shoulder no the belt. The majority of reloaders run new brass through a FL sizer die then load em. I think your making an easy job into a hard job with your reloading practices and thinking on a magnum case. Treat a belted magnum case just as you would a non belted case when relaoding and you will be just fine. Avoid hot loads in all cases and the brass will last much longer. Accuracy is far more important than blinding bullet speed. Hot loads is a good way to stretch an action and may damage your action.

Thanks for the replies...

The chamber is fine..fired cases show very little run-out. Accuracy is good.

I've loaded a number of belted cartridges, but none with so mch taper.

BUt how many loadings do you get from your .375 cases? That's what I really want to know!

Gatehouse:

The advice given to date pretty well summed it up - that the more you
work the brass and the hotter the loads - the fewer reloads you will
have.

That said - I had my first case "failure" in 375 H&H to date, this
weekend. I loaded the Federal brass for it's 5th loading including
cleaning and uniforming the primer pockets. When I took the loads to
the range, I noticed that one had lost a primer. Other than that the
only "failures" I've had to date involved my five year old helping me to
seat bullets and mangling a few case necks (IMHO - well worth the price
of a few lost cases to encourage him to love shooting sports!)

So - how many loadings do you get? I don't know, but after the first 4
firings I'd suggest giving them a good checking over every time.

I've got a set of the stoney point gauges that measure distance from the base to the shoulder. Using them I can adjust my full length dies to bump the shoulder back as little as .001" during partial full length resizing. That's what I do with my .375 and I've not seen any sign of overworked brass. I can't remember offhand how many firings I've had out of them, but I've never had to throw away a case so far.

To offer a poor answer to your question - I dunno. I've given up counting a long time ago. Suffice it to say that I purchased my current batch of (PMP) cases in 1998, and haven't had to discard a case yet. I shoot my .375 a lot. I believe the trick lies in 2 things - partial sizing, so the case headspaces on the shoulder, and mild loads (2400-2450fps with a 300gr bullet). I also trim cases and ream primer pockets after every firing, and I keep my cases meticulously clean. As an afterthought - my CZ barrel was chambered rather tight by my gunmaker, so I'm not working my brass excessively. Maybe I just got lucky?

The 375H&H will stretch on the first firing, I am amazed out of all my cals. I reload for, this cartridge just grows, I suppose it was never intended to be reloaded, but I love it, shit happens...Les

Had a .375 and case head separation would start on the 4th or 5th firing. Had a 7mm Rem. Mag. and still have a few pieces of brass left from this rifle that have been reloaded 45 times with no case stretching or cracks. I reamed my Ruger 77/22H to .22KH thinking that the shoulder would prevent cases from stretching. It did not work. The cases bulged on the sides,started head separations and cracked necks by the fourth reload. I measured and tried everything I could think of to correct this, even cutting a bit off the bottom of the die. Finally I loaded and fired five cartridges and sent them and the die to RCBS explaining what I had done. They returned the die with no explanation of what they did to it and at no charge (thank you RCBS, I was expecting to be billed, much appreciated). I proceeded to test load a cartridge and quit on the 10th firing as I had absolutely no signs of stretching or cracking.