Question: Does Woodleigh have its own reloading manual? I thought I saw one somewhere on one of the internet sites, but am not able to find it again. I've got several different weight Woodleigh bullets in the .375 and .416 calibers that I want to reload in preperation for my Sept. 2008 Cape buffalo hunt in Mozambique. I've got several other brand bullets (Bruno, Barnes, Swift, Nosler, etc.) in the same calibers, but only Woodleigh makes a 350 grain bullet for the .375 H&H mag. and a 420 grain bullet for the .416 Rigby. Thus, I'd like to use the Woodleigh bullets, instead of the others, as a larger weight bullet will deliver more knock-down power, theoretically.

If anyone has any personal experience with reloading Woodleigh bullets in these two calibers, and/or can inform me as to where I can purchase a Woodleigh reloading manual, I've be forever grateful.

Thanks in advance.

Trophy Hunter

TH try emailing Woodleigh direct with you question, there should be a link on their site.

Stu

I was informed by them they did not have any sort of manual or plans for one.

I have heard that if you contact them with load data questions that they will suggest a load to suit. I have not done this though.

Stu

He takes some time to reply ( 2 to 3 weeks). But if you give all the info about your set up and what you want to do you'll get a starting load.

Not trying to be argumentative, but why are you set on using those bullet weights? The .375 H&H and .416 Rigby have been killing the hell out of buffalo with 300 gr. and 400/410 gr. bullets respectively, for going on 100 years. There are litterally dozens of loads available in those bullet weights. That fact alone tells me something. Just a suggestion from one who has killed several buffalo with each caliber, work up a good load with the above bullet wieghts, get to be a good shot with the load, put the shot on target, then take some nice pictures and post them so we can enjoy them too!

Geronimo

Geronomo,

You are 100% correct regarding the long history of 300 and 400 grain slugs in the .375 and .416, respectively, killing a lot of
Buffalo, as well as other dangerous game. Your advice is sound, but I'm of the opinion (right or wrong) that the heavier bullet the more energy is passed onto the game at hand, thus, more knock-down and/or killing power. This wouldn't be an issue if I'd chosen a .458 Win. Mag. for something bigger.....as they throw those 500+ slugs down-range with more than ample killing power, but I chose the .375 and .416 for rather sentimental reasons, based on "lore" and also for calibers that have a bit less recoil.

I did find that my .375 H&H Win. 70 had an affinity for 300 grain Swift A-frames when pushed by 67.0 grains of R-15: mv = 2,475 ft/sec. w/down range precision at 100 yds, all in a circle the size of a nickle, whereas factory loads only gave me precision within a 3" circle. Thus, I really can't complain with this sorta date for my .375..(used this bullet in 2006 in S.Africa on a nice Cape Eland, Water buck and Gemsbuck)...I'll probably be very lucky to come close to this with a Woodleigh 350 grain slug, but using a bullet that is 50 grains heavier might just be better, but this may only be academic at best.

My new Ruger .416 Rigby has yet to be tested, thus my plan to try several of the various brands of 400 grain slugs, as well as the Woodleigh 420s. Although, once again, you are correct in that using these heavier projectiles may be more or less unecessary. As you so correctly suggested, no matter what I choose to take to Africa, it'll be what ever gives me the best precision and knock-down power. All the mv and/or grains of bullet in the world is useless if the bullet doesn't hit its mark.

Thanks again for the comments/suggestions.

P.S. On my hunt in Mozambique, I'll be using the .375 H&H mag. on Nile croc. and Hippo. Taking both of these species, in many instances, requires that one go for a brain shot......brain size in both the Hippo and Croc. is not much larger than a hen's egg, thus the absolute need for precison shooting......ya miss the brain and you normally don't recover the animal and you still pay for it......not a good deal. Of course, if the Hippo is out of the water and the opportunity avails itself, a broadside shot at his chest cavity would be also be an option;......skin is 1.5" thick, thus the need for a bullet that gives deep penetration and adequate expansion.

quote:

Originally posted by Geronomo:
Not trying to be argumentative, but why are you set on using those bullet weights? The .375 H&H and .416 Rigby have been killing the hell out of buffalo with 300 gr. and 400/410 gr. bullets respectively, for going on 100 years. There are litterally dozens of loads available in those bullet weights. That fact alone tells me something. Just a suggestion from one who has killed several buffalo with each caliber, work up a good load with the above bullet wieghts, get to be a good shot with the load, put the shot on target, then take some nice pictures and post them so we can enjoy them too!

Geronimo

Norma is loading heavier-than-standard bullets in several of the cartridges in Norma's new African PH line of ammo.

See:

http://www.norma.cc/content.asp?Typ=68&Lang=2&Submeny=2&Rubrik=African%20PH

and

http://www.norma.cc/assets/pdf/np%20african%20ph%20folder%2006.pdf
(This is a 4 meg pdf file.)

-Bob F.

Bob,

Thanks for the two web sites. They basically support my premise that in cases of hunting dangerous game, "bigger is better", and both web sites provide the physics behind the reasoning.

I must correct one error I made in my post....I mentioned the 420 grain bullet for the .416 and I meant to list the 450 grain bullet instead. Now, with the data provided on these two web sites, I can work up some loads to match the mv listed. If the Woodleigh bullets can match or do better (regarding precision) than the other brands I have in possession, then I'll be going with the heavier bullets. But, as Geronimo so accurately stated, a lot of buffalo have been killed with the 300 grain slugs in the ole .375 H&H mag weapons.

I'll keep ya all posted on my testing data and will most certainly post some pics of my safari upon my return, sometime in mid October.

Best regards and thanks to all for their ideas and suggestions. I shall follow-up on them all.

P.S. I have to wonder if those Norma cartridges have Woodleigh bullets in them, as I've not seen any bullets of those heavier weights available for reloading by any other bullet manufacturer.

Hi Tropyhunter,

The following link will allow you to download his projectile range by calibre, but nothing about powder ??

http://www.woodleighbullets.com.au/

Mr. Chapuisarmes,

Thanks for the site reference. I've seen it before and it provides some valuable data, minus the powder amounts/types, as you mentioned.

I've emailed the author and he's given me some starting points regarding powder type/amounts, but only enough data to get me started.

One would think that a manufacturer of so-called "quality" bullets for reloading, who have stated emphatically that they've thoroughly "tested" their bullets of so many different calibers, that they'd see the value of publishing their findings, including types/amounts of powders used.


As soon as I get my .416 Rigby back from Mag-na-port, in Michigan, I'll proceed to work up my loads, chrono the data for each, and hopefully find a combo that my particular weapons like.

In the mean time, safe hunting.

Trophy Hunter

Hi Trophy Hunter here is another site that I found via this forum and seems to have some real "Ball Tearers" http://www.gscustom.co.za/ they make some good gear in the place we all wan't to use it. Cheers

I love the Woodleigh bullets and I had a hand in getting Geoff to make the 350 gr. .375 and 450 gr. .416 bullets..I also tested them on Buffalo in Africa for 3 years running for Geoff. He kindly sent me a lot of bullets for both calibers in softs and solids...

I would just cut back 10% from the listed 400 gr. loads and work up from there...You will like the results your get with those heavy bullets, both in accuracy and killing power, that I will guarentee...

Hi Again Trophy Hunter,

As Woodleigh are made in Australia, why not visit another site which I have seen a lot of dicussion re Woodleighs on.
www.nitroexpress.com

Cheers for now.

Thanks, Ray. Small world, indeed. Geoff McDonald emailed me the following reloading data for my .375 and .416 Woodleigh bullets:

For the .375 H&H 350 gr SN
Federal 215 primer
68-72 gr Hodgdon H4350 for 2300-2380 fps.zs
For FMJ start at 68 grains and work up if desired.

For the .416 Rigby 410 gr RN
Fed. 215 primer
90-95 gr H-4350, or 100 gr H4831SC for about 2300 fps.

For the .416 Rigby 450 gr RN SN
Federal 215 primer
94 gr H4831SC for 2300 fps or 100-105 gr H1000 for about 2200 fps.

So, with this data from Geoff and what you have suggested, I now have a point from which I can begin.

Thanks again and I hope the data I've posted can be of value to anyone else who is interested in working up these heavier bullets that Woodleigh now offers.

I'll post my final data prior to heading to Mozambique and then report back in October....hopefully with some pics of some nice trophies.